Wrestling weight class rules ensure fair competition by grouping athletes of similar sizes. Learn the difference between Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling and the essential moves every high school wrestler should know.
High school heavyweight wrestlers often resemble college wrestlers in a variety of ways. They're larger than most of their classmates, often muscled more like a college student than a high school youth. Their larger bodies make some moves and strategies untenable. They can't rely on speed the way a 105-pounder can.
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Wrestling at all levels involves many moves designed to put you in control with the ultimate goal of outpointing or pinning your opponent for a victory. For beginner high school wrestlers new to the sport, instead of trying to learn all of them at once, start with a few basic moves.
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Much of the discussion of cutting weight in wrestling -- on both the pro and con sides -- focuses on the short-term effects of the practice. However, research into eating habits and disorders indicates that cutting weight may have effects that last long after the end of your last competitive match.
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To avoid mismatches, and for obvious safety reasons, amateur wrestlers only face competitors of comparable sizes. As a result, wrestling organizations set strict weight-measurement rules to ensure heavier wrestlers donβt sneak through to face lighter opponents.
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With the help of Olympic exposure, women's freestyle has become a growing sport. More girls are wrestling at the high school level and several colleges have established women's programs. But in much of the country, girls must still compete against boys. Since 2004-05, 21 women have wrestled for men's college teams.
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If wrestling isn't the most difficult sport in the world, it's one of the most exhausting. To succeed at the highest levels in wrestling, you need a combination of physical power, speed, technical skill, mental toughness and endurance.
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Freestyle wrestling is a respected sport that has been around since the early 19th century. It is a close cousin of Greco-Roman and Folkstyle wrestling and utilizes throws, locks and leg trips in an attempt to score points and pin the opponent's shoulder blades to the mat.
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Greco-Roman wrestling and freestyle wresting both involve grappling with an opponent, but the two sports have their differences. Although it has an ancient-sounding name, Greco-Roman wrestling originated in France in the 19th century; the name comes from a desire to incorporate ancient values.
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If you think brute strength is all it takes to be good at arm wrestling, think again. Although strength is important, you also need good technique, good leverage, quick instincts and strategy. The sport dates back thousands of years to 2,000 B.C. and now arm wrestling competitions are held worldwide.
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Despite wrestling's use of physical force, the sport's rules and conventions keep it surprisingly safe and injury-free. Understanding the rules and moves of wrestling can help you enjoy watching the sport, and help you make a decision about whether or not to participate -- or have your child participate.
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To succeed in competitive wrestling, you need to nurture a rare blend of functional strength, speed, endurance, technical skill and mental fortitude. On the other hand, injuries are commonplace, making wrestling one of the most difficult sports in the world.
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What goes on under your singlet is important. The singlet is a standard competition uniform for collegiate, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It consists of a single piece of stretch fabric that covers the upper legs and torso, much resembling the one-piece bathing suits of the late 1800 and early 1900s.
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The dimensions of a wrestling mat will vary depending on the level of the wrestlers involved. There are different mat requirements for high school, college and international wrestling. Mat requirements pertain to the minimum dimensions and many schools will use larger mats than are required.
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Wrestling is one of the most popular high school sports among boys in the United States -- with more than 270,000 boys from public and private U.S. high schools participating in the 2012 to 2013 school year, along with about 8,700 girls -- according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.
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In wrestling, the object is to pin your opponent's two shoulders to the mat for five seconds. There are a number of moves used to achieve a pin. You must be in good physical shape and practice the pin moves until you become proficient enough to do it successfully in competition.
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Fasting, severe calorie restriction, excessive exercise and dehydration may help you get into a lower wrestling weight class, but you'll pay a steep price. You may feel fatigued, unfocused, weak and downright sick as a result of such extreme, unhealthy tactics. None of these side effects help you win a match.
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