History of Wrestling

Study Notes

Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in the world, with evidence of its existence dating back to ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece around 3000 BCE.
The sport was featured in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, with the first recorded Olympic wrestling match taking place in 708 BCE.
Wrestling was also practiced in ancient Rome, where it was known as "luctatio".

Freestyle wrestling: a style that allows wrestlers to use their arms and legs to execute takedowns and turns.
Greco-Roman wrestling: a style that prohibits holds below the waist, focusing on upper body strength and technique.
Folkstyle wrestling: a style practiced in the United States, similar to freestyle wrestling but with some rule differences.
Professional wrestling: a form of sports entertainment that combines athleticism with theatrical performance.

Takedowns: moves that bring an opponent to the mat, such as single-leg and double-leg takedowns.
Turns: moves that allow a wrestler to gain control of an opponent on the mat, such as pinning combinations and tilts.
Escapes: moves that allow a wrestler to break free from an opponent's control, such as rolling and bridging.

Match structure: a wrestling match typically consists of three periods, each lasting 2-3 minutes.
Scoring: points can be scored through takedowns, turns, escapes, and pinning an opponent's shoulders to the mat.
Weight classes: wrestlers are divided into weight classes to ensure fair competition.

Olympic medals: wrestlers can compete for Olympic medals in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
World Championships: annual championships organized by United World Wrestling (UWW) for freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling.
Professional wrestling promotions: organizations such as WWE, AEW, and NJPW that host professional wrestling events.

Wrestling has a history dating back to 3000 BCE, with evidence of its existence in ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece.
The sport was featured in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, with the first recorded Olympic wrestling match taking place in 708 BCE.
Wrestling was also practiced in ancient Rome, where it was known as "luctatio".

Freestyle wrestling allows wrestlers to use their arms and legs to execute takedowns and turns.
Greco-Roman wrestling prohibits holds below the waist, focusing on upper body strength and technique.
Folkstyle wrestling is a style practiced in the United States, similar to freestyle wrestling but with some rule differences.
Professional wrestling is a form of sports entertainment that combines athleticism with theatrical performance.

Takedowns are moves that bring an opponent to the mat, such as single-leg and double-leg takedowns.
Turns are moves that allow a wrestler to gain control of an opponent on the mat, such as pinning combinations and tilts.
Escapes are moves that allow a wrestler to break free from an opponent's control, such as rolling and bridging.

A wrestling match typically consists of three periods, each lasting 2-3 minutes.
Points can be scored through takedowns, turns, escapes, and pinning an opponent's shoulders to the mat.
Wrestlers are divided into weight classes to ensure fair competition.

Wrestlers can compete for Olympic medals in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
The annual World Championships are organized by United World Wrestling (UWW) for freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling.
Professional wrestling promotions, such as WWE, AEW, and NJPW, host professional wrestling events.