WRESTLING BASICS FOR PARENTS/FANS

General Wrestling Scoring Procedures

Takedowns are scored when one wrestler brings his opponent down to the mat from a standing position and is considered having "control". Additional points are awarded when a wrestler takes his opponent directly to his back. Common takedowns include single legs, double legs, high crotches, headlocks, shrugs, fireman's carries, and many more.

Reversals are scored when a wrestler, controlled by his opponent on the mat, executes a move that allows him to assume a controlling position on top of the opponent, thus reversing the situation. Common reversals include switches and Peterson rolls.

Exposing an opponent's back to the mat is a scoring technique in all styles of wrestling. A wrestler must not only tilt the rival's back toward the mat, breaking a 90° angle, but also hold the back in this position to score points. Common "pinning combinations" include the half-nelson, arm bar, and cradle.

Escapes are scored when a wrestler, controlled by his opponent on the mat, frees himself and moves to a standing position, facing the opponent. Common escapes include the standup and the sit-out.

The 3 Periods of a Match

Generally all matches are 3 periods in length. A match will end when one wrestler scores a pin fall over another or time expires after the third period.

At the start of a match, wrestlers will usually be given colored anklets. Generally, one wrestler will wear a green anklet while the other wrestler will wear red. The significance of the colors is that they correspond to the colors worn by the referee. The referee will have a green band on one wrist and a red on the other. As the match proceeds, the referee will signal the award of points to a wrestler by holding up that wrestler's color.

As you look at the wrestling mat you will notice a large circle going around the perimeter of the mat, this is the out-of-bounds indicator. Each wrestler must stay within the circumference of this larger circle to score points. In most cases you will also notice a smaller circle within the larger one, this is referred to as the center of the mat. Contained within the center of the mat are 2 parallel lines or a box, this is the starting point for each period.

After the wrestler has his/her anklet on and proceeds to the center of the mat the referee will ask the timer, score keeper, and the wrestlers if they are ready. If everyone is ready to begin the referee will ask each of the wrestlers to shake hands and get ready to start. To start a match each wrestler will be in the "Neutral" position. The neutral position is where both wrestlers face each other in a standing position. Each wrestler is required to have at least one foot on the neutral line before the match is allowed to proceed. Once the wrestlers are in the starting neutral position, the referee will blow his whistle to start the match.

From the neutral position, each wrestler is attempting to score points on his/her opponent by taking that opponent down. If a wrestler is successful in taking down the opponent and is in control of the opponent the referee will award that wrestler 2 points for a "takedown".

To indicate the points, the referee will hold up the hand with that wrestlers corresponding color and flash 2 fingers up and then down towards the mat. It should be noted that a wrestler must be in control of the other wrestler to score the takedown points. Generally this means that the scoring wrestler is on top, behind, or in some way free of his/her opponents advantage.

Once a wrestler has taken down his/her opponent they must now try to turn that opponent to their back. A wrestler who has successfully taken down his/her opponent must continue to wrestle or be warned for "stalling". The same applies to the wrestler who was taken down, they must try to escape the control of the top wrestler. If a wrestler receives 2 warnings for stalling his/her opponent will receive 1 point on the next stalling warning. Stalling warnings carry over from one period to the other and are accumulated during that entire match. If a wrestler receives too many stalling deductions they automatically lose the match.

As the top wrestler (the one who took down his/her opponent) continues to wrestle they will use various holds to turn over their opponent, one such hold is the half nelson. This is when the top wrestler threads his/her arm under the arm and over the head of their opponent. By doing so a wrestler can "expose" (turn their opponents back past a 90 degree angle with the mat) their opponent and score points. If the top wrestler successfully exposes his/her opponent for more then 2 seconds without the continuation of a move he/she will score 2 "Near Fall" points. However, if the top wrestler can expose his/her opponent for more then 5 continuous seconds they will receive 3 near fall or "back points". The referee will award the amount of back points/near fall points a wrestler receives by holding up the corresponding colored arm and indicated with his/her hand the points and tapping their back.

If the first period expires with no pin/fall, the referee will stop the wrestlers and bring them back to the center of the mat. At this point the referee will flip a coin or colored disk and ask a wrestler to "call-it". If the wrestler wins the coin toss it is "their choice" as to how they would like to start the second period. A wrestler could choose to defer his/her choice until the third period and allow his/her opponent to choose how they will start the period. The choices a wrestler could make are top, bottom, or neutral. If the wrestler chooses the neutral position each wrestler will be starting as they did in the first period. Each wrestler is facing each other as they start. However, if the wrestler so chooses they could start in the bottom position. The objective of the bottom wrestler is to either reverse their position with the top wrestler or escape from the top wrestler. The bottom wrestler may execute some common moves such as a sit-out, switch, or a stand-up. If a wrestler successfully executes a switch for example they will end up on top of the other wrestler and receive 2 points for the executed move. If the bottom wrestler executes a stand-up and can break free from the control of the top wrestler they will receive 1 point for an escape. The referee will generally signal that the bottom wrestler is free by indicating no control.

If the wrestler chose the top position they must try to turn their opponent to their back. As the two wrestlers continue to wrestle there may be a point in the match when the referee determines that neither wrestler can complete or advance a move. In this case the referee will call a stalemate and break/stop the wrestlers moving them back to the center of the mat to start over. If the wrestler on top ever locks his arms around the bottom wrestler while still being on the mat and not having control of at least one arm the top wrestler will be called for locked hands. If this happens the referee will stop the match and award the bottom wrestler one point. At any point in the match a wrestler may not grab or hold the clothing of his /her opponent.

After the second period expires, the wrestler who has not made a choice on how to start a period chooses the starting position of this period. As the period begins the referee will ask the bottom wrestler to get set. The bottom wrestler will have to place their knees on one line and their hands in front of the other line located in the center of the mat. After the bottom man indicates to the referee that he/she is set the referee will allow the top wrestler to get position. If the top wrestler tries to get into position too soon or either wrestler moves before the referee indicates to start then that wrestler will be cautioned for a false start. If the wrestler is cautioned again, the other wrestler will be awarded a point.

As the wrestlers continue the match they are each trying to score points or pins/falls. If a wrestler attempts to score a point on another wrestler with an illegal move (i.e. a full nelson), the referee will blow the whistle and stop the match. The referee will award the offended wrestler a point and start the match again from the center of the mat. If one wrestler has control over another and is trying to score, they may unintentionally be in a position where the move they are executing is legal but potentially dangerous. If this occurs the referee will stop the match and again move the wrestlers back to the center of the mat.

Throughout the match wrestlers will be performing different moves. A wrestler can only score on the move if they are in-bounds. A wrestler is considered in-bounds if three points of their body and their opponent's body are within the larger circle. If one wrestler tries to execute a move and their opponent or their own body carries over the outer circle, the referee may blow his/her whistle and have the participants move back to the center of the mat. The referee may or may not award points to a wrestler if the referee deems the move completed before the wrestlers moved out-of-bounds.

Wrestling is a physically demanding sport with many emotions. As wrestlers do combat with each other, sometimes emotions can take over and cause one wrestler to over react. If a referee determines that an individual is or has over-reacted they will blow the whistle and call a technical violation. Depending on the infraction, the offending wrestler may have a point deducted from their score or forfeit the match. Flagrant misconduct is any act that happens before, during or after a match that is considered to be serious enough to disqualify an individual from the match. This also includes Slams. The wrestler who has his/her opponent in the air is responsible for their safe return to the mat. If it is deemed intentional, then it is a flagrant misconduct and the offending wrestler is disqualified.

Do to the nature of the sport, injuries do and will happen, wrestlers are awarded time to attend to injuries, based of the type of injury and the specific cause, either by illegal moves, or just bleeding time. Matches can be stopped if a wrestler can not recover from an injury, or excessive bleeding can not be controlled.

Wrestlings Five Styles
By Bruce Gabrielson

Head Coach Southern Maryland Wrestling Club

Reprinted here with permission

The Styles
There are currently five styles of amateur wrestling practiced in the United States, each with separate rules, techniques, and emphasis. Wrestlers with a strong background in only one style, and little experience in the others, sometimes have difficulty adjusting to an opponent who uses the stronger techniques from a different style to attack. For this reason, most successful coaches stress that their wrestlers learn as many styles as they can to develop their own unique techniques. This becomes particularly important if the wrestler plans to compete at the college level or in national competitions. Below is a short description of each style as practiced in the U.S. There are many flavors of each of these styles. A wrestler interested in learning the various styles should affiliate with one of the various open clubs that actively train in more than one styles.

Folkstyle
Folkstyle (scholastic) is the style common to high school and college competition in the United States. As the name implies, the style was developed in the US, and is not used in international competition. Folkstyle concentrates on control, with points awarded for controlling an opponent for lengths of time longer then when under control. The wrestler on top must constantly work towards a pin while the wrestler on the bottom must continually try to escape or reverse. Folkstyle is similar to Freestyle in that for some of the time both wrestlers are on their feet and attempting to take each other to the mat in order to gain control.

Freestyle
Freestyle wrestling concentrates on attacking the entire body of the opponent. Wrestlers start on their feet, and points are accumulated by taking the opponent to the mat and exposing his back. Matches are one five minute period in the open and high school divisions, and two periods with a short break in between for younger age groups. Since the emphasis in Freestyle is on attack and exposure, just controlling the opponent from on top with no continuous back exposure is considered a stalemate, and both wrestlers are brought to their feet after a short time in order for the bout to continue.
Also, since back exposure is emphasized, a wrestler can easily score points or pin himself by exposing his own back unless he is very careful how he performs his movements. One more very important point about both Freestyle and Greco-Roman is that there is no penalty for failed moves. if a wrestler attempts a takedown and ends up being taken down by his opponent, his opponent does not score points.

Greco-Roman
Greco-Roman is the oldest wrestling style, and very popular in some parts of the world. Like Freestyle, Greco-Roman concentrates on taking your opponent to the mat and exposing his back, but without using or attacking the legs. Points for takedowns and exposures are nearly identical between Freestyle and Greco-Roman, so long as legs are not used. Both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, in addition to Judo, are recognized Olympic sports.

Judo
Judo, meaning soft sport, is an oriental style of wrestling which concentrates on throwing your opponent off his feet and into a position of back control or submission. Wrestling consists of one five minute period, with both wrestlers starting on their feet. If one wrestler is taken down or thrown, wrestling continues for a short time to see if a pin can be achieved. Unlike karate, which also requires the wrestler to where white pants and a jacket but no shoes, blows are not allowed, nor are chock holds for wrestlers younger then 13 years old. Colored belts are awarded to wrestlers who reach various levels of excellence.

Sombo
Sombo is a style developed in Russia which combines the stronger aspects of Judo, Greco-Roman, and Freestyle. A jacket and standard wrestling singlet or shorts is worn, including shoes in competition. Like Judo, SOMBO concentrates on taking your opponent off his feet and into a position of submission. However, unlike Judo and all other wrestling styles, there are no pins, and back points can be scored only once. Points are accumulated as in Freestyle, or, like Judo, a total victory throw can be recorded. Also, like Judo, both men and women compete in separate classes. There are no choke holds in SOMBO, but submission holds are allowed in the cadet and above age groups. Like Judo, colored belts are awarded to wrestlers who reach various levels of excellence.

Professional Wrestling
As a final note, the wrestling commonly seen on television bears little resemblance to sport wrestling. This form of wrestling is known as catch-as-catch-can, and is both dangerous and theatrical in nature. While modern traditional wrestling is professional in some parts of the world, it is not as glamorous or dangerous as that seen on television. In all traditional styles, wrestlers compete in age and weight categories, so each boy has an equal chance regardless of size. Sport wrestling is safer then football (according to insurance companies), with scholastic wrestling currently ranked as the third most popular sport among high school boys in the U.S.