We’ve covered Judo and Karate so far in the great debate about which martial art is most effective when push comes to shove – pun intended. Both are powerful but incomplete arts; is wrestling the answer?
Wrestling is so part of our public consciousness that it hardly needs an introduction; we all know it’s centuries old and has a basic goal of pinning an opponent to the ground. For our martial arts debate, we’ll focus on the most popular form of wrestling: freestyle.
Famous for its appearance in the ancient Greek Olympic Games, wrestling differs from combat-oriented martial arts like Karate and Muay Thai in that its origins are tied to sport as opposed to pure fighting and self-defense. However, that doesn’t mean we should consider wrestling ineffective in real battle.
Freestyle wrestlers use their entire bodies in arm and leg holds (which can set up submissions), throws and, most commonly seen in MMA, powerful takedowns that sap opponents’ energy.
Famous freestyle wrestlers: Mark Coleman, Cain Velasquez, Josh Koscheck
If you want evidence that wrestling commands respect as a potent method of combat, look no further than the names listed above; I omitted Mr. Couture as he focuses on Greco-Roman wrestling. Mark Coleman won a UFC heavyweight title, by combining his wrestling with “ground-and-pound,” bludgeoning downed opponents with strikes that used his whole body weight.
Velasquez and Koscheck are even better (and more modern) examples of why wrestling is an extremely dangerous martial art. Since wrestling demands outstanding conditioning and strength training, wrestlers are often good natural athletes. That makes them difficult to hurt or overpower and, more importantly, quick learners. Koscheck’s athleticism has helped him develop heavy-handed boxing to accompany his wrestling skills. Suddenly, he can go toe-to-toe with powerful strikers from other disciplines.
In my opinion, wrestling deserves major consideration among the best bases in martial arts. It creates strong, fit fighters who are rarely on their backs and can wear more skilled opponents out.
By Matt Larkin
Guest Writer
Find a Wrestling club in Toronto