NEW TO WRESTLING?
We get it. Wrestling, like most combat sports, can seem daunting to anyone who's never stepped foot on a mat before. And that's why we started this club — to give complete beginners a comfortable, safe, and patient place to learn and participate in the world's oldest sport. This page has lots of useful information for first time wrestlers, so feel free to explore!
Who Will I Be Wrestling?
In wrestling, athletes compete in designated weight classes. In college and international competition, these weight classes are rigid and pre-determined, but many open tournaments and clubs use the Madison weight class system, which allows for greater flexibility while still ensuring competitive balance.
At our practices, wrestlers will pair off with partners of roughly equal size, with frequent rotations during drills and technique.
What Do I Wear?
We HIGHLY recommend you wear wrestling shoes for practice. If you don't have a pair, barefoot or socks are ok. No outside shoes or sneakers are permitted on the mats.
Gym-appropriate apparel (t-shirts, shorts, sweatpants, etc.) are perfectly fine.
You can also wear a wrestling singlet or compression gear.
Will I Get Hurt?
At District Wrestling, we know who we are: adults who have day jobs, families, and other responsibilities and interests. We're here to have fun, work up a sweat, and occasionally compete recreationally against one another, not cause harm.
That said, wrestling is a combat sport, the occasional bruise, scrape, or bump is possible. We have zero tolerance for any dangerous or overly aggressive behavior.
Scoring?
In folkstyle and freestyle wrestling, you win a match in one of two ways: by scoring more points than your opponent, or by pinning them. Points are awarded for technique, control, and execution. A pinfall is awarded if both of your opponent's shoulder blades are on the mat.
Freestyle? Folkstyle? Greco?
There are 3 main types of wrestling you'll see in the U.S.: Folkstyle (sometimes called collegiate), which is what most high school and college programs practice; Freestyle, used in international competitions; and Greco-Roman, which only allows for attacking the upper body. At District Wrestling, we focus mostly on folkstyle and freestyle, the two most common.
WRESTLING 101
Gimme the basics
WHAT WE MEAN BY “INCLUSIVE”