Tag: Combat

Karate and Taekwondo are two of the most practiced martial arts in the world. At the height of their popularity, there were many debates discussing which was the superior martial art.

Let’s break down Karate vs Taekwondo and go over all of the similarities and differences between the two striking arts. Including going over the strengths and weaknesses of the two if the practitioners from each style faced each other.

Karate vs Taekwondo: The Histories 

Both of these martial arts have unique and rich histories. Here are the histories of Karate vs Taekwondo.

The History of Karate

The striking art of Karate originated in the islands of Okinawa. Within these islands many Chinese fishermen, who were Kung Fu practitioners, would settle there.

Karate would be created from techniques from Chinese Kung Fu styles and indigenous fighting techniques from the Ryukyu islands. There would be numerous masters credited with the development of Karate, but one of the main masters was Gichin Funakoshi.

Grand Master Funakoshi is considered the father of modern Karate and was responsible for bringing Karate to mainland Japan. 

Funakoshi would develop his style called Shotokan. Other masters would make their styles, which included Kyokushin, Goju-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, and Shito-Ryu.

Karate would begin to spread worldwide after WW2 due to the US military base in Okinawa. American servicemen would begin learning Karate and then take what they learned to the US.

The martial art of Karate would quickly become one of the most practiced martial arts in the world. Today, there’s an estimated 100 million people that practice a form of Karate.

The History of Taekwondo

The Korean martial art of Taekwondo like Karate is also a fairly young martial art. Although, the origins of the martial art date back to the Three Kingdoms period in Korea thousands of years prior.

Some of the older Korean martial arts that Taekwondo would take technique from include: Sukon, Taekkyon, and Gwonbeop.

Aspects of Karate would also be adopted into Taekwondo due to the occupation of Korea by Japan during the 1900s. After WW2, Japan’s occupation of Korea would end and Koreans would begin to reform their own identity. This included the creation of a national martial art.

There were four martial artists that are mainly credited with the creation of Taekwondo. They include: General Choi Hong Hi, Nam Te Hi, Han Cha Kyo, and Lee Chong Woo. General Choi is credited with coming up with the name Taekwondo.

Taekwondo would become internationally practiced within the first thirty years of its creation. In 1973, the World Taekwondo Federation would form and soon after, the first World Taekwondo Championship would be held.

Then just 15 years later in 1988, Taekwondo would debut as a demonstration sport at the Seoul Olympics. Later becoming an official Olympic sport in 2000.

During this period, Taekwondo became one of the most practiced martial arts in the world next to Karate. Today, Taekwondo is practiced in over 200 countries and on nearly every continent in the world.

Karate vs Taekwondo: The Similarities

Karate and Taekwondo share a lot of similar qualities between each other. Here are the main similarities between Karate vs Taekwondo.

Striking Martial Arts 

Both Karate and Taekwondo are traditional striking martial arts. Each style consists of a variety of different punching and kicking techniques.

The techniques vary, but many of the same striking techniques are practiced within both martial arts.

Belt Systems

Karate and Taekwondo both signify rank by using their own belt systems. The belt systems in each style are different, but both have black belts as the highest rank of the colored belts. Also in both styles, it takes around 4-6 years of consistent training to achieve a black belt.

Karate Influenced Taekwondo

When Taekwondo was being formed after WW2, Karate would have an influence on the martial art’s creation. The creators of Taekwondo would actually borrow numerous things from Karate such as uniforms, the belt system, techniques, and forms.

Taekwondo pioneers like General Choi would take these ideas from Karate to create the system for their martial art.

Both Styles Use Forms

As mentioned above, both of these martial arts use forms in their teachings. In Karate, the forms are called “katas” and in Taekwondo, they call forms “poomsaes.”

Also in both Karate and Taekwondo competitions, they each have divisions for forms that competitors compete in.

The Popularity of Karate and Taekwondo

Both Karate and Taekwondo are not only similar in techniques, but in popularity. They are two of the most practiced martial arts in the world with around 100 millions practitioners in each style.

Karate vs Taekwondo: The Differences 

While Karate and Taekwondo may seem similar to the untrained eye, they are widely different martial arts. Here are the differences between Karate vs Taekwondo.

Japan vs. Korea

Let’s list the first major differences between the two martial arts, which is their origins. Karate is a Japanese martial art, while Taekwondo is a Korean martial art.

Karate had an influence on Taekwondo’s creation, but Taekwondo is the national martial art of South Korea. In Japan, Karate is one of the national martial arts next to the grappling art of Judo.

Linear Movement vs. Long Distance Fighting

In most all of the forms of Karate, the movement within them is almost all linear and rigid. They will take swift angles, but the goal of Karate is to move forward at their opponent.

Within Taekwondo, fighters try to fight from a longer distance. Enabling practitioners to use their kicks or include jumps or spins in order to create more power.

Jumping/Spinning Attacks vs. Grounded Attacks

When you watch a talented Taekwondo fighter, you will see them throw impressive spinning or jumping kicks. In Karate, students it is rare that you see them leap to throw kicks. Jumping or skipping front kicks and roundhouses are used in Karate, but jumping spin kicks.

The Belt Systems in Karate vs Taekwondo

While both martial arts have a belt system, the two are widely different from one another. They each begin and end with a white and black belt, but the middle ranks differ.

The Karate Belt System

• White Belt
• Yellow Belt
• Orange Belt
• Green Belt
• Blue Belt
• Purple Belt
• Red Belt
• Brown Belt
• Black Belt

Read more about the Karate belt system

The Taekwondo Belt System

• White Belt
• Yellow Belt
• Orange Belt
• Green Belt
• Purple Belt
• Blue Belt
• Blue w/ Black Stripe
• Brown
• Brown w/ Black Stripe
• Red
• Red w/ Black Stripe
• Black Belt

Read more about the Taekwondo Belt Order.

Karate vs Taekwondo: Their Strengths

Each of these martial arts have their own strengths. Here are the strengths of Karate vs. Taekwondo.

The Strengths of Karate 

The striking art of Karate has two specific strengths that we’ll mention.

• Well Rounded Striking
• Quick Movements

Between the two martial arts, Karate has a more well rounded striking system than Taekwondo. Not only are kicks taught, but also powerful punches, elbows, and knee strikes.

All set up by quick and simple movements. There is no wasted movement in Karate and everything is targeted to go right at your opponent. 

The Strengths of Taekwondo 

Just like with Karate, we’ll mention two specific strengths for the striking art of Taekwondo.

• Keeping Distance
• Incredibly Powerful Kicks

If you’ve ever seen kickboxer and MMA fighter Raymond Daniels fight, he puts the strength of Taekwondo on full display.

The martial art enables a practitioner to keep the distance on their opponent to land kicks. When they’re able to control this distance, it enables them to add jump, spins, or both into their techniques.

Creating a lot of power on their kicks, which will put their opponent to sleep.

Karate vs Taekwondo:  Their Weaknesses

While the two martial arts do have their strength, they do have some glaring weaknesses. Here are the weaknesses between Karate vs. Taekwondo.

The Weaknesses of Karate 

Karate has two specific weaknesses that we’ll go over. 

• Predictable Movements
• No Mentionable Grappling Techniques

Karate is a respectable martial art, but the movements and techniques have a certain pattern. A pattern that a well-rounded opponent can easily read and take advantage of.

Take MMA legend and Karate master Lyoto Machida for example. When Machida is on, he’s hard to beat, but the opponent’s that defeated him used the same strategy.

They would read his movements, close the distance, and either take him to the ground or KO him. His grappling has improved over the years, but it has always been the weakness of his style.

The Weaknesses of Taekwondo 

Taekwondo has a few different weaknesses, but we’ll go over two specific ones like with Karate.

• Dependance on Distance
• No Mentionable Grappling Techniques

Taekwondo has strong striking techniques, but they’re all dependent on controlling the distance of a fight. The kicks are all beautiful, but they can’t use them unless there’s distance between them and their opponent.

Take the losses of MMA fighter Michael Page for example. He’s an incredibly talented striker, but when he loses, it’s because he didn’t control the distance.

The opponent’s that have beaten Page were able to either get in close out grapple him or hurt him. These flaws showcase the glaring weaknesses that Taekwondo has.

Key to Victory For Karate 

For a Karate fighter to be victorious in a Karate vs Taekwondo bout, they would have to do one specific thing. Close the distance against the Taekwondo fighter.

For Taekwondo to function, a practitioner would need to control the distance in order to get off their kicks. That is why the best game plan for a Karate fighter is to close the distance and jam the Taekwondo fighter.

This would eliminate the threat of kicks, while enabling the Karate fighter to use their superior hand strikes. So, if you ever spar against a Taekwondo fighter, remember to close the distance and stay in their face.

Keys to Victory For Taekwondo 

For a Taekwondo fighter to beat a Karate fighter, they would have to do two things. Keep their opponent at a distance and use their movement.

Karate is a rigid martial art that relies on a lot of linear movement to set up their attacks. That is why it would be imperative for a Taekwondo to keep control of the range and keep constant movement.

It would allow them to get off their kicks and stay out of danger of the Karate fighter’s attacks.

The Final Verdict 

In a fight between Karate vs Taekwondo, the winner would depend on who has the better skill and gameplan. Either one of these martial arts or both along with a form of grappling would improve your self defense skills. 

The grappling art of Judo has one quite a diverse library of techniques. One of the most asked questions by those learning about the martial art is how many Judo throws are there?

We’ve put together a list of all of the Judo throws for you and detail the 12 most versatile. See all of the Judo throws listed above and detailed breakdowns for the 12 most versatile for Gi and No-Gi.

How Many Judo Throws Are There?

As of now, there are 68 Judo throws listed in the Judo syllabus. In Grandmaster Jigoro Kano’s original syllabus, there were 40 Nage-Waze or throwing techniques. After the original syllabus was printed, 28 more Judo throws were added to the syllabus, which are listed below.

• O-goshi
• Seoi-nage
• Ippon Seoi-nage
• O-Soto Gari
• Seoi-Otoshi
• Sukui-nage
• Obi-otoshi
• Tai-otoshi
• Kata-guruma
• Uki-otoshi
• Sumi-otoshi
• Sukui-otoshi
• Yama-arashi
• Morote-gari
• Kuchiki-taoshi
• Uchi-mata
• Uchi-mata-sukashi
• Ko-ushi-gaeshi
• Uki-goshi
• Kibisu-gaeshi
• Obi-tori-gaeshi
• Uki-goshi
• Koshi-guruma
• Tsurikomi-goshi
• Sode-tsurikomo-goshi
• Harai-goshi
• Tsuri-goshi
• Hane-goshi
• Utsuri-goshi
• Ushiro-goshi
• De-ashi-harai
• Hiza-guruma
• Sasae-tsurikomi-ashi
• O-uchi-gari
• Ko-soto-gari
• Uchi-mata
• Okuri-ashi-harai
• Ko-soto-gake
• Ashi-guruma
• O-guruma
• O-soto-guruma
• Tsubame-gaeshi
• O-soto-gaeshi
• O-uchi-gaeshi
• Ko-soto-gari
• Hane-goshi-gaeshi
• Harai-goshi-gaeshi
• Uchi-mata-gaeshi
• Ma-sutemi-waza
• Tomoe-nage
• Hikikomi-gaeshi
• Ura-nage
• Yoko-otoshi
• Tani-otoshi
• Hane-makikomi
• Soto-makikomi
• Uchi-makikomi
• Uki-waza
• Yoko-wakare
• Yoko-guruma
• Yoko-gake
• Daki-wakare
• O-soto-makikomi
• Uchi-mata-makikomi
• Harai-makikomi
• Ko-uchi-makikomi
• Kani-basae
• Kawazu-gake

The 12 Most Versatile Judo Throws

All of these Judo throws are incredible techniques, but around 10-12 are the most commonly used. Here are our picks for the 12 most versatile Judo throws.

Uchi-Mata 

Uchi-mata is one of the most popular Judo throws among grapplers. It’s a dynamic throw that can be set up in a variety of different ways.

For the basic throw, take a sleeve and lapel grip. Then take a step forward and a back step behind it.

Now that you’re in position, kick up at your opponent’s inner leg above their knee to take them over.

In the No-Gi version of uchi-mata, you will take wrist control and an underhook instead of Gi grips. Break your opponent’s balance/posture as you get under their hips, and kick their inner leg out.

O-Goshi

O-goshi is one of the original Judo throws that Grandmaster Kano developed. For this throw, you’re going to need to set it up by pushing your opponent.

Take your basic sleeve and lapel grips and step forward as you push your opponent back. Reactively they will step back and you’ll go into your throw.

Take a deep underhook around your opponent’s back as you take a forward step, followed by a backstep. As your opponent comes forward, take a slight bow, and roll them over your hip to complete the throw.

The No-Gi version is exactly the same with the only difference being wrist control instead of a sleeve grip.

Ippon-Seoi-Nage 

Ippon-Seoi-Nage is one of the trademark Judo throws within the martial art that is extremely powerful.  Start with your basic sleeve and collar grip and pull your opponent forward.

As your opponent comes forward, take your front and back steps as you hook their arm. Make sure to hook your opponent’s arm at the crook on your arm and not at your shoulder. They’ll easily defend it and possibly choke or counter throw you.

Once you’re in position, take a slight bow as you pull your opponent’s arm down to take them over.(The steps for the No-Gi version of ippon-seoi-nage are exactly the same, but with wrist control instead of a sleeve grip.)

There is also the drop ippon-seoi-nage, where you do the same movements, but drop to your knees under your opponent.

O-Soto-Gari 

O-soto-gari is one of the easiest and powerful Judo throws to pull off. Take your sleeve and lapel grip to pull your opponent’s weight to the leg you’re targeting.

Once their weight is on that leg, kick your inside leg up, and hook it behind your opponent’s knee. In one swift motion, you’re going to kick out your opponent’s leg as you punch forward with your lapel grip.

Throwing your opponent to the ground with force. For the No-Gi version, take a collar tie and wrist control.

Kata-Guruma

The kata-guruma or fireman’s carry is one of the most versatile Judo throws. There’s numerous setups and also rather popular in freestyle wrestling and Sambo.

There’s numerous setups, but they all start about the same. For the basic version, all you need is a grip above your opponent’s tricep.

Use that grip to pull your opponent forward as you slide under their hips, and drop to your knees. As you’re dropping to your knees, keep pulling down on your grip to load your opponent onto your shoulders.

From here, you have various finishes. Everything from rolling your opponent over your shoulders, dropping them in front of you, or a sit-through finish.

Ashi-Guruma 

The ashi-guruma is one of the most beautiful Judo throws with a tricky setup. As you’re pushing your opponent back with your grips set, you take a baiting cross step.

Your lead foot shifts to the outside and you cross step with your back foot. When your back foot touches the mat, you’re going to fake like your front foot is following behind.

But instead of following, you lift the knee up and kick your leg back across your body. Hooking your leg above your opponent’s far knee as you’re bringing them forward. Continue your kicking motion to take them over with a beautiful throw.

Ouchi-Gari 

The Ouchi-gari is one of the easiest Judo throws that meshes well with o-soto-gari. This throw/sweep starts with getting your opponent to lean back by pulling them forward.

As your opponent’s weight goes back onto their heels, you’ll go into your steps. Start with a cross step with your lead foot and your backfoot follows behind it.

Then for the last step, bring your lead foot back across, and hook behind your opponent’s leg. Leaning your weight forward to force your opponent to their back.

If you practice MMA, this is a great technique to learn when you’re clinching against the cage.

Tani-Otoshi 

Tani-otoshi is another great throw that starts as a misdirection. Looking like you’re going for o-soto-gari, but instead going into tani-otoshi.

Take a cross-step with your lead foot like you’re going for o-soto-gari. But right after your cross-step, take your back leg and slide it across the mat behind your opponent’s legs.

Use your grips to pull your opponent and throw them backwards over your leg. This is another great throw to use if you practice MMA or freestyle wrestling.

Harai-Goshi 

Harai-goshi is another one of the more dynamic Judo throws within the martial art. It meshes well with uchi-mata since it has the same footwork, but you target the outside leg.

Once your grips are set, take a lead step with your front foot, and a back step with your back foot. Then with your lead foot, hook your opponent’s outside leg right above their knee.

Kick their leg out as you pull them over to complete the throw. You can easily set this throw up by faking an uchi-mata or vice-versa.

Morote-Gari 

Morote-gari is the Judo version of the double leg takedown. Making it one of the strongest Judo throws within the martial art.

If you’ve done any wrestling training, the mechanics are about the same as a standard double leg takedown. Pull your opponent up and forward, as you change levels, and grab behind their knees.

Once you’ve hooked behind your opponent’s knees, pull their legs out as you drive forward. If you’ve already been practicing BJJ or MMA, morote-gari should be rather easy to pick up.

Koshi-Guruma 

Koshi-Guruma is one of the must learn Judo throws. It has similar mechanics as o-goshi, but you’re hooking your opponent’s head and not their body.

Use your Gi grips to pull your opponent forward and do the same steps as o-goshi. Lead step forward, followed by a back step.

In the same motion, hook your arm around your opponent’s head. Pulling their head down as they roll over your hips and go over for the takedown.

In freestyle wrestling, they also teach versions of this throw, where you roll to the ground with your opponent.

Ushiro-Goshi

The last of the 12 most versatile Judo throws on our list is the ushiro-goshi. A phenomenal counter throw that’s a must known for any type of grappling you may practice.

This set up for this throw comes off your opponent attempting a throw of their own. Specifically a type of sacrifice throw, where they turn their back to you.

Your first step is to brace yourself and keep your hips low to avoid your opponent’s throw attempt. Once you’ve defended the throw, quickly take a tight bodylock around your opponent.

Use your bodylock to lift your opponent up and drop them to the mat. If you want to advance your counter skills, you definitely need to practice ushiro-goshi.

The sport of arm wrestling has had a surge in popularity in recent years. There are more fans getting into the sport and wanting to learn about its history.

Here is what you need to know about the history of arm wrestling. Going over the history of the sport, here competitors train for their sport, and the best athlete’s in the sport’s history.

The History of Arm Wrestling

Just about every culture in the world participates in the game of wrestling. A test of strength between the strongest in a group. Everyone at one point in their lives has played this game with their friends.

It wasn’t until the mid-twentieth century when arm wrestling started becoming an organized sport. The very first officially recognized world championship took place in 1962.

After that event, the sport began spreading globally. Including Eastern Europe and Russia, where many great athletes were produced along with the US.

The First Boom in Popularity

Arm Wrestling’s first big boom took place during the 1980s. During this time, a film was released in 1987 called “Over The Top” starring Sylvester Stallone.

This movie is about a truck driver and championship arm wrestler making his way to the world championship. The movie featured some of the best arm wrestlers of the 1980s.

Most notable is the main villain played by multi-time arm wrestling world champion Rick Zumwalt.

The Rules of Arm Wrestling

The rules of arm wrestling may vary slightly depending on the organization, but they generally follow the same guidelines. Here are the rules and oversights of the sport.

• The Table: An arm wrestling table consists of four pads and grip bars for the competitors to hold. Two pads are for the competitor’s elbows, while the other two pads are to cushion the arm of a pinned competitor.
• Starting Position: The ref overseeing the match makes the athletes lock hands in the center and set the groups. This official will then put his hand on the competitor’s hands, give them the signal to start, and let go.
• Grips: Generally, the arm wrestler’s must have their thumbs pointed upward when they connect hands. Refs will take the time to set their grips and see if everything is right.
• Elbow Placement: The elbows of the athletes must be placed directly on their pads and must not move. Any movement of the elbow will result in a foul.
• Hand Placement: Hands must be aligned with the athlete’s corresponding shoulder.
• Fouls: Fouls in arm wrestling include moving your elbow, false grips, and false starts. Generally warnings are given at first, then penalties, and finally disqualification.
• The Strap: Generally if one of the athletes keeps slipping out of the grip, the ref will bring in the strap. Using it to wrap the athlete’s hands together, so there are no more grip slips.
• Wins: A match is won whenever any part of a competitor’s arm touches the pad.
• Match Length: The match will go however long it takes for a competitor to pin their opponent. Matches generally last less than a minute.

The Techniques of Arm Wrestling

Arm wrestling may seem like it’s all just brute force, but there is some skill to it. Some of the techniques include: hooking, top rolling, and pressing.

Hooking

Hooking is where an athlete rotates their opponent’s wrist. This rotational movement puts pressure on the tendons of the wrist to gain leverage.

Top Rolling

Instead of attacking an opponent straight up, top rolling is targeting their fingers and wrist. An athlete rolls their hand over top of their opponent’s to put pressure on their fingers and wrist. Forcing their wrists to give and roll back.

Pressing

Pressing is the classic brute force method to win an arm wrestling match. If an athlete knows they’re stronger than their opponent, they will blitz them with all their strength.

Training For Arm Wrestling

While arm wrestling may seem just like a sport for the big and strong, the sport has evolved. Arm wrestlers train like high level athletes to be at peak physical strength for their competition. Here is how some arm wrestlers train.

Arm Strengthening

Of course, an arm wrestler’s main focus will be on strengthening their arm. Focusing on building up every muscle and tendon in the arm from their bicep, tricep, forearm, wrists, and fingers.

They will do everything from lift weights, cables, or resistance bands. Grip strength training will also be one of the main focuses as arm wrestlers can’t afford to have weak grips.

Core and Upper Body Strengthening

Many arm wrestlers will do compound movements targeting their upper body.  But on top of their upper body, they will also do exercises to strengthen their core. 

The reason for this is because in a match their core activates and must be tight throughout the match. Any weakness in the chain and especially the core will lead to a loss and even an injury. 

Technical Training

Arm wrestling isn’t just brute force. There is a technical aspect to the sport, which many athletes mainly focus on. 

Athletes will either construct their own device to mimic an arm wrestling match. Making a grip connected to weights to work on their movements and ensure their technique is solid.

The Best Arm Wrestlers in the Sport’s History 

John Brzenk 

John Brzenk is considered by many as the greatest arm wrestler of all time. Since the 1980s, Brzenk has been at the top of the sport.

In forty year career, Brzenk has won 24 world titles and has competed in numerous weight classes. He is a master at various techniques and being a dedicated athlete.

At nearly 60 years of age, John Brzenk is still one of the best arm wrestlers in the world. Always in the hunt to win another world championship.

Devon Larratt 

Devon Larratt is considered the best arm wrestler on the planet today. He has become the face of the sport.

Larratt’s entry into the sport started in the 1990s. Known for his incredible hand and grip strength, but also his technique. Devon is always thinking about strategy and how to become a better athlete and is one of the sport’s hardest workers.

He is a charismatic and friendly person, which is why he is one the favorites in the sport.

Oleg Zokh 

We talked before about the Ukrainian mutant Oleg Zokh. Oleg is a multi-time world champion that has had an incredible journey to becoming one of the world’s best.

At first, doctor’s told him he would never gain muscle in his arm due to a condition. Zokh would develop his supposed bad arm into a freakish muscular arm to win numerous major titles.

Then he would come back after a near fatal car wreck to once again become a champion.

Denis Cyplenkov

Denis Cyplenkov is a mammoth of a man that has been one of the top arm wrestler’s for decades. The 300 lbs Ukrainian is one of the most intimidating figures in the history of the sport.

He was a straight offensive arm wrestler that relied on his immense power. Often utilizing the hooking technique along with his explosive power. Then on top of being an accomplished arm wrestler, Denis is also an accomplished strong man athlete.

Travis Bagent 

Travis Bagent is one of the best American arm wrestlers in the history of the sport. Since debuting in the 1990s, Bagent has been known for his agility and power.

He is also one of the most colorful athletes in the sports and known for talking to his opponent’s throughout a match. His larger than life personality and talent has made him a fan favorite.

How to Get Into Arm Wrestling

As the sport of arm wrestling continues to grow, there’s more people than ever that want to become arm wrestlers. Here is how you can get into the sport.

Work Up the Ranks 

To become an arm wrestler, you simply have to work your way up the ranks. Start by entering small tournaments and get acquainted with local organizers.

In just about every part of the world, there are bars that hold their own tournaments. Enter as many of these small tournaments as you can and win them. 

Once you start winning at the lower levels, you’ll start to gain attention from larger organizers. Just keep winning and working your way up until you get into the big leagues.

Train

You can just get by with just being big and strong to be an arm wrestler. To have a chance at excelling at the sports you must train like a high level athlete.

All of the best arm wrestlers have a strict training regimen. Follow the suggestions in the previous section and do your research to see how the top athletes train.

What’s the Future of Arm Wrestling?

The sport of arm wrestling is as big as it’s ever been. With more eyes on the sport, it will continue to grow and the events will get bigger. Expect to see the sport continue to grow in the future.

One of the most commonly asked questions about amateur wrestling is about the different weight classes. How many wrestling weight classes are there?

Here’s a full breakdown of just how many wrestling weight classes are there. Detailing each of the wrestling weight classes from every level of competition.

How many wrestling weight classes are there?

There are quite a few different wrestling weight classes between various styles of wrestling and competition level. Each of which has their own list of weight divisions.

This includes:

• Freestyle Wrestling
• Greco Roman Wrestling
• Collegiate Wrestling
• Olympic Wrestling
• Women’s Wrestling
• Scholastic Wrestling
• International Youth Wrestling

Men’s Freestyle(Olympic/Non-Olympic) Wrestling Weight Classes

As of now there are a total of eleven freestyle wrestling weight classes between Olympic and non-Olympic events.

Freestyle non-Olympic Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
115 lbs	53 kg
134 lbs	61 kg
154 lbs	70 kg
174 lbs	79 kg
203 lbs	93 kg

Freestyle Olympic Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
125 lbs	57 kg
143 lbs	65 kg
163 lbs	74 kg
190 lbs	86 kg
214 lbs	97 kg

Men’s Greco Roman Wrestling Weight Classes(Olympic/Non-Olympic)

As of now, there are currently 10 Greco Roman wrestling weight classes between the Olympics and non-Olympic events.

Greco Roman Non-Olympic Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
121 lbs	54 kg
139 lbs	63 kg
159 lbs	72 kg
181 lbs	81 kg

Greco Roman Olympic Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
132 lbs	60 kg
148 lbs	67 kg
170 lbs	77 kg
192 lbs	87 kg
214 lbs	97 kg
287 lbs	130 kg

Women’s Freestyle/Greco Roman Wrestling Weight Classes

Women’s freestyle and Greco Roman share the same weight divisions. As of now, there’s ten women’s wrestling weight classes Six Olympic wrestling divisions and four non-Olympic wrestling divisions.

Olympic Women’s Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
110 lbs	50 kg
117 lbs	53 kg
126 lbs	57 kg
137 lbs	62 kg
150 lbs	68 kg
68 lbs	76 kg

Non-Olympic Women’s Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
121 lbs	55 kg
126 lbs	57 kg
137 lbs	62 kg
150 lbs	68 kg
168 lbs	76 kg

Men’s US Collegiate Wrestling Weight Classes

In US universities, they do their own form of folk style wrestling called collegiate wrestling. There are currently ten collegiate wrestling weight classes included in the NCAA’s rulebook.

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
125 lbs	57kg
133 lbs	60.5 kg
141 lbs	64 kg
149 lbs	68 kg
157 lbs	71.5 kg
165 lbs	75 kg
174 lbs	79 kg
184 lbs	83.5 kg
197 lbs	89.5 kg
Up to 285lbs	129.5 kg

Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Weight Classes

The NCAA currently recognized 8 collegiate women’s wrestling weight classes. Another organization Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA) used the freestyle weight divisions listed in the previous women’s wrestling section.

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
105 lbs	48 kg
112 lbs	51 kg
121 lbs	55 kg
130 lbs	59 kg
139 lbs	63 kg
148 lbs	67 kg
159 lbs	72 kg
200 lbs	91 kg

Teen Boy International Youth Wrestling Weight Classes 

There’s a wide array of different wrestling weight classes within international youth competitions. They are broken down between three divisions.

• U15(Under 15)
• Cadets(16-17)
• Juniors(18-20)

U15 Boys Wrestling Weight Classes 

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
75-84 lbs	34-48 kg
41 kg	90 lbs
97 lbs	44 kg
106 lbs	48 kg
115 lbs	52 kg
126 lbs	57 kg
137 lbs	62 kg
150 lbs	65 kg
187 lbs	85 kg

Cadet Boy’s Wrestling Weight Classes 

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
90-99 lbs	41-45 kg
106 lbs	48 kg
112 lbs	51 kg
121 lbs	55 kg
132 lbs	62 kg
143 lbs	65 kg
157 lbs	71 kg
176 lbs	80 kg
203 lbs	92 kg
243 lbs	110 kg

Junior Boy’s Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
126 lbs	57 kg
134 lbs	61 kg
143 lbs	65 kg
154 lbs	70 kg
163 lbs	74 kg
174 lbs	79 kg
190 lbs	86 kg
203 lbs	92 kg
214 lbs	97 kg
276 lbs	125 kg

Teen Girl International Youth Wrestling Weight Classes

Just like the boys, the girls have their own weight divisions that are broken down between U15, cadet, and junior

U15 Girls Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
64-73 lbs	29 to 33 kg
79 lbs	36 kg
86 lbs	39 kg
93 lbs	42 kg
101 lbs	46 kg
110 lbs	51 kg
119 lbs	54 kg
128 lbs	58 kg
137 lbs	62 kg
146 lbs	66 kg

Cadet Girl’s Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
79 to 88 lbs	36 to 40 kg
95 lbs	43 kg
101 lbs	46 kg
108 lbs	49 kg
117 lbs	53 kg
126 lbs	57 kg
143 lbs	61 kg
152 lbs	69 kg
161 lbs	72 kg

Junior Girls Wrestling Weight Classes

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
110 lbs	50 kg
117 lbs	53 kg
121 lbs	55 kg
126 lbs	57 kg
130 lbs	59 kg
137 lbs	62 kg
143 lbs	65 kg
150 lbs	68 kg
159 lbs	72 kg
168 lbs	76 kg

Scholastic Wrestling Weight Classes

Scholastic wrestling has numerous weight divisions going from elementary school, middle school, and high school.

Elementary School

Elementary school doesn’t have specific weight classes, but goes by three different methods to separate competitors.

1. Madison System: 8 to 16 person brackets, where both boys and girls that weigh the same will compete against each other.
2. Division Based Systems: Competitors are divided by age within this system. Tournament directors may also create their own weight divisions with the age brackets.
3. Pure-Weight Based System: The lesser used pure-weight bases system separates competitors by their weight regardless of age.

Middle School 

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
80 lbs	36 kg
86 lbs	39 kg
92 lbs	42 kg
98 lbs	45 kg
104 lbs	47 kg
110 lbs	50 kg
116 lbs	53 kg
122 lbs	56 kg
128 lbs	58 kg
134 lbs	61 kg
142 lbs	65 kg
150 lbs	68 kg
160 lbs	73 kg
172 lbs	78 kg
205 lbs	93 kg
245 lbs	111 kg

High School

Weight in lbs:	Weight in kg:
106 lbs	48 kg
113 lbs	51 kg
120 lbs	54 kg
126 lbs	57 kg
132 lbs	60 kg
38 lbs	63 kg
145 lbs	66 kg
152 lbs	69 kg
160 lbs	73 kg
170 lbs	77 kg
182 lbs	82 kg
195 lbs	88 kg
220 lbs	100 kg
285 lbs	130 kg

The grappling art of Aikido is a martial art that was once popular during the early 20th century. In modern times, it has fallen out of favor as people are practicing more effective martial arts.

But even so, we still want to give you the story of how the art of Aikido. Going over how it was developed, became internationally practiced, and shows whether it’s an effective form of self-defense.

The History of Aikido

By the look of Aikido, it would look like it’s a martial art that dates back centuries. But the martial art is actually around the same age as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The martial art was created by a Japanese martial artist named Morihei Ueshiba. He trained in a variety of different martial arts from jujutsu, swordsmanship, and spear fighting.

The specific form of jujutsu that Ueshiba trained in was Daito-ryu Aiki-jutsu under his instructor Sokaku Takeda. By the early 1920s, Ueshiba began to develop his own martial art from his previous experiences.

He would also incorporate various religious beliefs into his teachings such as Shinto, Omotokyo and other philosophical systems. Initially, Morihei would initially call his system “Aiki-Budo.” Ueshiba would later decide to call his system as we know it today by the name “Aikido.”

The name Aikido means “the way of harmony with the spirit .” A martial art where the focus is to take your opponent’s energy and redirect it into counters against them.

Grappling is the main aspect of the martial art using joint locks, throws, and immobilizations. Weapons training is also taught in many forms of Aikido from staffs, wooden swords, and knives.

In Aikido, your main goal is to move with your opponent’s energy in a fluid motion and counter their attacks. Developing a mixture of balance and timing to counter and immobilize an opponent.

The martial art also promotes spiritual growth and improvement of a student’s character. Striving to cultivate a sense of harmony and peace both on and off the mat.

Aikido was able to reach an international audience, which enabled it to be taught globally.

The Techniques of Aikido

The art of Aikido can be broken down into four different categories, which includes joint locks, throws, immobilizations, and weapons training.

• Throws: An emphasis on throws where practitioners use their opponent’s energy against them to take them to the ground.
• Joint Locks: Multiple types of joint locks are used to initiate throws and also on the ground.
• Immobilizations: Keeping your opponent prone and immobilized on the ground is the main principle of Aikido.
• Weapons Training: Aikido practitioners also practice weapons training in order to develop balance and fluidity.

Notable Aikido Practitioners

There’s a wide variety of notable Aikido practitioners throughout the history of the martial art. Here are some of the more known Aikido practitioners in the martial art’s history.

Kissoharu Ueshiba

Kissoharu Ueshiba played a crucial role in the advancement of Aikido internationally. He took his father’s martial art and introduced it to numerous countries. Ueshiba founded the Aikikai Foundation, which firmly established the martial art’s international presence.

Gozo Shioda:

Shioda was one of Morihei’s top student’s who went on to found his own style called Yoshinkan Aikido. Notable for being a dynamic and powerful style of the martial art.

Moriteru Ueshiba

Moriteru Ueshiba is the current Doshu or head of the Aikido world. He is the grandson of the founder and is continuing to promote and practice his family’s martial art.

Steven Seagal

Then we couldn’t make this write-up without mentioning the most known practitioner of Aikido in Steven Seagal. Most people became aware of Aikido through action movies starring Steven Seagal.

He is arguably the most influential practitioner of the martial art right under the creator Ueshiba. No matter how you personally feel about Seagal, you have to give him credit for this.

Aikido Getting Exposed

Let us be brutally honest about the art of Aikido. It is an incredibly flawed self-defense system that has been exposed numerous times.

You can search Aikido vs. whatever martial art and you’ll likely see an Aikido practitioner getting pummeled. Here are some of the most viewed instances of Aikido practitioners getting exposed by other martial arts.

Delusional Aikido Practitioner Storms BJJ School

Most of you have probably seen clips of this video above. This delusional Aikido practitioner made numerous videos stating that Aikido was superior to BJJ. Stating that a BJJ practitioner could never beat a skilled Aikido practitioner.

One day, this person decided to test this theory and the result was the video above. He would repeatedly get beaten, call timeout before deciding to quit in the first five minutes.

Millions have watched these clips and have gotten a good laugh.

“Aikido Master” vs. MMA Fighter 

This is a video from the Russian organization World Street Fighting Championship. In this bout a self proclaimed “Aikido master” takes on a seasoned MMA fighter.

The fight lasts less than a minute in which the MMA fighter easily dominates the Aikido practitioner. This video is currently around 3 million views.

Steven Seagal 

Steven Seagal may be the best thing to happen to Aikido, as well as being the worst. At one time, he may have been a legitimate practitioner, but now he’s kind of a joke.

There’s hours of content online of Steven Seagal stories. From him assaulting stunt doubles to being put to sleep by Gene Labell.

If you’ve seen recent video demonstration videos like the one above, you’ll see Seagal doing fake martial arts. Barely if at all touching his partners and they go flying around the mat.

Seagal is a joke and he put a permanent black eye on the art of Aikido. One that it will probably never recover from.

Numerous Fake/Delusional Aikido Instructors

You can run into numerous compilation videos on the internet like this one above. Anytime a delusional or fake Aikido practitioner thinks they can beat a real martial artist, the same thing always happens. They get hurt badly and embarrassed for the world to see. 

Aikido Really Effective?

Let’s be honest about the art of Aikido. It can be effective against people with no formal training, but that is about it.

Any BJJ blue belt or someone practicing Muay Thai or boxing for less than a year can beat an Aikido practitioner. The techniques are just not effective or realistic against more proven effective combat systems.

It’s a martial art with an interesting story, but not one that will not optimally improve your self-defense skills.

Africa is a melting pot of culture and ideas among many nations. What many may not know is that there are numerous effective African martial arts taught within the continent.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the most known African martial arts. Read below to learn the history and techniques of all of these African martial arts below.

Dambe (West Africa)

The first of the twenty African martial arts that we’re covering is the Dambe or Dambe boxing. A west African martial art and sport that is primarily practiced by the Hausa people of Nigeria.

Historically, Dambe was practiced by a group of Hausa known as the “Butcher’s Guild” Originally developed for self defense, then for a rite of passage, and later as a combat sport.

It’s a combat sport that is a mix of striking and grappling. The Dambe boxers get into a circular sand pit known as “Kara” and battle it out.

A fighter’s power hand is wrapped in a heavy cloth and is called the “strong arm.” Their lead hand with no cloth is called the “spear hand.”

A Dambe match lasts for three rounds and the winner is declared either by KO, submission, or judge’s decision. It is not only a sport, but a form of cultural identity for the Hausa people.

Nguni Stick-Fighting/Zulu Stick-Fighting (South Africa)

The last of the African martial arts that we’ll cover is one of the most known. Zulu stick-fighting is one of the most recognizable styles of stick-fighting practiced within the continent.

It is also known as Nguni stick-fighting and was created by the Zulu people of South Africa. This form of stick-fighting is one of the oldest known African martial arts that is still widely practiced.

For the Zulu people, Nguni is a form of cultural heritage for them. Used as both a rite of passage, self-defense, and a form of entertainment.

The action of this style of stick-fighting is characterized by rhythm, agility, and technique. Fighting in rhythm to the beat of the spectator’s drumming and chanting.

Competitors wear the classic Zulu stick and shields and do pre-ritual dances before every match. Some other groups may use other forms of sticks and shield, depending on the group.

Today, this form of stick-fighting is used as a way to preserve cultural heritage, fitness, and sport.

Laamb Wrestling/Senegalese Wrestling (Senegal)

Laamb wrestling or Senegalese wrestling is another one of the African martial arts that is wrestling based. Senegalese wrestling is the national sport of the country that’s a type of folk wrestling.

It was created by the Serer people as a form of exercise for the warrior class of the group. Used to prepare for war and as a rite of passage before becoming the national sport.

In a Senegalese wrestling match, the “mbers” (wrestlers) enter the ring and perform a “baak.” A dance and song used to build confidence in the wrestlers and his supporters, while instilling fear into the opponent.

The objective of a Laamb wrestling match is to pick up your opponent and throw them to the ground. Short rabid punches from the clinch are also permitted to set up the wrestler’s takedowns.

In Senegal, Laamb wrestling is watched by everyone and 20,000 spectators pack the national arena for events.

One of the biggest stars of this sport is the national hero Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane. MMA fans know Reug Reug from competing in One Championship, where he has a current record of 5-1.

Engola (Angola)

Many know the Brazilian dancing of Capoeira, but not the martial art that inspired it. Engola is one of the African martial arts that disguises itself as a dance. But in reality it is a popular form of self defense in Angola, where powerful kicks are delivered.

Also called Ngolo, Engola is a performance of ritual combat that is heavily kick based. The martial art is practiced by different ethnic groups around the Cuene river in southern Angola.

Just like most African martial arts, Engola was used as a rite of passage for young men. Many of the techniques were created to mimic the way zebras fight. Using quick movements to deliver powerful kicks.

During the slave trade, many Engola practitioners were taking prisoner and shipped to Brazil. These Ngolos practitioners would innovate their style and this was how Capoeira would be created.

Nuba Wrestling (Sudan)

Another form of wrestling practiced in wrestling is the Sudanese style of Nuba wrestling. Also called Nuba fighting is very similar to Senegalese wrestling and a mix of freestyle wrestling.

It is a style of wrestling that was first practiced by the Nuba people of southern Sudan. This is not only a sport, but a form of cultural identity for the Nuba people.

Wrestling events generally take place during major festivals and holidays. The rules of this style of wrestling are also similar to Laamb wrestling.

Competitors are allowed to use takedowns, as well as hand strikes to take their opponent’s down. Whoever gets the takedown is declared the winner.

Istunka (Somalia) 

Istunka or Somali stick-fighting is a traditional weapon-based martial art practiced within Somalia. Another one of the African martial arts, where competitors attack each other with sticks. 

It goes by other names such as Guban or Geri. The martial art is a combat system, sport, and something that embodies the cultural heritage of the Somali people.

Participants in the matches have two large sticks that are used for offense and defense. They also hold a large towel/blanket in their lead hands that are used for distraction.

In the matches, points are awarded for clean strikes to the head, body, arms, and shoulders. More points are awarded for cleaner techniques that use superior speed and timing.

The martial art and sport have had a resurgence in recent years after efforts to preserve and promote the system. It’s the national past-time of the Somali people and something nearly all young men participate in.

Musangwe (South Africa)

Musangwe is a style of bare-knuckle boxing that is practiced within South Africa. It’s one of the most brutal hand to hand African martial arts within the continent.

This is one of the few styles of African boxing and one of the oldest on record. For centuries, this style of fighting has been used to settle disputes between tribes without full blown war. Much like the gypsy classes within Europe.

But what sets this style of bare knuckle boxing from the European style is the pre-fight rituals. Before matches, the boxers participate in dances and gestures to challenge the opposing side

The fights themselves are exactly the same as what we see in Europe. There are no time limits and the match continues until either a boxer is knocked out or quits.

 Tahtib/Egyptian Stick-Fighting (Egypt)  

In Egypt, a wide variety of different African martial arts are practiced. One of the oldest martial arts practiced in Egypt is Tahtib or Egyptian stick-fighting.

It’s a weapon-based martial art that has centuries of history. This martial art combines elements of combat, dance, and cultural expression.

This martial art holds a significant place in Egyptian folklore and remains an important part of Egyptian heritage. Tahtib involves wielding long sticks that are typically made of cane or bamboo.

Competitors engage in a rhythmic and choreographed exchange of strikes, blocks, and evasive maneuvers. It is practiced as both a sport and for cultural events.

It’s a beloved martial art within Egypt that is both practiced and celebrated by many Egyptians.

Surma Stick-Fighting (Ethiopia)

Ethiopia has their own style of stick fighting, which is called Surma stick-fighting. Also called Donga or Suri stick-fighting, Surma is a traditional martial art practiced by many Ethiopian tribes.

Specifically the Surma people, who the martial art is named after. Just like most other African martial arts, Surma is more than just a stick-fighting sport.

It is used as a rite of passage and to settle disputes between neighboring tribes. Competitors wield a long stick from a  Sesham tree that they call a “donga.” 

This stick has a length of 6 ft(2 meters) and competitors wear no more protection and really no clothing. The object of the match is rather straightforward.

Competitors aim to hit their opponent without sustaining damage of any kind. These stick-fighting bouts are accompanied by music sung by the spectators, which creates an energetic atmosphere.

Surma stick-fighting is engrained in the culture of the Surma people and something they all participate in.

Moraingy (Madagascar)

The last of the African martial arts that we’ll cover is the art of Moraingy from Madagascar. It’s a style of fighting that’s primarily practiced by the Malagasy people and the Saklava and Antandroy ethnic groups.

Moraingy is their version of kickboxing that takes place in a dirt ring with no padding. This style of kickboxing is known for its acrobatic kicks and dynamic strikes.

Fighters knowns as “mpifamos” engage in team bases one-on-one fights. It’s a striking dominant fighting style, but the object of the match is to knock their opponent out of the area.

Moraingy fights are often held during special events, where the spectators sing and create and exciting atmosphere.