Both are wrestling techniques but which one is more difficult? Which one is more difficult to learn and more difficult to master? I know in freestyle, wrestlers can go for the legs and Greco wrestlers have to only attempt takedowns from the waist up. Is that the only difference? Anyway, which one is superior?
Which one is superior would depend on the individuals themselves. Having done both, I would say that Greco was defintely harder to learn, and to master. Freestyle is a rather easy transition from Folkstyle wrestling, with the differences being that you can lock hands in a down position, without it being a pinning combination, and the fact that you only have to roll someone's back across the mat to score back points, unlike in Folkstyle where you must hold them on their back for 2-4 seconds for 2 back points (near fall, backs) and for 5 or more seconds for 3 backs. Also, Greco and Freestyle have both stopped giving an escape point for escaping your opponents control from the bottom position. Which is still rewarded in Folkstyle. Now, back to the question at hand. Greco is much tougher, because you have to completely learn new tactics. Some of the old throws that you learned in Folkstyle still work, but you have to adapt so much to the different regulations. Not being able to go for the legs is like tying your hands at times, because it is instinct in certain positions. Even with some upper body throws it is second nature for a wrestler to swipe a leg out with his hand while in motion. So, your stance changes to a more erect stance, where you aren't guarding the legs, and you have to learn to master upper body control, pummeling, momentum, leverage, and angles. You have already learned all of this from Folkstyle, but you are used to simply dropping your level at any point and attacking the legs. You have to rewire your internal computer in order to keep your attacks, and holds above the waist. As far as which one is more difficult to learn and to master to the everyone in general, that would depend on the individual. Some wrestler are great at shooting for takedowns, so it really ties their hands if they are forced to lock up and avoid the legs. Some wrestler are great at throws, and it suits them better if they don't have to worry about people going for their legs, so they would opt for Greco. I would say that the faster, more expslosive and technical wrestlers normally choose freestyle, where the stronger wrestler with maybe less form, but superior in brute strength would lean towards Greco. Of course, their are exceptions to every rule.
Very interesting. Thanks. I knew someone who did greco-roman wrestling, he said the training and physical conditioning for it is very intensive and extremely tough moreso than any other sport, although he would be biased. Since you seem to know about wrestling styles, who would be considered the greatest freestyle wrestler ever?
In my opinion, and many others, John Smith was the greatest freestyle wrestler ever. Many others may say Aleksandr Medved who was Russian. Medved won 3 consecutive Gold Medals. John Smith was the Goodwill games Champion in 1986, and then went on to be World Champion in 1987, Olympic Gold Medalist in 1988, World Champion in 1989, 1990, 1991, and Olympic Gold medalist again in 1992. He also won the Goodwill games again, was Pan Am Champion twice, and won the World Cup as well.
Eastern Europe(Especially Russia) as always had great wrestlers. Starting to get good boxers as well. I think I may have heard of Medved before actually......:think I saw an archive footage and he faced this huge mammoth guy....guy was like 400lbs!
i do all 3 types of wrestling. and i would have to say greco needs the most strenght but i love freestyle cuz u cold slam the **** ouot people
You don't think so...:huh Russians are doing great at the moment, especially heavyweight. Infact all the champions are Russian or former Soviet union at least.
BTW you need alot of upperbody strenght for G-R more than freestyle idc wtf any one says my upperbody got more of a workout from G-R then any others
My point is there were always great boxers in SU. Olympic accounts will show that. Its just they were never known down west .
It also depends on what country you are from, in the US, there is a bit of a stigma that, while unfair, still exists amongst some that Greco is for the guys who aren't athletic or quick enough for Freestyle. I don't agree with that, and neither does most of the world, but its out there. As for "superior" thats really a question of preference I say. Although, in the US a GR guys is almost always going to have a solid folkstyle/NCAA background, so the special focus on upper body work will payoff as they will already be pretty good at leg work. That being said, theres also plenty of upper body work in Freestyle, and if you develop a style that involves using alot of clinchwork in Freestyle you may end up even ahead of the GR guy when it comes to upperbody work in MMA where you are allowed to use your legs, because even most GR guys in MMA use leg sweeps from the clinch to help with their normal upperbody throws.
