Understanding the Different Styles of Wrestling: Which One Will My Child Learn?

Wrestling is a physically demanding and highly technical sport that has been practiced for thousands of years. It requires strength, endurance, strategy, and mental toughness. While wrestling may seem like a single discipline, there are actually several distinct styles, each with its own set of rules and objectives. The three most widely recognized styles are Folkstyle, Freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling.

If your child is starting wrestling, you may be wondering which style they will learn and how it differs from the others. Understanding the differences between these styles can help you support your child’s training and development, whether they are competing at the youth, high school, or college level.

Folkstyle Wrestling: The Foundation of American Wrestling

Folkstyle wrestling, also known as Scholastic wrestling in youth and high school programs and Collegiate wrestling at the college level, is the dominant style in the United States. If your child joins their school wrestling team or a local youth club, they will most likely be learning Folkstyle wrestling.

What Makes Folkstyle Wrestling Unique?

Folkstyle wrestling places a strong emphasis on control, positioning, and riding time. Unlike other styles, where points are primarily awarded for takedowns and exposure, Folkstyle rewards wrestlers for maintaining control over their opponent and executing escapes or reversals. The ultimate goal is to pin an opponent’s shoulders to the mat, but wrestlers can also score points through a variety of actions.

Key Features of Folkstyle Wrestling:

Matches consist of three periods, with each period lasting between one and three minutes, depending on the age and competition level.
Wrestlers earn points for takedowns, escapes, reversals, and near falls (holding an opponent’s back close to the mat).
The top position is rewarded, and wrestlers try to accumulate riding time, keeping their opponent controlled on the mat.
Wrestlers can be penalized for stalling, encouraging consistent action and engagement.

Folkstyle wrestling is designed for long-term athlete development, teaching skills that emphasize control, discipline, and endurance. It serves as an excellent foundation for young wrestlers who may later transition to Freestyle or Greco-Roman wrestling.

Freestyle Wrestling: The International Standard

Freestyle wrestling is one of the two Olympic wrestling styles and is practiced around the world. It is governed by United World Wrestling (UWW) and is the primary style used in international competitions, including the Olympic Games and World Championships.

What Makes Freestyle Wrestling Unique?

Freestyle wrestling encourages dynamic movement, quick transitions, and high-scoring actions. Unlike Folkstyle, where control on the mat is emphasized, Freestyle places a greater focus on takedowns and exposure—meaning wrestlers score points for throwing or turning their opponent in ways that expose their back to the mat.

Key Features of Freestyle Wrestling:

Wrestlers can attack and defend using both their upper and lower body, making it more open and fluid than Folkstyle.
Points are awarded for takedowns, exposure (rolling an opponent onto their back), and lifts.
Matches consist of two periods instead of three, with a cumulative scoring system (total points from both periods determine the winner).
A match ends early if a wrestler gains a 10-point lead, known as a technical superiority victory.
Wrestlers cannot ride their opponent for extended periods, as the focus is on continuous action.

Freestyle is a fast-paced and exciting style that allows for more creative and explosive movements. Many youth wrestlers train in Freestyle during the offseason to improve their takedowns and transitions, especially if they aspire to compete at the national or international level.

Greco-Roman Wrestling: The Art of Upper-Body Control

Greco-Roman wrestling is the oldest form of wrestling, dating back to ancient times. Like Freestyle, it is an Olympic wrestling style and is practiced worldwide. However, Greco-Roman has a unique rule set that makes it vastly different from the other styles.

What Makes Greco-Roman Wrestling Unique?

Greco-Roman wrestling forbids the use of leg attacks, meaning wrestlers can only engage from the waist up. This leads to a style that emphasizes throws, lifts, and upper-body control, making it one of the most physically demanding forms of wrestling.

Key Features of Greco-Roman Wrestling:

Wrestlers cannot grab or attack an opponent’s legs. All scoring must come from upper-body movements.
The emphasis is on throws, clinches, and powerful lifts, rewarding wrestlers who can launch their opponent in the air and expose their back.
Matches consist of two periods, with points awarded for takedowns, back exposure, and throws.
Like Freestyle, a technical superiority victory is awarded if a wrestler gains an 8-point lead.

Greco-Roman wrestling develops incredible upper-body strength, balance, and explosive power. While it is not as commonly practiced at the youth level in the United States, many elite wrestlers cross-train in Greco-Roman to improve their upper-body control and throwing ability.

Which Style Will My Child Learn?

If your child is wrestling in the United States, they will most likely start with Folkstyle wrestling. This is the standard style taught in youth, middle school, high school, and college programs.

However, as they progress in the sport, they may be introduced to Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, especially if they:

Compete in USA Wrestling (USAW) tournaments, which often include Freestyle and Greco-Roman events.
Attend offseason wrestling clubs, where Freestyle and Greco-Roman training is encouraged.
Have aspirations to compete at national or international levels, including the Olympics or World Championships.

Many wrestlers train in multiple styles to become more well-rounded competitors. Freestyle can help improve takedowns and scrambling, while Greco-Roman can develop upper-body strength and throws. Even if a wrestler primarily focuses on Folkstyle, exposure to other styles can help refine their technique and give them an edge over their opponents.

The Value of Learning Different Wrestling Styles

Each style of wrestling offers unique challenges and benefits. Folkstyle wrestling is the foundation for American wrestlers, teaching control, discipline, and endurance. Freestyle wrestling develops explosive movement, quick scoring, and creativity, while Greco-Roman wrestling builds upper-body strength, balance, and throwing ability.

If your child is just starting, they will most likely learn Folkstyle first. However, as they develop in the sport, they may choose to explore Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling to broaden their skill set and compete at higher levels.

Regardless of which style they pursue, wrestling teaches hard work, resilience, and mental toughness—valuable lessons that will stay with them long after their last match. By understanding the different styles, parents can better support their child’s journey in wrestling and help them reach their full potential in the sport.