History of Modern Grappling Sports

Grappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial arts that are practiced both as combat sports and for self-defense. Grappling most commonly does not include striking or the use of weapons. However, some fighting styles or martial arts known especially for their grappling techniques teach tactics that include strikes and weapons either alongside grappling or combined with it.

The degree to which Grappling is utilized in different fighting systems varies. Some systems, such as amateur Wrestling, Pehlwani, Pehlwani submission wrestling, Judo, Sumo, Kalaripayattu and Brazilian jiu-jitsu are exclusively Grappling arts and do not allow striking. Many combat sports, such as shooto and mixed martial arts competitions use Grappling while retaining striking as part of the sport.

TYPES OF GRAPPLING

GRAPPLING- GI   &   NO-GI GRAPPLING

There are many different regional styles of Grappling around the world that are practiced within a limited geographic area or country. Several Grappling styles like Sport Judo, Shoot wrestling, Catch Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sport Sambo and several types of Wrestling including freestyle and Greco-Roman have gained global popularity. Judo, Freestyle Wrestling, and Greco-Roman Wrestling are Olympic Sports while Grappling, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Sambo have their own World Championship Competitions. Other known Grappling-oriented systems are Shuai Jiao, Malla-Yuddha and Aikido.

In these arts, the object is either to take down and pin the opponent, or to catch the adversary in a specialized chokehold or joint lock which forces him to submit and admit defeat or be rendered helpless (unconscious or broken limbs). There are two forms of dress for Grappling that dictate pace and style of action: with a jacket, such as a GI or Kurtka, and without (No-Gi). The jacket, or “Gi”, form most often utilizes grips on the cloth to control the opponent’s body, while the “No-Gi” form emphasizes body control of the torso and head using only the natural holds provided by the body. Grappling techniques are also used in mixed martial arts along with striking techniques. Strikes can be used to set up Grappling techniques and vice versa.

UNITED WORLD WRESTLING-UWW

United World Wrestling (UWW) is the international governing body for the sport of Wrestling & Grappling. It presides over international competitions for various forms of Wrestling, including Grappling for Men and women. The flagship Grappling’s event of UWW is the Grappling World Championships.

Grappling have their individual World Championship, Asian, Europian, South Asian Championships around the world. Grappling also included in World Combat Games and coming in next Asian Games-2018.

Grappling & Wrestling, sports have a long and complicated history, stretching into prehistoric times. Many traditional forms survive, grouped under the term folk wrestling. More formal systems have been codified in various forms of martial arts worldwide, where Grappling techniques form a significant subset of unarmed fighting (complemented by striking techniques).

In India, United World Wrestling-UWW has given reorganization to Grappling Federation of India as a national governing body for Grappling Sports. Grappling Federation of India is officially registered under Society Act 2012/1860 under the government. Grappling Federation of India is organising National Championship for School Boys/ Girls, Cadets, Juniors, Seniors & Veterns from 2005.