Do you prefer freestyle wresting or Greco Roman wrestling?

[Emanuele]

I prefer freestyle, more complete and better in every aspect than the Greco Roman.

 

[jack36767]

They both have positives and negatives that even out in the end for me. I prefer freestyle simply because I was much better at it and was decent at par tere offense off of transitions.

But just because greco isn't as "complex" doesn't mean it doesn't have its benefits. The main one (IMO) being learning how to handfight, be tight and pummel at an extremely high level, because not handfighting/pummeling well means getting launched on your head, not just scored on. A skill that translates to every kind of grappling, gi or nogi.

I don't have a great guard, a terrible open guard, but my half guard is somewhat decent because I usually win the underhook battle, gi or nogi, because of the greco I did along with just being in a college wrestling room

 

[youngsteinel]

Freestyle for sure

 

[Jack Handy jr]

I prefer Freestyle but think Greco is arguably "harder" to do. I tried my hand at Judo for the first time about six months ago. and not being able to attack the Legs was very frustrating. I had to use waay to much gas, and strength to get the dude down. that and he kept just kinda backing up oh well.

 

[Human Bass]

Freestyle by far, Greco stupid origins turns me off.

 

[jack36767]

Freestyle by far, Greco stupid origins turns me off.

True, any sport developed because you sucked at the main one is a little bit sketchy haha

 

[Badger67]

I prefer Freestyle but think Greco is arguably "harder" to do. I tried my hand at Judo for the first time about six months ago. and not being able to attack the Legs was very frustrating. I had to use waay to much gas, and strength to get the dude down. that and he kept just kinda backing up oh well.

From my experience, Greco is where freestylers/folkstylers who didn't make the cut for major tournaments end up trying out for. It's usually a "Go-to" style of competition rather than only training in it. There are a lot of exceptions of course, but this tends to be the general trend i've seen. My buddy missed the cut for the olympics in freestyle, then went for greco as a consolation. Missed it in the finals. This is generally what i see in wrestling Canada. Places like Iran etc might be different.

I prefer Freestyle for the same reasons above being more complex/more options, but the real question is...Folk or Free? :icon_twis

 

[November]

Takedowns in greco are kind of rare because its so easy to defend when you don't have to worry about leg attacks, so most matches are won by rolls like gator roll for example. Because of this I like freestyle better but I love the idea of upper body wrestling.

 

[jack36767]

From my experience, Greco is where freestylers/folkstylers who didn't make the cut for major tournaments end up trying out for. It's usually a "Go-to" style of competition rather than only training in it. There are a lot of exceptions of course, but this tends to be the general trend i've seen. My buddy missed the cut for the olympics in freestyle, then went for greco as a consolation. Missed it in the finals. This is generally what i see in wrestling Canada. Places like Iran etc might be different.

I prefer Freestyle for the same reasons above being more complex/more options, but the real question is...Folk or Free? :icon_twis

Enough people who've done or trained all 3 styles: including myself, the team alpha male coaches, Firas Zahabi, Ben Askren ALL think folk style is the most applicabe to mma or bjj because the heavy empasis on mat wrestling gives you good skills for bjj even on the mat and for mma it helps you return or ride the opponent. The only people I've seen disagree on this forum are people who've never actually done folkstyle and actually FELT what it feels like to get ridden by a decent college guy when you can't go to your back. And the different type of control and base it gives you

 

[Badger67]

^ I'm well aware, having done all 3 and coached wrestling.

My perspective has always been from both discussion with others, and competing: Freestyle makes more technical wrestlers, folk style makes tougher wrestlers due to the hard headed nature of riding and not conceding points. They seem to have a better understanding of do or die, due to the rule set.

 

[jack36767]

^ I'm well aware, having done all 3 and coached wrestling.

My perspective has always been from both discussion with others, and competing: Freestyle makes more technical wrestlers, folk style makes tougher wrestlers due to the hard headed nature of riding and not conceding points. They seem to have a better understanding of do or die, due to the rule set.

gotcha, no offense intended. I've just had extremely ridiculous arguments with people on here about it who've never wrestled lol. I also think folkstyle scrambling translates better to mma bjj since you can expose your back unlike in freestyle

 

[Badger67]

Yeah i was never a huge fan on that rule (among others).
My coach was a minnesota state champ in the 70/80's so he was teaching us freestyle but with a folk style mind set of "never concede a point, make it the hardest point he's ever earned" and a lot on the switch and scoring off of defense.
I've only had 6 folk style matches when i was in michigan (exhibition as i wasn't varsity squad) and i went 4-2. It wasn't the rules that got me, it was the intensity some of these guys had, i hadn't seen it before. Since then, my ways of coaching and applying techniques changed for the better.

 

[incoherence]

Greco-roman, I love the emphasis on throws and spectacular take downs the sport creates through it's rules.