Home » Sport » Sports dimensions » Wrestling

Dimensions for Wrestling

Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in the world. Origins of wrestling can be traced back thousands of years through depictions in cave drawings in France and Egyptian murals. It is practiced in nearly every country. The two main styles that are showcased in the Olympic Games are Greco-Roman and freestyle.

Related topics:

The information in this guide is general in nature and cannot be relied upon as professional advice concerning the design of, or marking out for, sporting facilities and playing areas. No assurance is given as to the accuracy of any information contained in this guide and readers should not rely on its accuracy. Readers should obtain their own independent and professional advice in relation to their proposed sporting activity.

Greco-Roman wrestling allows competitors to use only their arms to 'attack' the upper bodies of their opponents. Freestyle wrestling allows competitors to use their arms and legs to perform holds on the whole body of their opponents. A wrestling bout comprises three two-minute periods, with a 30 second break. Wrestlers are awarded points from officials for technical manoeuvres against their opponent. The wrestler with the most points wins the bout.

The mat

The mat has a 1m central circle where the wrestlers begin from a standing position. The centre wrestling area is 7m in diameter and surrounded by a 1m wide passivity zone marked in red. The mat extends for another 1.5m. This area is known as the protection zone. This is the out-of-bounds area and if the wrestler throws his opponent into this area he can still score points before resuming back in the centre. It is also recommended to allow 2m on opposite sides of the mat for officials.

Wrestling mat To prevent contamination, the mat must be washed and disinfected before every wrestling session. When mats that have a smooth, uniform and non-abrasive surface are used (canvas included), the same hygienic measures must also be applied.

The diagonally opposite corners of the mat are marked out in the wrestlers’ colours, red and blue.

Lighting

The lighting requirements for wrestling is similar to martial arts. The Australian Standard for recreation and training is 500 lux and for competition is 1000 lux. Attention is given to the illuminance values in the vertical planes.

 

 
Other related pages Where would you like to go next?