Page 32 - Safe Wrestling

Saša Jovanovi´ c and Matej Plevnik

Table 2.3 Two Distinct Olympic Styles of Wrestling
Style Technical Focus Movement Patterns Rule Constraints
Freestyle Upper and lower Both upper and low- Whole-body
body techniques er body movements wrestling permitted
Greco-Roman Upper body only Limited to upper Throws, takedowns,
body moves escapes permitted;
lower body attacks
prohibited

Table 2.4 Research Consistently Demonstrates Male Predominance in Combat
Sports Studies, with Limited Female Representation
Study Type Participants Source
Male Female
Rapid weight loss review 469 28 Lakicevic et al., 2022
Plyometric training meta-analysis 225 67 Ojeda-Aravena et al., 2023
Judo umbrella review ∼62% ∼38% Ciaccioni et al., 2024
Weight-cutting review 70– 20– Ku˙ zd˙ zał et al., 2025
80% 30%

texts, the gradual and developmentally appropriate introduction of com-
plex techniques is essential for ensuring both effective skill acquisition
and athlete safety. Competition structures in youth wrestling are typical-
ly organised according to age and weight categories, thereby promoting
fairness and developmental appropriateness. Nevertheless, several stud-
ies indicate that rapid growth and maturation during adolescence may
temporarily disrupt coordination, movement control, and strength bal-
ance, consequently increasing injury risk if training loads and technical
demands are not appropriately adjusted.
Developmental Implications and Pedagogical Considerations
A central finding emerging from the reviewed literature is that combat
sports – and wrestling in particular – can provide substantial devel-
opmental benefits when training processes are appropriately designed
and pedagogically grounded. These benefits include improvements in
strength, coordination, balance, self-regulation, and psychosocial com-
petencies such as discipline, perseverance, and resilience (UNESCO,
2015). At the same time, the inherent physical and technical demands
of wrestling necessitate a carefully informed pedagogical approach to
coaching and athlete development.

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