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If you are a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete looking to better understand martial arts as a whole, you must educate yourself on wrestling. All-on-the-feet grappling is rooted in wrestling. A basic understanding of wrestling training can be the difference between you winning close matches & losing close matches. But it can also be the difference between you being average and being elite. Let’s dive into how wrestling compares to jiu-jitsu.
Why Should I Wrestle?
There is an astounding amount of positive effects wrestling has on an athlete not just in the sport, but in life itself.
1. Wrestling builds mental strength:
Wrestling is one of if not the toughest sport on the planet. Wrestling training consists of heavy warm-ups, tough drilling, and high-paced live wrestling. Along with the physical difficulties of the sport, it is not easy to stay motivated for longer than a couple of months at a time.
The best way to get better in any combat sport is to train with people who are better than you. Although this is optimal for progression, getting beat up all the time can really kill your motivation and determination in the sport. In order to stay on top of the game during the season, it is mandatory to have a strong mind.
2. Mixed Martial Arts, Wrestling, and Jiu-Jitsu go hand in hand:
Incredibly, all grappling martial arts have some sort of connection to each other. The wrestling techniques and takedown defense that wrestling teaches can be used by MMA and BJJ fighters in their respective sports. Many modern MMA/UFC Champions such as Henry Cejudo utilize techniques taught in the art of wrestling inside the octagon. Additionally, some techniques mainly used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA such as taking the back can be utilized during a wrestling match in the form of Leg-Riding.
3. Wrestling strengthens physical attributes:
It is uncommon to see a wrestler who is out of shape. In order to excel in this brutal martial art, athletes must push past their physical limits, enduring repetitive, intense workouts day after day. Many wrestling clubs incorporate weight training into their practice as well, not only building their wrestler’s strength but their confidence as well. Getting into wrestling shape is an experience that is unlike any other on earth.
4.Wrestling is an incredible tool for self-defense:
Although many argue the viability of grappling in a self-defense scenario, there is no doubt that in 1 on 1 combat, a high-level wrestler will be able to neutralize 99% of the population. The sport’s gritty nature builds a strong mind and body capable of taking down threats of any size.
5. Wrestling allows you to build your confidence:
Wrestling is an incredible sport to put kids of any age into. Being comfortable in your body and knowing what you are capable of can be a huge addition to a kid’s confidence and self-esteem. Although wrestling does build confidence, there is always a better wrestler, and getting mopped in the room by a prodigy is an incredibly humbling experience.
Which sport is better for self-defense?
3. 
Wrestling vs Jiu-jitsu: Choose Your Form of Combat
Your aim as a martial artist should be pointed toward well-roundedness. With that being said, unless you are a HIGH-LEVEL wrestler (think: Olympic level) there are very few opportunities to actively compete in wrestling.
This is primarily because wrestling in the United States follows a pretty cut-and-dry pipeline.
High school wrestlers aim to wrestle in college, if they are very successful in college they then move on to the international styles of Freestyle & Greco – Roman. Unlike BJJ, there is not a wide array of opportunities to compete for those without a wrestling background.
So for most grapplers, the option to train and compete is in BJJ. You do not see BJJ fighters that did not wrestle in High School/College take up wrestling and compete after the fact.
The reason for this is that there is a WIDE skill gap between those who are at the elite level and actively competing and literally anyone else that would want to compete. The NCAA ran statistics on the percentage of wrestlers that make it from High School to college. To get a better gauge of how elite this feat is, check this out.
The guys competing “professionally” in wrestling are in the top .01% of wrestlers on the entire planet. They have been wrestling for well over 16+ years more often than not.
It is also important to consider the different ranking systems in BJJ & wrestling. BJJ offers the belt system, which ensures that the people you will be competing against will be of similar skill & experience level as you. Wrestling does not have a system like this. In a wrestling tournament, say there are 16 guys in the bracket. Those 16 guys are likely all HAMMERS. So, if you do not have an extensive wrestling background, you will very unlikely do well at the tournament.
With all that being said, there are a few opportunities for grapplers that are not traditionally wrestlers to compete. Depending on your location, you can find local tournaments that have an “open division” and compete in it. These will be in Freestyle & Greco-Roman for style.
There is also the “veterans division” for wrestlers between the ages of 35-70. The level of competition will vary. Some people in the bracket will be studs, others will just be older people that love wrestling and want to compete. You can get more information on the Veterans Division here!
In the past few years, we have seen a few examples of former Senior Level (Olympic) wrestlers competing in the veteran’s division. Most notable would be Reece Humphrey. He was a multiple-time World Team Member for the United States in Freestyle, and his long list of accolades includes a fifth place at the world championships in 2014. He was also a two-time All-American for Ohio State (2nd place, 3rd place).
So even in the Veterans division, there is a chance that the level of competition could be ridiculously high.
If you are looking for a Jiu-Jitsu gym to try out and you live or are visiting Arizona, we highly suggest checking out Ares BJJ! We have gyms scattered all over Arizona each with high-quality instructors that teach incredibly sound techniques. It doesn’t matter if you’re a youngster or a veteran, come down to Ares BJJ and level up your game!
Benefits of Doing Both BJJ and Wrestling
Technique Crosses Over:
It is incredible how much technique crosses between these two martial arts. As stated previously, grappling techniques taught in the dojo can positively affect your game on the wrestling mats and vice-versa.
Cross Training Rounds Out Your Game:
Techniques such as takedowns, takedown defense, mat positioning, and spacial awareness, are all skills that can only be fully utilized when a grappler has cross-trained between martial arts.
Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling are both combat sports that are useful in many scenarios. They are great ways to get in shape, learn discipline, and defend yourself in bad situations. A grappler who masters both of these sports is surely a force to be reckoned with.
