Freestyle wrestling - Go, as you like!

One among the four primary forms of amateur, competitive wrestling, freestyle wrestling is a popular phenomenon in the wrestling world. It was made popular by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles or FILA. The style is extremely popular in the American high school and college wrestling circuits; the other term for freestyle wrestling is collegiate wrestling. Freestyle wrestling is also the only category under which the women wrestlers are allowed to participate and it applies to the international competitions as well.

For freestyle wrestling, equipments comprise most commonly a singlet (one-piece tight-fit wrestling garment), wrestling shoes with rubber soles to increase mobility and flexibility, a handkerchief (blood-rag) and a headgear to wear around the ears though optional.

A freestyle wrestling match involves two individual wrestlers in the same weight category who are supervised by a team of three referees who control the action. The judge and the mat chairman are the other people who determine the winner on the basis of win by fall (pinning), win by technical fall (superiority), win by decision, win by injury and win by disqualification. Fights are held for three two-minute rounds and the scores on the basis of takedowns, throws, flips, reversals, exposure, penalty points and out-of-bounds.

Freestyle wrestling has become a very popular sport ever since it was introduced in the Olympics. In the Olympics, men as well as women wrestle against each other. The best part of wrestling is that in the game you are opponents, but beyond the wrestling arena, you are all friends in true spirit representing your own countries proving to be perfect examples of ambassadors.

In many parts of countries such as India, especially in the rural areas, freestyle wresting is a very popular. The best part of this sport is that does not cost much as no equipment or anything has to be purchased. Freestyle wresting is also a very popular sport in European countries such as Turkey which has produced the maximum amount of freestyle wresting champions. In fact, wrestlers from Turkey have won most of the wrestling championships. The country has made its dominance felt since a long time.