Lancashire wrestling is a wrestling style from Lancashire, England. Opponents started the game with distance between them, the knees bent and the arms stretched. Practitioners were usually dressed in their underclothing. Kicking, hair-pulling, pinching, and twisting of the arms and fingers were forbidden, but everything else was okay (Lee-Barron 2001: 735). According to some sources everything except breaking of boners was allowed. There were no rounds and no breaks, the match would end when one of the wrestlers submitted (Crudelli 2010: 251).
History/Development
Transmission (Policies/institutions)
The style probably evolved out of the matches during the Roman occupation. Lancashire wrestling in its original form doesn’t exist anymore, but many forms inspired by it are still practiced worldwide (Traditional Sports, s.d.).It is known as the ancestor of international freestyle wrestling (Olympic wrestling) (Archer 2001: 735).
Relevant Organisations
Additional Materials
- Pashayev, R.C. (2019). The Story of Catch: The Story of Lancashire Catch-as-catch-can Wrestling. 1820-1870.
References
- Archer, J. (2001). “Wrestling, Professional”, Green, T. A. (ed.). Martial arts of the world: an encyclopedia, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. - Crudelli, C. (2010). The Way of the Warrior: Martial Arts and Fighting Skills from Around the World, London: Dorling Kindersley, p. 251. - Lee-Barron, J. (2016). Lancashire Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling: A jewel in the crown of English martial arts, file:///C:/Users/JT/Desktop/Lancashire%20wrestling%20article.pdf - Traditional Sports. (s.d.). “Lancashire Wrestling”, Traditional Sports, http://www.traditionalsports.org/traditional-sports/europe/lancashire-wrestling-england.html