5 WRESTLING PICTURES That Raise More Questions Than They Answer

Every now and again I come across a picture that makes it clear that I actually know very little about wrestling throughout history.
Here are 5 of the best!

[@lordmoss8817]

I took two Cornish wrestling classes when I was in Cornwall a couple of weeks ago, I must say that it is a shame that such a beautiful art has only two clubs and not many practitioners

[@Fred-px5xu]

First let me be permitted to say "fight team!" As an elderly gentleman and for life of me I canot add nor detract. Yet I will say that your video lecture was brilliant bit of work. Bless you Sir and family, and I eagerly awaite your next offering.

[@bigernbladesmith]

Not really sure about any of them, BUT for some reason in the US down in the South (at least where I grew up) the shin kicking thing was a school yard way to resolve disputes. It looked a lot like that picture. You would kind of grapple to get the best angle and get your opponent off balance then kick the shit outta their shins until they cried uncle. We were taught how to do it by the older kids. I'm not sure what happened to the practice since I had to move to Texas before I became an "older kid". Never saw that happen in Texas. It was always the regular fights that mom found out about and everyone got into trouble. Oh! That's why we did it, bruised shins were much easier to hide then black eyes. Of course this was many many decades ago.

[@ahmedsameh4408]

Out of context. There's nothing like watching your videos after a very hard and long day. It makes me feel better. Thank you my friend 🙏😊

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Thank you, that has made my day.

[@NYKgjl10]

This is an interesting history of wrestling and in one of my boxing books from the early 1900's on PDF file, they've also stated to distract your opponents in wrestling grip position, the combatants usually use the inner sole of their foot to sweep which you see in Judo/BJJ in modern times as Ashi barai and even in Karate to break balance.

[@zachleprieur2871]

These quick vids of pics are hillarious and also insightful. The 3rd one looks like a kama sutra drawing tho lol😅

[@EnglishMartialArts]

It really does!

[@ayrnovem9028]

3:05 Reminds me of Tatar-style wrestling. Wrestling with the assistance of a piece of cloth is well-known and practiced in Central Asia (Mongol, Tatar, Uzbek people, etc). I think it is usually a sash. It is a ritualized competition thing, often seen at folk festivals.

[@jayephbee]

My favorite history teacher ever.

[@StevieB8363]

"Subscribing to this channel stops people telling you they are vegans for no reason." ^^^ Instantly the most popular channel on KZbin!

[@StevieB8363]

Regarding the asymmetric grip - it's worth noting that both fighters are in fact using the same grip - right hand on shoulder, left hand on hip. That suggests to me that it isn't a case of "any grip you can", but rather that this is being done deliberately. As to why this might be, I have no idea, (no grappling experience,) but both seem to be using a left-foot forward stance. So my impression is that this grip is due to the style, and possibly due to the fact that most people are right-hand dominant, and lead with the left when fighting. Just my 2C, I'd be happy to hear other people's thoughts on this.

[@stephena1196]

I didn't know what to expect, but it was entertaining and interesting and I did expect that. So exactly what I expected then.

[@bolieve603]

I've found the compromise between gi and no-gi BJJ, we wear spats and rash guards and also wool scarves! Silk neckties would work equally well and look sharper

[@EnglishMartialArts]

I've been thinking something very similar!

[@bolieve603]

@englishmartialarts I did some no-gi sparring yesterday and now my neck is very sore. It makes me miss my lapels because they really save the neck

[@tomdegisi]

Your anonymous researcher is doing some great work. I hope you still get there first on occasion. ;)

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Aren't they just. Every now and again I send something they haven't seen!

[@tomdegisi]

@@EnglishMartialArts, w00t! Dig through old manuscripts, team!

[@Ozs_secret_researcher]

There's a 16th century woodcut in Holinshed's Chronicle of England showing the mythical founder of Cornwall, a man named Corineus, wrestling with the giant Gogmagog. The unusual thing about the image is that both wrestlers are wearing a sort of harness around their shoulders for taking hold of. It makes me wonder, was this a real thing, or just an artist drawing something interesting. FIGHT TEAM!

[@EnglishMartialArts]

And you haven't shared it with me? What is the world coming to???

[@Ozs_secret_researcher]

Easily fixed

[@waynegoddard4065]

Your channel sir is the nines.

[@lastmanstanding5423]

hey Oz, I just booked the Josh Barnett seminar on the 24th. and your Catch class on the 25th. so I'll see you there... :) can't wait...!!!

[@EnglishMartialArts]

I think I'm going to be a massive disappointment after Josh!

[@lastmanstanding5423]

​@@EnglishMartialArts I'm sure I'll enjoy every minute of it. :) This will be my first contact with real Catch and I can't hardly wait!

[@EnglishMartialArts]

@@lastmanstanding5423 what a way to start!

[@baoxidiaoyu]

2:40 Gouging eyeand hit withobject -- obviously the Bobby Heenan school of wrestling

[@waynegoddard4065]

Quality channel!!!!!!!!!

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Thanks mate!

[@kanucks9]

The collared wrestling is hilarious. And evidently cheaper than making a complete jacket. It also reminds me that no modern grappling style has both chokes, and the collar of a normal shirt (no lapels) I wonder how many standing chokes are possible, when they could be done with one hand, from most angles.

[@johnstuartkeller5244]

Huzzah for Five-List Sundays! I suspect that the 3rd image may have been done less frim a description of wrestling and more from a description of the French, but hysterical documentation is needed. F- er, FIGHT TEAM!

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Language Timothy!

[@johnstuartkeller5244]

@@EnglishMartialArts Sorry! 😆

[@politicalpotato9855]

#3 looks like the "dogfight" position most common in folkstyle. edit: The kind I know is where you grab eachothers legs in whilst facing opposing directions in a all fours position in a attempt to secure a leg take-down. I believe it is also known as the "scramble" position.

[@willaumep]

Well i watch Dysney star wars so i need the IQ regeneration. Gouging and "medivial dim-mak" (hit him/her/ey very hard where it hurts, so if you miss the spot you still have hit them very hard) is integral to the wrestling described in the Dersden manual (aka ringeck). Wrestling in mdieval text is really difficult to get, I mean after 20 years i still do not have an intrepreation of the 3rd pin (3rd unterhalten that statisfy me. (it could an old judo where we pile them on their neck but you can't really stab them from there or a clover leaf to turn then around but I think they would have described it in the technique)

[@colemanstarr5404]

Always heard purring was Welsh. A miners' thing

[@allengordon6929]

I think some of these images may depict specific incidents for reference, a bit like how a modern boxing manual would have photographs of the dempsey roll.

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Quite possibly.

[@ForerunnersSins]

In relation to the article the first image comes from. I wonder by referring to it as 'welsh' is it possibly referring to Cumbria/Cumberland?

[@EnglishMartialArts]

No, it talks about it both being Welsh, and also that the word is derived form a word in the Welsh language, then bastardised by the Lancashire folk.

[@waynegoddard4065]

Fight Team yeah bady

[@JaxenChaz]

For the algo: FIGHT TEAM!

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Thanks!

[@tichtran664]

The picture from Ruslan Paroslev shows the ONE problem with this "historian". That is NO citations for those pictures or stories in his book. At least in the one page of his book from Internet. OTHER historians WILL not only shows the pictures and stories WITH newspaper citations or other sources.

[@tichtran664]

Yet some "ripper" say Ruslan Paroslev is the "prominent" historian of catch wrestling.

[@EnglishMartialArts]

@@tichtran664 it's perfectly possible that he has done more research than anyone else and simply doesn't cite his sources..

[@tichtran664]

True. But if OTHER " historians" did that the ripper guy will scream fake historians.

[@tichtran664]

Or being CONTRADICTION. Like calling snake pit wigan modern catch wrestling while calling what Billy Riley did "pro wrestling". But he did SAID that "pro wrestling" was POPULAR with AMATEUR wrestlers. Like the double wrist lock used in 1930s amateur wrestling. Although for a pin.

[@tichtran664]

The main PROBLEM with Ruslan Paroslev is that he is a "purist". Like catch "didn't originally have submission". Just like how Italians saying spaghetti and meatballs isn't Italian. EXCEPT it does exist in SOME Italian towns like TERAMO( spaghetti con pallottines). Or based on that logic tomato 🍅 ISN'T Italian.

[@kyleolson8977]

#1 A shin kicking match? I really don't like the idea of intentionally doing shins vs shins. 20 years ago I broke a student's shin when I blocked them with my shin. #3 Appears to be the art of MC Escher wrestling. #5 Based on the physiques, I assume the fighters are fighting for scraps of food.

[@EnglishMartialArts]

It's not shin vs shin, it's hardened leather boots vs shin.

[@iwantagoodnameplease]

In the shin kicking: Although it's asymmetric, they're both doing it?

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Yes, for sure.

[@AlteredGames]

I think in the fourth picture the guy on the left is gonna bean him with a turkey leg not a club :D

[@EnglishMartialArts]

It does look that way.

[@samuelyeates2326]

Any idea how the whole scarfed wrestling thing came about? It puzzles the hell out of me.

[@Stephen_Curtin]

As far as I know this style of wrestling started in the 14th century, before this people seem to have wrestled in everyday their clothes, maybe their wives got tired of mending their tunics and so said here take this old linen and wrestle in that.

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Having wrestled and done jiu jitsu with a beard the idea of having something other than my facial before that my opponent had to hold on to would be very appealing!

[@tichtran664]

Hey Stephen was there a twister/ guillotine in original catch wrestling?!

[@Stephen_Curtin]

@tichtran664 my best guess off the top of my head, I'd say the twister / wrestlers guillotine is probably from around 1900, give or take a decade.

[@tichtran664]

@@Stephen_Curtin From juijitsu?! And guess what?! Ruslan Paroslev have the SAME attitude as ripper submission wrestler on Facebook. When he made fun of William Demetral as a "pro wrestler" I remind him that his book have NO citations. He then cites his OWN book. IDIOT. I told him to SHOW newspaper or person articles. At least for THAT picture. He ask for my name! I SAID that IS my real name. And I DON'T threaten people over Facebook and KZbin like ripper submission wrestler. After THAT he DELETED his comment. COWARD. I admit I have own fault but I AIN'T arrogant like Rippler and Ruslan Paroslev. I don't take advice from a DANCER.

[@rippersubmissionwrestling2704]

Have you ever talked to Ruslan, read any of his articles etc?

[@EnglishMartialArts]

I've read a lot of his work, but not spoken to him. I'd love to though.

[@UniversalJudoAcademies]

I thought the nude wrestler was trying to hit him with a chicken drumstick

[@EnglishMartialArts]

I can see that!

[@vercingetorixwulf9298]

Artistic license ........

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Possibly.

[@waynegoddard4065]

Their grabbing. Let us not muck around. Men literal MEN were tougher back then. You find a tough guy now he's being paid for films or army

[@grimmriffer]

I'm actually a vegan,

[@EnglishMartialArts]

Obviously someone here isn't subscribed...

[@allengordon6929]

It's better to read pithy old langauges than try to start with bizarre non-realistic pictures. Pithy language can be taken any way one wishes, leading to a lot of different interpretations of the bizarre non-realistic pictures. Starting from that and working backwards can be overly limiting. HEMA is amatuer experimental archaeology for neckbeards, edgelords, not like the other girls, and gym rats first and foremost. We must remember this at all times and at all costs.