The Best Books to learn Catch Wrestling

These days, Catch Wrestling isn’t as popular as it once was, but anyone lucky enough to learn under the likes of Billy Robinson or Karl Gotch will tell you that it’s massively effective. Responsible for the likes of Kazushi Sakuraba and Josh Barnett, Catch Wrestling has successfully been applied to the MMA world and especially in the earlier days of MMA, it proved to work on all types of fighters.

So, this asks the question why would you want to buy a book on Catch Wrestling? There is a very good answer to this. Basically, Catch Wrestling can be difficult to learn from these days. Whilst there are still some gyms that teach it, for the most part it has died out. This means that if you live somewhere that doesn’t have a local Catch gym, then you may need to do the next best thing – which is to get a book and study the not so gentle art for yourself.

If you like wrestling, submissions and holds – then Catch Wrestling is great to learn and can be applied to other grappling arts such as Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Another reason to get reading is for historical reasons too. Often, people are drawn into the world of Catch as they desire more knowledge and in general, it can be pretty fun to learn about the lesser known side and history of grappling. With this in mind, here are the best Catch Wrestling books to learn from.

Say Uncle! By Jake Shannon

This book is something of a mix between looking at the history of Catch As Catch Can as well as a general technique guide. Here, Shannon interviewed the likes of Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson before their deaths and put them in this book, alongside other Catch legends. In short, it’s great if you’re a history buff and want to know more about the culture.

As well, it’s also got a few techniques as well as diagrams that show how to pull off the main moves found in the martial art. Whilst it may not be the best technique book out there, it’s got a solid library but is mostly valuable for those that want to learn a greater insight about Catch Wrestling.

Catch Wrestling, Stepping into the Snake Pit By Daniel Dimarzio

Stepping into the Snake Pit is author Daniel DiMarzio’s love letter to CACC and once again, it focuses on the culture of this often forgotten art. The book is also contributed to by Joel Bane who runs the US Snake Pit gym, so he has history running through his veins, as well as years of knowledge.

Once again, this book has some good techniques that are shown but for the most part, it’s written as homage to the art of Catch Wrestling and its historical origins.

Wrestling Catch-as-Catch-Can Style By Hitchcock and Nelligan

Unlike the previous two mentions, this book is based on techniques and moves to learn from. In this sense, it’s more of a learner’s manual, rather than a slice of history. Here, the authors go about mentioning and showing the best and most effective moves that are high percentage and work against various opponents and their styles.

For those wondering, this book was originally written in 1912, so it’s from the earlier Catch Wrestling era and goes straight into the best moves of the forgotten martial art. If you can’t make it to a gym yet are desperately eager to learn Catch, then this book may be an ideal purchase.

Modern Catch-As-Catch-Can By Jake Shannon

Jake Shannon returns with another book devoted to Catch Wrestling. This time, his efforts are aimed more at teaching the art and showing techniques. This book was also released in 2021, so it also comes with a modern twist and can be applied to modern day submission grappling.

Therefore, this book isn’t just showing moves, it’s also applying them to recent methods. For example, since its creation, grappling has changed and evolved, with BJJ becoming massively popular and evolving in areas such as leg locks which Catch used to dominate in. Here, Shannon looks at the modern grappling formula with a Catch Wrestling slant and how to use it in the modern world.

The Story of Catch By Ruslan Pashayev

At over 250 pages in length, this is an in-depth review of the earlier days of Catch Wrestling. Specifically, Pashayev looks at the first fifty years of the art, starting in 1820 and ending in 1870. Here, he goes through Catch’s golden era, how it spread to the USA, and the Lancashire origins of the martial art.

It should be noted that this book is less based on the teaching of moves and is more of a read for those who are interested in the culture of Catch Wrestling. Overall, Pashayev does an excellent job in going back in time and his findings are quite revealing and insightful.

Beginning Catch Wrestling By Jeff McCall

Written by Jeff McCall, this book does what it says on the tin and is positioned towards newcomers of the English martial art. With this in mind, if you’re already well versed in Catch Wrestling in a historical sense, or just in terms of the techniques, then this book may not be suitable. Instead, it’s aimed at people who really know little about the art and want to learn.

Based on this, it looks over the history and its origins but also answers commonly asked questions such as whether it’s suitable for women, how to deal with cauliflower ear, and how it differs from other grappling martial arts. Just don’t expect much at only 70 pages in length but also note that it’s a solid read for someone who is clueless about Catch Wrestling.

The Science of Wrestling By Earle Liederman

This book is based on wrestling and Jiu Jitsu with a huge nod towards self defense. In other words, it’s a literal guide on how to use Catch Wrestling to defend yourself. You won’t find any guard pulling here, but you will find tactics and strategies to defeat opponents by using submission holds and pins.

It also handily includes over 120 instructional photos which help aid learning, especially if you’re a visual learner. For those wondering, this book is ideal for those who want to learn Catch Wrestling for self defense and street use, rather than those who are more interested in the history of the martial art.

Catch Wrestling for Cops By Donald Powers

As the title suggests, this book is meant for police officers and law enforcers. The point of this is to be able to subdue attackers whilst dealing minimal injuries to yourself or the potential criminal. These days, policing can be a tough gym and law enforcers tread a fine line between restraining people and going too far and hurting them.

This is where Catch Wrestling for Cops comes in and teaches you how to successfully hold and pin people with minimal effort. Learn this, and your police training will feel inferior in comparison.

Physical Chess By Billy Robinson and Jake Shannon

An exciting read, this book is told by Billy Robinson who reminisces on his life and career in wrestling. Here, he talks about his upbringing in northern England, and how he travelled the globe wrestling. In short, if you want to see inside the head of the godfather of Catch Wrestling, then look no further.

As you may have guessed, this book isn’t based on technique but is instead an in-depth look at Billy Robinson who helped change the face of Catch Wrestling forever. For fans of the martial art, this book is a must read!

Kill-As-Catch-Can By Ned Beaumont

Written in 1998, this book is a detailed journey of street fighting whilst incorporating Catch Wrestling into the mix. Beaumont is quite a colorful character and often tells exciting tales of his own street fights, which may be exaggerated but nonetheless make for exciting reading.

As the title suggests, this book pulls no punches and is meant to be an effective self defense mechanism. With this in mind, these techniques can seriously injure people so be careful when practicing them. Regardless of your thoughts on the author or how brutal these moves are, it’s fair to say that from a Catch perspective, they’re highly effective in a combat environment.