Everything you need to know about Kushti, also known as Indian sand wrestling

It’s no secret that India loves wrestling, and this is by far their most popular martial art. Kushti originated during the Mughal empire which ruled India in the 17th century. Here, they combined Persian wrestling styles with native Indian techniques. In case you didn’t know, wrestling is still massively popular in Iran. This resulted in Kushti which has remained popular in India to this very day.

In this article, we shall discuss the finer points of Kushti and what separates it from other forms of wrestling. Although it isn’t very popular outside of India – it can still be found in some rural places as well as having a notable following in Dubai. If you want to learn more about this unique style of wrestling then read on.

Kushti takes place in the sand

Perhaps Kushti’s most unique point is that it involves wrestling in a sand pit. Alternatively, some gyms will also practice on soft clay or even dirt. This changes the dynamic of wrestling compared to western styles.

For instance, it makes shooting for takedowns substantially harder. Imagine quite literally getting stuck and slowed down in mud whilst you shoot for a single leg. This makes Kushti wrestlers re-think their grappling strategies. As a result, a lot of their attacks look a bit like those used in Greco-Roman which focuses on the upper body. This means a lot of clinch work instead of grabbing legs. You could also compare aspects of Kushti to no gi Judo whereby hip-tosses are also prominent.

Rules of Kushti

Although Kushti does look like Greco-Roman, its style is actually closer to Freestyle wrestling in terms of rules.

• All lower body holds and takedowns are allowed and encouraged.

• Adult matches will typically have a 15 minute time limit. If no one is pinned, it is deemed a draw.

• Final matches of a tournament may have no time limit, meaning they could potentially last hours.

• Kids matches last 2 minutes.

• Teen matches last 5 minutes.

• The ring is usually marked by chalk in a formal match – however there are no real boundaries.

• You can grab onto the shorts (offensively or defensively) – participants usually wear small shorts.

• There are no points. Matches are only won by a pin (with the back on the floor with the shoulders touching the ground) – judges will often determine what constitutes as a pin.

Issues with pinning compared to other wrestling styles

If you’ve just read our rules section then you may have spotted something. That is, if your back and shoulders hit the floor then you’ve technically been pinned. This brings up issues for certain wrestling throws and techniques.

For example, if you perform a gator roll then you may lose the match as whilst performing the move, your back and shoulders would momentarily touch the floor. Therefore, you have to be a little careful about your techniques when training Kushti. Like all martial arts, the rules help craft certain styles. For the most part though, Kushti is pretty broad when it comes to what techniques you can use – at least when compared to other styles of wrestling.

Modern Kushti gyms also use gym mats

Despite having its roots from thousands of years ago, Kushti is still a modern martial art that is very popular in India. Here, wrestling is commonly referred to as Dangal. Many modern gyms have adapted to the times by adding regular wrestling mats to their premises. In other words, Kushti practitioners will have the chance to train on sand or on a wrestling mat.

This may be a response to modern wrestling where India often compete for medals in the Olympics. As these bouts take place on conventional wrestling mats, some wrestlers may prefer this style compared to a sand pit which as previously mentioned, changes the dynamic and slows things down.

The Dangal lifestyle

Becoming a wrestler in India often means a dedicated lifestyle that few are willing to endure. This usually means dedicating yourself to the craft and a lot of sacrifices. For instance, many wrestlers will even live on-site and will go through a strict strength and conditioning routine.

This often means waking up early and pushing yourself, both with cardio drills and weights. Speaking of weights, another unique feature of Kushti culture is training with Indian clubs. These mimic bowling pins are can be very heavy.

The idea is to swing these around your head which improves arm and shoulder strength, as well as grip strength. These are two massively important aspects of wrestling that cannot be ignored if you take it seriously. In recent years, Indian clubs have even made it to the western world where they have grown in popularity.

Other aspects of Kushti culture include eating a mostly vegetarian diet. This is aimed to keep wrestlers in top shape and avoid junk food. It may also be down to the fact that India also has more of a vegetarian culture compared to other parts of the world.

In short, this lifestyle is not for everyone and is taken quite seriously. It does breed results though and if you want to improve your wrestling and core strength then it’s a good way of upgrading your body.

Conclusion

Whilst Kushti may not be the most known martial art on earth, it’s still very effective and relevant. Like Ssireum in Korea, it shows that wrestling has been around in various countries for thousands of years. Sadly, most people typically think of the USA, Iran, and Russia when it comes to wrestling. However, it’s fair to say that there’s a lot more going on outside of these countries as well.

In summary, Kushti can be described as Indian sand wrestling and has similar rules to Freestyle, yet often looks closer to Greco-Roman in terms of style. If you’re ever lucky enough to visit India then there’s every chance you can do a drop-in at a local gym and see it for yourself.

If you want to learn more about Kushti then check out this well-written book on the subject.