Why wrestling is the most physically tiring martial art

It’s no secret that training martial arts can be physically tiring. In fact, if you’re not getting tired after training then you should question whether you’re training correctly…or even worse – whether your martial art is actually legitimate. For most people though, training means pushing every inch of your body to the point of tiredness after a session.

And, whilst most martial arts have their own quirks and can be tough in their own right, there is one that stands out above all when it comes to being physically draining and tiring. That martial art is wrestling. Whether looking at Greco-Roman, freestyle, or other variations, it’s true that wrestling is very tiresome and is certainly not for everyone. This article shall look at why wrestling is so physically tiring.

Wrestling has no rest periods

If you look at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, it often has bursts of intensity where each player is trying to advance their position. However, there are also periods of rest, where each fighter is stuck in slower positions. This helps each person catch their breath and means that BJJ isn’t always cardio intensive.

Still, wrestling is not BJJ and requires a different intensity. Whether attacking or defending, the rules of wrestling dictate that you can’t really stay still for more than a second. This creates mad scrambles that require incredible cardio and conditioning at all times. This means that unlike other martial arts such as BJJ, wrestling has no rest periods which means if your cardio is poor, then you can easily lose a match because of it.

In fact, there have been many wrestling champions that have credited their success with having great cardio rather than incredible technique. Therefore, having good cardio is often seen as a skill in itself when it comes to wrestling and takes a lot of time to develop and perfect. Put another way, there’s no hiding when it comes to training and you will get found out if you try and rest or slow the pace down.

Wrestling demands a tough work ethic

Famous US wrestling coach Dan Gable created a culture in US wrestling whereby American wrestlers would be known for their grit and unbeatable work ethic. It was his opinion that Russian wrestlers were generally more technical and had different training methods. So, he basically tried to level the playing fields by making US wrestlers incredibly tough which would equal the playing field. And it did.

For those training under these conditions though, it meant for an incredibly tough workout which would be very tiring. In some US colleges, it’s normal to see wrestlers be physically sick due to training whilst tired after hard rounds are sparring and sprints.

This often means early starts and extra training, pushing the body to its limits. Of course, this isn’t the case for hobbyist wrestlers, but it still sets the tone and this culture is rarely found in other martial arts. Even MMA which can demand a lot from the body isn’t as tiresome as wrestling and nor is its training regimen as strict. Put another way, wrestling training camps may not be pretty, but they certainly get results and will create habits of strict discipline and a very strong work ethic, both physically and mentally.

Wrestling has a never quit attitude

As mentioned earlier, if you’re in a bad spot during a wrestling match, you can still escape and avoid defeat. This means that some wrestlers won’t quit until it’s over. As a result, you’re not expected to throw the towel in which means constant working. Imagine being pinned down in an uncomfortable position, yet still trying with all your might to escape.

This would obviously be physically tiring, yet it is the norm in wrestling. Whilst many other martial arts follow similar ideas and philosophies in their own domain, this is probably most prominent within wrestling culture.

As seen, this isn’t just applicable to wrestling matches either, and this ideology also applies to everyday training. Because of this, wrestlers are always giving 100% at all times, which can obviously be draining on the body and some even train through hard injuries.

Other physically demanding martial arts

Whilst we’ve established that wrestling is the most physically tiresome martial art to learn, there are others as well. Here we’ll briefly mention other disciplines that are also notoriously tough and require a big gas tank.

Judo

Judo certainly has more rest periods compared to wrestling. Still, when the action begins it can be very intense. Perhaps this is due to the similarities between the two. Like wrestling, it also has time limits which create a fast tempo.

Like wrestling, it’s also grappling-based which can be physically tiresome. However, due to the nature of grips that can slow down the action, Judo isn’t quite as testing as wrestling. If you’ve trained Judo though, you’ll understand that it’s still very explosive at times.

Muay Thai

Moving away from grappling, Muay Thai is also known for its physically tiring training. This may be down to the original culture of Muay Thai, where poor fighters would literally fight for money to live. As a result, it’s understandable that they would train incredibly hard and give their all. Whilst this isn’t the same for more Muay Thai practitioners these days, these ideas still live on. This means hard sparring and drilling which will test your physical limits.

Boxing

Similar to Muay Thai is boxing, which is a different sort of cardio compared to grappling. Boxing requires constant movement of your feet and bursts of speed – whether defensively or offensively. As a result, it’s no surprise that boxing is tough where cardio is concerned.

This is why you’ll see boxers do skipping rope work which is designed to improve their cardio and replicate tough, fighting conditions. Like Muay Thai, it also has a history of fighters getting in the ring for money, which adds another incentive to push yourself in the gym.

Kyokushin Karate

Sadly, Karate can get a bad reputation these days. However, Kyokushin Karate is notoriously tough and is not for the faint-hearted. Whilst its full-contact sparring can be quite tiring, its strength and conditioning is probably where it’s most tiring.

Looking at its practitioner’s ripped bodies, you can see how this works. Expect plenty of tough cardio drills that are designed to push you to your limit. This ties into the old Karate philosophy that your body is a weapon.

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