Although women do compete in wrestling, the sport remains highly male-dominated. One reason for this is that male physiology gives men more lean muscle per pound than women with a similar frame. Since comparative strength is important to wrestling success, women are often at a disadvantage. However, women can train in certain moves that minimize this disadvantage.
Women and Muscles
Before puberty, there is virtually no difference in musculature between girls and boys. Once secondary gender characteristics start to appear during adolescents, men put on more muscle than women. According to "Physiology of Sports and Exercise," a female athlete can expect to be about two-thirds as strong as a male athlete of similar size who participates in a similar workout program.
Weight Classes
Wrestling competition is divided into weight classes to encourage safety and fair conditions. Unfortunately for women, this means wrestling against men of similar size who participate in a similar workout program. This equates to essentially a 33 percent disadvantage for women who try to wrestle without accounting for their physiological differences.
Lower Body Strength
Although womens' upper bodies are considerably weaker than those of men, the difference is less marked in the lower bodies. Female wrestlers who focus on moves that rely on lower-body strength rather than upper-body strength can minimize much of the strength disadvantage they face on the mat. Some examples of these moves include leg rides, stand-up escapes and the spladle pinning combination.
Muscular Endurance
On the plus side, women often develop greater muscular endurance than men of similar size undergoing similar training. For female wrestlers, this means wrestling conservatively during early rounds of the match. This minimizes your exposure to pinning combinations where a man's upper body strength can end the match. As your male opponent's muscles tire, his strength advantage will rapidly diminish.
References
- "Physiology of Sport and Exercise"; Wilmore & Costill (editors); 2004
- NCAA Wrestling Rules
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