Wrestling
Abrazare: The foundation of medieval martial arts
Wrestling—called Abrazare in Italian—is the foundation upon which all medieval martial arts are built. Every weapon system eventually brings combatants to grappling range, making wrestling essential for any complete martial artist.
Core Concepts
The principles that govern close combat
Medieval wrestling differs significantly from modern sport wrestling. It is designed for self-defense and combat, incorporating strikes, joint locks, throws, and techniques for use against armed opponents or while armed yourself.
Fiore dei Liberi begins his treatise with wrestling because it underlies all other combat. The same principles of leverage, timing, and body mechanics that control an unarmed opponent also apply when wielding—or facing—weapons.
Our curriculum emphasizes practical techniques: how to control an opponent, apply locks and chokes, execute throws, and defend against common attacks.
Key Principles
- Structure: Proper body alignment creates stability and power
- Leverage: Using the body's mechanics against the opponent
- Timing: Executing techniques at the moment of maximum advantage
- Position: Controlling the opponent's posture and balance
- Integration: Wrestling with dagger, sword, or against weapons
Nature of the Art
Complete close-combat capability
Medieval wrestling is a complete grappling art. It includes standing techniques (throws, locks, and takedowns), ground fighting, and the integration of strikes. The goal is to control, disable, or defeat an opponent at close range.
Throws & Takedowns
Take the fight to the ground on your terms, using leverage and timing to overcome size and strength.
Locks & Controls
Joint locks and chokes provide options for restraining opponents or compelling submission.
Disarms & Counters
Wrestling techniques for disarming opponents or countering their grappling attempts.
Wrestling also includes defensive techniques—how to escape holds, regain your feet, and prevent being controlled. These defensive skills are just as important as offensive techniques for surviving close combat.
History
The wrestler's art through the ages
Wrestling is one of humanity's oldest martial arts. Every culture has developed grappling traditions, from ancient Greek pankration to Japanese jujutsu. Medieval European wrestling, or Ringen in German, was considered essential for any knight or man-at-arms.
Fiore dei Liberi devoted the first section of his treatise to Abrazare because wrestling underlies all weapon arts. When swords bind, when polearms close, when mounted warriors clash—the fight becomes wrestling. Understanding grappling is essential for understanding combat.
At Academie Duello, we study wrestling primarily through Fiore's system, which connects unarmed grappling to dagger, sword, polearm, and mounted combat. The principles learned in Abrazare apply throughout our curriculum.
Our Primary Sources
Fiore dei Liberi
Fior di Battaglia (1409)
The Abrazare section forms the foundation of Fiore's complete martial system.
German Ringen
Ott Jud and the Liechtenauer tradition
Supplementary German wrestling techniques for comparative study.
Train in Wrestling
Wrestling is integrated throughout our Mastery program, connecting all weapon arts at close range.