What Is a Technical Fall In Wrestling?

If you’re new to the world of folkstyle wrestling, you may be wondering about some of the terminology, as well as the object of the sport. Terms such as a fall or technical fall in wrestling can be confusing at first.

A fall or a pin in wrestling is the object of the sport. A successful fall is when you pin your opponent’s shoulders or both their shoulder blades on the mat for two seconds. If no pin is achieved, you can still win by technical fall by accumulating enough points during the match.

In this article, we’ll be going in-depth into the difference between a fall and a technical fall, what other techniques you can perform that will help you win a match, and how to stay in shape as a wrestler.

What Is a Fall or Pin In Wrestling

As mentioned, a fall occurs when one wrestler pins their opponent’s shoulders or shoulder blades down on the mat for two seconds. 

Performing a successful fall, or pin, is the object of the game, but this does not always happen. So when no pin is achieved then a wrestler can also win via technical fall.

What Is A Technical Fall In Folkstyle Wrestling

A technical fall occurs when neither wrestler can successfully pin their opponent down during a match, and the winning title is awarded to the wrestler with the most points. 

You can use plenty of techniques on the mat that will allow you to take advantage of your opponent and score in the process. It’s also important to note that illegal moves can result in your opponent earning points, so it’s important to be mindful of your form and conduct on the mat. 

Below, we’ll explore each move that, when done correctly, will earn you points and help you achieve a technical fall against your opponent. 

Takedown

A takedown is worth two points and is rewarded to the wrestler who successfully takes their opponent down on the mat and takes control of them. There are plenty of variations of a takedown that wrestlers can perform. 

You can win via technical fall simply by scoring takedowns and racking up points.

It’s also important to note that a takedown will earn you two points during a match. If you are competing in freestyle or Greco-roman wrestling then you might be rewarded different points for different takedowns. 

Escape

One point is awarded to the wrestler who can successfully escape a neutral position that their opponent has them in. If your opponent has you in their control down on the mat, it’s important to learn how to escape their grasp successfully. 

Reversal

A reversal will earn a wrestler two points and occurs when your opponent takes control of you on the mat, and you gain control of them from underneath.

Near Fall

Depending on how long you can get control of your opponent, a near fall can earn a wrestler either two to four points. A near fall occurs when a wrestler can almost pin their opponent down, but not for quite long enough. 

If you can pin your opponent down for up to two seconds, you’ll earn two points. If you can pin your opponent down for up to five seconds, you’ll earn up to three points. Remembering these factors will allow you to perform better and score higher against your opponent on the mat.

It’s clear to see that there are plenty of ways to score against your opponent, even if you cannot achieve a full pin or fall on the mat. 

You Can Lose Via Technical Fall Due To Penalties

If you perform illegal holds and other penalties on the mat, this can result in your opponent earning up to one to two points. Penalties can include unnecessary roughness, false starts, and stalling. 

Not only should wrestlers learn to master their technique from the start, but they should also master how to properly conduct themselves on the mat to stay in the game. 

Don’t let yourself lose by raking up penalties and giving away points to your opponent.

Just Remember That You Can Win By Fall ( Pin ) or By Technical Fall

It’s clear to see that performing both a fall and technical fall in wrestling will result in winning the match. When you perform a fall, you have successfully pinned your opponent’s shoulders or shoulder blades down long enough on the mat to win. 

If you have won the match due to a technical fall, neither you nor your opponent could perform a regular fall or pin, but you have acquired enough points along the way to win the match. 

We explored each technique that you can use on the mat that can help award you a technical fall against your opponent. Remembering all these components will allow you to take advantage of your opponent successfully and win the match one way or another. 

We also went over what a technical pin is and how earning enough points will also result in you winning the match.