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British fistfight
Old wrestling of Russian female peasants - sketch by Lillie Lefort
Contemporary holiday wrestling
Training in Iceland wrestling "Glima" in Iceland
Breton wrestling "Gouren"
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Female wrestling was known in Europe at least since Antiquity. It was mainly legends or semi-legends. The classic example of a semi-legend is wrestling of Spartan girls. Spartan female wrestling (according to the classic wrestling rules) may be considered as the first "national" women's combat form. Besides Spartans, women capable to wrestle appeared in the ancient mythology (for instance, Atalanta and Thetis) and on Etruscan vases. At the beginning of Middle Ages women reportedly existed who were capable to fight in battles and to wrestle. Such women appeared in poems and in troubadour's ballads.
In the late Middle Ages in the northern Italy folk games of mock equestrian battles existed. They were fought in which a girl sat on a boy’s shoulders, and the pairs then undertook to knock over the other. Other amusement activities in that area were contests involved slapping buttocks, which were often played between men and women.
But British boxing (rather fistfight) should be considered as the very first truly folk national form of hand-to-hand combat, which became popular not only among men but among women as well. First testimonies about fist fistfights between women pertain to 1772 when Elizabeth Wilkinson (Stokes) won fist bouts against different women for a few years. According to many testimonies in the early XVIII century, since James Figg had organized boxing bouts for audience, in London and other parts of the Kingdom women participated in long fierce fist fights in which holds any part of the body, kicking and scratching were allowed in addition to punches. Fistfights are popular and widespread among lower class men and women in English country even now. Englishwomen easily use their fists in order to resolve personal problems, for fun or for betting.
Brutal fistfights until submission began regulated since Marquis Queenberry elaborated new boxing rules in 1867 based on the ideas of Sir Graham Chambers. The most important innovation was mandatory wearing of boxing gloves.
Beside boxing bouts, women's wrestling was very popular in Europe in 19 century, especially in Britain and France. Common women (some of them were prostitutes) wrestled for a prize in barns and backyards and later in special venues. Then women's wrestling spread into fairgrounds and circus arenas but that wrestling form would be hardly called folk wrestling. But all the same, low class women often wrestled for fun, money or for stating higher status in the society.
In some Russian regions in the pre-revolution times peasant girls and young women engaged in amusing wrestling - it was a part of holiday celebrations. The wrestling style consisted in pulling each other by clothing. The wrestlers grabbed opponents by long shirt sleeves or by coat flaps trying turn an opponent down. The one who fell or stumbled first was considered as a loser - no ground grappling. Even mixed matches were reported. Unfortunately, these traditions have probably been lost and Russian women who want to practice in combative sports go to judo, freestyle wrestling, boxing and other traditional sports.
Actually, women's wrestling has become folk amusement in some contemporary European countries – women wrestle during celebrations, barbeque parties - on lawns, in meadows and parks. Recently, women's wrestling on wet filings, in mud and water became exceptionally popular. Besides erotically oriented specific wrestling shows, such female wrestling matches are held on festivals and celebrations just for fun of participants and spectators (on a par with tug-of-war and pillow fights on logs). You can see female wrestling on the beach and in the water (see "Beach combat" and "Equestrian battle"), on inflatable rings, with big bouncy gloves and in inflatable uniform (see "Bouncy combat"). And it's not surprised that women dominate in these combats.
Ancient Iceland wrestling style "glima" (joy game) which was popular among Vikings and which turned 1100 years old attracts hardened Iceland girls. This wrestling style is also cultivated in the other Scandinavian countries.The basic idea is to grip your opponent in the proper way, and then force them to touch their torso or any area above the elbows or knees, to the ground for the best 2 out of 3 falls. Also, if both of their arms touch the ground, it is a fall. If both players fall together then it is called a “brother-fall” and neither player gets the point. The reason that the belts are still worn today is that they are symbolic of wearing the heavy pants and jackets as they did in the past.
In Switzerland women compete according to the rules of the national Swiss wrestling Schwingen (swing), which actually is a form of belt wrestling, quite similar to glima. Competitions are conducted on the wood shavings and contestants wear special pants with a belt being put on above regular clothing which are convenient tools for grabbing an opponent in attempt to throw her down.
Ancient Celtic folk wrestling form "Gouren" is widely popular among Breton people (living in Brittany in north-western departments of France). Gouren wrestlers wear special wrestling shirts and compete only in standing position - a wrestler tries to throw an opponent down in order to achieve ‘back-fall’ (traditionally matches are running on sand rings). Gouren seems to be the less violent form of combative sports and many Breton girls and women practice it. Competitions are held both in picturesque sand dunes and in regular gyms.
Another popular Celtic wrestling style "Backhold" is popularin Scotland and far beyond it This is one of the most graceful wrestling styles reminding dabcing.
Truly Russian amusement - snow wrestling
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Croisse. "Wrestling Spartans"
Prizefight on a London street in 18 century
Mud wrestling
Swiss belt wrestling "Schwingen"
Girls are taught Scottish wrestling "Backhold"
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