By Jonathan Williams
When you think about wrestling, usually WWE, Hulk Hogan or for those of you old enough Big Daddy all spring to mind.
However a new ‘wrestling club’ which has started in Glenalla Community Hall aims to show a different side to it.
We caught up with Dr Steve Greenfield from the Llanelli Catch Wrestling Club who gave us an insight into their activities. Steve is a 5th dan blackbelt in Jissen kobudo Jinenkan and he has been practicing martial arts for over 20 years.
He has authored a number of books on traditional martial arts, edited books and DVDs and has also taught and given seminars internationally in the USA and Europe. He also travels regularly to learn from his teachers in Japan and Wigan.
What is Catch Wrestling?
“It’s a traditional form of wrestling that originated in Lancashire, where a win is secured by pin, or submission. It was born in Lancashire amongst the industrial workers such as the miners and steel workers.”
How does it differ from normal wresting?
“Catch wrestling is one of the last surviving traditional British martial arts sports. It was one of the original sports in the Olympic games of the early 20th century.”
“Modern freestyle wrestling, as seen in the Olympics this year is a development from Catch wrestling.”
“However, unlike modern freestyle wrestling, where a win is secured by gaining points or pinning your opponent, in Catch wrestling there are no points but painful submissions are used in addition to pins to secure a win.”
“The rounds in Catch wrestling are generally loner, lasting up to 20 minutes, as opposed to the shorter 3-5 minute rounds in freestyle wrestling.”
You also provide traditional martial arts?
“Yes, our Japanese arts consists in traditional samurai arts including traditional jujutsu , striking arts as well as weapons such as the sword , spear , staff weapons etc.”
Swords and Spears? Are they real?
“Generally wooden or bamboo training weapons are used for safety sake, however great care and attention still needs to be taken as injury is still possible.”
What else can you tell us about the club?
“We’ve been running as a club for a little while but have decided to ‘open our doors’ a little more in the hope of preserving both the Japanese martial arts and Catch wrestling. Not only is it great fun, but is great for fitness too, plus it gives a chance to learn about Japanese history and culture as well as our own forgotten martial culture.”
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your teachers?
“I have trained in martial arts for nearly 25 years. I am a personal student of Manaka Unsui Sensei, head of the Jinenkan organisation.”
“I am one of only two 5th Dan Blackbelt instructors in the Jinenkan system in the UK. I travel each year both to Japan and Europe to train with my teacher.”
“My coach for Catch wrestling is Mr Roy Wood. He is the head coach as the ‘SnakePit gym’ in Wigan. We are one of only two affiliate clubs in the UK of the Snakepit gym in Wigan.”
“Roy Wood was taught by the famous Billy Riley whose gym turned out many British champions. It became known as the Snakepit gym by some of the visiting foreign wrestlers who described the training as being as dangerous as entering a snake pit.”
“Coach Roy Wood is someone who is not only well known as a great freestyle coach (he was recently the Olympic coach for Guam at the 2012 Olympics, and he was also awarded BBC Sport Northwest unsung hero award in 2011) but one of the last people around to be able to pass on authentic Lancashire style catch as catch can wrestling.”
“We are a friendly relaxed club and our aim in to pass on traditional Japanese Martial arts, and authentic Lancashire Catch wrestling as it has been taught to us by our teachers.”
You can find out more information from www.catchwrestlinguk.com andwww.jinenkankoujodojo.co.uk or call in at Glenalla Community on the following days:
Sunday’s training, 1:30 -3pm traditional martial arts, 3-4:30 pm Catch wrestling
Wednesday 7-9pm catch wrestling
Classes costs £5 for either Sunday 1:30-4:30 or Wednesday, however we offer a free initial lesson.
You can also find them on Facebook by clicking here.
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