Wrestling Court Dimensnios

Wrestling is an Olympic sport that has been around since antiquity. It is actually a part of martial arts and consists of a physical engagement between two combatants. In this sport the goal is to subdue the other player using barehanded grappling techniques. An important piece of equipment in this combat sport is the mat, which also basically ensures the safety of the players. Various organizations have given specific rules regarding the wrestling court dimensions.

Wrestling Court Dimensions

Various organizations have specified different wrestling court dimensions. At times the differences lie in whether you are playing in a collegiate league or a high school league or if you are playing in a men’s league or a women’s league. There are also differences in wrestling court dimensions from one country to the other and depending on what type of wrestling you are playing.

NCAA Rules

Here are the wrestling court dimensions according to the NCAA. First is that a wrestling mat should have a circular wrestling area with a diameter between 32 and 42 feet. There should also be what is called an apron that has a minimum width of five feet. This apron should extend around the entire wrestling area. The area of the apron ought to be designated and identified by using either a line that a two inches wide or using contrasting colors. If the two inch wide line is used the line itself should become part of the wrestling area.

Additionally, since it is expected that mats will shrink, the NCAA recommends that the minimum diameter of the wrestling area should be 34 feet. Both the apron and the wrestling area should be of the same thickness. However, the mat itself shouldn’t be any thicker than four inches. Furthermore, if ever mats are divided into sections they should be assembled and secured together.

Olympic Size Mats

The wrestling mat dimensions that are accepted in major tournaments such as the Olympics and other worldwide championships will vary slightly. Like the regulations for the NCAA, these tournaments emphasize the safety of the competitors above all else. Standard dimensions of these tournament mats are 40 x 40 feet and two inches in thickness or 33 x 33 feet by two inches in thickness.

Different Layouts

Other than differences in wrestling court dimensions, there are some slight variations in other countries as well. There are some wrestling organizations that include a protection area, a passivity zone, and of course the central wrestling area that are each marked by different colors. The protection area would be about 1.5 meters wide around the wrestling area and the passivity zone would be a meter wide encompassing the central wrestling area.