arm bar - a move used on an opponent who has been broken down to turn him over for a pin. It involves getting the opponent's arm back and placing your arm between his arm and back. (See breakdown)

backpoints - points gotten by having exposed an opponents back to the mat; in freestyle, any exposure leads to backpoints, while in folkstyle the back must be exposed for a certain length of time. (See exposure)

bottom position - one of two components of referee's position; the man goes down to his knees, his hands on the mat in front of him, sitting back toward his feet. The wrestler in this position is called the bottom man. (See referee's position, top position)

breakdown - the process of breaking an opponent beneath you to his stomach or side. This often makes turning him over for a pin easier.

bridge - raising your back and hips off the mat using only the head and feet.

control - the dominating position which restricts the opponent's mobility; usually, the one on top is the one with control. In neutral position, neither wrestler has control until a takedown is achieved.

cross-face - a move where the forearm is pressed against the opponents face to turn his head and manuever him.

duck-under - a takedown where you "ducks" your head under the opponent's arm to come up behind the opponent. It requires a lift, throw or trip of some sort to take the opponent to the mat and complete the takedown.

escape - when a bottom man frees himself from the top man's control, coming out of bottom position.

exposure - having your back angled toward the mat at less than 45 degrees (90 degrees in international styles).

fall - a win achieved by a pin.

fireman's carry - a takedown where the wrestler being carried is temporarily brought across his opponent's shoulders, similar to the manner that fireman carry people out of buildings.

folkstyle - a style of wrestling; emphasizing control and safety more than freestyle, this is the style used in schools and colleges. Also referred to as scholastic.

freestyle - an international style of wrestling emphasizing dramatic action and takedowns.

full-nelson - being behind an opponent and having both arms under his, with your hands behind his neck. This is illegal in all the addressed wrestling styles.

greco-roman - an international style of wrestling in which the legs cannot be attacked, nor used for offense. This places a great emphasis on throws.

half-nelson - being being an opponent with one arm under his, your hand behind his neck. This is an elementary maneuver used to turn over an opponent who has been broken down for a pin. (See breakdown)

headgear - gear worn to protect the ears during wrestling.

leg shot - an attempt to get a takedown where you change levels and quickly thrust toward your opponent's legs to gain a lock on one or both. (See level change)

level change - bending at the knees (not the waist) to raise or lower the hips. This is used to position yourself for certain takedowns.

lift - to take an opponent off the mat entirely (both feet). An efficient lift involves positioning your hips lower than the opponent's and using them to lift by arching into the opponent.

match - the actual bout between two wrestlers.

meet - an organized competition between two (or more) wrestling teams.

near-fall - having had an opponent's back exposed long enough to get backpoints.

neutral position - the starting position of a match, with both wrestlers standing facing each other, not in contact.

optional start - instead of taking top position, a wrestler can choose this variation; the wrestler places both hands on the bottom man's back and leaves his knees off the mat. When this option is chosen, the referee must inform the bottom man so he may adjust his position. Optional start usually is used when you intend to let the bottom man go immediately, but not always. (See top position)

penetration - the distance covered when driving into an opponent for a takedown. Good penetration (getting in tight to the opponent) increases your chance of a successful takedown.

pin - having both of your opponent's shoulder blades on the mat for a specified length of time. In both international styles, this is for any instant. In college, it is for one second, in high school, two.

referee's position - a starting position; it consists of one wrestler taking the bottom position, the other taking the top position. (See bottom position, top position, optional start)

reversal - when a wrestler maneuvers himself from bottom to top position (and gains control) without having gotten an escape.

riding time - the amount of time a wrestler was in control over his opponent. By accumulating one minute of riding time more than your opponent, a point can be earned.

setup - an action of some sort designed to distract the opponent or cause a reaction, allowing an easier takedown.

singlet - a tight, sleeveless, one-piece outfit worn by wrestlers during their matches.

slamming - lifting an opponent off the mat and bringing them back down with unnecessary force. This is illegal in all addressed wrestling styles.

sprawl - an elementary counter to a leg shot. The wrestler throws his legs back, arching his hips into the opponent if necessary, making it harder to keep a grip on his legs.

stalling - a purposeful lapse in action; a wrestler purposely preventing wrestling from occuring or not wrestling himself.

stance - footwork used when in neutral position or when both wrestlers are facing each other, neither in control. A good stance involves feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, back straight, elbows in, hands out in front, and head up.

takedown - when neither wrestler has control, the act of bringing an opponent to the mat and gaining control over him.

technical fall - a win achieved by gaining a certain lead in points over an opponent.

throw - when a wrestler is lifted off the mat (both feet) by an opponent and brought back down behind the thrower.

tie-up - a wrestler grabbing his opponent's upper body, usually in preparation for a move or to gain a measure of control over his motion. Commonly the upper arm and back of the neck are grasped.

tilt - to turn your opponent so that his back goes from an angle of 45 degrees or more to less than 45. Also, when exposure is achieved.

top position - one of the two components of referee's position; after the bottom man has positioned himself, the other wrestler places his knee down to one side of his opponent, his knee up behind him with his foot also behind. The hand on the same side as the down knee grasps the opponent's near elbow, and the other hand reaches around the waist to rest on the navel. At this point, the referee will signal to begin wrestling. The man in top position is called the top man. (See bottom position, referee's position, optional start)

weight class - groupings determined by weight; the wrestler must be exactly on or below the specified weight to qualify for the weight class.

whizzer - an elementary counter when an opponent is attempting to gain a hold on his legs (or has gained a hold). An arm is firmly placed under the arm grasping the leg, and the hips are driven suddenly and roughly toward the opponent, in an attempt to break the grip.