Scottish Backhold Wrestling
Traditional Highland folk wrestling sport with a fixed two-handed back grip.
Quick Facts
Country of OriginUnited Kingdom
United KingdomRegionEurope
Primary FocusGrappling
Contact LevelFull contact
Belt SystemNo grades
Character & Origin
StatusLiving, organized
LineageFolk
Era of Origin19th century
Training
AttireTraditional dress
SparringFull contact
Role of WeaponsNo weapons
Role of FormsNo forms
Who It Suits
Kids ProgrammesKids groups common
Senior FriendlyNot suitable for seniors
Physical Demand4/5
Injury Risk2/5
Learning Curve2/5
Self-Defence Value2/5
Fitness Value4/5
Organisation & Competition
Grading SystemNo grades
Competition FormatPoint fighting
Weight ClassesNo
Olympic StatusNot Olympic
Estimated PractitionersUnder 10k
What the style is built from
Editorial rating on a 0–3 scale, based on how much room each area gets in ordinary training.
Hand strikesNot used
KicksNot used
Throws & takedownsCore
Ground fightingMarginal
Locks & holdsNot used
WeaponsNot used
About Scottish Backhold Wrestling
Scottish Backhold is a traditional Scottish folk wrestling match, practiced at the world-famous Highland Games. Wrestlers start with a chest to chest and a two-handed combined grip behind the opponent's back. A wrestler loses if they release the grip or touch the ground with any part of their body except their feet.
Similar styles
Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.