Greco Roman or Luta livre?

**Jolly_Roger** · Posted On: 12/10/2003 9:40pm

Dear wise minds:
I've a question that plagues me lately. I have been training in Kali for some time now, and I roll about 2 times a week with some Bjj friends of mine.
Having more time for training now, I'd like to add some more grappling to my arsenal. Nowadays, here in Buenos Aires Bjj it's al the rage, as grappling goes.
Since I train with some Bjj guys already, I'd like to add more stand up, clinching, throws and takedows...and I also would like to diversify a little from the masses (everyone and their grandma now pull guard).
Lookin' about, I'm torn between Luta Livre and Olympic Wrestling (here they teach both G/R and Free modes).
In one hand, Luta Livre is a good introduction to Vale Tudo, since the only Luta Livre school here is also a Vale Tudo school.
In the other hand, Olympic Wrestling is more common, there are a lot of tournaments, and (at least to my inexperienced eyes) is a LOT more diferent from Bjj, which is what I want (the luta livre work I saw is excellent, but the ground work look a lot like Bjj).

Tell me, please, which do you recommend?
And why?

Thanks in advance
J.R.

**J-kid** · Posted On: 12/11/2003 5:13am

Both, now stfu AND TRAIN DAMN IT~!

**J-kid** · Posted On: 12/11/2003 5:15am

Dude grappling is for losers.

**drunkenj** · Posted On: 12/11/2003 5:54am

either really, luta levre is probably better all round grappling-----but wrestling will make you formidable...... personally i would do ll

**Hannibal** · Posted On: 12/11/2003 6:01am

It dpends how much time you have to train during the week. If you have work and study, time is very limited.
As for which to take no one over the internet can make that decision. You really have to be ther,go see how various schools train,talk to the instructors and decide what you like. You must be the one to make the final decision.

**Ronin** · Posted On: 12/11/2003 6:38am

Luta Liver ( sorry) livre, SHOULD have all the elements of greco-roman PLUS many others, so the choice is kind of easy, no?

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 12/11/2003 7:00am

Greco Roman is only a sport and contains NO takedowns below the waist. Its very limited in that respect. Most of te greco fighters you see succeed have also spent alot of time learning freestyle wrestling also to be able to counter the techniques that they would normally never face.

**fernando** · Posted On: 12/11/2003 12:25pm

luta livre? where is do you live where such a school exists

luta livre is basically jits, MT and wrestling. all aspects of fighting

**grecoman** · Posted On: 12/13/2003 2:38pm

I believe some parts of the world call any form of wrestling greco-roman, while it may in fact incorporate many freestyle moves and takedowns. I would at least check it out. You can also count on the wrestling class teaching more technically correct and a wider variety of takedowns than luta livre. So it basically comes down to whether you want to cross train in a MMA style class or concentrate solely on various takedowns.

**Jolly_Roger** · Posted On: 1/15/2004 1:17am

Hey, thanks to all who answered. Finally, I started with Greco Roman and freestyle (here in Argentina, they're both jointly called Olympic Wrestling)
I checked out both the Luta Livre school and the wrestling ones, and, while Luta Livre seems great, there's no pure LL school, and all of them mix the training with Muai Thai, Boxing, etc (which is great, but since I already do Kali, I was looking for a pure grappling school)

Thank a lot for the input!
:-)