God’s blessings to everyone, and thank you for taking time to read this. Born in 1896, Billy Riley came was one of five boys.

Fortunately I was able to meet Roy, and he and his family gave me a warm welcome although I was an unexpected visitor.After that, I visited Wigan regularly to learn catch-as-catch-can from Roy until 2003. However, people may not automatically understand the impact that it has had in my own personal world. His approach proved successful with students competing and winning medals around the world. Lancashire wrestling (Catch-as-catch-can) was a folk freestyle wrestling culturally unique to the residents of East Lancashire, England. It was the early summer of 1999, and lived there until October 2001. I love that we preserve the culture what wrestling stood for historically, how we treat one another, how we carry ourselves in day to day life and how we train to be the best but always maintain a humbleness knowing that it is the only way to continually learn and grow”.

For this we give thanks to our heavenly Father! Today I think at the most gyms, they do some drills first, and have some rounds of 3-5 minute sparring.But I like the old style of training – ‘Just wrestle.’Wrestlers should just wrestle in front of the coach.

Snake Pit will often cite “Iron sharpens iron” in relation to the proverb “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27 v 17). Britain has a long history of wrestling with 8th century celtic carving showing wrestlers engaging in bouts.

In par-terre a various techniques were applied from both the front and behind of the opponent. This town which gave birth to so many generations of top-notch catch wrestlers maintained its superiority in the XX century as well and is known among the fans and practitioners of catch wrestling as the “Mecca of Catch-as-catch-can.”. His first visit was a wakeup call about how much he had yet to learn. All foul acts or willful brutality, any unmanly techniques and tactics of the past (atrocities which were common during the up and down fighting contests), namely hanging (putting on the hang) or throttling, kicking, as well as head-butting, biting, gouging and scratching and etc. Catch Wrestling Manual Level 3 ... Snakepit Wigan. History; Rules; Gallery; Get Involved; Snakepit Club. Riley’s lessons exemplified the spirit of Catch, his favourite hold being whichever one he could get on at the time. The Aspull Wrestling Club has since then become a hotbed for youngsters and athletes who want to train in submission wrestling catch-as-catch-can style.

Often they would snatch one another by the hands intertwining their fingers and using all their strength will try to force their opponent down to his knees. Gotch was later to wrestle in Canada then America. Bob was a haulage lad working under the supervision of Charlie on the coal face. Historically, it was practiced on the territory which now includes Greater Manchester, as well as Blackburn, Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale and etc.

National Amateur Wrestling Association of Great Britain (NAWA) already existed (est. About The Club; The Team; Shop; Affiliate Clubs; Join Us; Newsletter. Professionalism (prize ring) was introduced in Lancashire fighting at the very early stages of its existence. Coming from a family of boxers, Billy intended to maintain the tradition, but an eye injury prevented him from getting his boxing license. One of the most recognised gyms teaching catch was located here in Wigan, named Riley’s gym. I feel honoured to be part of the Snake Pit team and want to ensure that all that Roy has passed onto me that was passed to him by Billy Riley will continue and I will do my best to be part of building the future for Catch wrestling and keeping this great sport alive!

Riley decided to take a seat by the mat and let Wood coach. Welcome to all. His training partner who was a good friend of a guy named Ian Quigley who trained in catch wrestling told him that there is a old man who coaches catch wrestling in Leigh, Wigan borough. If you are a serious fan of Catch Wrestling, this really is for you. In 1899 Lancashire catch wrestling finally conquered London, the capital of Empire. But Bob would still occasionally visit the Snake pit when Roy was coaching.

You have to know how the move works, what was wrong with what you did. However, this time, since Roy's son Darren and nephew Paul had wanted to learn, the gym was opened to children. The first written ruleset of Lancashire catch wrestling was issued in 1856 by the proprietor of Snipe Inn Grounds (Audenshaw, Lancs) Mr. Nelson Warren, aka the Snipe Inn Rules. Roy is the fittest 70 odd year old man you will ever meet and when you see him on the mat demonstrating throws, take downs and submissions we promise you … you will be in awe. I stayed 4-6months each time .In the gym, there were not many senior wrestlers in ’93 – 95. If he came to coach and the athlete was using weights against his advice he would simply leave. Roy used to teach kids wrestling at the school near the gym in the afternoon. Gotch quickly found out that his fellow wrestler was not lying about the strenuous nature of the training. Feel free to browse the rest of this website and ultimately submit your application to attend The Snake Pit Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling seminars. After the introduction of professionalism into Lancashire catch wrestling up and down fighting slowly ceased to exist and by the end of the XIX century it became extinct. in 1904) but their wrestling, though also being called catch-as-catch-can wasn't after the "old Lancashire fashion", it was a style which originated in London. Catch was a betting art with people waging on each man. Outside the area of East Lancashire a wrestling style which allowed catch-holds of any part of the person’s body as well as the ground wrestling was unknown in Medieval England. Well you are right at home!

Produced by Illustrate Media... Snake Pit Wigan presents a revival of Catch as Catch Can wrestling. We started with a circuit training to warm up, and then we just wrestled until Roy said “OK.” It was hard, but I enjoyed training with just a few wrestlers, being watched by Roy all the time. In the 1970s – ’80s, when I was a child, pro-wrestling was a huge sport in Japan. Accounts about his youthful career vary, but in the 1950s he left Germany to take part in professional wrestling in France. Born in 1916, Bob worked with Roy’s father, Charlie. After WW2, the British Amateur Wrestling Association changed the name “catch-as-catch-can” to “freestyle” wrestling. Riley’s way of keeping his “mental conditioning”. So Lancashire catch, Billy Riley’s Gym were well-known names among pro-wrestling fans then. A variation of Ringen freestyle wrestling was brought to East Lancashire by the immigrants from Flanders, the textile workers aka the “Flemish weavers”, who were adepts in that particular style of wrestling. By then, my English had improved a lot. During the 1930s Riley travelled to Africa to capture a British Empire championship from Jack Robinson.