# Is it illegal for a wrestler to tickle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391 "2003-02-16T05:07:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/1 "2003-02-16T05:07:29Z")
If in a tight spot, can the losing wrestler tickle the dominant wrestler? Is there a list of rules read-off at the beginning to each match, and do these rules mention tickling? I guess you better make sure your opponent is ticklish first, right? šŸ˜ƒ - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/2 "2003-02-16T05:10:28Z")
Professional wrestling? Only if itā€™s in the script. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/3 "2003-02-16T05:25:05Z")
If you mean the legitimate variety, I think itā€™s a safe guess youā€™ll get a proper ass-kicking outside of the arena if you tried it, legal or no. [sup]šŸ˜ƒ This is the best question Iā€™ve seen in a whileā€¦[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/4 "2003-02-16T05:31:21Z")
You might get your ass kicked if you tried it in a professional wrestling match as well. Granted, it may just be a scripted ballet but those guys are as much athletes as a basketball or baseball player is. Oh, and Iā€™m pretty sure that itā€™s not illegal in pro wrestling. I couldnā€™t tell you about the collegiate variety though. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/5 "2003-02-16T07:56:14Z")
I think collegiate wrestling is limited to a set of holds and moves outlined and clearly defined in the rules and training procedures. When you think about it, there are any number of weird things you wouldnā€™t want a wrestler doing, so itā€™s probably eaiser to enumerate the allowed rather than the illegal. So maybe it isnā€™t strictly contra any existing rules, but the ref is allowed to interpret the rules and make a call based on his understanding of the game and his judge of the spirit of the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/6 "2003-02-16T12:13:56Z")
Having known several professional wrestlers, as well as indie, tickling is generally a no-no that will earn you a stiff slap upside the head - unless it is part of the script or the two wrestlers are good friends and donā€™t mind a bit of fooling around during the match. Amateur wrestling on the other hand does not allow tickling. Some other moves seriously frowned upon are: a full nelson, pulling a limb farther than it should go, twisting a limb in the wrong direction, punching, pulling hair and kicking. ---
**Author:** ![SonOfArizona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SonOfArizona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SonOfArizona)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/7 "2003-02-16T12:45:36Z")
I am a high school wrestler and let me just say that tickling, as far as I know, is not illegal. However, it would be completely ineffective. These matches are very intense, if you took the several seconds to try and tickle your opponent, he would shoot right out of your grasp and get a point (if you are in the down position and you get up and escape the grip of your opponent you get a point). Its very difficult to hold someone down in a match, let alone if your using one or both of your hands to tickle him. Now as far as those moves listed that are ā€œfrowned uponā€, they are actually illegal and wrestling would stop, your opponent would receive a point, and wrestling would restart if you were to perform them. However there is a fine line between a slap and a punch. You are allowed to lightly slap the face of the opponent, push their head, etc, as long as you are setting up a take down which would immediatley follow. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/8 "2003-02-16T13:50:52Z")
Whatā€™s a full nelson? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/9 "2003-02-16T14:22:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*Whatā€™s a full nelson? \*\* A ā€œHa haā€ instead of just a ā€œHa.ā€ Seriously, though, try the links [here](http://members.fortunecity.com/furnacehot/holds/holds.htm). ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/10 "2003-02-16T15:49:57Z")
I wrestled in high school. There was no rule against tickling, but my guess is that it would be ineffective, for the reasons that SonOfArizona stated, and also one more. When youā€™re putting all your effort into not getting taken down, or not getting pinned, and someone tickles you, I donā€™t think the tickle will even register. Itā€™s much more effective to do something like put pressure on their spine, or ā€œcheck the oil.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/11 "2003-02-16T23:47:51Z")
or ā€œcheck the oil.ā€ Iā€™m trying to imagine that one. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/12 "2003-02-16T23:58:05Z")
I wrestled in high school, before **SonOfArizona** and **PetW** were born, and can attest to the truth of their statements. šŸ˜› Tickling probably woulnā€™t get you an ass-kicking, but could easily cause to lose the match. You just donā€™t have time for such tom-foolery. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![consolid8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@consolid8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/consolid8)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/13 "2003-02-17T00:29:52Z")
full nelson: you put both arms under his arms from behind him and put both your hands on the back of his neck or head. Like the moves described above, itā€™s ā€œpotentially dangerousā€ and the match gets stopped, you get penalized, and the match is started again. Of course, thatā€™s not true in the WWE. Anything goes there, as long as the other guy knew in advance what was going on. ---
**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/14 "2003-02-17T04:11:45Z")
_Some other moves seriously frowned upon areā€¦_ Not strictly relevant, but (as not a great fan of sport and interested in amusing ways to subvert it) I have similarly wondered what rules stop creative tactics in other sports. For instance, in British soccer, you are not allowed to physically attack an opponent, so why can you not have one member of the team climb on the shoulders of another and bounce the ball on his head as the carrier advances? Or a group of one team link arms and form an advancing circle while another member dribbles the ball in the middle? ---
**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/15 "2003-02-17T11:37:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by raygirvan \* > \*\*_Some other moves seriously frowned upon areā€¦_ > > , so why can you not have one member of the team climb on the shoulders of another and bounce the ball on his head as the carrier advances? Or a group of one team link arms and form an advancing circle while another member dribbles the ball in the middle? \*\* OK Iā€™ll take the hijacj bait. You are not allowed to impede a player going after the ball - both cases would be impedement ---
**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-for-a-wrestler-to-tickle/155391/16 "2003-02-17T13:57:09Z")
**scm1001:** Thanks: sorry about the hijack. It was a genuine question.