A pin, or fall, is the ultimate objective in wrestling: holding both of your opponent’s shoulder blades to the mat for the required moment (instantaneous in international styles, around one to two seconds in folkstyle). A pin ends the match immediately and wins it outright, no matter what the score is — a wrestler losing heavily on points can still win with a pin. Pursuing the pin (rather than just accumulating points) is central to wrestling strategy, especially in folkstyle and in team competitions where a pin earns maximum team points.
Key points
- Both shoulders held to the mat
- Ends the match instantly
- Wins regardless of the score
- Earns maximum points in team formats
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