Jelly Wrestling Rules - A Complete Guide
Common Rules, Rule Variations, How to run a competition or tournament, Jelly Games without Wrestling, Fundraising ideas and More
We have been in the jelly wrestling industry worldwide for close to a decade and during that time we have witnessed a range of different jelly wrestling tournaments. Below we have listed a number of ways that you can use a pool of jello for competitions, games, fundraisers and more. If you have seen different rules played or have your own unique set of rules we would love to hear about it - Please Contact Us.
When it comes to Jello Wrestling every house party or venue is entitled to their own house rules. There are many different games that can be played with a jelly wrestling pit but before any game specifics are discussed you should agree upon the ground rules and ensure everyone is aware of them.
Jello Wrestling Ground Rules
Some common ground rules to consider are described below (our team use these in our house rules):
• No kicking, punching, biting, hair pulling, gouging, head butting, choking etc
• All participants must remain on their knees – No standing (this prevents injuries from slips and minimizes the impact of the ground when being tackled).
• Always have one nominated referee who ensures that the participants abide by the rules – The refs decision is final. They also have the power to eject participants for overly rough play or misconduct (official Jello wrestling referee tshirts will be available here soon).
• No shoes (shoes can accidentally tear the base of a pool)
• If your opponent yells ‘Stop’, passes out, or is injured in any way then the round ends immediately
• Remember that while jelly wrestling is a competition it is also meant to be hilarious, slippery, sexy, fun. Don’t take it too seriously. Enjoy the squishy feel of jello on your skin.
3 Second Pin Rule
The most common way to jelly wrestle is using the 3 second pin rule. Contestants begin each round at opposite ends of the pool. When the referee signals the beginning of play, contestants attempt to pin their opponent flat on the base of the pool. Once a player is pinned on their stomach or backs the referee begins a 3 second count. If the player can hold their opponent in that position for the full 3 seconds than they win the round and players reset their positions for round two. Games are usually best of 3 or 5 rounds. In tournaments the winner would advance to the next stage.
Remove you opponent’s shirt!
This is sexier version of Jello Wrestling. Competitors start each round in the usual way. The objective of the game is to be the first person to remove their competitor’s tshirt and throw it out of the pit. You can use the tshirts that the participants are wearing or supply them with tshirts especially for the event. A good way to get the crowd cheering is to supply team tshirts to help spectators decide who to go for. If you are at a football grand final party for example have team shirts for the two teams playing in the day’s game.
Sweatbands!
The sweatband rules are similar to the remove your opponent’s shirt rule. Before each round participants place a sweatband around each of their wrists and ankles
(again relevant team colors can be used to generate more crowd support e.g. college colors, sports teams etc). When the referee signals the beginning of the round
participants attempt to be the first player to remove all four bands from their opponent.
Crowd Support
The crowd support rule is a timed battle (usually 30 seconds or 1 minute per round) with the winner judged at the end of a round by crowd support. The trick to wining
in this version of the game is not only to show that you are the better wrestler but also to entertain the crowd. A player that pins their opponent and does something
funny or sexy (e.g. twerking, crumping or stripping) is more likely to get cheers than a player who just wrestles. As the winner is decided by crowd cheers it is possible to be a less talented wrestler but still win the round by getting the crowd on your side.