Techniques thumb|Pankratiast in fighting stance, Ancient Greek red-figure amphora, 440 BC thumb|Pankratiasts fighting under the eyes of a judge. Side B of a Panathenaic prize amphora, BC. thumb|Pankration scene: the pankriatiast on the right tries to gouge his opponent's eye; the umpire is about to strike him for this foul. Detail from an Ancient Greek Attic red-figure kylix, 490–480 BC, from Vulci. British Museum, London. The athletes engaged in a pankration competition – i.e., the pankratiasts (sg. , pl. "παγκρατιασταί" on Perseus project – employed a variety of techniques in order to strike their opponent as well as take him to the ground in order to use a submission technique. When the pankratiasts fought standing, the combat was called ' (, "upper Pankration");However, besides being a stage of combat, was often an athletic event in itself, whereby the athletes would not be permitted to take the fight to the ground but had to remain standing throughout the match (somewhat like modern Thai boxing). and when they took the fight to the ground, that stage of pankration competition was called ' (, "lower Pankration").
Techniques thumb|Pankratiast in fighting stance Ancient Greek red-figure amphora 440 BC thumb|Pankratiasts fighting under the eyes of a judge Side B of a Panathenaic prize amphora BC thumb|Pankration scene the pankriatiast on the right tries to gouge his opponent's eye; the umpire is about to strike him for this foul Detail from an Ancient Greek Attic red-figure kylix 490–480 BC from Vulci British Museum London The athletes engaged in a pankration competition – ie the pankratiasts (sg  pl "παγκρατιασταί" on Perseus project – employed a variety of techniques in order to strike their opponent as well as take him to the ground in order to use a submission technique When the pankratiasts fought standing the combat was called ' ( "upper Pankration");However besides being a stage of combat was often an athletic event in itself whereby the athletes would not be permitted to take the fight to the ground but had to remain standing throughout the match (somewhat like modern Thai boxing) and when they took the fight to the ground that stage of pankration competition was called ' ( "lower Pankration")