This traditional sport is a contest of strength and technique between two wrestlers who, starting from a set grip—typically with the left hand grasping the opponent's right trouser crotch and the right hand touching the ground—aim to unbalance each other so that any part of the opponent's body, other than the soles of their feet, touches the ground.

The match takes place inside a sand circle known as a terrero. The central fighting area consists of two concentric circles with minimum diameters of 16 and 18 meters, respectively. Within this space, the two wrestlers face off in an attempt to throw each other to the ground.

Lanzarote has been the birthplace of many outstanding wrestlers, particularly from the towns of Tías and Uga.

Today, Canarian Wrestling is a well-established sport across the island, with especially strong support in rural areas. Significant investments have been made to develop facilities for its practice, and numerous private sponsors support its promotion. Regional and Insular federations are responsible for organizing a regulated Canarian Wrestling league.

The sport is also gaining notable international recognition, building on the legacy of Canarian emigrants in countries such as Cuba, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, and the former Spanish Sahara. It has engaged in exhibitions and matches with other traditional wrestling styles, including Leonese wrestling (Spain), Swiss wrestling, Korean ssireum, Senegalese wrestling, Icelandic glima, and Breton wrestling. Canarian Wrestling has also participated in Celtic Wrestling Gatherings and featured in the Cultural Olympiad of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.