Study Guide

FOREST HILLS YOUTH

WRESTLING

FALCONS WRESTLING STUDY GUIDE

How to Fight Off Half Nelson

When you feel an opponent begin to slip in a Half Nelson
immediately look up and away from the side the Nelson
was inserted - while also using your near arm to reach up
|to grasp and pull down the extended fingers of the inserted
Nelson. You now have gained wrist control and can continue
bettering your position by sliding one knee up and getting
your hips back under you for a pressure back sit position.

TAKEDOWN STRATEGIES

Never force or muscle holds which aren't open, it tires you and usually isn't productive.

Relax when you are out of range. Being tense takes valuable energy.

Keep a proper body position (stance) when you are in range, especially when you are walking into a man. Don't stand straight up or with your hands near your head.

Never shoot a leg from farther out than an arms length.

Never shoot a takedown without first destroying your opponent's stance. Set up all takedowns!

If you tie up, control all tie-ups and fight for the inside position. If you can't control a tie-up, don't tie-up!

When moving, step with the foot in the direction you are going. Never cross your feet.

Keep moving your feet in short (about 12") steps, constantly changing your lead foot and never developing a pattern.

Concentrate on getting the deepest penetration possible when you shoot. Aim a few feet behind your opponent.

Keep your head inside and tight when you step to your opponent's outside and place your head outside and tight when stepping to the inside of his legs.

Never allow your head to get lower than your hips (overextended), even while you are in motion.

Never allow both of your knees to touch the mat at the same time. Always keep a trailing foot behind for support.

When attacking the legs, never stay on one knee any longer than necessary. Either follow-through or withdraw IMMEDIATELY!

If possible, take your opponent to his back on your follow-through.

When withdrawing, keep to the inside with proper body position and take small steps.

If you are taken down by your opponent, land with your props wide and extended outward. Your arms should be slightly forward, never down and backwards. Also, your hips should be parallel to the mat and lower than your head. Then hit an offensive maneuver as quickly as possible. Takedowns are not awarded until control has been firmly established.

When countering takedowns, stay off of your knees and use your weight to stop your opponent's motion and destroy his body position.

TOP WRESTLING STRATEGIES

MOVE FIRST on the whistle or immediately after assuming the top position to make your opponent counter you rather than attack you.

Either control your opponent's HIPS, destroy his PROPs or attack his HEAD.

Learn how to ride from both sides.

Stay behind your opponent's arm pits, unless you are attacking his head.

Make your opponent carry your weight as often as possible.

Ride on your toes in order to have maximum mobility and produce maximum pressure.

Remember that you have four props of your own that you must protect in order to maintain a good base.

Keep a wide base and do not fall to your side or drop your head. Keep your hips parallel to the mat as often as possible.

BREAK YOUR OPPONENT DOWN! The closer he gets to the mat, the greater will be your leverage for pinning combinations.

Grab an ankle pick at the shoe laces and get it off the mat as quickly as possible. Lift up first then drive forward.

When you chop a man down, cut the arm where it bends and move your outside knee forward in order to prevent your head from dropping. Keep your knee in his butt.

After your opponent is broken down, WORK FOR THE PIN IMMEDIATELY, a man on the defense can not be on the offense at the same time.

If you get three points ahead, work nothing but pinning combinations.

Nearly always, get perpendicular to pin your opponent.

Using a half nelson to apply pressure on your opponent's head, place your palm on the head, not the neck.

Keep chest on chest (or back low on chest) with your head up and knees off of the mat while pinning.

Vary your style and technique, do not keep using the same attack unless consistently successful against your immediate opponent.

If your opponent is in the process of reversing and you feel that you are equal or better than him on takedowns, back off and give him "one but not two."

If you are behind late in the match and feel that you can not turn your opponent over but can take him down, let him go and work for a takedown (providing the score is close).

Learn to use your legs. Keep your hips on top and parallel to the mat. Keep your weight low on his back with your elbows below his armpits in a cross body ride. Never force legs on your opponent.

BOTTOM STRATEGIES

Be ready to move at all times. Watch the referee.

Adapt your referees position to the move which you intend to do.

Move first and keep the top man countering you. Don't get tied up or lose the offense.

Specialize in a series of moves, You should also have a second series which you know well and go to in emergencies.

Always keep a good base or return to it quickly if you lose it. Listed below are important ingredients of a good base:

keep your props wide

keep your arms slightly bent

keep your head above your hips

keep your center of gravity over your base

keep your hips and shoulders parallel to the mat.

Protect your props. When one of your props is being attacked, either remove it completely or get all your weight on it as quickly as possible.

Destroy the top man's props! One of the most effective ways of doing this is to get HAND CONTROL.

Know the five directions you can go and try to use height to your advantage as often as possible. Remember that the lower and more spread out your base becomes, the less mobility you have.

When turning to face your opponent, use a HIP-HEIST to make your quickest turn.

Never reach back over your opponents back.

Don't lay on your stomach, come up to your knees by bringing one knee up to the side and pushing back over it.

If you can't get up off of your stomach, keep your head up and elbows in. Be alert for all nelsons, turn the head away from the half and pull the hand off immediately.

If you can't get out, get off of the mat and get a fresh start before you get broken down to tied up. Do not do this in an obvious manner or you will be penalized.

Practice all moves with a top man on both sides. If you still have trouble escaping from one side, learn how to change your man over by moving your weight and hips.

Practice with your eyes closed to learn how to "feel" weight shifts.

STANCES

Neutral Position

keep your head up (wrinkles in the neck)

elbows in (don't let them float)

palms facing each other and turned slightly down to the mat

back straight

slightly bent at the hips

knees bent

feet shoulder width apart

weight on the balls of your feet with your heels close to the mat

shoulders above your knees (don't allow shoulders to get in front or behind your knees)

don't allow your knees to bend further than a 90 degree angle

Widen your stance or bend at the knees to lower your level

don't bend at your waist.

Square, Stagger, or International Stance

Top Position

Keep your weight on your opponent

Stay on your toes

Stay under your opponent's arms (not too deep and stay square)

Head up, knees bent and elbows in

Break down, ride, control, pin (or tilt)

Bottom Position

Keep your head up, your feet in the mat, and stay in good position

Don't leave your weight on your hands

Don't allow yourself to get extended or tied up

Always regain your base

Seal off

Always be able to move your hips up, down, left and right

In sit out position, keep your hips under your shoulders.

Summary of Basic Wrestling Rules

You must go into the match with an offensive strategy

Force your opponent to wrestle your style by initiating first.

Stay level headed even under extreme pressure by your opponent. Stress uses up energy very fast and keeps you from being methodical.

Don't continually use a move that fails more than twice.

Keep your head up on the bottom and try to stay off your knees.

Always keep your elbows close to your body.

Shoot only if you can reach out and touch your opponent's elbows and stand with your feet apart and your hands out in front and low.

Explode off the bottom on the whistle, don't just move or sit there.

Take direct shots and shift stance continuously to prevent telegraphing.

Don't hold on to a move that is blocked or can't be completed.

Practice all out the same as a match, but don't practice conservatively. You can't loose at practice so try a lot of moves and technique.

Be perpendicular to your opponent and keep your head down when pinning.

Always drive the head into your opponent on a takedown; never walk around with your butt up.

The best time to move again is right after a successful move.

Practicing even once a week off season puts you way ahead of those who only practice during the season.

Fight to the very end, never quit, especially if your opponent is stalling.

How to finish a shot:

Setting up your opponent for a takedown:

Crackdown to finish a shot:

Squaring your hips to defend a shot:

Tight waist near arm chop:

Getting off your hip defending a shot:

Getting into a tie up on your feet:

7 Basic Takedown Skills
In the past, wrestling terminology and style varied widely from region to region. As a result, as many as four different names were often used for the same move. To standardize basic instruction and terminology, the U.S. Wrestling Federation's national coaching staff has divided wrestling skills into seven basic categories: stance, motion, changing level, penetration, lifting, back-stepping, and back-arching. These skills don't cover every possible action a wrestler may take, but they do provide a basic framework for learning takedown technique. Stance - Stance (or posture) has to do with correct body position, not only in the various starting positions, but also while going through the actual takedowns and counterattacks. A stable stance that you can react from as well as attack from, reduces the risk of being taken down by your opponent. Motion - The ability to move properly is very important in wrestling. Maintaining good position during movement is even more important than speed on the mat. Motion is used to defend, attack, and set up moves as well as to execute the moves themselves. A skilled wrestler will involve some type of motion prior to the execution of any takedown. This motion is not limited to circling the opponent, but includes hand movement, tie-ups, shucking the head, clearing the arms, or other techniques used to distract an opponent or eliminate defensive obstacles to the takedown. Level Change - Changing levels involves the raising and lowering of your hips to set up, execute, finish, and counter moves. For some wrestlers, this skill is difficult to perfect. It isn't actually the changing of levels that presents the problem, but maintenance of good posture while changing levels. When setting up takedowns, level is lowered or raised to get past an opponent's defenses. Moves can also be set up by changing levels because a change forces the opponent to react by matching that level. Penetration - To accomplish a takedown you must attack your opponent's upper body or legs. On all leg or hip shots you must take a penetration step (or steps) to get inside your opponent's defenses and within range to complete the move. The most important aspect of penetration is maintaining good posture throughout the attack. The hips must be forward and under the upper body to provide a good base of support to finish the takedown. Whether stepping in the center as with the double-leg takedown, or stepping to the outside as with a single-leg takedown, the penetration step should be deep enough so that your toes line up with the middle of the opponent's feet. The penetration step should only be taken when you are close enough to touch the opponent in order to maintain good posture throughout the attack. Lifting - Lifting, which is essential in all wrestling styles, is used to finish takedowns, to set up pinning combinations, to counter escapes, and to counter takedowns. In freestyle and Greco-Roman competition, extra points are awarded on some lifts. The basic principle behind lifting is simple: once an opponent is in the air, he no longer has a base for support, balance, or power. Without that base it is almost impossible to counterattack. Position is the key to lifting. To clear an opponent from the mat, leg and hip strength must be used (rather than upper body and back). By lowering your level and popping your hips underneath your opponent, you can easily send him flying through the air. Back-Step - While it may appear that upper body throws take great upper body strength, footwork and level changes are really more important. Strength has to be developed in the chest, arms, and shoulders and is used mostly in fighting for position. Once position is gained, however, it's the legs and hips that are critical in an upper body throw. Back Arch - The back-arch opens the way for perhaps the most exciting throws in wrestling. The key to the back-arch lies in the hips. You must not merely fall back and lift or you will end up flat on your back. Instead you tuck your hips under your opponent. The movement is so quick and powerful that, when done against an opponent, your head does not even touch the mat. Motion and level changes are important in setting up the back-arch. To throw effectively with a back arch your opponent must be pushing into you. When that happens the back-arch is accomplished simply by locking up and popping the hips under your opponent's pressure.
Takedown Reference Library
In demonstrating the takedowns pictured below, we tried to emphasize the entire chain of movement. Motion and set-ups are critical in the execution of a successful takedown in addition to an appropriate finish. When drilling takedowns with a partner, focus should be placed on moving your opponent and executing your attack based upon his reaction whether it be pushing back into you, stepping in a direction, or the lack of defenses due to your head shuck or elbow pop.
	Double Leg w/ dump Motion: Forward motion directed into the opponent. Setup: As opponent returns motion, both of opponents arms are popped up at the elbows. Execution: Lower level and take a penetration step between his legs approximately in line with his toes. With your head to the outside, opposite your lead leg, grab both legs behind the knees or upper calves. Finish: Lift with your hips, drive, and dump away from your head.
Single Leg with front trip Motion: Motion to the side, opposite the target leg. Setup: Head shuck away from the target leg. Execution: Immediately lower level and take a penetration step just outside of the target leg. With your head to the inside, opposite your lead leg, use your inside hand to reach for the opponents heel and your outside hand, arm, shoulder, and head to wrap at the opponents knee and thigh. Finish: Lift the leg in front of your waist, keeping your shoulder and head tight to the opponents leg (no space). Using your inside leg (closest to the opponent) trip above his knee and drive him to the mat, covering hip to hip.
	Double Leg Recovery Situation: Your opponent counters your double leg takedown by sprawling, but you still have his legs. Execution: With your head between his legs, shift your knees forward so that they are directly under your shoulders. Post one arm on the ground, while maintaining a hold on the other leg. Force your body upwards, then pop his free leg over your head while forcing down on the gripped leg. Finish: Maintain a hold on the gripped leg, cover his hips.
Single Leg Recovery Situation: Your opponent counters your single leg takedown by sprawling, but you still have his leg. Execution: Isolate your opponents leg by blocking his calf with your elbow on the mat. Tripod up and, while maintaining pressure on his thigh with your shoulder, rotate your body behind him. Finish: Once he his flattened out, cover up at his hips.
	Sweep Single with knee block Motion: Motion to the side, opposite the target leg. Setup: Change directions taking a sweeping drop step to the outside of the target leg. Execution: As you lower level, hand placement should be the same as a standard single leg, with your head to the inside, opposite your lead leg, use your inside hand to reach for the opponents heel and your outside hand, arm, shoulder, and head to wrap at the opponents knee and thigh. Use the sweeping motion to turn your body towards the target leg as you lift the leg up. Finish: Keeping your shoulder and head tight to the opponents leg (no space), and maintaining a grip with your ankle hand, reach your high hand through his legs and block above his knee to drive him to the mat. Cover hip to hip.
Fireman's Carry Motion: From a collar tie up with inside control, forward motion is directed into the opponent. Setup: As the opponent returns motion, lower your level while maintaining a tight grip on the upper arm. Execution: While lowering your level, take a penetration step between the opponent's legs. Maintain a tight grip on the upper arm, duck your head under the same armpit (armpit tight to your neck) while shooting your free arm through his crotch. Pushing with your penetration leg, pull down on the opponent's arm, and drive his body and your shoulder to the side towards the mat (between the 9:00 &10:00 position). The arm through his crotch should act as a "guide arm", forcing him up and in the direction you are taking him. Finish: Still maintaining a tight grip on his upper arm, shoot your other arm across his chest, cover chest to chest, and scoop his far arm to further tighten the pinning position.
	Snap and Spin Situation: Your opponent has a low level stance, is hanging his head, or is shooting with his head down. Motion/Setup: From a collar tie-up, forward motion is directed into the opponent (if he is not shooting). Execution: As opponent returns motion, snap down hard with your "neck hand" of the collar tie-up and force his head and body towards the mat using his momentum.At the same time you are snapping the head, your opposite hand should be controlling his arm and forcing him to the mat and away from your legs. This motion should put you into a full sprawl position with your chest weight on his upper back. Finish: With your arm that is furthest away from his head, reach around with your hand, butt-drag, cross-face, and spin behind.. covering his hips to finish the takedown.
Duck Under Motion/Setup: From a collar tie-up, forward motion directed into the opponent. As opponent returns motion, maintain a firm grip on his neck. Execution: With your hand opposite the "neck hand", post his elbow in place (do not force it up). Lower your level and with your leg opposite your "neck hand", take a deep penetration step to the outside of his legs . Duck your head under his arm, still maintaining a firm grip on his neck with his head tight to your shoulder. You should have a straight back position with your head up. Finish: Still utilizing his momentum into you, "turn the corner" with your head and body, while pulling his head and body towards the mat. Finish hip to hip while looking for wrist control or a pinning combination.
	Ankle Pick Motion: From a collar tie-up, motion to the side, opposite the target leg. Setup: As your opponent steps, change directions taking a deep drop step towards the target leg. Execution: As you lower level, maintain a firm grip on his neck (do not allow space as you reach). Jam his head down towards the target ankle, while at the same time snatching his ankle with your "non-neck hand". Finish: While keeping his head jammed, pull the ankle forward and drive his body backwards. Attempt to cover his body for a pin or cover up for control.
Headlock Motion: From a collar tie-up, forward motion directed into the opponent. Setup: As opponent returns motion, lower your level and step your leg (same side as neck hand) across his body in front of his far leg while shooting your arm across his neck. Execution: Back step and swivel your hips so that your butt spins all the way through (counter clockwise from 6:00 to 9:00) and faces to the left of your starting position. Maintaining a firm grip on his upper arm (opposite the neck arm), your neck arm should come all the way around, also grabbing the same upper arm. From a good squatting position, with your opponent loaded up on your back, either pop your hips while simultaneously pulling the head and arm, or fall towards your shoulder while simultaneously pulling the head and arm. Finish: Keeping the head and arm, maintain good balance with your weight on the opponent, but your butt "nearly" touching the ground to protect from being rolled.

LAST - BUT NOT LEAST !

Parents, coaches, and wrestlers -

"Basic Wrestling Fundamentals" by Warren Applegate is a great resource that has a lot of very useful advice. Click on the name of the book to download a copy.