Takedown Drills

Originally Published in: The Wrestling Drill Book

Provided by: Human Kinetics

These drills are for close-contact wrestling and teach reaction maneuvers when the opponent puts "hands on" or moves out of position. The wrestler performing the drill should always start with his head up, hips (center of gravity) down, elbows in, and knees bent. In every drill, each wrestler takes turns being the drill partner.

LIFTING

Setup

W1 positions his right ear on the back of W2's spine. His left arm goes deep through the back of W2's crotch while his right hand grips under the left arm toward the back (a).

Action

W1 then squats in good position and explodes up to lift W2 off the mat (b). W1 repeats the drill several times on both sides of the partner's body.

Coaching Point

This drill teaches the proper technique for lifting an opponent off the mat. You must always stress this point.

Common Error

Never stay down on the mat after a double- or single-leg attack.

SINGLE-LEG TO DOUBLE-LEG ATTACK

Setup

W1 shoots a single-leg when W2 reaches for W1 (a and b).

Action

W2's responsibility is to sprawl back so that W1 must switch from a single-leg to a double before driving W2 to the mat (c). W1 must change to a double as quickly as possible.

Coaching Points

The emphasis of these drills is to promote the importance of lowering the hips and penetrating the opponent's defense. The wrestlers must learn to react to the opponent's change of stance by changing attack from single-leg to double-leg immediately.

Common Error

Don't let wrestlers stay on the knee too long without quickly driving into the double-leg.

DOUBLE-LEG ATTACK

Setup

W1 starts with a double-leg position on W2 as W2 reaches for W1 (a).

Action

As W2 sprawls back, W1 lifts W2's right leg up, driving his head into W2's side (b) . As W1 continues driving his head into W2's side, W1 also blocks W2's left leg with his right arm. W1 finishes the double takedown by lifting W2's leg higher, forcing W2's body to the side with his head and driving W2 to the mat (c).

Coaching Points

Emphasize the importance of the offensive wrestler lifting the defensive wrestler's leg as high as possible while using his head to assist in driving the defensive wrestler to the side before taking him to the mat. The offensive wrestler cannot hesitate when executing this highly effective takedown.

Common Error

Don't let wrestlers stay on the knee while attempting the double.