Down position handfighting (from June 2006)

Here's a down position drill to help your athletes fight the opponent who gets underneath the arms. One athlete is in front, on the knees and sitting on his ankles, back fairly straight, while the opponent starts from behind. Wrestler in front lets back wrestler hook under the arms and up on the shoulders. Wrestler in front has to fight opposite hands from here: First step, fight the opposite hand by grabbing it, second step, work the same side elbow inside. Then fight the other side. Tell the wrestler in front to let the back wrestler inside for a number of reps so he can work the technique. Then, eventually, he will block out a side, secure it by keeping his elbow in, and then fight the other side. A good combo drill from here: Step one, fight the hands, block him out; step two, back pressure, come up and cut; step three, level change and double, and then the other guy gets in that starting position.

Training methods to teach hand control (from Oct 2006)

I mentioned in the Wrestlers' section about getting "knuckle control". This method refers to getting hand control by grabbing the opponent right at the hand, or knuckles. A good activity to help your athletes fight hands is to play the "Locking Hands" game. One guy is standing behind the other, just as wrestlers would be during a standup attempt. On the whistle, the guy standing behind has 5 seconds to lock his hands around the front guy. Front wrestler has to stay in position and fight hands, no fair dropping down or running away! When you first start out, the guy standing behind will probably win more often. Once you show them "knuckle control", you will see the front man start to win more often. I will have mini-tournaments with the Locking Hands game at a lot of my camps - it helps break up the practice while also serving as an excellent hand-control drill. This is a game that athletes can play, and not really have to be the same size. If I have a big size mismatch, I will put the smaller athlete behind, to give him more of a shot.

The Power-sit and Granby (from Nov. 2006)

A couple fundamentals to key on:
1. When we go to a sit-out, we don't stay there. You should hit one hip (not both), and stay for no longer than a split second. Any longer than that allows the opponent to attack you from a vulnerable position.
2. Make sure you move your hand first - that way, you beat the chop, and keep your opponent from tying up that arm. The power sit series is quick and explosive, and gives you many scoring options. Athletes in my system who use it, score the following ways: Sit-out/Turn in, Sit-out/Switch, Sit-out/Granby, Sit-out/Peterson, Sit-out/Standup. It is an excellent series to get you moving, and create openings.

Now for some strategy on using our Power Sit series. When to recommend the power sit? If you have an athlete who has trouble standing up, trouble moving from down, this is a good series for them. If you have a superior athlete - strong, great hips, quick, athletic - they should use a stand up most of the time. The Power Sit is also a good strategy against a cradler. Good sit-outs can wreak havoc on a cradle wrestler's game plan. Just make sure they follow the fundamentals listed above - don't stay in the sit long, or you will put that cradler back in his game. Other important point regarding cradlers: Make sure your athletes don't Step with their outside leg - just rotate the knee, keep the ankle where it is.

Leg Counters (from Feb. 2007)

Countering Legs, part one: from referee's position
Countering legs when you are still on your base, involves following a few basic rules:
1. Learn to Keep your position and don't let yourself get broken down. Wide knees and arms for starters.
2. Fight with the feet - this is a technique I teach the athletes in my club and also is on my DVD. Its hard to explain here, but basically, you hook the ankle with your free leg, then move your tied up leg inside his. You also use the free leg to kick off a scissors if he has it. This technique keeps you from reaching with your arms and getting into trouble. It works very well against the majority of leg riders, because most of them hook the ankle and go into cross-body. A cross body leg rider can always be countered in our system.
3. If you do fight using your arms - use the Inside Arm technique, get the same-side arm inside their leg and get that arm wide! In other words, don't grab the leg - just Position the arm. You still have to be able to hold your position when they go to break you down. Then you can circle away from that leg to escape.

Here are a few drills to help your athletes fight off legs.
1. Keep the Legs out. Bottom guy holds his position, doesn't get broken down, keeps the legs out.
2. Get the Legs out. Top guy starts with legs in and tries to keep them in, bottom guy tries to get them out. Also a good drill for the legman trying to keep them in.
3. Flat, keep them out. This one's even harder, but very important for athletes. Bottom guy has to be able to bring an elbow to a knee before basing up so top guy doesn't sneak a leg in.
The above 3 are actually live drills. The next one is not a live drill.
1. Block the knee or catch the leg. If the top guy brings the knee across the thigh, or close to it, bottom guy just blocks it with the palm of his hand and forces it away. If top guy brings the leg out, or tries to throw it in, bottom guy makes sure the elbow on the inside arm (attacking side) goes to his knee and he catches the leg and plants his hand on the mat. Important point - tell him Not to hang onto the leg - just bring the arm inside and post it.