Wrestling is a sport with deep roots in American culture and across the world. Almost all societies have practiced some form of wrestling, according to Marcus Trower, author of "The Last Wrestlers." In the United States, the dominant styles of competitive wrestling are folkstyle, which is common in high school, freestyle and Greco-Roman.
Wrestling and Drilling
Wrestling has an advantage over other combat sports such as boxing and kickboxing in that it can be practiced at nearly full intensity without serious risk of injury. This kind of live training can develop your instincts, but to really hone technique and timing, you will still need to drill sequences until they are second nature. Author George Leonard says in his book "Mastery" that the highest form of skill is "unconscious competence," where you perform without thinking. This can only be achieved by repeating the movements through drilling and practice, or you remain "consciously competent," where you can perform the movements but need to think about your actions.
Takedowns
One of the most important moves is the takedown. To have a chance of landing one, you need to be physically conditioned as well as skilled enough to hit your takedown when the opportunity presents itself, while your opponent is trying to counter. A common takedown is the double-leg. For this drill, wrestlers square off in their stance and take turns breaking down the movement. Drop level, then take a penetration step before driving through and collecting the opponent's legs and planting him on the floor.
Setups
When your opponent is resisting, it can be difficult to pull off a simple takedown. This is where setups come into play. For example, if you secure one of your opponent's legs, you can work a variety of single-leg takedowns, but if your opponent is defending, it can be hard to succeed. You can practice drilling the transition from a single-leg to a double-leg takedown to foil an opponent's defense. Practice taking a single leg. When your partner defends, change your angle and drive toward his standing leg and block it with your nearest hand, driving him to the mat.
Defense
Even if you are a proficient offensive wrestler, there will be times when you are on the defensive and need to counter your opponent's techniques. One commonly taught method of defending a takedown is to sprawl on top of your opponent, driving your hips to the floor so he cannot take a firm grip around your body or your legs and allowing you to come out on top of him. You can practice the sprawl on your own, dropping from a wrestling stance to the floor and driving your hip to the ground as quickly as you can, or you can practice with a partner who will either shoot at your legs or tap your knee to simulate a shot. You then sprawl on top of him or on the floor.
References
- "The Last Wrestlers"; Marcus Trower; 2007
- "Mastery"; George Leonard; 1992
- "Wrestling for Fighting"; Randy Couture; 2007
- "Takedowns"; Mark Hatmaker; 2005
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