Underhooks: Clint Wattenberg (10/30)

(all directions are for a right handed wrestler)

• Underhook positioning:
  • Same lead leg as arm with underhook to crowd opponent.
  • Forehead needs to be in ear to control head position.
  • Underhook elbow should be raised to approximately height of his shoulder.
  • Lower stance and crunch underhook down and into your shoulder to tighten it down.

• Underhook Set-ups:
  • Club head/neck with left (non-underhook hand) and jam the underhook in with right
    Make sure you are stepping in with your right leg as well, or else you will be susceptible to a dump.
  • Grab opponent’s wrist with your thumb on the outside or roll their wrist down when they reach for you.
    • Push their wrist toward their body
    • Release as you slide your arm through the window that is created and attack with an underhook
  • When opponent gets a collar-tie on your right side, wrap your hand over his elbow and twist it out as you slide your arm under his for an underhook.

• Underhook Attacks

• Throw-bye
  • The throw-bye is the 1st technique to attempt if in ideal underhook position.
  • Step with right leg to just behind their left foot.
  • Turn body to be perpendicular to theirs.
  • Load up all your weight on that right foot, then explode off it throwing them past you
  • The goal is to get them to run/fall directly forward, so you need to aim them accordingly.
  • As they fly bye, use your left hand to catch as high up on their leg as you can to finish single-leg.

   

  • Snap down
    • When your opponent defends your good position by burying their head in your shoulder, snap them into your short-offense.
    • Focus on snapping with the underhook
    • Left hand simply guides the head under your chest
      If their head gets caught on your shoulder, the snap will be ineffective.

     

  • Knee pick
    • When opponent defends your throw-bye or snap, a knee pick often presents itself. They will circle away from your underhook
    • When this happens, cross-step to his far foot
    • Keep your stance low, focusing on dropping the underhook.
    • Drive the underhook over his blocked knee
    • Finish with a double leg
    • If your opponent keeps their balance, you will need to run down the knee pick by continuing to run your feet out front of their body until they lose their balance. Finish with a double still.

   

  • Ankle pick
    When your opponent defends your good position by squaring up, thus defending your attacks, the ankle-pick is effective.
    Control the far wrist along with your underhook
    Attempt a hip-toss
    This will force your opponent to clear their hips around to defend.
    Move your right foot behind their right foot to hook it with your toe
    Lower your level with the underhook
    Release opponent’s wrist and block their ankle
    Shove their shoulder over their blocked ankle
    Drive elbow first
    Make sure you stay upright (don’t fall to the mat) to avoid scramble
    Finish by lifting the picked ankle and circling over the far leg

   

  • Knee pull
    When opponent defends our good position by pulling arm back and out of the underhook
    When arm begins to slide out, shrug the arm/ shoulder/ anything you can grab and try to slip it over your shoulder
    This allows us to beat their arm and down block
    Level change and attack their left KNEE with your left hand
    This allows us to continue controlling the underhook while attacking a single leg
    Release underhook and pull yourself in to a sweep single

Down-Blocks and Defense: Damion Hahn (10/9)

• Down Block using your head
  • Change level with opponent
  • Position your head between his shoulder and neck area
  • Step leg being attack back and pass him by using his elbow

• Down Block same arm same leg
  • As your opponent shoots you change your level
  • Your right arm punches down to the mat
  • Your right leg pulls back
  • You want to make sure you jam him with your shoulder just below the neck and shoulder area
  • Once you stop his shot your left leg should be brought back
  • Finish in front headlock situation

• Defending Hi Crotch (Head & Chest Down)
  • Your opponent gets to your leg
  • Step leg back as far as possible (it might only be a couple of inches)
  • The hip that is not being attacked turns into your opponent
  • Driving your hip and knee down to the mat
  • Crush your opponent's position with hips
  • Remember to keep your chest up so your hips stay in
  • All the pressure should be concentrated on his shoulder
  • Attack his hands and peel his grip
  • Go behind

• Defending Hi Crotch (Head & Chest High)
  • Your opponent gets to your leg
  • Bump him with your hips to create space
  • Throw his head to the inside and stuff his head
  • Square your hips and bring your knees to the mat keeping his head stuffed
  • Push off his thighs to create space or peel his hands
  • Get to your toes and go behind

Single Wrist: Cory Cooperman (10/2)

Set up: Spiral Ride - When getting on top, my chest is the first body part that makes contact; I want it really high on his back, so that there becomes a lot of weight on the bottom guy’s hands. Remember for the hand that goes to the elbow, we want the thumb to the outside so that our elbow is tucked in and can “bust” underneath his arm right off the whistle. The hand on the belly button is going to “pry the thigh.” So line up heavy on opponent, hand on elbow is thumbs out and busts him forward off the whistle, while the hand on the belly pries the thigh. All this while we are on our toes running and spiraling the guy down to the mat.

Steps: 1. Spiral ride the bottom guy to his hip.
2. Inside chop him, so that his elbow hits the mat.
3. Gather the “blade of his hand” by driving; use your legs to drive him over his wrist. Do not try to pull the wrist in.
4. Bring both knees inside “the window,” use your back knee and the pry hand to keep his hips out from underneath him.
5. Step your front leg up and bring the wrist up to your hip.
6. While maintaining steps 4 and 5, move your elbow (of the arm that is controlling the wrist) from being “elbow to elbow” to being “elbow to shoulder,” that elbow should be applying pressure down onto his shoulder.

The single wrist base position is when both knees are inside the window, with the back knee blocking the bottom man’s knee and the front knee is up with your foot planted in the mat. Your pry hand should still be prying and your wrist hand should be controlling the blade of his hand up on your hip of the front leg. With your chest high on his back and your elbow pushing his shoulder down, the bottom guy’s chest will be “parallel” to the mat and his hips will be out from underneath him; we will have the bottom guy in bad position and will be ready to start working to turn him!

Coming Soon: Turns

Double Leg and High Crotch Takedowns: Mark DiSalvo (9/25)

Double Leg:

• Level change – chest comes down to your knee, feet pointing the same direction, head up
• Penetrate – step on the imaginary string between your opponent's toes
• Punch your arms – hitting your opponent with your shoulder before your knee hits the ground, attacking both legs
• Trail Leg – trail leg follows and plants next to your opponent ready to drive
• Lock your hands – lock directly below your opponent's butt, this allows you to control his hips
• Head up, back straight, hips under – you should remain in perfect position, in your stance, but on one knee
• Drive with your head
• Drive with your trail leg
• Big step across opponent's body blocking with your leg at his knee
• Do not lift – use perfect position to finish, drive opponent over your leg and bring your hips in
• Finish the take down hard and clean – avoid all scrambles!

High Crotch:

• Level change – chest comes down to your knee, feet pointing the same direction, head up
• Penetrate – step on the imaginary string between your opponents toes
• Punch your arms – hitting your opponent with your shoulder before your knee hits the ground, attacking both legs
• Trail Leg – trail leg follows and plants next to your opponent ready to drive
• Lock your hands – lock directly below your opponents butt, this allows you to control his hips, locking on one leg
• Head up, back straight, hips under – you should remain in perfect position, in your stance, but on one knee
• Drive with your head
• Drive with your trail leg
• Swisher your leg that is on the mat – rotating your body to get your back arm elbow deep
• Drive to your feet
• Once on your feet move your opponent to set up your finishes – into your opponent and circle back
• While moving your opponent feel the pressure that is given
• Big step across your opponents body to transfer the weight to his far leg, unlock you hands and change to a double
• If you go to change to a double and your opponent counter and pressures in, avoid that pressure by sitting your opponent to his butt
• If you get clean to you hi crotch and your opponent blocks your arm and counter with his hips, take a back step to both knees, lift, double off and run your feet to your opponents feet finishing clean for a take down and avoiding all scrambles.

Single Leg Takedowns: Travis Lee (9/18)

Basic Single Leg Attack/Position:
1. Level change
2. Penetration (knee hits mat next to the leg you're attacking). Dropping to one knee only.
3. Lock hands above the knee, hand thats around the leg is always palm down.
4. Drive up to feet, head in chest. Position should be similar to a good stance.

Sweep single: move trail leg to the side. if you draw a line connecting both feet it should point in the direction you're attacking. after penetration pivot on knee.

Finish:
1. Level change, pinch leg between chest and knee.
2. One hand at the knee and one at the ankle.
3. Drive up to your feet, hand at the ankle wraps around tight.
4. Uppercut behind the knee and back trip.