Preston Mat Club

Syllabus

Our syllabus was developed with the following goals in mind:

• Provide a guide for the coaches to keep us on track
• Demonstrate to parents what we are trying to teach our team
• Hopefully provide a resource for our team members

We don't expect any wrestler to be able to absorb (much less master) these skills in a single year

However, we do expect that if a young athlete comes to practice regularly, and stays with the program for four or five years, the athlete will have a good foundation to build on in Junior High.

Syllabus Contents ....... ...

I --WRESTLING FROM NEUTRAL POSITION

• A. BASIC SKILLS FOR WRESTLING IN NEUTRAL POSITION
• B. TAKEDOWNS
• C. SET-UPS FOR LEG ATTACKS
• D. DEFENDING LEG ATTACKS
• E. SHORT OFFENSE

II -- MAT WRESTLING

• A. BASIC SKILLS FOR MAT WRESTLING
• B. BREAKDOWNS
• C.PINNING COMBINATIONS
  1. HALF NELSON
  2. TWO ON ONE
  3. ARM BARS
• D. DEFENSIVE MAT WRESTLING

I --WRESTLING FROM NEUTRAL POSITION

A -- BASIC SKILLS FOR WRESTLING IN NEUTRAL POSITION

1. STANCE
   • HEAD UP
   • KNEES BENT
   • HANDS AND ELBOWS IN
   • SHOULDERS AND HIPS SQUARE AND ALIGNED
   • SQUARE STANCE OR STAGGERED STANCE
2. MOTION
   • SHORT STEPS, LIGHT FEET, STEP SLIDE MOTION
   • DON'T CROSS YOUR FEET
   • KEEP YOURSELF UNDER CONTROL
   • MAINTAIN GOOD STANCE
3. CHANGING LEVEL
   • BEND AT KNEES, NOT AT THE WAIST
4. MAKING CONTACT
   • COVER DISTANCE WITH FEET AND HIPS - DON'T REACH
   • GET IN THE "BATTLE ZONE"
   • ELBOWS BENT -- WRESTLE WITH "SHORT ARMS"
   • KEEP INSIDE CONTROL
   • "SAY YOUR PRAYERS"
   • BRIEF CONTACT, THEN SHOOT
5. PENETRATION
   • A PART OF MAKING CONTACT
   • DROP-STEP PENETRATION
   • YOUR AIM IS TO KEEP YOUR HIPS UNDER YOU.
6. SPRAWL
   • A DEFENSIVE MOVE
   • LEGS GO BACK -- DON'T DIVE FORWARD

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B) TAKEDOWNS

1. DOUBLE LEG TAKEDOWN
   • GET IN THE "BATTLE ZONE"
   • LOWER YOUR LEVEL
   • PENETRATION STEP BETWEEN HIS FEET
   • "THREE HEELS IN A ROW"
   • PENETRATION STEP GOES TOE TO KNEE
   • HEAD TO THE OUTSIDE, UP AND IN
   • CUP YOUR HANDS BEHIND HIS KNEES
   • DRIVE THROUGH YOUR OPPONENT, OR ...
     • CUT THE KNEE IF HE SPRAWLS (HEAD UP OR HIP IN)
   • KEEP DRIVING THROUGH -- DON'T STOP IN THE MIDDLE
2. HEAD OUTSIDE SINGLE (HIGH CROTCH)
   • ELBOW CONTROL
   • INSIDE KNEE DIP
   • "COMB YOUR HAIR WITH HIS ELBOW"
   • HEAD TO THE OUTSIDE, CLOSE TO HIS RIBS
   • OUTSIDE HAND LOW ON HIS LEG, INSIDE ARM IN THE CROTCH
   • FINISH THE MOVE BY...
     • CUT TO A DOUBLE AND DRIVE ACROSS, OR...
     • OVERHOOK HIS ELBOW AND DO A FIREMAN'S CARRY
3. HEAD INSIDE SINGLE (SINGLE LEG)
   • PENETRATION STEP TO THE OUTSIDE
   • HEAD TO THE INSIDE

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C) SET-UPS FOR LEG ATTACKS

1. OPEN SHOT WITH A FAKE
2. "POST AND GO" -- POST BEHIND YOUR OPPONENT'S ELBOWS
3. SNAP DOWN -- FROM COLLAR AND TRICEPS OR DOUBLE INSIDE POSITION

D) DEFENDING LEG ATTACKS

1. FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE -- MAINTAIN GOOD POSITION, BLOCK WITH HANDS, FOREARMS, ELBOWS
2. SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE -- INSIDE CONTROL ON TIE-UPS
3. THIRD LINE OF DEFENSE ... SPRAWL, CROSS FACE, WIZZER
   • LOCK HIS BODY (IF YOU HAVE TO) LONG ENOUGH TO SPRAWL AND GET YOUR LEGS BACK
   • SPRAWL
   • SLIDE DOWN
   • WIZZER IF HIS HEAD IS INSIDE
   • USE THE CROSS-FACE AND/OR WIZZER TO GET YOUR LEGS FREE AND YOUR OPPONENT EXTENDED
   • BEAT THE ARM
   • GO BEHIND

   CROSS FACE -- WHEN USED FOR LEG DEFENSE, IT IS USED TO APPLY PRESSURE TO GET YOUR LEGS BACK. USED FOR DOUBLE LEG AND HEAD OUSIDE SINGLES

   WIZZER -- WHEN USED FOR LEG DEFENSE, USE IT TO PRESSURE YOUR OPPONENTS SHOULDER DOWN TO THE MAT, ROTATE YOUR HIPS OUT AND GET YOUR LEGS BACK. USED FOR HEAD INSIDE SINGLES

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E) SHORT OFFENSE

WHEN YOUR OPPONENT ATTACKS YOU (SHOOTS FOR A TAKEDOWN) AND YOU SUCCESSFULLY STOP HIS ATTACK, THERE ARE SEVERAL COUNTERATTACKS YOU CAN TRY, INCLUDING ...

1. FRONT HEAD LOCK
   • SPRAWL
   • SLIDE DOWN
   • LOCK AROUND HIS HEAD AND ARM
   • KEEP HIS ELBOW UP
   • KEEP YOUR ELBOW UP AND YOUR HEAD BY HIS ARMPIT
   • EXTEND HIM, BEAT THE ARM, GO BEHIND OR GO CRADLE
2. UNDERHOOKS (DOUBLE OR SINGLE)
   • SPRAWL
   • SLIDE DOWN
   • DOUBLE UNDERHOOK, PANCAKE HIM AND STEP OVER
   • SINGLE UNDERHOOK WITH THE HEAD

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II -- MAT WRESTLING

WHEN SOMEONE GETS A TAKEDOWN AND BOTH WRESTLERS ARE DOWN ON THE MAT, YOU ARE MAT WRESTLING.

THE MAN ON TOP IS IN THE OFFENSIVE POSITION -- THAT IS, HE IS ON TOP, IN CONTROL, TRYING TO PIN HIS OPPONENT.

THE MAN ON BOTTOM IS IN THE DEFENSIVE POSITION -- THAT IS, HE IS ON BOTTOM TRYING TO GET AN ESCAPE OR REVERSAL.

THE STARTING POSITION FOR MAT WRESTLING IS CALLED REFEREE'S POSITION.

BOTTOM MAN (DEFENSIVE MAN)

• -- ON YOUR HANDS AND KNEES
• -- BUTTOCKS ON HEELS
• -- ELBOWS SLIGHTLY BENT
• -- THIS DEFENSIVE POSITION IS ALSO CALLED YOUR "BASE." "GET TO YOUR BASE" MEANS TO GET IN THIS POSITION.

TOP MAN (OFFENSIVE MAN)

• -- OUTSIDE HAND AT OPPONENTS ELBOW
• -- OUTSIDE KNEE ON THE MAT
• -- INSIDE ARM AROUND OPPONENTS WAIST, PALM ON HIS BELLY BUTTON
• -- INSIDE KNEE OFF THE MAT

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A) BASIC SKILLS FOR MAT WRESTLING

1) HIP HEIST
2) HIGH LEG OVER
3) GET TO YOUR BASE
4) FLATTEN OUT

OFFENSIVE MAT WRESTLING

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT MAT WRESTLING IS TO CONTROL YOUR MAN. THEN YOU BREAK HIM DOWN. THEN YOU TURN HIM FOR THE PIN. CONTROL - BREAKDOWN - TURN.

TO CONTROL YOUR OPPONENT, YOU RIDE PARALLEL, KEEP A TIGHT WAIST, KNEE IN THE BUTT, AND STAY BEHIND. CONTROL YOUR MAN AT HIS WAIST AND HIPS. ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR MAN IN CONTROL, YOU CAN BREAK HIM DOWN AND PIN HIM

DEFENSIVE MAT WRESTLING

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT DEFENSIVE MAT WRESTLING (WRESTLING ON BOTTOM) IS TO KEEP MOVING. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND KEEP COMING UP FROM THE MAT.

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B) BREAKDOWNS

1. ARM CHOP -- HIP PULL
   • CHOP HIS ARM IN AT THE ELBOW, OUT AT THE WRIST
   • PULL HIS HIP TO GET YOUR OPPONENT OFF HIS BASE
2. WAIST AND ANKLE
   • MAKE THE "QUICK SWITCH"
   • DRIVE HIS HEEL TO HIS BUTTOCKS
3. TWO-ON-ONE
   • BLOCK HIS LEG AND PULL HIM TOWARD YOU
   • CHOP HIS ARM TO HIS FAR HIP
   • GRAB HIS WRIST WITH YOUR WAIST ARM
   • THREAD THE NEEDLE
   • GO "TWO-ON-ONE" -- YOUR TWO HANDS ON HIS ONE FOREARM
   • KEEP HIM "IN THE POCKET"
4. SPIRAL RIDE
   • ELBOW ARM CHOPS OUT
   • THIGH-PRY WITH WAIST ARM
   • RUN AROUND AND SPIRAL DOWN TO THE MAT
5. ARM LEVER
   • YOUR FOREHEAD TO HIS TRICEPS

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C) PINNING COMBINATIONS --

1. HALF NELSON THE BASIC HOLD TO PIN YOUR OPPONENT IS THE HALF NELSON. THERE ARE GOOD WAYS TO GET A HALF, BETTER WAYS TO GET A HALF, ANDMONSTER WAYS TO GET A HALF.
   • GOOD HALF -- UNDER-OVER
     • YOUR OUTSIDE ARM GOES UNDER YOUR OPPONENT'S ARMPIT AND OVER HIS NECK, PALM DOWN ON HIS NECK.
     • TURN HIM TO HIS BACK
     • GET YOUR LEGS OUT TO TURN YOUR OPPONENT (STAY PARALLEL TO RIDE AND CONTROL, PERPENDICULAR TO TURN AND PIN)
     • REVERSE THE HALF, DO A CHIN HAMMER.
     • FINISH CHEST TO CHEST, LEGS OUT TO THE SIDE.
   • BETTER HALF -- UNDER-OVER-UNDER (HALF AND A WRIST)
     • YOUR OUTSIDE ARM GOES UNDER YOUR OPPONENT'S ARMPIT AND OVER HIS NECK, PALM DOWN ON HIS NECK.
     • YOUR INSIDE ARM GOES UNDER HIS OTHER ARMPIT AND GRABS HIS FAR WRIST. DRIVE THE HOLD TOWARD THE HEAD
   • MONSTER HALF -- UNDER-OVER-AROUND (DEEP HALF)
     • YOUR OUTSIDE ARM GOES UNDER YOUR OPPONENT'S ARMPIT, OVER HIS NECK, AND AROUND HIS NECK SO THAT YOU CAN CUP HIS CHIN IN YOUR PALM.
     • YOU LIFT HIS HEAD AND TURN HIM ON HIS BACK.
     • DROP FRONT SHOULDER TO SINK THE HALF
2. PINNING COMBINATIONS -- 2 ON 1 SERIES.
   WE ARE GOING TO DRILL PINNING COMBINATIONS OFF A TWO-ON- ONE BREAKDOWN, ILLUSTRATING THE CONCEPT OF ATTACKING YOUR OPPONENT WITH A SERIES OF MOVES, ONE MOVE LEADING TO OR SETTING UP THE NEXT.
   • IF HE POSTS HIS FAR ARM UP, GO TO A FAR SIDE HALF NELSON
     • SHOOT THE FAR HALF WITH YOUR INSIDE ARM
     • SWITCH SIDES
     • FINISH WITH A MONSTER HALF OR HALF-AND-A-WRIST
   • IF THE FAR SIDE HALF IS NOT OPEN, GO TO A CROSS-FACE
     • YOUR OUTSIDE ARM GOES ACROSS HIS FACE
     • CUP YOUR HAND ABOVE HIS ELBOW -- "LITTLE FINGER ON HIS ELBOW"
   • CROSS FACE CRADLE
     • IF HIS OUT SIDE KNEE COMES UP WITH YOUR CROSS FACE, POST YOUR INSIDE ARM BEHIND HIS KNEE,
     • TAKE HIS NOSE TO HIS KNEE, KEEP HIS ARM, GRAB YOUR OWN WRIST.
     • TO FINISH , PUT YOUR KNEE IN HIS HIP, PULL HIM TO YOU IN A CRADLE, OR HIP HEIST TO FINISH.
     • FINISH WITH YOUR KNEE IN HIS HIP, YOUR HEAD IN HIS EAR
   • FAR ARM PULL THROUGH OR BARB WIRE -- IF HIS OUTSIDE KNEE DOES NOT COME UP WITH YOUR CROSS FACE ...
     • FAR ARM PULL THROUGH -- HIS INSIDE ARM SHOULD FOLD OVER HIS CHEST. LIFT HIS HEAD TO FINISH.
     • BARB WIRE -- DOUBLE ON HIS FAR TRICEPS. ADJUST YOUR GRIP AS YOU WALK AROUND THE HEAD
   • IF HE DUCKS HIS HEAD OUT AND TURNS IN, DO A NEAR CRADLE
     
     • NEAR CRADLE -- YOUR OUTSIDE ARM AROUND HIS NECK, YOUR INSIDE ARM AROUND HIS NEAR LEG
     • FIVE RULES FOR NEAR CRADLES
       • 1) HIGH ON HIS HEAD
       • 2) SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
       • 3) TUCK YOUR HEAD TO THE REAR
       • 4) ELBOW DEEP ON THE BACK OF THE KNEE
       • 5) GRIP CLOSE TO THE HEAD
     • FINISH A NEAR CRADLE WITH YOUR RIBS IN HIS FACE
   • IF YOUR OPPONENT GOES BELLY OUT ON YOUR 2 ON 1, GO TO A BALL-AND-CHAIN
     • INSIDE KNEE UP THE CROTCH
     • TAKE HIS WRIST THROUGH HIS CROTCH
     • SWITCH SIDES
     • SWITCH HANDS
     • FINISH WITH A HALF, JONES TILT, OR JONES STACK
3. PINNING COMBINATIONS -- ARM BARS
   AN ARM BAR IS ANOTHER TYPE OF HOLD USED TO TURN AND PIN YOUR OPPONENT. BEGINNING WRESTLERS GET ARM BAR AND HALF-NELSON CONFUSED
   • HALF NELSON -- KIND OF LIKE AN UNDERHOOK -- IT GOES IN UNDER YOUR OPPONENTS ARM
   • ARM BAR -- KIND OF LIKE AN OVERHOOK -- IT GOES IN OVER YOUR OPPONENTS ARM
   • HALF NELSON -- KIND OF LIKE A LEVER -- YOU USE A PRYING MOTION
   • ARM BAR -- NOT A LEVER -- USE IT TO DRIVE YOUR OPPONENT'S SHOULDER OVER TO THE MAT
   • ARM BAR
     START OVER THE ARM, WRAP IT, AND AIM YOUR FIST BETWEEN YOUR OPPONENTS SHOULDERBLADES
     • -- STEP TO THE SIDE AND RIP THE ARM
     • -- ELBOW TO HIP, RIB TO RIB
     • -- USE THE STRENGTH OF YOUR LEGS TO DRIVE YOUR OPPONENT OVER TO HIS BACK, WALK AROUND HIS HEAD
     ARM BAR AND WAIST
     ARM BAR AND HALF
     ARM BAR AND WRIST
     CROSS WRIST CHICKEN WING
     ARM BAR AND HOOK
     DOUBLE ARM BAR

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D -- DEFENSIVE MAT WRESTLING -- WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE ON BOTTOM

• 1) INSIDE LEG STAND UP FROM REFEREE POSITION, WHEN DOWN ...
  • 1) SNAP INSIDE ELBOW TO YOUR HIP TO BLOCK BRING OUTSIDE HAND TO WAIST AND CONTROL HIS WAIST HAND, BRING UP INSIDE LEG
  • 2) PIVOT UP -- WITHOUT PICKING UP YOUR FEET
  • 3) POP TO CREATE SPACE
  • 4) PEEL AWAY
• 2) SIT OUT AND SWITCH (POWER SWITCH)
  • HIP HEIST
  • KEEP THE BACK ARCHED AND HIPS OFF THE MAT
  • REACH INSIDE THE THIGH -- NOT OVER THE BACK
  • THE POWER OF THE MOVE COMES FROM ELEVATION AND A STRONG BACK ARCH
• 2) SIT OUT - TURN IN ON THE HEAD
  • STARTS AS A POWER SWITCH, THEN YOU CHANGE DIRECTION
  • FINISH NEUTRAL, DRIVING ON A LEG, OR FRONT HEAD LOCK
• 3) SIT OUT - SHRUG
  • TAKE THE WRIST
  • TURN IN HARD TO A TRIPOD ON THE HEAD
  • SPIN AWAY FROM YOUR OPPONENT
• 4) GRANBY ROLL
  • KEY POINTS ARE TO GET ELEVATION, CLEAR YOUR INSIDE LEG, AND CLEAR YOUR INSIDE ARM
• 5) FINISHES FOR SHRUG AND GRANBY
  • HOW YOU FINISH DEPENDS ON HOW WELL YOUR OPPONENT FOLLOWS YOU. YOU MAY FINISH NEUTRAL, BACKDOOR, OR IN PETERSON POSITION

The material in this syllabus is drawn from many sources, not the least of which is "common knowledge," and also the following excellent videotapes:

1. Greg Shoemaker's FUNDAMENTALS OF WRESTLING, Parts I and and II. Golden Oak Fillms, LTD. P.O. Box 1201, Easton, PA 18044-1201
2. Ken Chertow's Championship Videos (particularly Tape 1, Takedowns, and Tape 2, Pinning Combinations and Freestyle) : Championship Videos, 5469 SHAWNEE DR, HUNTINGTON, WV 25705
3. Cradles and Crotch Rolls, by Mike Cole, Clarion University: Produced by Kevin Lewis, in conjunction with CUB-TV 5, Clarion, PA 16214
4. "The Granby" and "The Granby Shrug:" Granby System Wrestling, 4817 Admiration Dr., Virginia Beach, VA. 23464
5. Ray Nunnamaker, Nazareth (PA) H.S. Coach, at Clarion University Coaching Clinic, 1989

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