Issue 101

May 2013

Pete Irving brings you wrestling-inclined drills to give you functional fight strength.

Resistance plank

Post on your elbow and toes, and have your partner grip your free hand and draw you towards them. Resist for five to 10 seconds before resting and switching sides. Repeat with resistance in different directions, such as 45 degrees away, or to the side. This will really work your core. 

Resistance plank, advanced

Elevate the opposite leg and attempt to maintain a flat back whilst resisting your partner. Experiment with varying amounts of resistance, incrementally increasing the pull without causing failure. 

Body lock lift

Your partner begins on their knees, you start in a squat stance with double underhooks. Drop the underhooks around the lower back and lower your base. Explosively lift the kneeling man and support with a slight back arch. Executing the body lock lift will help to deal with a resisting opponent’s weight distribution more specifically than a comparable barbell lift. 

Penetration step

The most common error when shooting for a takedown is under-penetrating due to a missing step in the penetration step sequence. Once the athlete commits to placing a knee on the floor, the distance is limited to the length of the athlete’s shin. If under penetration occurs the athlete must recover and attempt to avoid the sprawl. By driving off hard and covering the maximum possible distance from the ‘sprint start,’ the shooter may not need to touch down the knee at all, and will cover extra distance. 

Trip finish

The outside-trip finish involves keeping the shin flush against the mat to maintain good balance.