Double Off The Underhook With Dan V
Angles, most people will associate angles with Geometry in school, or in the sporting world people think of Billiards or Boxing when the word “Angles” comes up. Yet it is one of the most important concepts in wrestling and yet we never talk about it.
Terms we hear are “Step out” or “Cut the Corner” and what that translates to is change your angle. It is not even a question once a double leg or single leg is attacked, turning the corner or “Spinning around” is almost instinctual. It seems to be common to think of creating angles once we have already committed to a motion or an engagement.
What about when we tie up? Grab an over hook and throw a high crotch, that is pretty linear no need for angle there. What happens when you grab an underhook though? If you drop for a single there while staying squared up there is a good chance you will get run over. I think this is why we have so many upper body attacks from the underhook. The chance of getting flattened either to our back or sprawled onto our face keeps attacks to a minimal on the lower body.
What about if we add in some angle to our underhook formula. what happens if we can establish a better position and connection through angle to create a new attack vector. Let the former captain of the 2008-2010 Nittany Lions of Penn State shows how he approaches the underhook.
The Two Time All American Dan Vallimont is showing why he was picked as an interim coach at Penn State, and it is not just because he is a former Captain. Dan creates angle in two directions at the same time to create this double leg attack.
Upgrade your Underhooks! Click Learn More!
From the underhook Dan waits for his partner to start to pressure in, when he is ready he steps laterally to the inside (to the opposite side of the underhook) and at the same time changes his level.
It is important to note that the same side leg as the underhook with be the “Shooting leg” so that leg is the one that drops to the floor. At this moment it will make Dan seem to disappear and all the resistance will be gone. To his partner he will have nothing to push against and lead him into stepping right into Dans double.
Dan will drop the underhook to the knee and use the leg that is still up either to drive laterally dropping his partner to his hips. He can also use that posted leg to step around while pulling the (underhook side) knee for more of a spiral takedown. Either way you have two points on the board and in freestyle have criteria in the event of a tie.
Dan is a beast when it comes to the underhook. He calls it his “formula” and it has worked for him. Scoring 110 wins in his collegiate career. Dan has been a member of the US World Cup Freestyle team and has competed internationally.
Dan has given the world his underhook formula in the form of a Instructional. In this Instructional Dan shows how to attack both sides of the underhook. Many wrestlers only attack the near side leg, Dan shows how to attack both so that there is always an ever present threat while in the tie.
