Flashlight Duck Throw With Daniel DeShazer
All fights will start on the feet. It is that simple fact that makes wrestling so important. It is why wrestlers are so dominant in MMA. The ability to take another person down against their will is like having superpowers, you can do something that the average person can not stop you from doing.
This is fine until you meet another superhero on the mat. The situation goes from an easy take down to an all out war for position and supremacy.
As a wrestler there are a few routes you can take when approaching the subject of Takedowns. There is the drive through them option. J'Den Cox sets position and when the time is right explodes through his opponent, overpowering them with his superior speed and strength.
You could play the counter wrestler much like Kyle Dake who stuffs attempts then turns their failed attack into an attack of his own.
Some prefer to run a different set of series from one position. The russian tie is a great example of this. Once in the position the attacking wrestler can chain wrestle one attack after the other to keep their opponent on their back foot until they break through and their opponent is just on their back.
Then there is the art of misdirection and unique throws. The idea behind this method is to create situations that look like something completely different than exploiting the weakness that the other wrestler didn’t know was there.
Take Daniel DeShazer’s offense off the thumblock in the video below. A standard tie position, nothing unique about it. Daniel Grabs a “Flashlight” grip on his opponent's wrist and begins his attack.
What makes Daniel’s attack different is the normal response to the thumb block will be to push the arm off the shoulder or bat the arm down. Instead the option to create a strong grip and then swimming his same side arm over and through to create a unique duck under position is both fast and surprising.
Check out Daniel's Takedown Playbook! Click Learn More!
It is incredibly hard to counter an attack you have never seen before. That moment of hesitation is what Daniel is waiting for and steps in keeping both arms in tight and his head and back postured up.
Now he explodes up and arches his back, sending his partner over his head and landing flat on his back. This will be good for five points in Freestyle and a solid two plus back exposure in Folkstlye matches.
But what if it all goes wrong? Daniel explains that as long as your posture is correct, you can bail out on the throw and go directly into a bodylock, which obviously has an even larger set of options. So when drilling this do not be afraid to bail out of the first throw and chain into another attack position.
Daniel is a three time NCAA D2All American and two time National Champion. Daniel also competes at senior level in wrestling. He has created an entire instructional on his approach to takedowns and how to create positions that will lead to takedowns that are far beyond the fundamental level.
If you like what you saw above, that is only a small part of what he has to share in his 4 part series. Check it out here!