Improve Your Leg Riding With These Three Great Turns
A wrestler who is good a riding legs can be very dangerous from the top position. When they put the legs in, it creates a lot of pressure and it is extremely difficult to defend. There are a lot of different turns you can hit from a leg ride which is one of the reasons why so many wrestlers put the legs in when they are on top. If you like to ride legs, here are three turns you can add to your offense that will help you get more back points and pins.
The Pin Up by Hudson Taylor
This first turn is called a pin up and it is hit from a crossbody ride when your opponent sits you to your hip. When this happens, a lot of wrestlers panic because they may feel like they are about to get reversed, but if you stay here and use the pin up, you can actually score back points. Check out his video by Hudson Taylor where he demonstrates how to do the pin up.
Here are a couple of key points to help you be more effective with the pin up. First, make sure you have a good hook on the tendon in their armpit. If you don’t, when they sit out, they will be able to create a lot of space and you will be fighting to not let them escape. Secondly, when they do sit and you roll them through, you still need to keep the hook in the armpit which will keep them from sliding their hips down and away. If for some reason they try to grab your head to headlock you, don’t panic, all you have to do is roll them in the exact same manner and you will have a guillotine. Lastly, be patient when you have them on their back. Hold them there until you get your five count, then try to throw the other leg in and go for the pin.
Thread the Needle Roll Through Tilt by Logan Stieber
This next turn is a tilt that four time NCAA champion and world champion Logan Stieber had a lot of success with. It comes from a crossbody ride and is set up by trying to pull the arm out for a hammerlock. Check out this video of Stieber breaking down the technique.
This is a great turn because it is almost a guarantee that when you try to scoop the elbow, your opponent will grab onto their own thigh. When they do, the guy on top needs to slide his arm out just a little then with the back arm, reach through his opponent’s legs to grab the wrist is locked onto the thigh. When you have the wrist secured, the next step is to roll through. The guy on top needs to roll over their front shoulder and turn the head so it is looking back. Use the leg that is not hooked in to push off the mat to create the power necessary for the roll.
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After you roll through, it is important to keep the elbow and wrist locked up tight and keep the leg hooked. Just as with any tilt position, the guy will be trying to fight off his back, so the top guy needs to make adjustments to keep him on his back. The tighter the top guy can keep the bottom guy the better.
Seatbelt Turn by Hudson Taylor
This last turn comes when you have the leg in and your opponent sits you to your hip to defend against it. When they sit out and put you on your side, simply put come over the head and lock the head and arm up. Then roll and pop your hips to put your opponent to their back. Once you have them on their back, you can work to get back on top and sink the half in for the pin. This is a great way to defend being sat to your hip when you have the leg in. Check out this video of Hudson Taylor demonstrating the seatbelt turn.
Logan Stieber is one of the greatest college wrestlers ever. He was a four time NCAA champion for Ohio State and went on to become a world champion after college. If you would like to learn more of his wrestling technique, be sure to check out his in depth video series “World Championship Takedowns by Logan Stieber” and “The Armbar Blueprint by Logan Stieber”.
Hudson Taylor was an NCAA All-American and during his college career earned himself a spot top ten most career pins list in NCAA wrestling. He has a great video series titled “Magic Mat Work by Hudson Taylor” where he breaks down the moves and techniques he used to earn a lot of pins.