No Risk No Reward Throws With Reece
To throw or to not to throw that is the question! While wrestling this question may cross your mind a time or two during a match. This hesitation is deeply seeded in the premise that if you miss the attempt on the throw there could be a loss of position or you will give up easy points.
On the flip side landing a throw will always score in any style of wrestling and often times lead to more points than the throw. Some throws will land the other wrestler flat on their back with you on top. In Folkstyle this will be 2 for the takedown, and up to 4 points for a near fall. If you don’t get the fall.
A total of 6 points is a game changer in any match. Worst case scenario is you get two points for a takedown and now you are on top looking for a tilt, turn or pin.
So, is the risk worth the reward?
Lets ask Reece Humphrey who has garnered the nickname “Highlight” for his ability to throw.
Reece approaches throws with a mindset to throw but mitigate risk as much as he can. Check out his video on the lateral drop below as he explains the process.
Reece admits that there is definitely inherent risk in any throw where you pull your opponent over your body. He also explains why the risk is acceptable.
Reece explains that the reason the throw works is because he has one arm locked with the overhook. The leg on the same side loses base when it steps out of his vine attempt with his near side leg. Creating a situation where his opponent is weak on that side due to their inability to post in front of them.
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With his near side leg already close, Reece now steps in with his back foot while starting to pull on his under hook side.
Before we continue it is important to note that there are different ways to finish the lateral drop from here. You can use the twisting motion with control of the over hook on one side pulling that arm and boosting the twist with the legs as both you and your opponent go chest to chest.
Reece is more a fan of the back arch method. As he steps in and pulls his partner chest to chest he whips his body like a wave into the back arch. To finish Reece throws his arms up over his head and redirecting his opponent over him and to the mat.
Both methods will require a great amount of practice and like all great throws it is more about the set up then the actual throwing motion. Mat masters like Reece create situations where the throws start coming in chains, you avoid one takedown and end up in a throwing position.
Yet trial and error in matches is a good way to rack up a bunch of losses on your record, so this leaves practice. To build speed, strength, and basic throwing motions a throwing dummy is a great tool. It saves your teammates some wear and tear as well.
Having a great coach is hands down the best resource you have to guide you through the motions and set ups of throws. Seminars also help with learning new ways to throw.
Yet good reference material in the wrestling world is so hard to come by. Remember when you could mail order the Dan Gable coaching videos? Now you can go online and get snippets like the video above. The small clips are good, but they are not the system as a whole.
Why not take the advice from a 3-time US Freestyle Champion? Someone who has already worked out the pitfalls and setups?
If you want to learn how to throw might as well take some tips from the Human Highlight reel himself. Reece Humphrey has put together a four-part instructional that covers everything you need to know about a big throw.
The attention that Reece pays to the details of footwork and position in the instructional become the pillars of creating upper body takedowns. Without them you will surely fall victim to a mistake that will cost you in a match.
Reece has #7 major setup positions and how to interact with your partner within them. Then Reece has two parts of the instructional that are focused on different throws and counters to opposition you might encounter along the way.
Reece was a NCAA Championship Runner up and #3 the previous year. He won the US Freestyle Championship 3 times and has placed in international competition.
You can find his instructional here!