Six Types Of Double Legs All Wrestlers Should Know
A double leg is one of the most fundamental takedowns there is in wrestling. Just as the name implies, it involves attacking both legs at once in order to secure the takedown. There are many different types of double legs and some are better than others in certain situations. Let’s look at six different double legs that all wrestlers should know.
Drive Across Double Leg
The first double leg is the standard drive across double leg with a center penetration step. Even though it is very basic, it is highly effective and once you learn this double leg, it will help you to better understand the different types of double legs.
The first thing to look at with this double leg is your penetration step. Make sure you are taking a center and shooting through your opponent to move them back and not just stopping your momentum when you get in on the legs. Your head position is the next thing to look at. Your head and eyes should be up and your ear tight to your opponent's side. Also, make sure your head is on the correct side; your head should be on the same side as your trail leg.
When you shoot this double leg, you want to make sure you hand are down around their legs, not up around the waist. Next thing you do is bring the trail leg up and plant it on the mat and use it to drive your opponent across. Be sure to keep your head tight as your drive and keep your far hand low on the leg to block. Also, be sure you keep looking up the whole time. If you look down at the mat, your head will go down and your hips will come up and it will be easy for your opponent to stuff your shot and sprawl on you.
High Crotch To A Double Leg
So a high crotch to double leg is less about the actual finish than it is about getting in on the legs. A high crotch is a great shot because most of the time, you don’t need as big of an opening to hit a high crotch as you do to hit a double leg.
You can get in on a high crotch from many different setups like an inside tie or an underhook. Once you are in on the high crotch, you simply move your far hand to the other leg and finish the shot the same way you would a normal double leg. Check out this video by Dan Vallimont where he shows how he likes to hit a high crotch and then transitions it to a double leg. You will see that he uses a drive across finish to finish the double leg.
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Low Double Leg
Another option you have with a double leg is to hit a low double. This is a difficult shot to get in on the legs, but if you do, there is a high percentage finish rate. Instead of shooting in like the two previously mentioned shots, this shot is close to a low single leg. You are attacking both legs below the knees. Here is a video of Logan Stieber hitting a low double leg from an overtie, but you could also hit it from snapping the head or from sliding off of a front headlock if you and your opponent are standing.
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When you get in on the legs, be sure to keep driving forward and circle to one side. Your opponent usually ends up on their butt. Your can keep the legs and elevate them to keep them from sitting up or you can walk your feel towards their head and they will usually belly out.
Blast Double Leg
A blast double leg is a great option if you’re a bigger wrestler because it keeps your from getting stuck underneath your opponent’s heavy hips. Another great time to hit a blast double is late in a match if your opponent’s level is high.
When you shoot a blast double leg, you level is usually not as low as it would be for a normal double leg. The goal of blast double is to blast through them. You are not trying to drive across. In terms of head position, your head can be on the outside like a normal double, but you can also keep it inside so your forehead is right in the middle of your opponent’s chest. Another key point is that you are not taking a penetration step, instead you are bending your knees to get in an explosive stance and then just exploding out of it. You are still attacking both legs with your hands, but are pulling the legs straight into you.
Cut Back Double Leg
A cut back double leg starts like a standard double leg, but the finish is different. When you shoot and get in on the legs, your opponent will often try to push your head down to defend it and that prevents you from driving across. So instead, you can hit a cut back finish.
To hit this finish, when you are on your knees, you will windshield wiper your legs to the outside to get a better angle on your opponent. Then you will collapse the far knee down to the mat. Here is a video of Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo hitting a cut back double leg finish and using it to go immediately into a turk.
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Outside Step Double Leg
An outside step double leg is another great variation to a double leg. With this shot, instead of taking a center penetration step, you penetrate in with your outside leg. Generally, you see this shot because instead of a center step double because the trail leg would have to cover too much distance in a very short amount of time. When you are talking about openings for shots, most of the time it is a fraction of a second and you may need to shoot with your outside leg because it is quicker.
Here is a video of Bekzod Abdurakhminov showing an outside step double leg from posting up his opponent’s arm. You can see that this is quicker than a normal double leg because instead of shooting with a center step and then bringing up the trail leg and posting it on the mat, you are eliminating the first step.
There are so many different types of double legs and finishes. Each have their own time and place during match. The more variations you add to your offense, the better prepared you will be when the situations present themselves.
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