Greco Roman wrestling is not a sport for the weak or faint of heart. There are no leg attacks whatsoever. Greco Roman is explosive and has an emphasis on throws from the upper body and tilts while on the floor.  Wrestlers are forbidden...

  There are challenging times and positions in wrestling when one may begin to think they have nowhere to go or are not in a position to finish. This can be true in some cases, but you would be surprised at how digging...

Scoring a takedown isn’t really enough if you’re competing in wrestling or MMA. If you just spent a ton of energy to score a takedown to only have your opponent break free and get back to a standing position, then you just used...

Wall or Cage wrestling has become one of the most important aspects of MMA. depending on what setting you’re fighting in, the wall, cage or ropes plays a massive role in both offensive and defensive wrestling, as well as being a strong position...

Defense is one of the most important aspects of any sports and wrestling is no exception. Being able to stop all of your opponent’s attacks will not only stop them from scoring points and getting a better position but you are also dissuading...

  Interviewer: For new wrestlers which one of your instructionals would be most beneficial to their development? Dan Vallimont: I would say it really depends on the wrestler. “I think it is really important for a wrestler to have a fundamental attack to...

A good reaction speed is one of the most important traits that an athlete can have in any sport. In terms of combat sports it can be the difference between a win and a loss, a punch landing or being blocked or in...

Successfully transitioning to a takedown from a single leg usually lands you in a pretty dominant spot. However getting there can be difficult at times, especially against an experienced wrestler. As more and more athletes come up in the sport, more advanced techniques...

Welcome to the “SlingShot”, a high powered takedown that will surprise your opponent and earn you big points in Freestyle or Folkystyle wrestling. The advantage of a Slingshot is that it is deceptive. Your opponent believes they are safe in an over under...

Giving up is never an option when wrestling. As a stereotype wrestlers are resilient and fight through adversity when they get put in bad positions on the mat. For some this means muscling out of a bad spot for others a more technical...

  In modern wrestling, Cael Sanderson’s era at Penn State is already historic, and will likely continue to be looking at their recent recruiting class. The Penn State middleweights to upperweights have consistently dominated their field under Cael, with the alumni frequently going...

Setting up the Takedown is not always as easy as it seems. Trying to get someone to step into a trap is easier said than done. To make the trap effective the other person cannot know the set up is coming.  Writing about...

In 2019 every senior level wrestler had one thing on their mind. Qualifying for the 2020 USA Wrestling Olympic Trials. Unlike former soviet and eastern bloc countries where they have their wrestlers picked by how they are performing in international competition The USA...

The first week of wrestling practice for new wrestlers is all about the same. You condition until you are about to puke. You learn about basic collar ties. Then changing levels and penetration steps. Bridging off your back and how to get up...

  Adam Wheeler’s story is often quoted to the unconfident first year struggling at practice “The last man to medal in Greco for the USA at the olympics went 1-15 as a freshman”. The one line has no doubt helped many relatively green...

Russia, Azerbaijan,Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria and Cuba all have something in common. They consistently produce the top wrestlers in every weight class in the world. All of these countries were also part of the Soviet Bloc/Eastern Bloc of states. Does that have something...

Thomas Gilman is an absolute beast of a wrestler. Thomas knew from a young age that wrestling is what he wanted to do. This is not uncommon in Iowa where Thomas is from. What is uncommon was how Thomas went about it. When...

It is often said in the world of sports that defense is the most important aspect a sport or team could have. This is why training in defense is so important, even if it is not as fun or sexy to train as...

The ability to scramble in wrestling is both a fundamental skill and something that is often inherent in wrestlers. Many Coaches believe that “ you can either have the ability to scramble or you don’t” . There is something about being tough with...

  In the sport of wrestling, thinking one step ahead of your opponent is imperative. By properly reading the reactions of your opponent, you can begin to build your attacks before they even see them coming.   Take that directly from Johnni DiJulius in...