Three Ankle Picks That Every Wrestler Should Know
An ankle pick is great takedown to add to your offense. Once you start to drill them, you will notice opportunities to hit them more often. Plus, with an ankle pick, you do not end up down on the mat in scramble situations like you can if you shoot a single or high crotch. You can see some of the best wrestlers in the world using ankle picks to get takedowns. Here are three different set ups to ankle picks you should add to your offense.
Ankle Pick From A Front Headlock
This is a really great ankle pick because it comes from a position that a lot of people don’t usually score from. Normally, if someone has you in a front headlock, your main concern is getting out of it or at least defending it so you don’t get taken down. In this video, two time NCAA champion and Olympian Ben Askern shows how to get a takedown with an ankle pick while getting front headlocked.
With most ankle picks, you bring the head down to the ankle, but since you are in a front headlock, you are going to grab your opponent’s elbow and bring it down to the ankle. Be sure to watch how Askren clamps down on the arm then pivots to the ankle and drives through the ankle. Also be sure to post the hip back with your arm. The mechanics of this move may feel a bit odd so be sure to drill it alot in practice so you feel comfortable when the time comes to hit it in a match.
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Overtie Ankle Pick
In this video, two time world champion and Olympic champion Kyle Snyder, shows an ankle pick from an overtie position. If you don’t know what an overtie is, it is basically when you collar tie over top of your opponent’s collar tie.
A couple of big points when hitting this ankle pick, first, when you overtie, you open yourself up for your opponent to hit a high crotch on you so be aware that might happen. Secondly, watch how Snyder grabs the head pulls it into the biceps, this will help to shut down your opponent shooting on you. Be sure to grab the wrist and have the same side lead leg. Then circle and attack the ankle.
When you go in to attack the ankle, be sure to bring the head down with you. If you don’t, you will be too spread out and remember to drive your opponent over their ankle.
Fake Single Leg to Ankle Pick
This ankle pick is set up by faking a single leg from a two on one. For this ankle pick to work, it is really important to have a good fake single leg and what will make it even more effective is to actually try to hit the single leg a couple of times before you go for the ankle pick.
Watch how Dan steps behind his opponent’s near leg to get him to react and pull his leg back to avoid the single leg. Once he steps the foot back, it puts all his weight on the far foot which makes it perfect for an ankle pick. But before you just reach down for the ankle, you need to hook the far ankle with your foot. Watch Dan’s footwork he uses to close the distance in order to hook the far ankle. If you don’t do the hop step and close the distance, you will be to spread out for this to work.
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Once the ankle is blocked, reach down and grab the ankle and drive over your opponent; don’t just try to lift the ankle. Be sure to Also notice how Dan finishes with his opponent’s ankle on his thigh. Tabling the ankle will help to keep your opponent from bellying out and may allow you to earn some back points.
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