Utilize the Underhook for a Tricky Double Leg with CJ Brucki
It doesn’t really matter if you have been wrestling for a month or a decade, just about every wrestler knows about the double leg takedown. This is one of the moves that serves as a building block for a wrestler’s skills and technique.
You have to learn the double leg to be able to add new skills to supplement this otherwise simple move. Being able to perfect your double leg is a very important step in the journey to becoming the best wrestler that you can be. With that being said, though, any skilled wrestler knows how to defend against a double leg. Nobody wants to let this simple move get the best of them.
The numerous defenses that exist against a double leg are yet another reason to drill double legs to death. The better and more technically sound your double leg is, the harder it is for anyone you face to be able to block it. Once you have it down to a form of art that feels natural and that you can do fluently without thinking about it, you can begin to add in some creativity that gives you an even better chance of evading any kind of defense that you might encounter.
The progression of skill that is associated with these more creative moves is mapped out for you in CJ Brucki’s instructional video series, High Level Takedown Progressions. In this series, the beginning stages of the zero flare, bread and butter double leg give way to the more advanced, creative, and flashy finishes for the same move. Brucki uses this series to take you to the next level in your double leg knowledge and abilities. He takes you in the journey of going from just learning how to even set up single legs of all kinds all the way to advanced shots, finishes, and counters.
One of the many things that CJ teaches in this series is one of the more creative ways to go about the shot. It is the backside double leg from an underhook. This is more advanced than a regular double leg, and if done correctly, it will definitely be harder to defend. Drill this form of the double leg as much as the basic version of a double leg, and you will have no trouble taking down anyone you want. That’s what every wrestler wants, right?
Well give yourself no option other than that success by checking out High Level Takedown Progressions where CJ shows you everything you’ll need to know to be both a single leg and double leg guru. The backside double is just one example of the greatness in this series, so check out this clip to get a taste of CJ’s amazing teachings.
Many of us share the same offensive strategy that CJ mentions in this clip. He says that he likes to attack his opponent’s front leg. After all, this is very smart. That front leg is closer, less defended, and much easier to utilize than his leg on the back side.
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With that being a very widely known fact, many people that you will face on the mat will switch their stance. This is an effort to shake you. Obviously, your stance is going to be the side that you are more comfortable attacking on, and when your opponent switches his feet like shown in the video, they are trying to force you to exit your comfort zone.
You don’t need to let people take advantage of you with simple tricks like that. Solidify your offense and make it prone to any lackluster effort like switching feet. How you are to do that is what CJ shows next.
In order to get this back side double leg, the setup is crucial. First, CJ gets in a front under hook. The importance of this may not seem to be very high right off the bat, but it proves to be later on. From here, it would be great to be able to hit your regular moves like a sweeping single or that tried and true high crotch, but your opponent’s feet have switched. This may limit some of the offense that you are used to, but with the implementation of this move, your opponent has no idea what is coming. They think that you can’t do anything now. Luckily, CJ is showing you this trick to keep up your sleeve.
Getting into the move itself, this variation of a double leg is fairly simple, just like any other version of this age old takedown. This is basically just a different way to get yourself in that same position. But next, CJ shows how you go about getting in said position. With your backside arm (the one not in an under hook), you’re going to grab the bottom of the other guy’s tricep, where it meets his elbow. As you take this shot, you’re going to use that hand positioning to throw his arm up and over your head, making room for your shot while also taking away a line of his defense.
As you throw that arm up, you’re going to take the shot. This is the part that differs slightly from the average double leg. A slightly more advanced shot, called a knee drop, takes place. When doing this as opposed to a regular double leg, you step towards the guy’s back leg, and both of your knees drop to the mat.
When your knees land, one should be in between his feet with the other on the outside of that back side leg. With your knees straddling that back side leg, you are in great position. All you need to do from there is to focus on keeping your head up and into your opponent’s side. Do that and you’re golden.
It is now that the importance of that under hook from earlier is revealed. This whole time, your arm has stayed where it was in the armpit of your opponent. Now there is nothing to stop you from just sliding that arm down his body. When you do that, just chop his far leg, use your body positioning to drive up as you chop, and you have yourself a takedown.
Do yourself a favor and don’t miss out on such an amazing learning opportunity. Brucki has advice to better the strategy of any wrestler, and that wrestler can be you. All you have to do is click here to see all that Brucki has to teach in High Level Takedown Progressions.