Stop Holding Hands – Start Developing Independence In Your Athletes
“I’m not really lying to you, I’m helping you. It’s all a part of the process.” These are the words behind NCAA and Olympic champion Coach Dan Gable’s tactics to keep his athletes in the match when they’re shot. He’s used it to push Lincoln McIlravy to three NCAA championships, and he’s adjusted it to develop that same drive in young novices. But what’s the power behind a white lie, and how can you use it in your programming? If you have issues achieving match-like intensity in training… or you have a young athlete struggling to overcome adversity, then today’s … Read More
The Secret to Developing Internal Drive (you can try it in practice today)
If you’re constantly adjusting motivational tactics for every kid on your team… Or if you’re working with athletes across a wide range of skill levels… Then you’ll get a ton out of Episode 15 of Attack Style Wrestling podcast. This week, our guest, legendary coach Dan Gable – an NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist – dives in to the art of coaching. By the end of this episode, you”ll be armed with the tools to build internal drive in new players and push veterans beyond their limits. Through implementing Coach Gable’s balance of independence and dependence, you’ll map out … Read More
Your Game Plan to Recruit More Athletes (and actually keep them around)
If you’ve ever found yourself short a wrestler for a specific weight class… Or you’re worried about keeping the new kids hooked (and the veterans challenged)… Or you just want to know the secrets to building a program that wins year after year.. Then today’s episode is for you. On Episode 14 of the Attack Style Wrestling podcast, we cover the details and nuances of recruiting, retaining, and attracting athletes. By the end of the episode, you’ll understand how to build a program that basically recruits itself. It’s all about the work behind-the-scenes.
Attack Style Wrestling Stats
As a younger coach, I used to always post our stats and leader board on the wall of our locker room and wrestling room after each match. I thought it was a cool way to keep guys engaged and motivated. After a lot of trial and error, talking to a lot of other experienced coaches in wrestling (and other sports) and reading a lot of books on sports psychology, my viewpoint started to change. Turns out a lot of psychological studies out there prove this doesn’t necessarily help with motivation, at least not for a big portion of our kids. … Read More
Seven Steps to Engineer Confidence and Mental Toughness
It’s one of the most divisive areas of coaching. Can you develop mental toughness, or is it just something you’re born with? And what does mental toughness even mean, anyway? If you’ve ever seen a naturally tough kid fall apart just to pick themselves back up… Or you think mental toughness is a trait some kids are just born with… Then you need to listen to this episode. It might surprise you. On Episode 13 of Attack Style Wrestling podcast, we go over the seven steps to engineer mental toughness. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how to … Read More
Properly Hit the Near Arm Far Leg
The near arm far leg is a tremendous technique for a lot of reasons. It turns defense into offense, is extremely hard to counter, leads to a quick finish, and can easily result in a match ending fall. Even when you have been beaten to the tie you can still score. Key elements to this technique include head position, maintaining a shooting stance, and using a drop step to create space. Once these elements are in place, the attacking wrestler falls into easy points. Use this variation on a single leg, the #1 takedown in the world, to turn your … Read More
Wrestling Takedowns: Pass-by / Slide-By Series
The pass-by takedown (or slide-by wrestling) is a low risk move that translates to easy points at crucial moments. Not only are the positions that lead to a pass-by, or “slide-by” common, but the move is easy to execute and can be drilled for high repetitions with minimal effort. Keys to this move include understanding pressure, changing directions, and how to explosively turn your hips. Once these elements are in place, an opponent’s collar can quickly be turned into a trap. Three Steps to Drilling the Slide-by Wrestling Technique Step 1: Use the pressure When your opponent has a collar … Read More
Switch / Re-Switch to a Step Over Chain Wrestling
Hello, Part of success in the bottom position is being dangerous. Escaping is fine, but it will be a lot easier if the top man is constantly concerned with being reversed. This is doubly true if back points are in the picture. The switch series, in particular the stepover, is a tremendous series of techniques that opens up counters and scrambles from a wide variety of situations. A wrestler who has mastered the switch/re-switch/stepover series, will have a deep knowledge of hip heisting be extremely difficult, as well as dangerous, to ride. Yours In Wrestling, Coach Weber For this full … Read More
How to Win a Wrestling Match Every Time: 7 Ways To Increase Match Toughness
Want to know how to win a wrestling match every time? I am all about giving wrestlers concrete tasks to follow rather than abstract concepts. Finding a way to measure mental toughness and grit is a necessity if you wish to teach it to the masses. With this in mind, I came up with 7 situations that win and lose close matches and I regularly remind my wrestlers they need to win these situations, every time, if they want to learn to wrestle to dominate and beat great opponents. Teach your wrestlers to win these situations and execute the proper … Read More
