The Problem With The Double Leg Takedown

I’m not sure if you have heard the same talks as I have over the years, but this is what I hear…

“The double leg is only for the strongest, fastest and most athletic wrestlers, it’s a waste of time to teach and focus on with most athletes…”

I have heard this type of talk from successful coaches and it makes me cringe!

Because… they don’t get it and even worse, if anyone is listening to them they are going to get held back drastically.

Even if you never hit a Double Leg in a live match or it takes you years, you must still be working on the techniques, drills and live scenarios that teach you how to execute a Double Leg Series…

Or you’re takedown abilities will never fully develop!

Let me explain myself…

First off, there’s no better way to teach footwork and penetration than to teach it through the Double Leg, especially to beginning wrestlers…

If you have seen any of my footwork and penetration videos then you should understand that on top of all the technical components involved you must also develop a quick first step to have a chance of being good in the neutral position.

This, along with movement, pressure and hand fighting, will be the only way you can develop an effective Double Leg.

So with that being said, “Yes,” the quickest and most athletic competitors will execute more Double Legs and “get it” quicker..

But this doesn’t mean wrestlers that don’t hit Double’s in matches right away should stop trying to perfect this technique or the positions that go along with it…

Stick with me, because I’m just getting started…

In order to become an in-your-faceattacking, and point-scoring wrestler you must believe in forward pressure and penetrating to the legs

Developing your Double Leg skills falls right in line with this style and philosophy…

wrestling-double-leg-system

Like I mentioned before, even if you have never hit a Blast Double in a match you still need to be working on the skills needed for one…

The Double Leg is the foundation, catalyst, setup, and finisher for many other time-tested holds..(i.e. the Single Leg, Body Lock, Duck Under, Super Duck, Front Headlock, Drag, Sweep Single, Throw By, Hi-Crotch, Mis-Direction Shots, Ducks and many more…)

Starting to make sense now, right?!?

Along with the array of attacks these skills can lead to…

If the Double Leg and its finishes are taught properly you will DRASTICALLY limit the amount of B.S. you have to deal with when it comes to “Leg Passes” and “Funk Rolls…”

In conclusion, the real problem with the Double Leg is that some coaches don’t understand its developmental value so it isn’t taught effectively or focused on enough and the enormous value of this series is completely missed…

Leaving wrestlers underdeveloped in the neutral positions which leads to poor positioning on shots, limiting chain wrestling skills, sloppy finishes, lost takedowns, potential knee and hip injuries and makes our sport less entertaining.

So if you’re sick of seeing wrestlers trying to run down a Double Leg only to get Switched at the last second, because they don’t know how to bury and control the hips properly…

Or watching them get DDT’ed, rolled through and put on their back right after getting in deep on a Double Leg, because they don’t know how to cut a corner and head drive…

Or even worse they lose the points from a well executed Double Leg in the last second to a snaky Leg Passer because they don’t understand how to protect their ankles…

Then you better get to work on the techniques, practice drills and live scenarios needed to master this position.

I guarantee the time spent here will lead to more takedowns and not just from the Double Leg’s but from a plethora of other techniques and positions.

Yours in wrestling,
-Coach Daryl Weber

P.S. By the way, if this is something you want help with, I just released a new instructional series that contains all my best technical instruction, practice drills and live scenarios the I learned while winning a NCAA title for Dan Gable and tailored to work on developing youth and high school wrestlers while I coached at our program that won 14 consecutive state titles (9 with me at the helm and the first 5 with me as assistant)  Click here to find out more about our Complete Double Leg System

wrestling-double-leg-system

Comments

1 thought on “The Problem With The Double Leg Takedown”

  1. I officiated a IA vs MN dual when Dan was early in his coaching career. They 2 legged MN 2 death. I knew Dan quite well from his time @ ISU. His reaction to my (that’s a lot of 2 legs) “What else do U need?” I was already a big user. We drilled the fundamentals This led 2 3 state championships & 20 state champions in 20 years.

    P

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