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There are a few qualities that are necessary for mental toughness, but are hardly ever mentioned in the same breath. A positive attitude is one example. It isn’t possible to represent mental toughness while complaining. Another example is consistency. Would you consider a person whose performance and attitude were constantly influenced by external factors to be mentally tough? These qualities are probably shortchanged because we tend to think of mental toughness as being revealed only in moments of heroism, which is very unfortunate because it leads us to see it as something rare and innate as opposed to something that … Read More

As wrestlers progress to higher levels, it becomes more and more important for them to ride and control their opponents while opening up scoring opportunities for themselves. Using safe rides and series from the top position pays large dividends as opponents improve. The near wrist ride opens up many scoring opportunities, while enabling the top wrestler to wear out the bottom man and control the flow of the match. Key points in the series include maintaining forward pressure, controlling wrists, pinning the far shoulder, and reading what techniques your opponent gives you. The near wrist ride is a great technique … Read More

< This wrestling series from the top uses leg riding and a Crossface to turn the bottom wrestler. Notice how important it is to not only Crossface but to “Frame the Face” when turning the bottom wrestler. Sometimes a regular Crossface will not be enough, but if the top wrestler Frames the Face and make the bottom wrestler look at them they will get the turn. After receiving back points with the Hip Over then the top wrestler should look for the pin by using the Jacobs Hook. The Jacobs Hook is basically a Chicken Wing with the Legs in. … Read More

Wrestlers need to feel this proper angle when they try to hit Knee Taps and Dumps.  This drill will put them in the exact position needed to become effective at these holds.  If a wrestler doesn’t know what this feels like and can’t drop to this position quick then getting a takedown will be difficult using Knee Taps and Dumps. If they start fishing for the Knee Tap and they are too square there arm will get sucked in and the bottom wrestler can take control of the situation. Get your wrestlers in perfect position with this drill and then … Read More

By Daryl Weber, Founder of AttackStyleWrestling.com Coaches are always racking their brains to find ways to pack more development into the limited time they have at practice. Motivational speeches, skill drills, live situations, strength and conditioning are just some of the strategies coaches are analyzing to get the most out of their athletes. But no matter how complex, scientific or specialized their thinking becomes, there is only one aspect of training which is absolutely required for optimum development. Work outside your comfort zone as often and as long as you can every workout. What do you mean, outside your comfort … Read More

Mental toughness is talked about in all walks of life, but wrestling puts higher demands on this trait than perhaps any other sport. The individual nature, sacrifice and physical demands of wrestling separate it from the rest. But what is mental toughness and how do you achieve it? I have examined this for years as a coach, in a quest to make it a teachable and tangible asset. It is easy to look at a wrestler and recognize good technique with the naked eye. You can prescribe technical drills, weight training programs and conditioning workouts to consciously develop your physical … Read More

Any decent wrestling coach knows that there are no secrets to success. If you work hard, work consistently, and compete with pride, wrestling will give you as good a return on your athleticism as any other sport. There is no magic technique, inner circle, or secret to elevating an athlete. However this lack of secrecy has a dilemma. Many of wrestling’s core skills and most important concepts are so well known, that they have been reduced to cliche. Expressions like, “hips in”, “back pressure”, and “two moves” are repeated so often that they are essentially meaningless to most athletes, and … Read More

I have been reading a book lately that was referred to me by my good friend Jim Harshaw.  The book is called “The Slight Edge”.  The book does a great job of laying out what it takes to be successful, in anything you do. Common themes that we talk about with our wrestlers are mentioned throughout the book.  Jeff Olsen does a great job of describing the significance of these minor things that, if done consistently over time, will lead to great accomplishments. The basic premise of “The Slight Edge” is that great things happen by doing many small positive … Read More

In my Sophomore year at Iowa, we took second at the National Tournament and as a team, we struggled a bit throughout the year. I was the starting 158 lber that year and was having a season with some ups and downs. My biggest weakness was the bottom position and it caught up to me one night in Minneapolis. We went on the road to wrestle U of Minnesota and we lost the dual. I lost a match in that dual because I couldn’t get out from the bottom position. Coach Gable gave us a looong talk on the way home … Read More

In Part 3 of the Mastering the Ankle Lace Series I am going to show you a variation of the Ankle Lace you can use when your opponent traps you between their legs, not allowing you to get to your Base Position.  I call this technique “Laying on the Leg”.  I will also show you how to turn an opponent that is flexible enough to do the splits.  You will see this situation when you get the 2-on-1 Shelf and your opponent takes their free leg forward. Lay on the Leg Lace This turn will not feel tight to the … Read More