BASIC WRESTLING STRATEGY

1. You must go into the match with an offensive strategy
2. Try to watch what works for others against your opponent, then use them.
3. Force your opponent to wrestle your style by initiating first.
4. Plan at least three "chain" moves in a row. The first two tend to set up your opponent for the third move.
5. Learn all moves even though you might never use them. It will help you counter against them
6. Stay level-headed even under extreme pressure by your opponent. Stress uses up energy very fast and keeps you from being methodical
7. Don't continually use a move that fails more than twice
8. Keep your head up on the bottom and try to stay off your knees
9. Always keep your elbows close to your body
10. Shift your body so you don't carry your opponent's weight
11. Don't use moves in a match that you haven't first developed in practice.
12. Shoot only if you can reach out and touch your opponent's elbows and stand with your feet apart and your hands out in front and low
13. Fake that you have lots of energy left during a break. Never let on to referee or your opponent how tired you really are
14. Explode off the bottom on the whistle, don't just move or sit there
15. Take direct shots and shift stance continuously to prevent telegraphing
16. Don't hold on to a move that is blocked or can't be completed
17. Practice all out the same as a match, but don't practice conservatively. You can't lose at practice so try a lot of moves and technique
18. When facing an opponent who knows as many different moves as you do stick with basic technique and traditional moves
19. Be perpendicular to your opponent and keep your head down when pinning
20. The best time to move again is right after a successful move
21. Practicing even once a week off-season puts you way ahead of those only practice during the season.
22. Wrestling has many styles, each emphasizing different techniques to accomplish the same objective. The more styles you learn, the more sophisticated and "rounded" your attack will be
23. Wrestle to the very end, never quit, especially if your opponent is stalling.
24. Conditioning is a personal responsibility
25. You only get out of wrestling what you put in to it

TAKEDOWN STRATEGY

1. Never force or muscle holds which aren't open, it tires you and usually isn't productive.
2. Relax when you are out of range. Being tense takes valuable energy.
3. Keep a proper body position (stance) when you are in range, especially when you are walking into a man. Don't stand straight up or with your hands near your head.
4. Never shoot a leg from farther out than an arm's length.
5. Never shoot a takedown without first destroying your opponent's stance. Set up all takedowns!
6. If you tie up, control all tie-ups and fight for the inside position. If you can't control a tie-up, don't tie-up!
7. When moving, step with the foot in the direction you are going. Never cross your feet.
8. Keep moving your feet in short (about 12") steps, constantly changing your lead foot and never developing a pattern.
9. Concentrate on getting the deepest penetration possible when you shoot. Aim a few feet behind your opponent.
10. Keep your head inside and tight when you step to your opponent's outside and place your head outside and tight when stepping to the inside of his legs.
11. Never allow your head to get lower than your hips (overextended), even while you are in motion.
12. Never allow both of your knees to touch the mat at the same time. Always keep a trailing foot behind for support.
13. When attacking the legs, never stay on one knee any longer than necessary. Either follow through or withdraw IMMEDIATELY!
14. If possible, take your opponent to his back on your follow-through.
15. When withdrawing, keep to the inside with proper body position and take small steps.
16. If you are taken down by your opponent, land with your props wide and extended outward. Your arms should be slightly forward, never down and backwards. Also, your hips should be parallel to the mat and lower than your head. Then hit an offensive maneuver as quickly as possible. Takedowns are not awarded until control has been firmly established.
17. When countering takedowns, stay off of your knees and use your weight to stop your opponent's motion and destroy his body position.

TOP WRESTLING STRATEGY

1. MOVE FIRST on the whistle or immediately after assuming the top position to make your opponent counter you rather than attack you.
2. Either control your opponent's HIPS, destroy his PROPs or attack his HEAD.
3. Learn how to ride from both sides.
4. Stay behind your opponent's armpits, unless you are attacking his head.
5. Make your opponent carry your weight as often as possible.
6. Ride on your toes in order to have maximum mobility and produce maximum pressure.
7. Remember that you have four props of your own that you must protect in order to maintain a good base.
8. Keep a wide base and do not fall to your side or drop your head. Keep your hips parallel to the mat as often as possible.
9. BREAK YOUR OPPONENT DOWN! The closer he gets to the mat, the greater will be your leverage for pinning combinations.
10. Grab an ankle pick at the shoe-laces and get it off the mat as quickly as possible. Lift up first then drive forward.
11. When you chop a man down, cut the arm where it bends and move your outside knee forward in order to prevent your head from dropping. Keep your knee in his butt.
12. After your opponent is broken down, WORK FOR THE PIN IMMEDIATELY, a man on the defense can not be on the offense at the same time.
13. If you get three points ahead, work nothing but pinning combinations.
14. Nearly always, get perpendicular to pin your opponent.
15. Using a half nelson to apply pressure on your opponent's head, place your palm on the head, not the neck.
16. Keep chest on chest (or back low on chest) with your head up and knees off of the mat while pinning.
17. Vary your style and technique, do not keep using the same attack unless consistently successful against your immediate opponent.
18. If your opponent is in the process of reversing and you feel that you are equal or better than him on takedowns, back off and give him "one but not two."
19. If you are behind late in the match and feel that you can not turn your opponent over but can take him down, let him go and work for a takedown (providing the score is close).
20. Learn to use your legs. Keep your hips on top and parallel to the mat. Keep your weight low on his back with your elbows below his armpits in a cross body ride. Never force legs on your opponent.

BOTTOM WRESTLING STRATEGY

1. Be ready to move at all times. Watch the referee.
2. Adapt your referee's position to the move which you intend to do.
3. Move first and keep the top man countering you. Don't get tied up or lose the offense.
4. Specialize in a series of moves, You should also have a second series which you know well and go to in emergencies.
5. Always keep a good base or return to it quickly if you lose it. Listed below are important ingredients of a good base:
   1. keep your props wide
   2. keep your arms slightly bent
   3. keep your head above your hips
   4. keep your center of gravity over your base
   5. keep your hips and shoulders parallel to the mat.
6. Protect your props. When one of your props is being attacked, either remove it completely or get all your weight on it as quickly as possible.
7. Destroy the top man's props! One of the most effective ways of doing this is to get HAND CONTROL.
8. Know the five directions you can go and try to use height to your advantage as often as possible. Remember that the lower and more spread out your base becomes, the less mobility you have.
9. When turning to face your opponent, use a HIP-HEIST to make your quickest turn.
10. Never reach back over your opponent's back.
11. Don't lay on your stomach, come up to your knees by bringing one knee up to the side and pushing back over it.
12. If you can't get up off of your stomach, keep your head up and elbows in. Be alert for all nelsons, turn the head away from the half and pull the hand off immediately.
13. If you can't get out, get off of the mat and get a fresh start before you get broken down or tied up. Do not do this in an obvious manner or you will be penalized.
14. Practice all moves with a top man on both sides. If you still have trouble escaping from one side, learn how to change your man over by moving your weight and hips.
15. Practice with your eyes closed to learn how to "feel" weight shifts.

From "Wrestling Tips and Strategies", compiled by Bruce Gabrielson - Southern Maryland Wrestling Club.