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Wrestling

The Wrestling Tree

107 techniques · NOVICE → JV → VARSITY → STATE → ALL-AMERICAN

THE SEVEN BASIC SKILLS · USA WRESTLING
StanceMotionLevel changePenetrationLiftingBack stepBack arch

The systems over this tree

American folkstyle Riding and pinning culture; the scramble as art.
Soviet / Russian system Systematized technique science; exposure-first freestyle; par terre mastery.
Dagestani Relentless pace, chest-to-chest pressure, chains that never give the position back.
Iranian Upper-body power; the front headlock as religion.
Japanese Speed and precision; low-risk, high-rate leg attacks.
The Caucasus belt Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan: physicality plus throw heritage.
2x Olympic, 6x world champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev The Russian Tank: Dagestani chest pressure, underhooks and finishes that end arguments.
3x Olympic, 6x world champion Buvaisar Saitiev The most beautiful freestyle ever wrestled: misdirection, arm spins and angles like calligraphy.
Olympic + 6x world champion Jordan Burroughs All I See Is Gold: the best double leg in the sport's history, doubled down for a decade.
4x Olympic champion Kaori Icho Four straight Games: Japanese precision, low attacks and defense that never lends a leg.
Olympic + 4x world champion Hassan Yazdani Iran's Greatest: forward pressure, the front headlock, and a pace that breaks the third period.

NOVICE

NEUTRAL OFFENSE

Double leg▶ Single leg (head inside)▶ Level-change setups▶

TIES & DEFENSE

Collar tie & inside control▶ Sprawl▶ Down block▶

TOP

Breakdowns (spiral, tight-waist ankle) Half nelson▶ Mat returns▶

BOTTOM

Base & hand control Stand-up

CONCEPTS

Hand fighting▶ Motion & pace

JV

NEUTRAL OFFENSE

High crotch▶ Ankle pick▶ Sweep single▶ Double-leg finishes▶ Run the pipe▶ Blast double▶

TIES & DEFENSE

Underhook▶ Overhook & whizzer Snap down▶ Front headlock▶ Head-hands defense

TOP

Far-side cradle▶ Near-side cradle▶ Cheap tilt▶ Double bar arm

BOTTOM

Sit-out series▶ Switch Inside-leg stand-up

FREESTYLE · GRECO

Gut wrench Par terre defense basics Exposure awareness

CONCEPTS

Setups & misdirection Level-change timing▶

VARSITY

NEUTRAL OFFENSE

Fireman's carry▶ Duck under▶ Arm spin Knee pick▶ Underhook knee pick▶ Slide-by▶ Throw-by▶ Re-shots

TIES & DEFENSE

Two-on-one (Russian)▶ Go-behind▶ Front headlock spins▶ Shrug series

TOP

Claw ride Tilt series (two-on-one)▶ Turk▶ Advanced spiral ride▶

BOTTOM

Granby roll▶ Hip heist▶ Tripod finishes Peterson roll▶

FREESTYLE · GRECO

Leg lace Arm throw Bodylock▶ Par terre arm bars & nelson turns

CONCEPTS

Edge & out-of-bounds strategy Riding time (folkstyle)

STATE

NEUTRAL OFFENSE

Low single▶ Snatch single▶ Misdirection attacks Chain wrestling series Shots off snaps Headlock & back-step throws▶

TIES & DEFENSE

Cement mixer▶ Re-snap series Short offense (snap-and-go) Whizzer hip pressure▶

TOP

Leg rides (grapevine in) Power half▶ Near-wrist ride▶ Guillotine (leg turn)▶ Trap-arm tilts

BOTTOM

Leg-ride defense (hip-over, limp leg) Wrist-fight systems Funk rolls from bottom Standing Granby▶

FREESTYLE · GRECO

Front headlock shuck & lift▶ Duck-under lift▶ Cross ankle lace Lat drop▶ Elite par terre defense

CONCEPTS

Short-time situations Passivity management (FS/GR)

ALL-AMERICAN

NEUTRAL OFFENSE

Flow chains (double–single–HC) Re-attacks vs elite defense Scramble offense (funk) Leg attacks vs whizzer

TIES & DEFENSE

Scramble defense (funk rolls) Crackdown & crossface counters Chest-wrap counter offense

TOP

Cross-body ride mastery▶ Force half & jacobs Tilt chains vs elite bottom

BOTTOM

Tilt defense mastery Scrambles to leg attacks Spladle▶ Elite mat awareness

FREESTYLE · GRECO

Back-arch throws (souplesse) Reverse lift Ordered par terre strategy

CONCEPTS

Match management Gameplanning an opponent▶

Canon: USA Wrestling 7 Basic Skills · Mysnyk, Davis & Simpson, Winning Wrestling Moves (200 takedowns, freestyle turns) · UWW par terre