Freestyle/Greco Transition

[Coach Beezy]

Coaches in your opinion what are the biggest focus points in transitioning "new" wrestlers to Freestyle and Greco? Our club is mainly comprised of first year wrestlers. We have about 4 that has previously wrestled both. Thoughts?

[BrodyHardcastle]

For freestyle something I like putting into new wrestlers ear is finishing shots cleanly and not getting stuck underneath on their shots. Another thing is transitioning from takedowns to turns (after you show a lace and gut), obviously turns are different in freestyle but I think the mindset is the same (which is to keep scoring points.) IMO Indiana could always could get better at par terre as well.

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by bigballerb

[aoberlin]

Ditch your head on the outside singles and high crotches. Focus on head up inside singles and finishing off the mat. Defensively start with stepping around the corner and crotch lifts. Then start with good old gut wrenches and defending them. Tell them stand ups can be bad news. Let them know to have some fun.

 

Oh and drill back arch and turns for a while.

[GenHeavyHandz]

14 hours ago, aoberlin said:

Ditch your head on the outside singles and high crotches. Focus on head up inside singles and finishing off the mat. Defensively start with stepping around the corner and crotch lifts. Then start with good old gut wrenches and defending them. Tell them stand ups can be bad news. Let them know to have some fun.

 

Oh and drill back arch and turns for a while.

Wrestling is wrestling. If you  know you know. approach it all the same.  That’s why I’ve seen success and currently foster successful campaigns and careers.  Work on ties. Keep telling kids to stay out the tie and get dominated. But what do I know?

[casualwrestlingfan]

Anyway, where do you start learning about FS & GR? How do you take what you learn & apply it to Folk? How do you get those new to Folk interested in FS & GR? 

 

I'm not mad, just disappointed on the bickering above as it relates to NE Indiana. We need all hands on deck working together so THE KIDS in OUR AREA get back on top & control the podiums. I have no side in that fight, but it seems like that's why OUR AREA hasn't had the success like others. Too many fighting against each other instead of iron sharpening iron & helping each other improve. Seems like The County & Evansville have learned to come together & dominate along with Crown Point.

[Mattyb]

[aoberlin]

1 hour ago, casualwrestlingfan said:

Anyway, where do you start learning about FS & GR? How do you take what you learn & apply it to Folk? How do you get those new to Folk interested in FS & GR? 

 

I'm not mad, just disappointed on the bickering above as it relates to NE Indiana. We need all hands on deck working together so THE KIDS in OUR AREA get back on top & control the podiums. I have no side in that fight, but it seems like that's why OUR AREA hasn't had the success like others. Too many fighting against each other instead of iron sharpening iron & helping each other improve. Seems like The County & Evansville have learned to come together & dominate along with Crown Point.

You are right. I apologize and will delete all comments.

[casualwrestlingfan]

2 minutes ago, Mattyb said:

Can Hendricks County area & Evansville start some internal fights? We need you guys to level the playing field.

[casualwrestlingfan]

5 minutes ago, aoberlin said:

You are right. I apologize and will delete all comments.

No need for that, it is what it is. I'm just tired of seeing this throughout NE Indiana. Bellmont vs AC & SA, AC vs SA, and etc in person.

 

Like I mentioned, no one seems to have answers to my questions. I'm trying to get 3 steps ahead of my quest/far fetched dream. Feel not enough kids are doing off-season folkstyle work, let alone freestyle and Greco-Roman. I just have been exposed to folkstyle but little to 0 freestyle & Greco-Roman. Everything is basically from personal observations. 

Edited March 15, 2023 by casualwrestlingfan

[CoachDuke2.0]

1 hour ago, casualwrestlingfan said:

No need for that, it is what it is. I'm just tired of seeing this throughout NE Indiana. Bellmont vs AC & SA, AC vs SA, and etc in person.

 

Like I mentioned, no one seems to have answers to my questions. I'm trying to get 3 steps ahead of my quest/far fetched dream. Feel not enough kids are doing off-season folkstyle work, let alone freestyle and Greco-Roman. I just have been exposed to folkstyle but little to 0 freestyle & Greco-Roman. Everything is basically from personal observations. 

I am not sure if you want my opinion or not, just an average ol coach here. However, If i had to do a freestyle 101 breakdown for someone going into their first tourney I would focus on 3 things. 
 

1.) work on hand fighting and outside singles. If you are going to attack high c style thats fine just make sure you rotate to a corner so you dont get crotch lifted. Knee pulls are awesome. You want finish high as much as possible. Get to your feet ASAP
 

2.) transition to a lock (leg lace or gut) on the way down to the mat after your takedown. Someone who is experienced in freestyle will “glue” their chest to the mat and while

not impossible, it is harder to get your hands locked once they get flat and start defending. 
 

3.) be tough on bottom for 8-10 seconds and dont try hitting a standup had a friend try do this in his first ever freestyle tourney and get launched for 5 ‍

Edited March 15, 2023 by CoachDuke2.0

[casualwrestlingfan]

6 minutes ago, CoachDuke2.0 said:

I am not sure if you want my opinion or not, just an average ol coach here. However, If i had to do a freestyle 101 breakdown for someone going into their first tourney I would focus on 3 things. 
 

1.) work on hand fighting and outside singles. If you are going to attack high c style thats fine just make sure you rotate to a corner so you dont get crotch lifted. Knee pulls are awesome. 
 

2.) transition to a lock (leg lace or gut) on the way down to the mat after your takedown. Someone who is experienced in freestyle will “glue” their chest to the mat and while

not impossible, it is harder to get your hands locked once they get flat and start defending. 
 

3.) be tough on bottom for 8-10 seconds and dont try hitting a standup had a friend try do this in his first ever freestyle tourney and get launched for 5 ‍

Thank you! As mentioned, I have little knowledge on Freestyle & Greco-Roman. I'll take any advice I can get. Just trying to learn & translate what can be used to folkstyle.

[aoberlin]

For any that read the comments before they were deleted. I would like to apologize. It seems that I took The Generals DM out of context and let anger get the best of me. Carry on with the freestyle/greco convo.

[BrodyHardcastle]

1 hour ago, CoachDuke2.0 said:

I am not sure if you want my opinion or not, just an average ol coach here. However, If i had to do a freestyle 101 breakdown for someone going into their first tourney I would focus on 3 things. 
 

1.) work on hand fighting and outside singles. If you are going to attack high c style thats fine just make sure you rotate to a corner so you dont get crotch lifted. Knee pulls are awesome. You want finish high as much as possible. Get to your feet ASAP
 

2.) transition to a lock (leg lace or gut) on the way down to the mat after your takedown. Someone who is experienced in freestyle will “glue” their chest to the mat and while

not impossible, it is harder to get your hands locked once they get flat and start defending. 
 

3.) be tough on bottom for 8-10 seconds and dont try hitting a standup had a friend try do this in his first ever freestyle tourney and get launched for 5 ‍

2.0 knows all

[jonah7474]

On 3/14/2023 at 1:54 PM, Coach Beezy said:

Coaches in your opinion what are the biggest focus points in transitioning "new" wrestlers to Freestyle and Greco? Our club is mainly comprised of first year wrestlers. We have about 4 that has previously wrestled both. Thoughts?

For me, I have always started by focusing on hips. In my opinion, he who has the best hips and can use them… wins. 
 

You need your hips to throw with grand amplitude, defend shots, finish shots, turns on top, preventing turns on bottom, knee taps, cart wheel over the top from neutral and on bottom…. Etc… etc… etc… 
 

Obviously, there is more to it than just hips BUT this is where I start and IMO, if your kids can develop the use of their hips the rest will fall into place.

[Silence Dogood]

Teach them that reaching back from bottom and touching the head with two hands is illegal but violently slamming a person on their neck with a suplex is highly encouraged.