ALTA Week 2 Wrestling

Wrestling – Single Leg Takedown

This is the first freestyle wrestling takedown we learn in ALTA. “Single” refers to the fact that you’re going to grab on to one of your partner’s legs (as opposed to both). There are a number of variations and chains (combinations) of single legs. We’ll start with “Head inside” and “Run the pipe” and then apply the same technique to the “Head outside” variation.

Gable Grip and Rowing action

The gable grip is used on a wide range of positions and refers to a palm to palm grip. Interlocking fingers is weak by comparison and also impossible with MMA gloves on so learning to grip palm to palm early is very advantageous. The rowing action refers to the process of pulling your elbows back and around your rib cage. Visualise touching both elbows together at your spine. This is impossible to do but the point is to try to do it. The gable grip in conjunction with the rowing action is what will give you the best attachment to the single leg.

Rule of the Single Nipple

This rule is a good guide to help you ensure you maintain correct posture in the takedown. If your head ends up in the stomach or crotch region of your opponent during a head inside single, they will easily sprawl on top of you and stuff your attempt. On the head outside single, the same posture will get you choked with a guillotine. To avoid both, focus on attaching one of your ears to one of their nipples. Like lego bricks, they should click together.

“Run the pipe” and footwork

This refers to a type of movement derived from old school railway construction workers. The image you should have is of passing a steel railway track backwards between your legs to the next person. It will help you to do the correct motion in the single leg takedown. There’s a step and pivot just before ‘running the pipe’ and it takes a bit of practice to get the coordination right. Memorise the phrase “Step towards the standing leg. Pivot away from the elevated leg”. This will create a hole for them to fall into. You’ll always be sitting them down on the side where they have no leg, regardless of the variation you’re doing.

No Bulldozer

On the single leg takedowns, most people will be tempted to use their head to push their opponent over (bulldozer). This is not correct and will lead to neck pain (or injury). Instead, focus on gripping their thigh bone (femur) as tight as possible. Then think about sticking the femur into the ground like a stake. The “run the pipe” footwork will take care of the direction.

Head inside Single

Using a gable grip to pick up your opponent’s leg, put your head on the inside looking across their chest. Don’t forget the rule of the single nipple.
Gable Grip details: Palm up on your hand that’s between their legs. Palm down on the hand that goes around the back of their leg.
Make sure the front on their thigh is attached to your belly. This will require you to grip high on their thigh and not behind the back of the knee. If their shin or knee cap is on your belly, your grip is too low and you don’t have control of their hip. Adjust your grip higher.
Make sure your legs are side by side, with their leg between your two thighs. You can squeeze your thighs around their leg but this will restrict the run the pipe footwork later so be ready to unsqueeze or else don’t squeeze at all.
Run the pipe. Step across the front of their standing leg with your leg that’s closest to it. Then step your other leg back away from them (pivot). As you land your second step, drag their thigh down towards the floor. You’ll effectively be sitting them down on the side where they have no leg.
Don’t hold on to the anchor! As they fall, you can loosen your grip so that they fall while you remain standing.

Head Outside Single

The mechanics of the finish of the outside single is identical to the head inside. It’s actually easier to implement too (just more dangerous because of the potential guillotine choke). The only difference is the position of your head in the beginning.

Using a gable grip to pick up your opponent’s leg, put your head on the outside looking towards or through their armpit. Don’t forget the rule of the single nipple. DO NOT STICK YOUR HEAD THROUGH THEIR ARMPIT.
Gable Grip details: Palm up on your hand that’s between their legs. Palm down on the hand that goes around the back of their leg.
All other steps from the head inside are the same. Just remember to step towards their standing leg and pivot to sit them on the side they’ve got no leg.
Don’t hold on to the anchor! As they fall, you can loosen your grip so that they fall while you remain standing.

Entries to the Single (from striking range)

Once you have the mechanics of the single leg takedown, your next challenge will be to get from a striking range to the wrestling range. We call this the ‘entry step’. There are 3 in total and depending on which takedown you want and what your relative stances are, you need to adapt accordingly.

Relative Stances

This refers to the stance both you and your partner have relative to each other. For example you could both be orthodox stance, both be southpaw or you could be opposites. We refer to the possible combinations as either Open or Closed.

Open Stance: When you and your opponent have opposite stances (orthodox versus southpaw or vice versa). If you imagine a straight line between your heels and another straight line between your opponent’s heels. Then ask yourself, do those two lines make a V shape? Like an Open book? That signifies Open stance.
Closed Stance: If the two lines are parallel (like a closed book || ), then you’re in a closed stance.
It can be complicated trying to think about orthodox, southpaw, left leg, right leg and the mirror images etc. Open and Closed stance is a far easier way to define relative stances and informs tactics and techniques that are appropriate in each case.

Entry Steps

Skip Jab Entry: From week 1 striking, you’ll be familiar with the skip jab. This is a great distance closer to get you from striking range to wrestling range.
Cross Step Entry: This refers to punching first (using a cross) and then taking a full step forward with your rear leg to close the distance.
Level Change Entry: This is when your opponent comes to you (usually throwing a punch combination). Effectively, they are the ones closing the range and you simply take advantage of that by ducking under their hands to grab hold of their legs.

In the beginning it will be very confusing to figure out which entry step you should use and what type of takedown that gives you. For example “I’m in an open stance and I want a head inside single, which entry step is that?”. Try not to overthink it. Focus on closing the distance and making a connection. When you get there, it will be obvious which takedown is available then and muscle memory will take over, provided you have your reps done.