Common wrestling mistakes in MMA
Wrestling is a massive part of MMA. It allows a fighter to keep it standing or to take it to the ground. However, not many people in MMA have wrestled. This is especially true in New Zealand. This is due mostly to the inaccessibility of wrestling, particularly if we look at somewhere like the States. As a coach here in NZ, I see what I call the common mistakes when wrestling in MMA.
I’m very lucky to have wrestled under a Commonwealth Games Wrestler, as well as an Olympic wrestler. This fact though, does not mean that I am a great wrestler. It did, however, give me a good technical foundation to build on. When you’re training your wrestling, in a wrestling club, with other people that only wrestle (i.e. wrestlers), it is a lot different to training with MMA fighters. Wrestlers have only one speed and that is 100 miles an hour. This makes for intense warm-ups, drilling and live wrestling. If you are haven’t been around it before, it serves as a massive eye opener. This is the biggest issue people have when learning wrestling.
Getting that takedown: Distance Management
Distance is a constant battle in MMA. Since there is striking, you’re worried about getting hit. You are either trying to close the distance or keep the distance. Getting close to someone who is trying to punch you though, is a little harder than you might think. Trying to get close while punches are flying at your face causes two very big problems. Both problems concern managing distance to get the takedown.
Firstly, let’s say you take away every other component of MMA, and just wrestle (no striking or submissions). That is keeping your opponent at arm’s length and tying your hands up. This distance makes takedowns very difficult. The aim is to be close and have your arms inside theirs (so there’s no obstructions to get to the legs for a takedown). If we are controlling and hand-fighting, when one goes for a takedown, we have to release the other’s arms. And, if not done correctly, the opponent can feel it and simply moves away. When you watch the people that have wrestled, they keep their arms in until they can set something up like an under hook, ankle pick or whatever. They get in close enough to use their arms to attack, not just to keep their opponent at a distance.
This leads to another problem. Since your opponent doesn’t want to get taken down, they usually try to manage distance and be far enough away to avoid ending up on the mat. To make up for this distance, many people tend to reach with their arms out and lean forward. The success rate when doing this though, is going to be very low. Wrestlers will get in very close with their footwork and set-ups. Let’s take a single leg as an example. Usually with the opponent’s weight is on the front foot, they step in, attach their shoulder to the opponent’s hip and grab the front leg so their thigh is tight against their chest. To get into this position though, the wrestler has to force their opponent’s weight onto their front leg and position themselves close enough to get the leg without reaching. Getting the body close instead of trying to grab a leg with your arms gives you a stronger position. The other thing that reaching does is stuff up your posture and head position. When you reach, your shoulders go in front of your base and as soon as some weight goes on you, your chest goes towards the ground. As you’re leaning forward, that will mean that your eyes are down – leaving you in a bad position from the start. This also leads to your back curving. Again, putting you in a much weaker position. When you start in a strong position, the chances of a takedown increase 100 times.
MMA’s prized takedown: The Double Leg
The double leg is one of the most effective and best-looking takedowns in MMA. The payoff is massive if you get it. The downside though, is that missing this takedown also has big repercussions. Most people in MMA are worried about the downside of the takedown which makes them hesitant. When you’re hesitant, you tend to miss the takedown anyway; making all those fears come true. This leads to more concern and less success with the takedown, so it is a downward spiral. The good news is that with drilling and practicing success, you can overcome some of the negative thoughts. What you really need is someone less experienced so getting into that position in the first place is easier, leading to more practice in live situations. When wrestling with some people, you don’t even get an opportunity to try a double leg.
Once you have some belief, your success goes through the roof. One of the things that really changes (that is disguised as belief) is hunger. When you go for a double leg against a less experienced person, you want the takedown and when you go for it you keep pushing and driving until they get it. It is not just the belief that gets better; it’s the timing, the position, the drive, the desire, and the technique all improve.
We have been training wrestling a lot more this year (pre-Lockdown) and the skill level has increased a lot. The set up for takedowns using footwork, timing, and recognising the position improves session by session. The awareness of a bad position is better with everyone. The flow on effect it had on my personal wrestling was also great. If I did something wrong, I paid for it. This made my wrestling better, which made their wrestling better and everyone was improving. Just keep in mind that technique, distance, posture, body position and desire all combine to improve a takedown. If any of those things are missing, then the chances of getting it will decrease dramatically.
Gareth Lewis
Head MMA Instructor