The Amateur Grappler

THE MOVES

Techniques & Moves

Wrestling technique is a shared language passed from coach to wrestler. Below are the core holds and maneuvers every student of the sport should know, grouped by the situation in which they're used. Note: never attempt these moves without a qualified coach present.

Wrestler finishing a single-leg takedown

Takedowns

The bread and butter of the neutral position. A takedown takes an opponent from standing to the mat and earns two points in collegiate wrestling.

Single-Leg Takedown

Freestyle · Folkstyle

The wrestler secures one of the opponent's legs and finishes by driving forward, lifting the leg, or switching to a second attack. The most common takedown in modern wrestling.

Double-Leg Takedown

Freestyle · Folkstyle

A penetration step closes the distance, both legs are captured, and the opponent is driven to the mat — similar to a rugby or football tackle with strict form requirements.

Fireman's Carry

All styles

From a collar-and-elbow tie, the attacker drops under the opponent's arm, captures the far leg and near arm, and rotates the opponent over the shoulder in a classic throw.

Sweep Single

Freestyle · Folkstyle

A low single-leg variation where the attacker uses their own leg to sweep the opponent's foot off the mat while controlling the ankle — favored by light-footed wrestlers.

Headlock Throw

Greco-Roman

Since Greco-Roman forbids leg attacks, throws from the headlock are the style's signature: the wrestler locks the opponent's head and arm and arches them overhead for a big-amplitude throw.

Hip Toss

Greco-Roman · Freestyle

The attacker gets their hips lower than the opponent's, pulls them over the back, and drives them onto the mat using the opponent's own momentum.

Escapes & Reversals

When you start on the bottom in the referee's position, the goal is to stand, turn, or break free and score — one point for an escape, two for a reversal in folkstyle.

Stand-Up

Folkstyle

The most common escape: the bottom wrestler bases on their hands, swims an arm free, and rises to their feet before the top wrestler can ride them back down.

Switch

Folkstyle · Freestyle

From the bottom, the wrestler snaps the near arm back, switches hips to face the opponent, and attacks the far leg — often turning an escape attempt into a reversal.

Sit-Out

Folkstyle · Freestyle

The bottom wrestler sits through toward the opponent's back leg, spinning out from under a ride while attacking an ankle or scrambling to the open position.

Peterson Roll

Folkstyle

A skilled wrestler's reversal: from a leg-ride defense the bottom wrestler rolls through the opponent's momentum, flipping the position and often the score.

Rides, Breakdowns & Pins

On top, wrestling rewards control. Breakdowns flatten an opponent, rides keep them defensive, and pinning combinations end the match outright.

Ankle Ride

Folkstyle

The top wrestler wraps the opponent's ankle and keeps constant pressure, forcing them to fight the leg and opening their back for tilts and turns.

Half Nelson

All styles

One arm threads under the opponent's armpit and behind the neck. Driving forward turns the opponent onto their back — the simplest and most common pinning hold.

Cradle

All styles

The attacker locks the opponent's head and one leg together with interlocked hands; the compression bends the opponent in half and makes them impossible to escape from.

Tilt

Freestyle · Folkstyle

From the top, the wrestler captures the opponent's near-side arm and leg and cranks them sideways, exposing the back to the mat — a rapid scoring weapon in freestyle.

Spladle

Folkstyle

A spectacular near-pin: the top wrestler captures one leg and splits the opponent wide, folding them into an inescapable bridged position.