Collegiate Wrestling Techniques

It's always important to expand your knowledge of techniques are you grow in experience as a wrestler, but by the time you get to college, you should be mastering some collegiate wrestling techniques. While there are some moves the collegiate wrestler shouldn't try, you're just one step away from being a professional or amateur wrestler, so there aren't many moves you shouldn't at least be attempting. You don't have to utilize these techniques in actual matches, but it is important that every collegiate wrestler at least be familiar with these standard techniques.

1. Make your opponent dizzy with the arm spin. An arm spin in collegiate wrestling should utilized when you are in control of an elbow-tie or, for those not familiar with wrestling terminology, a locked elbows moment. Take a step back from your opponent and quickly pull the arm across your opponent's body. Spin your body away from the opponent and carry your momentum to the ground. Your opponent should be laying with his back to the ground and you still in control of the elbow lock, even though you land face-down. Quickly bring the elbow-tied arm across the defender's chest to receive some very well earned "nearfall" and style points.
2. Counter with the downblock. Make your collegiate opponent feel like he's back in high school by successfully using a downblock wrestling technique. When your opponent starts for a shot, open your stance and take a step backward. Let your opponent carry his momentum past your center of balance before you grab his arm and slam him to the mat. This technique may sound easy on paper, but it can take years to master properly.
3. End a grapple with a throw-by. When engaged in an underhook or sprawling grapple, try to shift your opponent's weight to his weak side. This can be done by leveraging your arms and placing them in the upper or lower area of their sternum and exerting a greater force onto your opponent than he is to you. When you feel his weight shift, quickly move your weight from that side and wrap your body around his back. If this is timed correctly, he should already be falling to the mat before you have secured your body around his back. Once on the ground, hold him until the referee stops the session and awards you the points for the successful wrestling takedown.
4. Go face-down with a slideby. If you're locked in an underhook grapple by one of your collegiate brothers, step toward the side with the underhook. As you step, lower your shoulder level below the underhook reducing the force being placed on you. This is imperative if you are to stay upright while doing this move. After you've lowered your shoulder level, drive your shoulder into your opponent's chest and bring you and your opponent to the ground. The idea of this collegiate wrestling technique is that you will have more control of your body than your opponent and that you will be able to position his back underneath your chest before you hit the mat. Once you hit the mat, you will be in a great position for a takedown.