Chapter 2

Warm-up And Conditioning;
Individual And Dual Activities
Performed In Mass Formation

I. MAT DRILL

The mat drill is a mass-exercise activity that involves the practice of individual wrestling techniques. This drill is similar to the so-called football grass drill, except that the action applies to skills in wrestling. The members of the class space themselves over the mat area so that there is at least a double-arm interval between them.

A. Start. The start is a standing position with the hands resting on the legs just above the knees.   The arms are straight and the weight of the upper body is resting on the hands.

B. On Guard. By removing the hands from the legs, and keeping the inside of the upper arms pressed against the sides of the chest and taking a short step forward with either foot, the wrestler's "on guard" position is assumed.

FIRST SERIES. The first series of moves involves four techniques: spot running, blocking a leg tackle, defensive referee's position, and standing up.

C. Spot Running. Spot running  is running in place, keeping the feet close to the mat in order to touch the feet on the mat as rapidly as possible. Whenever the wrestlers come to a standing position during any part of the "mat drill," they should be spot running.

D. Block.  On the command "block," the wrestlers drop their hands to the mat, extending their legs backward and spreading them out. The back is arched a little, with the stomach pressed toward the mat.

E. Position. The wrestlers push back into a good base on their knees. This is known as the "defensive referee's position on the mat."

F. Up. On the command "up," the wrestlers push back to a squat position and stand up by extending their legs.

G. Spot Run. As the wrestlers reach the standing position, they start spot running immediately.

NOTE: All moves from (c) to (g) inclusive can be repeated several times.

SECOND SERIES. The second series of moves involves a bucking movement from the hands and knees position.

H. Buck. Start from position (e), the defensive referee's position on the mat. On the command "buck," the wrestlers keep their hands on the mat and drop their heads in between their arms as they extend their legs, making a steep slide out of their backs. As soon as the legs are extended, all the body weight should be on the feet, with the hands sliding back toward the legs as the wrestlers try to touch their elbows to the mat. This is the movement a wrestler would use to back out from under an opponent who was riding too high on his back.

Down. On the command "down," the wrestlers return to the starting position (e) on the hands and knees.

NOTE: This second series can be repeated and can also be worked in with
the first series.

THIRD SERIES. The third series provides the technique for recovering to a position on the knees from a prone position  on the stomach.

I. Front. On the command "front," the wrestlers drop to a prone position , lying on their stomachs with their arms bent and pulled in close to their sides and under their chests.

J. Right or Left. On the command "right," they roll to a cuddle  position on their right sides.   On the command "left," they extend their legs, rolling to their stomachs and into a cuddle  position on their left sides. In the cuddle  position the elbows are bent and held against the sides. The knees are bent and pulled up toward the chest with the top leg forward.

K. Hand on Mat. From a position on their right sides, the wrestlers place their left hands on the mat close to their faces and step their left feet forward toward their heads, placing the left feet on the mat close to their left hands.

L. FrontBridge. The wrestlers turn into a front bridge on their right shoulders by turning on their toes as they support themselves on their right shoulders and left hands. The feet are spread and the knees are wide apart.

M. Push Back. The knees are set out wide and lowered to the mat as the wrestlers push on the mat with their hands to raise their shoulders off the mat and move back to a position on their knees.

N. Recover. On the command "recover," the wrestlers push back into a position on their hands and knees, sitting on their legs with their toes turned out.

NOTE: AS soon as they are competent in this series, the wrestlers will execute positions (k), (1), (m), and (n) in one continuous maneuver on the command "recover." From the position on the knees, the command "up" can be given, and this third series can be worked into the drill with the first two series.

FOURTH SERIES. The fourth series is called "Bridging Right and Left" and consists of bridging from the back to the right or left shoulder and recovering to a standing position.

O. Back. On the command "back," the wrestlers drop to a backward lying position on the mat, with their hands on their chests, feet on the mat, and the legs in position for a back bridge.

P. Right or Left. On the command "right," the wrestlers do a back bridge on their right shoulders, pulling their right elbows under their right sides and placing their left hands on the mat close to their faces.

Q. Turn. On the command "turn," they turn into a front bridge on the right shoulders as in (1).

R. Recover. On the command "recover," the wrestlers use both hands to push up from the mat into a standing position, spot running until the command "back" is given.

NOTE: The same procedure can be directed to the left and up. After competence is achieved in the execution of this exercise, the wrestlers should bridge, turn, and recover in a continuous maneuver in the direction of the command "right" or the command "left." It is best to alternate right and left and give enough time in spot running for them all to face forward and space themselves equidistant apart while they are spot running. Any of the first three series can be worked back into this drill from the spot-running position.

FIFTH SERIES

Sit-out and Turn-in. The "sit-out and turn-in " is described and illustrated as a dual activity in paragraphs 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d which follow and in maneuver 4 of Chapter 3, page 19. It should first be practiced as an individual activity along with the other exercises in the preceding series. The action may consist of a series of sit-outs to the same side or alternated to "right" or "left," as in the bridging drill.

II. INDIVIDUAL EXERCISES AND DUAL ACTIVITIES

1. BRIDGING AND BACK PUSH-UPS

A. HighBridge. From the "back" position (la) the wrestlers push onto their heads and into a high bridge, trying to touch the nose and chin on the mat.   It may be necessary for some to support this bridge by stretching their arms backward over their shoulders and placing their hands on the mat. After neck strength is developed, all wrestlers should be able to do high bridges with their arms folded in front of their chests.

B. Forward.  From the high bridge position the wrestlers rock forward until the back of the head supports the bridge. The back does not touch the mat in this position, and the wrestlers are ready to rock back into a high bridge.   The exercise is repeated several times.

C. Back Push-up. From the high bridge position the wrestlers place their hands on the mat under their shoulders and push up with the legs and arms into a high arch. The head is thrust backward under the back as the wrestler looks at the mat directly under him. On the command "down," the forehead is lowered to the mat, and the wrestlers are in position to repeat the exercise.

OTHER EXERCISES: Such activities as sit-ups, leg lifts, pull-ups, and pushups can be practiced along with other exercises to develop flexibility and strengthen various parts of the body that may need development.   These special exercises are not included in this book because the emphasis here is on the development of wrestling techniques.

2. SPINNING.  Spinning  is an excellent conditioning activity and also contributes to the development of effective wrestling skills.

A. Start. One wrestler is on his hands and knees and the other is on top in a floating position .

B. Spin. The top wrestler spins to the right or left, keeping his chest in contact with the scapular area on the bottom man's back. The top man pivots on his chest and moves in a circular motion around the bottom man. He should travel 180 degrees on each move, completing the entire circle (360 degrees) in two moves.   The wrestlers reverse positions every 20 or 30 seconds.

C. Position. On the command "position," the top man quickly spins to the rear of the bottom man and attempts to break the bottom man down with one of the "breakdowns" explained in maneuver 11 of Chapter 3. On the command "spin," the spinning is resumed.

4. DUAL BRIDGING (REVERSALS FROM ARM LOCK AND BODY LOCK PIN)

A. Start. B is in a back bridge position and A is on top on the right side of B, with his chest on B's chest. Each has a body lock with the right arm while the left arm of each is used to hold the opponent's right arm and lock it into the side.

B. Bridge and Over. B executes a high bridge to the left onto his left shoulder, turning A with him until A's back is toward the mat. A places his head on the mat as he goes over and prepares to land in a back bridging position as B turns into the top position.

C. Bridge and Over.  From the back bridging position with B on top, A follows through to a high bridge on his left shoulder, turning B with him. As B goes over, he turns on his head and prepares to land in a bridging position.

D. Bridge and Continue. B lands in a bridging position with A on top, as at the start (a). The bridge-overs, (b) and (c), are repeated three or four times before stopping.

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