Basic Wrestling Moves

Kenny Torres taught science at Los Alamitos Unified School District in Los Alamitos, California, from 1999 to 2017. During this period, Kenny Torres also served as the head varsity wrestling coach.

The goal in a wrestling match is to pin one’s opponent, which can be achieved with a few basic moves that work well for beginners and advanced wrestlers alike. These moves fall into three basic categories: top, bottom, and standing position moves.

From the top position, a wrestler can execute a move like the half-Nelson, which entails slipping one’s arm under his opponent’s armpit from the back and around the back of his neck in anticipation of flipping him over for the pin. The other arm should be used to grab the opponent’s wrist to prevent him from using his free arm to escape the hold.

From the bottom position, a wrestler will want to try to escape to a standing position or the opponent’s position via a switch. Whereas escapes can leave a wrestler vulnerable to being taken down again, switches tend to leave him in a more advantageous position relative to the goal of pinning his opponent.

From the standing position, wrestlers can practice offense or defense. Offensively, the double-leg takedown, which involves one wrestler wrapping an arm around each of his opponent’s legs as a means of undermining his stability and taking him to the mat, is an effective maneuver. To defend against this, a wrestler should remain light on his feet, thereby making it difficult for his opponent to grab his legs.