In order to win in wrestling, you must be able to strategize. Depending on the type of opponent you’re wrestling, the type of strategy you choose may vary. However, one of the most effective strategies used in wrestling matches is purposely wearing out an opponent in order to create offensive openings for yourself. Read on to learn a few tips on how to tire out an opponent to the point where you can achieve pure domination.
Tip #1: Motion
One of the best ways to get an opponent tired is to keep in good motion when in the neutral position. Wrestling at your opponent’s pace will allow him to conserve energy and work on his offense. Keep moving (while staying in good position, of course) and make him wrestle at your pace. To do this, you can circle, shots, hand fight, tie him up, etc. If your conditioning is top-notch and you can keep up the movement, you’ll have him right where you want him by the end of the match.
Tip #2: Control the Head
Controlling your opponent’s head is essential to being able to tire him out. If you work to control his head throughout the entire match, he will need to work twice as hard in order to fight your hands off so he can get back into position. Furthermore, controlling his head will force him to react defensively, limiting the time he can spend on offense.
When in the neutral position, continually “snap” or pull your opponent’s head down towards the mat. This will force him to have to constantly correct his body positioning and it will eventually tire him out. When in the top position, make sure to work your opponent’s head with cross-faces, half nelsons , and other holds that will cause major discomfort to his head and neck areas.
Mental Edge
Not only does controlling your opponent’s head wear him out physically, but it also lets him know who the more dominant wrestler is by tiring him out psychologically. This means that you should work your opponent’s head in every position every chance you get.
Tip #3: The “Takedown Game”
If you’re a stud on your feet, one of the best ways to wear down your opponent is playing the “takedown game.” This is simply taking your opponent down from the neutral position, and then intentionally letting him go or cutting him in order to take him down again. Over the course of the match, this will tire your opponent out mentally and physically. As your opponent gets tired, you can also work to take him down directly to his back in order to score a fall. Chain wrestling from a takedown to a pinning combination will catch your fatigued opponent off guard.
Tip #4: Attitude
This final tip relates to the previous three, but it deserves to be mentioned in a section by itself. In order to wear out an opponent, you need attitude — plain and simple. Keeping up constant motion, controlling your opponent’s head, and playing the “takedown game” all send a message to your opponent: You’re there to wrestle as hard as you can, and you’ll do whatever is necessary to win.
In addition to the previously mentioned tips, there are several other small things you can do that will have an enormous impact on the match. Things like running back to the center circle when you go out of bounds and getting set in your starting position quickly are positive ways to let your opponent know that you have a “can-do” attitude and came to out-work him. Doing these small things will give you the edge because over the course of the match, your persistent attitude could very well “break” him mentally and allow you to dominate him for the win.
Train Hard, Wrestle Hard
You should now have a better understanding of what it takes to wear out an opponent. However, in order to be able to use the tips in this guide, you must train hard to ensure that you have the stamina and technical skill to enforce this strategy. The harder you work in practice, the harder you will wrestle during your matches, so keep pushing yourself to be the best so you can dominate the rest!
