Using the control of your opponent’s elbow is one of the most common and effective ways to set up a high crotch takedown since an opponent’s elbows are often exposed for control when tying up. There are two different variations of this setup that you can use when you are controlling one of your opponent’s elbows. The first variation is to grip the back of your opponent’s elbow with your thumb on the outside. The second is the same grip, but your thumb is on the inside of his elbow instead. Follow the steps in this guide to understand these two basic, yet powerful, high crotch set-ups.
Thumb Outside — Pull
The first thing you need to accomplish for this setup is to get your opponent to tie up with you. This can usually be done by initiating a collar tie. For the purpose of this move, keep your forehead pressed against your opponent’s forehead when you’re tying up. This will allow you to stay in position for the takedown and it will give you better control of your opponent’s elbow. From here, you are ready to set up your high crotch takedown:
- Control the elbow: On the same side of your opponent’s body as the leg you want to attack, grip the back of your opponent’s arm, just above the elbow with your thumb to the outside and your palm facing up. Your fingers should be on the inside of his arm. Make sure you are leading with the same leg that your opponent is leading with — if he leads with his left leg, so should you.
- Lower your level: Start to lower your body by bending your knees. As you lower yourself, pull your opponent’s elbow over whichever shoulder that’s on the same side of your body that he is tying up.
- Drop your knee: Drop the knee of your lead leg in between your opponent’s feet. This should give you significant leverage to pull his body over your shoulder. If you do this hard enough, he’ll fall over your back. This will bring his legs forward, making them easier to grab. Lastly, don’t forget to stay in a good position: Hips pushed in towards your opponent’s leg and your head and chest up in a strong position.
- Grip the leg: Extend your free arm in between your opponent’s legs and grip his lead leg from behind the knee.
- Control the lead leg: Release the grip you have on your opponent’s elbow. Then, bring your hand down so that you can lock both of your hands together on the outside of his lead leg. Pull this leg to your chest and keep it tight.
- Finish: Finish as desired!
Hot Tip: No Step!
If you pull your opponent’s body toward you hard enough on your set-up, you’ll bring his legs to you. (It also helps if he is moving towards you.) You might not even need to take a penetration step — just drop your knee!
Thumb Inside — Pop
This setup will also start from your opponent’s collar tie. Make sure that your opponent’s lead leg is on the same side of his body as the arm he’s using to tie you up. That is, if he’s tying you up with his left arm, you’ll shoot for his left (lead) leg. If necessary, snap and pull your opponent towards you. This will force him to alter his stance, switching his lead legs and putting the leg you want forward.
- Pop the arm: Grip his left arm with your right hand. Your right hand’s thumb should be on the inside of your opponent’s arm and your fingers should be on the outside, palm facing up. Now, push or “pop” your opponent’s arm up and in towards his body. This will take away the control he has on your upper body and allow you to shoot in on his legs.
- Lower your level: As you push your opponent’s arm up and in towards his body, lower your elevation. This is extremely important: If you do not lower your body when you remove the tie, he will maintain control of your head and upper body.
- Step and drop: Take a deep step with your lead leg. If he is moving towards you, this step may be smaller than usual. After you step, drop your lead leg’s knee in between your opponent’s legs.
- Control the lead leg: Extend your free arm inside of your opponent’s legs and grip the back of his lead leg from behind the knee. Try to get your elbow around the back of the knee as far as possible. Ideally, the bend of your elbow should be behind your opponent’s knee.
- Stay in a good position: Bring your other hand down (the hand that you used to push off your opponent’s collar tie) and lock both hands on the outside of your opponent’s lead leg. Pull it tight to your chest. Keep your head and chest up, and keep your hips tight against his lead leg to maintain a good position!
- Finish: Finish the takedown!
Takedown Instincts
A collar tie is used in nearly every wrestling match, so knowing these two setup variations will add to your offense tremendously. Drill both of these set-ups by hitting the move as soon as your opponent secures a collar tie on you. You may have to move your opponent so that the leg you want forward becomes his lead leg, but try to set up the takedown as soon as your opponent ties you up. Making these setups a defensive reaction to a collar tie will allow you to surprise an opponent with a takedown anytime!
