As many seasoned veterans will tell you, if you’re not using your legs in Greco, then you aren’t using half of the tools in your toolbox. Yes, it’s in the rules that “legging” is not allowed in Greco-Roman, and it is punishable by cautions and points for the opposing wrestler. However, if you watch some of the most elite Greco wrestlers, they will indeed use their legs to help along their upper-body techniques, only in more subtle ways.
One technique in Greco where there is a “sneaky” use of the legs is the low gut. Not only are you attacking the very top of your opponent’s legs, you are also using yours to help complete the move. The low gut can absolutely be used in freestyle competition. However, the technique is best suited to catch your opponents off guard in Greco. Drill the following steps until you feel you are ready to execute the low gut in your next match:
Step 1: Start Low on the Hips
As its name implies, the gut is typically locked around an opponent’s midsection. The low gut is actually a little bit lower than this – more like around the top of the hips/thighs. Your ear should be on your opponent’s lower back while looking in the direction away from the roll. With your chest over his buttocks, keep pressure on your opponent’s hips to keep him from basing up into you. Pinch your knees outside of your opponent’s legs. Also, pinch your elbows tightly around the top of your opponent’s thighs. This will help keep his legs together to allow you to complete this move, and it will also disguise your exact position on the hips and help prevent you from being called for legs.
Step 2: Load Your Opponent on to Your Hips
To start the gut, you will need to load your opponent on top of your hips by driving his body over one of the knees that you have posted. For example, if you want to roll to the left, post your left knee next to your opponent’s legs (this will be your “bottom” leg). With your opposite leg, you want to drive your opponent’s legs on top of yours. As you roll, your opponent’s hips/legs will automatically be trapped, or “loaded up” on top of your own body.
Step 3: Control the Legs
Controlling your opponent’s lower body is extremely important in completing the low gut. Most of this control comes with keeping your opponent’s legs tight together and on top of your hips. With your “top leg,” or the leg that you used to drive your opponent, try to get your knee or ankle underneath your opponent’s legs to push it upward. Using your legs to elevate your opponent’s body will add leverage to the gut, helping to keep your opponent from going “hand to hand.”
Step 4: Pop Your Hips and Roll Through
It’s important that you don’t stop on your back as you roll through; use your bottom leg to continue pushing off of the mat to complete the roll. As you push off, pop your hips up to give you some extra power. As you do this, arch up on your head to keep from being pinned, and also to add extra leverage to help complete the gut. Don’t forget to keep your opponent’s legs elevated.
Step 5: Finish on Top of Your Opponent
Keep driving off of your bottom foot to help you through the roll. As you finish, make sure that you establish control back on top of your opponent. If you have a tight lock on your opponent, you may also be able to use this move several times in a row.
Know Your Roll
Using your legs to your advantage will give you the edge in Greco competition. Keep in mind that when going for a low gut, you are in the “danger zone” to be caught for using your legs; so don’t complain if you get penalized! If you want to stay on the safe side, try this move in freestyle. Be sure to drill with it plenty of times in practice before trying it out in a match. Good luck!
