Wrestling Articles
Attacking the Head
By Carl Adams, 18 Nov, 09 @ 09:15am
Wrestling and all other contact sports involve attacking and defending with a four prong arsenal. We compete on a mental, physical, technical and tactical level. All four prongs originate and are controlled by the mind of each competitor. If the mind is the source of all this power, wouldn’t it make sense to take a closer look at how we can attack this command center? If we were fighting in a war, a primary objective would be to destroy the command and control of the enemy. Another metaphor we often use to describe battling an adversary is to “decapitate the enemy”. In both situations, it renders the enemy ineffective and opens the door to achieve decisive victory.
This brings me to the topic of this article. I will be talking about attacking an opponent’s head. The examples used above were to make a point. However, in wrestling, I believe that we should view an opponent’s head as the command and control. If we are successful attacking the head, many attractive opportunities will present themselves and good things start to happen.
Typically, in our sport, we try to attack body parts that are at the most extreme leverage points. Many times this will produce openings to the center of the opposing wrestler’s body. The top of the head, ankles and the wrist are examples of body parts located at extreme leverage points. We attack these points because we encounter the least amount of resistance and we can generate the greatest amount of leverage. The closer we get to the center of an opponent’s body, the more resistance we encounter until we reach the point of complete control.
A point worth taking a closer look at is that no matter what position a wrestler might start from, the head is usually kept at the highest point. This is true whether a wrestler is on his feet, in the top position or on the bottom. The reason for this is that the closer a wrestlers head is to the mat, the more vulnerable he or she becomes. For that reason alone, we need to consider taking advantage of every opportunity to snap or pull on an opponent’s head.
Wrestling from the neutral position offers the greatest number of opportunities to attack the head. Before I talk about “how”, I want to talk about “why”.
1) It is one of the most effective ways to get an opponent tired. When you pull an opponent’s head toward the mat, he or she must use every muscle in the body to stay upright. Muscles in the back, stomach, legs, chest and neck are used to resist the pressure being exerted on the head. Your opponent also has to use his arms to prevent further destruction. Resisting a relentless attack on the head can be exhausting.
2) It is one of the most effective ways to pull an opponent out of position. Remember, you are pulling from a point where you can generate the greatest amount of leverage. The body must follow the head.
3) It is the most effective way to set-up takedowns. The opposing wrestler must react when someone snaps or pulls down on the head. The reaction usually comes in the form of raising the head. Good timing, coordination and anticipation will help pulling on the head work more effectively. If the opposing wrestler does not react, then the goal should be to snap the opposing wrestler all the way to the mat. Either way, the opponent is constantly on the defense and fighting to stay in good position and out of trouble.
I also want to talk about the “why”. Perhaps I may sound a little sinister, but if you follow my logic you might agree with me. A person’s head is the most sensitive part of the body. The head and the face are not constructed to endure a lot of blunt trauma. Fortunately, we have head gear and mouth guards to protect those sensitive areas. My point however, is that by physically attacking the head within the rules of course, you can cause major problems and discomfort for an opponent. I make this point, because I have seen it happen many times. A relentless physical assault on an opponent’s head will cause some wrestlers to crack prematurely or cause an opponent to present an attractive weakness. Perhaps this why we hear so many coaches yelling phases like “ attack his head”, “Get on his head”, “Pull on his head” or Control his head”. For the reasons above, it makes sense to spend quality time working on the most effective ways that you can attack and control an opponent’s head.
There are many ways that a wrestler can attack an opponent’s head. I want to touch on key points that need to be considered. You can force an opponent’s head in any one of four directions. Various ties will allow you to force an opponent’s head left, right, up or down. No matter what direction you force the head, a weakness will present itself. The key here is to attack the weakness before your opponent recovers.
The Collar and Inside Control Tie position is an example of a Tie Position that will allow you to attack the head relentlessly with little chance for resistance. After attacking the head from this tie, many leg shot options will be presented.
Many times attacking the head will also require that you remove or control one or both arms. There are many ways that this can be accomplished. It would be worth every minute you spend working on effective ways to attack the head and clear the arms at the same time.
There are three key techniques that should be considered when you attack the head.
1) A quick hard snap and attack is very effective on almost any leg shot. The key here is how quick and hard you snap, how well you anticipate the opening and how efficient you are at attacking the weakness that presents itself.
2) Pulling and forcing the head is another great way to create an effective opening. For example, picture yourself pulling down on an opponent’s head with you right hand and driving the head towards the left side of your body. This allows you to control the head and force it in the direction of your choosing. This particular technique is an excellent way to open up the left side of your opponent’s body. A low or a high single would work great to your opponent’s left side once you clear the head.
3) The third option would be to snap and control the head. A prime example would be the front headlock. The front headlock is a tremendous way to control the opponent’s head and score with many different options that are available.
So why don’t we attack the head more often? My guess is that it is a very difficult skill to practice. No human partner is going to allow you to knock his head around with the power needed to be effective in competition. However, you will still pay a huge price if you are not prepared against an opponent who is effective at attacking the head.
How do we continue to improve our technique for attacking the head? The key here is to work on power, conditioning and precision technique. Power can be developed by strength training for the precise pulling and snapping action. Conditioning can be improved by working on specific strength training exercises and increasing the number of repetitions. Precision technique will improve by working on position, proper mechanics, timing and doing a lot of repetitious drilling.
The next time you attend a tournament, take a look at how much wrestlers hang on the head. You will find this happening from the pewee to the elite levels within our sport. When I have done this, I tend to think about the “what ifs”. Because wrestler “A” is already hanging on the head, what if he pulls down on the head even more, what if he uses more hard head snaps, what if he snaps the head down and away, what if he snaps his opponent into a front headlock and what if he snaps and jams in an under hook? The opportunities are endless.
Attacking the head is one of the most effective ways to produce openings and wear down an opponent. I have been around long enough to watch wrestling trends come and go.
This important skill will be more prevalent and become more defined in the future. It would be worth your time to study and work on ways that will help you make better use of this very valuable wrestling strategy.
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