Sprawl
- Wrestling
- Defense
- fundamental
- Defending a shot
- 4 steps
Kick the hips back and drop your weight onto a shooting opponent to stuff the takedown. Also known as the Sprawl & spin or the Takedown defense. Here is the exact breakdown from the DARCE app: 4 steps, the details that make it work, and the mistakes to avoid.
Step by step
- 01
Read the shot
Stay in your stance with active hands, ready to react the instant they change levels.
- 02
They shoot, react
As the opponent penetrates toward your hips, push their head down and begin pulling your hips away.
- 03
Sprawl the hips back
Kick both legs back and drop your hips and chest heavily onto their shoulders so your weight stuffs the shot.
- 04
Control the head & circle
Front-headlock the head, keep your hips heavy, and circle behind to take the back.
Key details
- Kick the hips back and down, the further your hips travel from their hands, the harder the shot is to finish.
- Drop your chest weight onto their back; heaviness, not strength, stuffs the shot.
- Get hands to the head/elbow immediately to set up the front headlock or go-behind.
Common mistakes
- Sprawling the upper body but leaving the hips forward where they can be grabbed.
- Reacting late, the sprawl must start the instant they change levels.
- Staying flat and stalling instead of circling to control the back.
Related techniques
See it animated in DARCE
Film a round and the app finds which techniques showed up in your game, where the Sprawl fits, and what to drill next. Private beta, 50 founding seats.
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