University of Illinois Associate Head Coach;
2013 Amateur Wrestling News Division I Assistant Coach of the Year;
former Cal Poly State University Co-Head Wrestling Coach;
2x NCAA Champion (4x All American) and 2005 NWCA Rookie of the Year at the University of Iowa; won the Gorrarian Trophy at the 2007 NCAA Tournament
The international wrestling scene has been dominated in recent years by wrestlers from Russia and Iran. Iran especially has exploded onto the scene, winning the 2012-2015 World Cups and the 2013 World Championship in freestyle wrestling.
While they traditionally wrestled in a more relaxed, defensive style, they have experienced most of their recent success after switching to an aggressive, attacking style centered around getting to the underhook.
In spite of their success, the techniques used by wrestlers from Iran and Russia are poorly understood in the United States.
Illinois Associate Head Coach Mark Perry has extensively studied the techniques of the Iranian and Russian wrestlers, and demonstrates how to effectively use them in collegiate and scholastic wrestling. These techniques are innovative and fundamentally sound. And, if mastered, can change the way wrestlers compete and how they think about match situations.
Iranian Underhook Series
The Iranian Series evolved from an underhook, but has slight variations from that which is used in the United States. Coach Perry details the Iranian approach of staying low, keeping the head on the opposite side, and applying heavy pressure. These variations are what help to make this series effective and hard to defend. In this series, you will learn how to:
- Set your opponent up
- Dictate your opponent's movements and reactions
- Disguise your set ups and moves
- Pressure your opponent into making mistakes
Coach Perry spends extra time showing how exactly to posture and control in this highly technical position. In nearly every situation, Coach Perry demonstrates an attack that will be nearly impossible for your opponent to stop. While primarily looking to attack a knee pull or snatch single, he also demonstrates options to hit a throw-by or a snap down.
Opposite Side Attacks
In order to be successful at the highest levels, wrestlers need to be able to attack both sides of the body from every position. The Iranian underhook series is no different. Coach Perry demonstrates how to attack the far side of the body with a high-crotch, a double, or a drag, when the opponent looks to re-pummel an underhook.
The Iranians hit some of the most explosive high crotch and double legs attacks. Coach Perry shows how this is not about being explosive but about their set up and positioning. He works through a variety of drills with his wrestlers, showing how to acquire the sensitivity to the opponent's weight distribution and timing that is required to utilize these attacks.
Russian 2-on-1 Series
For decades, the Russians have been successful using a 2-on-1 control to win world championships. Coach Perry shows the latest innovations from Russian wrestlers in attacking with the 2-on-1. This series, like its Iranian counterpart, relies on deception and anticipation of your opponent's reaction. Your moves will be based on that reaction. He starts with the traditional use of the position, and then demonstrates the subtle adjustment the Russians have been using to make the position more powerful and controlling.
Coach Perry demonstrates a set-up to a knee pull that negates the most common and effective defenses to the 2-on-1. To complement the knee pull attack, he demonstrates an ankle pick on the far side of the body. Finally, he shows an unorthodox outside-step fireman's that has the potential to score big points.
With these two highly effective, easily taught, interconnected series of moves you will find yourself in complete control of the match and your opponent and make him react. Once he reacts, you have a huge arsenal to choose from that will dominate anyone on their feet.
80 minutes. 2015.
WRD-04894B: with Mark Perry,
University of Illinois Associate Head Coach;
2013 Amateur Wrestling News Division I Assistant Coach of the Year;
former Cal Poly State University Co-Head Wrestling Coach;
2x NCAA Champion (4x All American) and 2005 NWCA Rookie of the Year at the University of Iowa; won the Gorrarian Trophy at the 2007 NCAA Tournament
Mark Perry has a unique perspective on wrestling being born into one of America's foremost wrestling families. The nephew of the legendary John Smith, Perry wrestled for Blair Academy in high school and learned the "Iowa way" while wrestling for Tom Brands at the University of Iowa.
Good leg riders often devastate their opponents. They wear them down with punishing rides and hammering turns. Countering a good leg rider is a difficult task for many wrestlers. This video will change all of that.
Coach Mark Perry has taken everything he's learned from his elite mentors and developed a dominating style of leg riding and defending legs. You'll learn how to properly throw the legs and how to turn an opponent with them. You'll also learn how to escape the legs while on bottom.
Leg Riding
What separates Coach Perry from other coaches is his ability to highlight key concepts. He understands that concepts are as important as technique, and understanding concepts allows you to improve your game without having to learn hundreds of new moves.
Coach Perry describes several wrestling scenarios on the mat, and then shows you how to get the legs in to ride and turn an opponent. You won't always win the hustle, but Perry will show you how to win when things go wrong. You'll get a realistic look at how he coaches his wrestlers to win these situations.
Breakdowns
The first 15 seconds after the whistle are crucial to maintain control over your opponent and establishing legs. Learning to beat your opponent to the inside will open up all of your breakdown options. You will learn new, creative set ups to classic breakdowns with the leg in such as the baseball grip, the crossface and the far ankle. These are punishing breakdowns that will send an early message to your opponent.
One Leg In Series
Learn three variations of the bar-arm tilt that allows you to hit multiple angles, depending on what your opponent does. No matter what your opponent's reaction, you will be able to complete the turn and score back points. Other turns in this series include:
- Turk - Coach Perry teaches the tricks you will need to make this, already effective turn into an extraordinary turn. You will learn how to use the neck crank to put your opponent in a position where he has to turn to his back.
- Overhook and Ankle - This cutting-edge move will baffle your opponents as they try to defend the legs. You will learn three variations of this move that allows you to dominate your opponent's entire body, which cuts down on his defensive options.
Two Leg Series
Discover how to ride with both legs in and to virtually make your opponent quit on bottom. Coach Perry shows a series of different breakdown that can be used on top to get your opponent your opponent if flat to the mat makes it much easier to get your tilts, turns and pins on top. Coach Perry shows a simple tilt and finishes with a tough power half. This isn't your father's power half. The days of unsuccessfully trying to overpower your opponent from this position are over. You will learn solid, irrefutable technique that will see your turn success rate multiply exponentially.
Defending Against Leg Riders
Simply being offensive is not enough. Too many people know how to use and ride the legs. Coach Perry knew, from being so good on top, that if he didn't get out from the legs, there was a strong possibility that he wouldn't make it out of the match. He covers several techniques on how to fight legs and not put yourself in trouble.
- The Leg Slip - This move will put your opponent on his hip and in danger of losing control.
- The Leg Slip to a Near-Side Cradle - Your opponent will feel the danger, but will not know what happened to him when you move from having the legs thrown on you, to having him in a near-side cradle looking for the fall.
- Head Catch - Even if the top man has two legs in, you can put your opponent in a near-fall situation with the head catch. Like the leg slip to a cradle, the head catch will surprise even the best wrestler, as he goes from control to his back in just seconds.
- Swimming Out of the Power Half - Even if your opponent has the legs in on you and is cranking the power half, you will be able to escape with the swim move. You will learn this simple technique to escape the power half.
The nuances of the moves Coach Perry teaches in this video will take you from an ordinary leg rider to a master leg rider. The moves are safe, effective and easy to learn. This is essential technique for anyone wanting to improve their mat skills.
82 minutes. 2015.