High crotch entry / hand high
Entries / Solo mat / Build
The same level change, a step to the outside, the inside hand at hip height, then hips brought through.
Solo study. Solo rehearsal of a shape a coach has already shown you. No partner, no resistance, no finish against anyone. Not coach-verified.
Why it matters
A high crotch and a single leg begin the same way and are separated by one hand: at the knee it is a single, at the hip it is a high crotch. Drilling them back to back, with the hand height as the only change, is how the difference is learned.
The phases
Wrestling stance
- Base. Begin with a base wide enough to move from.
- Knees flexed. Flex the knees and hips while keeping the head up.
- Hands ready. Hands stay ahead of the body, ready to make contact.
- Hold shape. Maintain a shape you can move from in either direction.
Watch for: Do not turn a lower stance into looking down at the mat.
Level change
- Stance. Start in your wrestling stance.
- Bend the legs. Lower your level before attempting penetration.
- Lower base. Keep your head up as your knees and hips flex.
- Recover. Recover to your stance without straightening rigidly.
Watch for: Lowering the head alone is not a level change.
High crotch entry • solo
- Stance. Start in the stance with the hands in contact.
- Change level. Change level with the legs, eyes up.
- Step outside, hand high. Step the lead foot to the outside; the inside hand goes to hip height, the head stays up and outside.
- Hips to hips. Bring the hips through so the finish is hips to hips, not a reach. No opponent is shown.
Watch for: The hand is at hip height, not the knee: that is what makes it a high crotch and not a single.
Three common faults
- Hand too low
- The inside hand drops to the knee and the finish becomes a single. Hip height; feel the difference.
- Head down and inside
- The head drops between the shoulders. Up and outside, looking past the position.
- Reaching for the finish
- The arms extend and the hips stay back. The hips come through; the arms stay bent.
In the room
- Level with the legs, eyes up.
- Step outside; the inside hand goes to hip height, the head stays up and outside.
- Hips to hips on the finish, not a reach. No opponent is shown.
Drill prescription
| Rounds | 3 rounds |
|---|---|
| Repetitions | 6 entries each side |
| Rest | 45 s |
Alternate with the single leg entry so the hand height is the only variable.
Open the visual study ↗Where it sits
Mechanics: One movement at a time, slowed down: ties, entries, finishes and the shapes that stop them.
Also in this stage: Solo penetration step, Down block / hips back first, Snap down / hips first, Hand fighting / inside position.
On the boards: Four weeks: entries and defence.