Single leg entry / head outside
Entries / Solo mat / Build
Level change, a deep step with the head to the outside and the hands to knee height, then up with the hands together at the hips.
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
The single leg is the most common attack in the sport and the two things that decide it, head position and hand height, are decided in the first half second. Rehearsed alone, the head-outside and hands-to-the-knee shape can be repeated until it is the default.
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.
Single leg entry • solo
- Stance. Start in the stance with the head up.
- Change level. Change level with the legs; the chest stays over the lead knee.
- Step in, hands low. Step in deep with the head to the outside and both hands where a knee would be.
- Rise with the leg. Come up with the hands together at hip height and the chest up. No opponent is shown.
Watch for: Head to the outside, hands to the knee. Reaching with the hands before the step lands puts the head down.
Three common faults
- Head inside
- The head goes to the middle and the shot is a double with one hand. Head to the outside of the leg.
- Hands first
- The hands reach for the knee before the step lands and the head drops with them. Step, then hands.
- Standing up on the finish
- The hips rise straight up and the hands separate. The hands finish together at hip height, chest up, hips at a working height.
In the room
- Level with the legs; the chest stays over the lead knee.
- Head outside, hands where a knee would be.
- Come up with the hands together and the chest up. No opponent is shown.
Drill prescription
| Rounds | 3 rounds |
|---|---|
| Repetitions | 6 entries each side |
| Rest | 45 s |
Mirror it for the other side. Slow; the finish is a shape, not a lift.
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.