How can a BJJ guy get good at wrestling?

[TexDeuce]

What up wrestlers. Ok, I am 23 and have been doing BJJ for about 2 1/2 years. I compete quite a bit and have done really well, but I have pulled guard against every opponent. The guard is my strength and it is what I am dangerous with. I didn't plan on that it is just how it happened. I never had any previous wrestling experience (always in baseball) so my wrestling is not very good.

I have been working takedowns for the past few months with 3 guys who wrestled in high-school so I have gotten a lot better but not good by any means. I am at the point where I can take down most of the regular guys who never wrestled (cause most don't work takedowns like your typical BJJ player), but against guys with any wrestling experience I get manhandled, which is to be expected.

I have always admired wrestlers and their ability to dictate where the fight goes. Now I want to become a good wrestler and dictate where the game goes. I am athletic (I played Div. I baseball) and know I am capable of being a good wrestler if I work hard at it. I plan on fighting MMA so the wrestling will be extremely important whenever that day comes.

What can I do to improve my wrestling, and try to catch up with the guys who wrestled in high-school and even in college? This might be impossible, I am not stupid and know the dedication and skill it takes to compete at a high college or high-school level and the fact I am starting wrestling at 23.

Will I forever be outwrestled by these guys? If so I want to a damn good wrestler anyways, but mind you much of my time is spent in BJJ and sub grappling, and to a lesser extent boxing. Are there tapes I can watch? Drills I can do, by myself and with a partner? Any advice on becoming a good wrestler is much appreciated.

 

[Kforcer]

Well, Principles of Championship Wrestling is a great book to buy, first of all. Secondly, watch and digest as much wrestling as you can. Secondly, find a freestyle club--its free to train and only 20 bucks for membership into USA wrestling and the ability to participate in tournaments.

As far as drills...well, shadow-shots are great. Shadow-shots are demoralizing because you'll think your takedowns are worse than they are and because they are simply put, difficult and awkward, but ultimately you will be rewarded. My fireman's is pretty solid now, at age 24, and I'd be shadowing the move since I was, oh, 6 or 7.

 

[Kforcer]

Oh, and check out cliffkeen.com great tapes if you want some good techniques to mirror.

 

[FStep]

i would say keep practicing with those guys ... if you can hit up a good wrestling camp over the summer or something in time you might begin to catch up but offcourse it will take time to overcome someone with 4 years experience

 

[serima]

I am 15 years an i have done well in jiu jitsu tournament but have also pulled guard evrytime, now i just start all spars from standing position and i hope it works

 

[fozzit]

first of all when you train in wrestling forget everything you know about bjj.. this will help you incorporate it into your game easily.. So when you compete in bjj the wrestling will come out naturally, same thin if you compete in wrestling... your bjj will come out naturally.. but the most important thing is in practice/traiing devote your mind to that one art...

 

[Kforcer]

Oh yeah, goes without saying that if you want decent restling, you NEVER start from your knees. NEVER. Starting from the knees teaches you to divorce submissions and wrestling.

 

[lethalweapon]

check your local high school.
Talk to the coach and explain where ur coming from
and what you hope to accomplish.
I don't think the team would mind having another partner.

But make it clear ur there to learn wrestling and may not
have the time for their full 3hr/day workout. If you can stick
it thru the whole, your conditioning/wrestling will be phenominal.

 

[TexDeuce]

Oh yeah, goes without saying that if you want decent restling, you NEVER start from your knees. NEVER. Starting from the knees teaches you to divorce submissions and wrestling.

Yeah I never do. I always start standing when I can but only a few guys in class will stand up. The rest refuse.

 

[TexDeuce]

Secondly, find a freestyle club--its free to train and only 20 bucks for membership into USA wrestling and the ability to participate in tournaments.

Is there an age limit on those, like you have to be in high school or something?

 

[Kforcer]

Is there an age limit on those, like you have to be in high school or something?

Nope!

 

[GuardGame]

I would say, if you wanna be good at Gi Grappling, and Gi takedowns, crosstrain in Judo..If you plan on being good at just grappling altogether...Train BJJ, Judo, and Wrestling....but whatever floats your boat.

 

[Gaylon Cooper]

Well, Principles of Championship Wrestling is a great book to buy, first of all. Secondly, watch and digest as much wrestling as you can. Secondly, find a freestyle club--its free to train and only 20 bucks for membership into USA wrestling and the ability to participate in tournaments.

As far as drills...well, shadow-shots are great. Shadow-shots are demoralizing because you'll think your takedowns are worse than they are and because they are simply put, difficult and awkward, but ultimately you will be rewarded. My fireman's is pretty solid now, at age 24, and I'd be shadowing the move since I was, oh, 6 or 7.

I have to agree with everything he says.

 

[wrestlintitan]

if you want to catch up to a wrestler that has been wrestling all there life you are going to have to commit a couple of years to it of brutally hard work. Try to find out where opean turnaments are being held and go get out on the mat... competition is the best way to get better. try to wrestle in 60-100 wrestling matches a year. The mat time will help you in BJJ and MMA just because of the one on one mentality. there are many wrestling coaches with a great deal of knowledge and they would be more then happy pass it on to someone who is hard working and dedicated to getting better at it.

 

[wrestlintitan]

practice and compete in freestyle grecco and folkstyle as well

 

[Mark Limbaga]

practice and learn as much as you can.

 

[sarge]

Secondly, find a freestyle club--its free to train and only 20 bucks for membership into USA wrestling and the ability to participate in tournaments.

.

You wouldn't happen to have a link that lists clubs by state would you?

 

[Kforcer]

You wouldn't happen to have a link that lists clubs by state would you?

Try USA wrestling's site or themat.com

 

[Chuck Sakuraba]

Keep training with those 3 people.

 

[blanko]

how do you become a better wrestler? wrestle