Survival Guide for Parents of New Wrestlers - Team Rhino LLC

own his legs back. From this position, he will try to gain control, for example by running
behind the other wrestler, or by using a trip or throw. Whichever wrestler gains control
earns two point for a takedown and has the position of advantage. The wrestler with the
advantage is called the offensive wrestler; his opponent is called the defensive wrestler.
Once a wrestler has the advantage, his goal is to turn his opponent's back to the mat in
order to earn a pin. If one wrestler pins his opponent, the match is over and the offensive
wrestler wins by fall. There are many, many moves that wrestlers use to accomplish this.
The headlock (locking your arms around the opponent's head and one arm), half nelson
(placing your arm under the opponent's elbow and on his head, then lifting the elbow
while pressing the head down), and cradle (locking your arms around the opponent's
head and one knee), are a few you'll see commonly. Some of these moves require that the
defensive wrestler be flat on his torso, so the offensive wrestler will often try to break
him down. If the offensive wrestler turns his opponent and holds his shoulders to the
mat for two seconds, he earns a victory by fall. If he cannot accomplish this, but he is
able to expose his opponent's shoulders to the mat for longer than reaction time, the
offensive wrestler is awarded a near fall. Holding this position for two seconds earns 2
points, while holding it for five seconds earns 3 points. These points are also called back
points for obvious reasons.
While the offensive wrestler tries to earn back points or get a pin, the defensive wrestler
is busy, too. His goal is to either get free from his opponent's control (called an escape)
or to gain the advantage himself (called a reversal). An escape earns 1 point while a
reversal earns 2. A defensive wrestler can use any number of moves, too. He can turn his
back to the offensive wrestler and either sitout or standup by pressing his back against
his opponent's chest, shoulders, or head, or he might try a switch, in which he spins
around the side of the offensive wrestler. If the defensive wrestler escapes, then there is
no advantage, and the match continues in the neutral position, just as at the start. If there
is a reversal, the wrestlers pursue their new goals: the new offensive wrestler tries to
turn his opponent and the new defensive wrestler tries to escape or reverse.
While all of this is going on, the wrestlers must stay in bounds. If the supporting parts
of both wrestlers are out or bounds, the referee will stop the match. If neither wrestler
had as advantage, then the match will resume in the middle of the mat just as at the start.
If one of the wrestlers had an advantage, then the wrestlers will assume the referee's
position. In this position, defensive wrestler will kneel on his hands and knees, then the
offensive wrestler will squat next to him with at least one knee beside him. The offensive
wrestler will put one hand on his opponent's near elbow, his head on or above his
opponent's back, and wrap the other arm around his opponent's waist. The referee will
whistle to resume the match, and the contestants will continue as before. Occasionally the
offensive wrestler will use the optional start, in which he stands next to the kneeling
wrestler and places his hands together on his opponent's back.
One other thing about the out-of-bounds rules bears mentioning. Sometimes a wrestler
will have his opponent's back exposed or even touching the mat, but he will not be
awarded a fall or near fall. Usually this is because the wrestlers are out of bounds. In