Learning to use your legs is a valuable skill when in the top position. Most of you are familiar with the cross-body ride. But, when you "put the legs in" are you doing it correctly? Could you become a better leg rider?
"Beginning wrestlers, of any age, usually begin by trying to do too much with their arms. That was true with me. My arms got so tired they would ache with fatigue. What I needed was to learn to use the power of my legs more," writes Olympic Champion Ben Peterson.*
Ben Peterson was having trouble with his cross-body leg ride in high school until a former student and wrestler from Ben's high school stopped by to observe practice one day. This alumnus gave Ben some advice on how to improve his leg riding with an emphasis on positions of balance, control and power.
Ben states, "The emphasis on leg riding became an 'arched back'. I learned I could protect myself while forcing my opponent out of position. He taught me to sit up like a proud confident cowboy in the saddle instead of hanging over my opponent like a dead man on his horse.
Instead of hooking my foot through like a grapevine on my opponents leg, I started hooking just my heal on his thigh. Instead of hugging and hooking with my arms I pushed his head and shoulders away as I turned him. Instead of turning and looking at my opponent, I arched high and looked away."
I like the following video because you can see how she uses a "short boot" instead of a grapevine approach. She uses her other leg to splay the bottom wrestler's far leg.
I like the following video because the top wrestler demonstrates a couple of sweet wrestling moves that can be done from the cross-body ride.
The cross-body ride is just one form of leg riding. Leg riding can lead to some of the best wrestling moves for pinning if done correctly. So, work on perfecting the cross-body ride and other leg rides. It could help your wrestling a lot.
*How I Learned to Ride & Pin with Legs by Olympic Champion Ben Peterson
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