The Top 7 Underhook Techniques
The Top 7 Underhook Techniques
FloWrestling has amassed one of the most comprehensive technique libraries and we're putting it to full use. Check out the 7 best underhook tech videos.
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Underhooks are one of the best control ties in for any level. Having a break in competition (albeit forced) is the perfect time to add to your wrestling repertoire. This page is a collection of some of the best underhook videos in the Flo technique library.
Control The Position, Take Him Out Of Position
Dustin Schlatter goes to a far side double on this, but pay close attention to the way that he holds his arm and the positioning of his feet. Watch Dustin keep his elbow high and his lead leg in between his opponent’s feet. Now focus on what he’s doing to Bader’s position. Bader’s head is down, his butt is out, and he's backing away from the situation.
One thing that interests me is how certain techniques are taught, utilized, and passed on differently in certain areas of the country as opposed to others. For example, the above is a very “Minnesota” way of hitting an underhook. Why would Schlatter’s position be considered so “Minnesota” (aside from the obvious)? Look at the position: Schlatter is far more up-right. In Minnesota, they wrestle a lot more Greco than they do back East, which lends itself to a more upright stance and overall approach.
Watch Donny Pritzlaff teach how to get to an underhook and notice how he keeps head position while trying to take his opponent out if his stance with his free hand. This type of underhook can definitely be used for defense, but if you would like to attack off of it you’re going to have to stay extremely busy pulling and moving with your free hand.
Get To A Leg
The footwork involved here may be the trickiest part of the technique, only because doing in practice and doing it live are two very different things, but I’m confident that most people can learn to do this.
This is a slightly more dynamic version of the Chance Marsteller technique. I would suggest mastering it before you move on to this.
What If You Miss The Leg?
If you miss the single leg keep wrestling to the far knee. This is perfect for me because of the way that Coach Frayer describes the second half of the situation. He says to “run in front of him, not through him.” I actually stopped teaching this for a while simply because my guys were either getting head locked or lat-dropped when they went to a far knee. This video addresses and fixes that problem.
A Safe Underhook
What makes an underhook LOOK more defensive rather than offensive to me is where you put your head. Getting head position on a hook doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be offensive on that particular hook; it just means that you probably have more defensive options because your head is in the way.
When most people in this country want to get to an underhook they usually club with one hand and then throw their hook in with the other. Jon Reader shows a slick way of getting into the position from a wrist roll.
One of the nicest things about a defensive underhook is that you can easily pull them into a front headlock. Damion Hahn shows a great way to get into the position and then score from it.
