Ask Cael: Cael, I’ve watched over 500 hrs of video on you especially your footwork.

Story Published Saturday, May 29th, 2010

Question from Brian Brodnik: Cael, I’ve watched over 500 hrs of video on you especially your footwork. It’s what I do at the age of 44. I learn and then teach my son. We know all your moves and practice them 5x a week. I have a really technical question regarding style. Since the beginning of wrestling, as we know it, it’s always been the CONVENTIONAL  single – hi crotch.. I’ve never taught that to my son because I feel you’re the first person in history to show there is a different way. I try to explain it to people but they think I’m crazy. Is this something you did since youth or was it taught to you. I’m talking about defending one leg and shooting with the other. Also, you always have the opponents wrist. Is this something you drill or just acquired in the practice rooms all these years. From college to the Olympics I believe you improved. What did you realize you couldn’t do anymore against better completion besides get off your knees quicker. You know now as a coach you learn more while coaching. It’s fact. Have you ever broken yourself down to familiarize yourself with your own technique? It’s awesome. Especially your drop step. This was the final piece of the puzzle for me. I couldn’t understand how you loaded your opponents weight so well. Then I was watchin a clinic video you did somewhere. I learned of the trap but that still didn’t solve the issue. Then I got it. Your feet both step slightly backward to pull the opponent forward loading his weight on his feet. No one ever talks about that nor do I see anyone ever wrestling like that. I train your moves for cardio to stay in shape but mostly so I can get inside your head to be able to teach better. I’ll meet you someday when my son is old enough to attend your camp. Keep up the good work.

——————————————————-

Hey Brian, wow, thanks for the email.  I hope you enjoy the technique videos that we’ve been putting up.  I will keep them coming.  You asked several great questions so I am going to separate them to keep some order.

Brian:

Since the beginning of wrestling, as we know it, it’s always been the CONVENTIONAL  single – hi crotch.. I’ve never taught that to my son because I feel you’re the first person in history to show there is a different way. I try to explain it to people but they think I’m crazy. Is this something you did since youth or was it taught to you. I’m talking about defending one leg and shooting with the other. Also, you always have the opponents wrist. Is this something you drill or just acquired in the practice rooms all these years.

Cael:

Yes, you are right.  I believe there is a better way than the conventional single- hi crotch.  But few people recognize it.  Teach your son this different way and it will be a huge advantage.  I will show this combo more clearly on video when I get a chance.  I show the combo in clinics all the time and the coaches/ and athletes don’t know how valuable what I’m showing them is.  It’s difficult to change I guess but the sport has evolved and it will continue to evolve.  If you watch the world championships and Olympics, the guys that win consistently usually aren’t shooting hi-c and swing singles.  They are doing more of what we are talking about.

I shot a lot off of the wrist and collar so I spent as much time controlling the wrist in matches as I could.  It’s important to drill the entire shot, getting to tie-up, sets ups with hands and foot motion, shot, driving through opponent and finishing with back points when possible.  To develop those instincts and habits we must drill it. So I did drill controlling the wrist.  Coach Douglas had us spend a lot of time handfighting and shooting from tie up.

Brian:

From college to the Olympics I believe you improved. What did you realize you couldn’t do anymore against better completion besides get off your knees quicker.

Cael:

Yes, exactly I had to finish my shots quicker and get my head up right away.  In college I could scramble and find a way to score from my knees and I developed some bad habits. I had to fix that.

Brian:

I couldn’t understand how you loaded your opponents weight so well. Then I was watching a clinic video you did somewhere. I learned of the trap but that still didn’t solve the issue. Then I got it. Your feet both step slightly backward to pull the opponent forward loading his weight on his feet. No one ever talks about that nor do I see anyone ever wrestling like that.

Cael:

Not many people study technique like you are doing.  Studying the details is the key.  Great job! It’s the little things that make difference.  Most people know and are doing the big things.  Everyone knows a hi-c, double, swing single, etc so why are some people better at the shots than others?  It’s the details, the attitude to make it work, the determination to find a way to keep improving as your opponents keep improving their defense.

Yes I started to break down my technique once I started coaching.  Two other points to realize is that my position is slightly lower than my opponent’s.  That is tricky because you have to pull and move and circle while keep your head below their head.  It is all technique and effort. You whip your leg around and let your hips do the work.  The same footwork that pulls your opponent into your setups is also putting your feet in attack position.  It all works together.

The other important point is my lead knee replaces where my lead foot is on the ground when I am pulling an opponent into a shot.  Just watch the film I’d  bet you have already picked up on that.

Thanks and good luck.

Latest Questions in the Ask Cael Archive

- question: Do you think starting wrestling at a young age is helpful/important?
- I have been a head coach for only 2 years, so I cannot expect overnight success but This school has so much potential. Please help me with pointers on this problem.
- A kid that I wrestle in practice won’t let me tie up with him. I beat him but how do i get a hold on him when he always circles out when I try to tie up with him.
- Everyone around here almost automatically defers when they win the choice to start the second period. I believe that is counter-productive and want my boys to take bottom every time.
- I have two boys who love to wrestle, what do you think is the best way to bring them up the ranks, without “burning them out?” And what would be some good motivational ideas?
- I have watched videos of you in college where you put your head to the mat. Are you gaining an advantage by using your head on the mat?
- Can you explain why college wrestlers defense is so different?
- What is your philosophy regarding Team v. Individual in the sport of wrestling and how do you communicate this philosophy?
- What causes passivity? How can we overcome it?
- I graduated 2 years ago and recently got a coaching job coaching my old middle school team. What is some advice you could give me to help me get moves across to my team without skipping important details?

View Complete Ask Cael Archive by Date