Ask Cael: Coach Cael its Bay area kid. I was wandering how you always hit your ankle pick? When I am wrestling I try to hit the ankle pick but most of the time its not their or to far back to get. I try pulling and circling toward the leg and I can’t seem to hit it very often. When I was watching some of your videos it always seems like its right their. Is their anything specific you do to set it up and finish it?

Story Published Monday, October 19th, 2009

Question from Austin: Coach Cael its Bay area kid. I was wandering how you always hit your ankle pick? When I am wrestling I try to hit the ankle pick but most of the time its not their or to far back to get. I try pulling and circling toward the leg and I can’t seem to hit it very often. When I was watching some of your videos it always seems like its right their. Is their anything specific you do to set it up and finish it?

Hello Austin,

I hope everything is going great for you. Those 21 days of camp this past summer will pay off for you, no question. The ankle pick is a very technical move if you are going to get it consistently. Make sure if you are tying up with a right hand collar tie that your left leg is forward. Remember to hold the wrist with your left had or if you can’t control the wrist, and then push his elbow across his body. The more you can cross up their body and balance the better. Lead that left leg and take small steps as you inch closer and closer. Move in a tight circle and keep that left leg forward. Make sure your head is a little bit lower then your opponent is in the tie up. The footwork is the key to the ankle pick. I assume you remember to circle to the leg you want to pick. If the pick is not there then there is a good chance a shot to his other leg is open. The footwork is the same for both shots. Just make sure you readjust your feet before you shoot back to his left leg with your left hand. You will actually get the left leg inside hand single shot more then the ankle pick. Both shots work together to set one another up. Then if the opponent if very defensive and doing a good job of keep both legs back, snap him down. The snap down with get you in a front head position or your opponent will move his feet up to not go to the mat. Then his legs will be open to your shots. The snap and fake snaps are a huge part of keeping a step ahead of your opponent. Hopefully this refreshes your memory. Remember to focus on the set up and the shot will follow. Focus on the process of getting the shot and you will get one of the three options: snap down, ankle pick or inside hand swing single shot. Keep working on it!

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