Tiger Style Wrestling Drills - On the Mat

Brian Smith introduces top and bottom techniques and drills to help wrestlers become better on the mat.

Break the table drill teaches top wrestlers to drive with their hips and legs from the table position. Keep hands behind the back and drive with hips before using arms.

The backpack drill trains the top wrestler to relax on top and float with the opponent with a double underhook, while the bottom wrestler stays loose and learns to reverse.

Practice the hug and run drill to control a bottom opponent using knee slides, hip and leg work, and a blocking arm, then advance toward breaking the table.

Execute the jam drill by driving the opponent’s arm forward with elbow jam, thigh pressure, and hip-forward drive, then transition to a chop or ankle drop on resistance.

The 180 drill teaches using legs and a deep waist in the load position to jam, rotate, and finish with the chop, reinforced bar, and Turk to secure back points.

Block all points drill teaches wrestlers to control the bottom with the whole body, drive through the man with shoulder and knee, and maintain top control for three scoring options.

Learn to recognize cradles from multiple positions, lock high on the forearm, punch in, and finish by pulling the opponent's hips and guiding the knee toward the head.

Master return drills to bring a standing opponent to the mat using quarter turn and lift, Turk finishes, and cut-off returns to a dominant top position.

Practice leg riding to develop top-man strength and defend against bottom-man moves. Drive across, rotate the leg side hip down, arch, figure four, and readjust to maintain position.

Combine takedowns, breakdowns, and blocking points to teach wrestlers to ride on top and control the opponent, turning takedowns into complete, high-pressure finishes.

Train bottom wrestling with the hip heist and knee slide from the referee’s position, then add a partner for the float drill to simulate an opponent and warm up.

Master the table drill and sit position to maintain top position, keep a wide base, post and slide, and execute sit, push and pull to hold bottom position.

Engage in the seal-off drill to prevent the opponent from half and underhook escapes, using pinching, elbow-in sealing, and knee-under rotation to build a strong bottom base.

Perform the changeover drill to reposition when the opponent lines up on the wrong side, crossing the hand to the opposite hip, opening the thigh, and hip heist.

Learn the knee slide from referee's position by opening the hip, smoothly. Slide the knee past the hand, maintain back pressure, and stand up.

Counter a chop by staying in a ball, lifting the knees, and circling to roll off the left shoulder into a base, then add a knee slide for quick exit.

Counter the crab ride by staying in a ball, shrinking the body, sealing off from the sit position, and finishing with a hip heist to come out strong.

Master stand up and cutoff techniques through wall stands, truss and hip heist drills, and simulated cutting drills that improve footwork, hip movement, and escaping from the finish.

Master basic bottom techniques through drills that mix stands up, changeovers, knee slides, and hand control, then combine them in practice to build confidence and score on bottom in matches.

Conclude this tiger style wrestling video on top and bottom techniques, and apply it in your wrestling room to boost athletes' confidence and success from top and bottom positions.