Tiger Style Wrestling Drills - On Your Feet

Brian Smith introduces tiger style drills to lay a foundation for successful techniques while organizing and structuring the practice space to help athletes learn more easily and have more fun.

Engage in stance and motion drills to condition wrestlers, keep feet wider than shoulder width with elbows in, and move around the mat while maintaining stance, starting with brief sessions.

Master the drive and step drill to develop a strong stance, power, and speed; practice back step, front step, driving chest over the thigh, bending at the knees.

Master the toe touch drill with a level-change drive, back and front steps to touch at the ankle; bend the knees and chest over the thigh.

Combine stance and level changes in the tennis ball pickup drill to create a fun conditioning game. Build speed and cardio while collecting balls into a bucket without leaving stance.

Master the shoot through drill by chaining level changes, front and back steps, and penetrating between the opponent’s legs to drive to the front knee and post on the mat.

Learn the scarecrow drill, a continuation of the shoot‑through that drives across from the outside, penetrates low below the arm, and lifts an invisible man.

Master drive and lift drills in tiger style wrestling, from knee starts to feet, including splitting legs, knife behind knees, eye to shoulder, and lifting the opponent to the mat.

Practice inside ties sparked by first contact drills, linking drive and step with level change to secure head contact, triceps control, and wrist to elbow progression.

Develop feet and hand coordination in tiger style wrestling with the steering wheel drill, mastering collar and inside ties, circling and driving to create angles and open shots.

Master the bang and circle elbow drill and steering wheel drill to move hands and feet, circle the hip, and create openings for takedowns with level changes and fakes.

Master inside-tie control through drills that pull elbows to the chest, rotate the head, and use shoulder-to-ear pressure, then advance to elbow offs, two-on-one setups, and leg attacks.

The drag drill builds on your feet motion with coordinated footwork and hand work, teaching circle, step, and pull to create openings for high level double attacks and singles.

Learn a basic outside-step duck under drill from the knees and from the feet, emphasizing hip pop, eye placement, and punching across to set up takedowns.

Master tiger style defensive drills to stop shots, use a hip-down sprawl, then practice reach and sprawl drills and reach-sprawl-attack drills.

Maintain a stable head position in a head to head drill, keep the head in the box to deny attacks, and create angles by moving the head and feet.

practice the down block drill to defend against an opponent's attacks by driving the fist to the mat and stopping leg shots, with controlled tempo and multiple reps.

Practice the tennis ball drill in tiger style wrestling drills to reinforce keeping short arms, head in the box, and defensive positioning while hand-fighting to prevent openings.

Master the shirt drill to reinforce on-your-feet hand fighting, head position, and short-arm control as players drive, circle, and pull the shirt to win, with conditioning and fun.

Master the single leg with cops and robbers drills that refine footwork, corner rotation, and level changes, emphasizing back step, front step, toe toward the back heel, and a sweep.

Master sweep single defense by pulling the leg, shortening the elbows, rotating the hips down, and circling out from a front headlock to regain a solid position.

Practice the high single drill to sharpen footwork and level change. Stay on your feet, drive through with the head through the chest for a strong finish on single legs.

Master the bullfighter penetration drill to keep wrestlers in good position and drive through the high crotch, stepping between legs and continuing the move without stopping.

practice the step and slide drill from a high crotch to maintain good position, driving hips in, sliding the leg, and finishing with a clean takedown.

Maintain drill consistency every day or every other day to build confidence and correct form, paving the way from lead-up drills to technique and confident, successful wrestlers.