90-Minute Takedown Fundamentals Practice Plan

Start on the edge of the mat in a big circle so you can see everyone. Quick jog, then stance bounce, high knees, butt kicks, side shuffle, and 2 short sprawls to the belly (no diving).

• Cues: “Head up.” “Hands in front.” “If I whistle, you freeze.”
• Watch for: Kids staying low with knees bent instead of bending at the waist.
• Common issue: Someone starts wrestling during warm-up.
  Fix: Stop immediately, bring them to a knee, and reset the rule: partner contact only when you say go.

End with 30 seconds of stance-and-motion in place so you can correct posture before any shooting.

Spread them out in 3–4 rows facing you, each wrestler on their own “spot.” Use flat discs if spacing is tight.

Go 20 seconds on / 10 seconds off: stance bounce, circle left/right, forward/back, then add level change on your clap. No shots yet—just clean movement.

• Cues: “Nose over toes.” “Back flat.” “Knees down, not head down.”
• Watch for: Feet sliding (short steps) instead of crossing their feet.
• Adjustment: If they’re struggling, have them put hands on their thighs for 5 reps to feel the bend in the knees; if they’re sharp, add a quick fake (level change + recover) before the next motion call.

Partner up. Each pair gets a small square (about 6x6 feet). Start from stance with light contact only: collar tie and inside tie.

Run 3 rounds of 60 seconds: (1) find collar tie/inside tie, (2) clear and re-tie, (3) add a snap-to-feet move (snap is light—just enough to move the head).

• Cues: “Thumbs up on the tie.” “Elbows in.” “Move your feet when you pull.”
• Watch for: When they pull, their feet move with it—no yanking with the arms only.
• Common issue: Kids lock up and push straight with stiff arms.
  Fix: Make them reset and do 3 quick pummels (inside position) before restarting the round.

Tell them: setups start with hands—no shooting from across the room.

Quick water. While they drink, you set the expectation for the next block: we’re shooting under control, partners give a good stance, and we stop on the whistle.

Use this moment to fix pairings (size and maturity) and remind: no lifting, no slamming, and head stays up.

Half the room on one side of the mat in two short lines. Put 3–4 flat discs as distance markers. Partner is in stance at the disc; shooter starts one step outside.

1. Shooter gets collar tie + inside tie.
2. Small pull to make the partner step, then level change.
3. Penetration step to the leg, head inside, hands wrap below the knee.
4. Freeze for 2 seconds, then reset.

• Cues: “Touch first.” “Ear to ribs.” “Step, then drop.”
• Watch for: Head inside and shoulder tight to the leg before the hands lock.
• Common issue: They reach with arms and their hips stay back.
  Fix: Put a cone where their lead foot must land; if the foot doesn’t hit the cone, it doesn’t count as a rep.

After 6–8 clean reps, let the partner add light sprawl pressure (30%) so the shooter learns to keep driving their knee up.

Same pairs. Start with the shooter already up on the single (standing, head inside, leg tight). Partner hops on one foot and posts hands lightly on the shooter’s shoulders for balance.

On your whistle, shooter circles and pulls the leg down (run the pipe) to a controlled finish. Partner takes a safe fall and immediately stands back up.

• Cues: “Stand tall.” “Pinch the knee.” “Circle, circle, circle.”
• Watch for: The leg stays tight to the ribs—no extended arms.
• Adjustment: If finishes are sloppy, go back to a 2-step circle then freeze; if they’re clean, add a light whizzer look from the partner and teach them to keep their head tight and keep circling.

Water and quick regroup. Tell them what’s next: same idea, different shot—double leg with a setup so they’re not diving.

Pick one team-wide correction you saw (usually distance or head down) and fix it in 20 seconds, then right back to work.

Switch sides of the mat so it feels like a new start. Put a cone one step behind the partner’s heels as a penetration target. Two short lines again to keep reps moving.

1. Start from collar tie/inside tie.
2. Snap or pull to get the partner’s head/feet moving.
3. Level change, penetration step between the feet, head up.
4. Wrap behind both knees and drive two steps before freezing.

• Cues: “Head up, eyes forward.” “Knee between.” “Drive two.”
• Watch for: Their hips come in under them on the step—no reaching and dropping straight down.
• Common issue: They shoot from too far and land on both knees.
  Fix: Move them closer and require a tie + foot move before any shot counts.

If they’re ready, let the partner sprawl lightly (30–40%) so the shooter learns to keep their head up and keep driving.

Start with the shooter locked behind both knees, head up, chest tight. Partner gives a solid stance and a little push-back so the shooter has to drive.

On the whistle: drive two steps, then step to the outside and turn the corner to bring the partner down safely. Reset fast for the next rep.

• Cues: “Drive, then angle.” “Keep your hands locked.” “Chest tight.”
• Watch for: They change the angle with their feet, not by yanking with their arms.
• Adjustment: If kids are falling sideways, slow it down and freeze after the drive; if they’re clean, add a light sprawl and teach them to keep moving their feet to the corner.

Short goes to connect everything. Pair up by size. Start from neutral with light hand fighting.

Run three rounds of 2 minutes with 30 seconds rest. Rule: the only scores are clean single or double entries that start with a tie. If someone shoots from space with no setup, stop and restart in stance.

• Cues: “Tie first.” “Move feet, then shoot.” “Freeze on the finish.”
• Watch for: Kids attempting setups instead of waiting and reaching.
• Common issue: One kid goes too hard and the other panics.
  Fix: Drop that pair to 50% speed for the rest of the round and give them a specific goal: 3 setup attempts each.

Circle up on the edge. 30 seconds easy movement and deep breaths, then take a knee.

Ask two kids to demo: one single setup and one double setup. You call out the three must-haves: touch, level change, head position.

• Send-home cue: “If you can’t touch them, you can’t take them down.”