Become Fighter
Riding and hip pressure: Wrestling guide
Stay heavy on top: hips, head position and wrist control.
Riding is the job of staying on top and making the bottom wrestler carry your weight. A good rider is hard to move, tires the bottom wrestler out and sets up every turn.
The rider stays at an angle, hips low and heavy, with a hand on the far wrist or triceps. The main skill is not strength but staying on the hips and keeping your weight on them.
Work with a partner on hands and knees. They stay down and try to move. You stay on top.
Key points
- Stay at an angle on their hip, not directly behind. Your chest is on their back, your head beside theirs.
- Keep your hips low and heavy. Sprawl your legs back if they try to stand.
- Control a wrist or tricep. If they cannot post, they cannot stand.
- Move with them. When they turn, keep your chest on them and follow.
- Do not grab their neck or throat. Control the arms and hips.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Riding directly behind. Stay at an angle where you can follow. Directly behind you are easy to sit out from under.
- Resting on your hands. Your hips and chest carry the weight. Hands only guide.
- Holding the neck. Keep control on arms and hips so you stay legal and safe.
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Top control module of Wrestling foundations.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Top control
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.