University of Northern Colorado Assistant Coach;
4x All-American at the University of Wyoming; three-time NWCA Academic All-American; most wins (147) in University of Wyoming wrestling
Many young wrestlers pause at key positions hampering their ability to dominate from the top. The top position is where wrestlers can separate the score by attacking and staying one step ahead of their opponent. The goal is to go from a takedown right into turns and from the turns right into a pin. In this video from Championship Productions, Joe LeBlanc teaches effective breakdowns and how to transition directly into tilts, turns and pins.
Chop Breakdown
Coach LeBlanc shares a unique version of the chop breakdown that involves making the offside arm more primary. With a standard chop, too many athletes end up on their hip, losing precious position and time. His focus is to bury the bottom man's hips to the mat instead of driving over his arm and pulling him into your lap. His breakdown works off the whistle from the referee's position, as well as when the opponent attempts a sit-out and a stand-up. This small change in technique can mean the difference in pinning an opponent and barely holding him down.
Tilt Series
After breaking down an opponent to the mat, Coach LeBlanc covers two different tilt series from this modified chop breakdown. You will learn a tight waist chop; an excellent low-risk tilt that can rack up a lot of back points. You will also learn how to combine this strategy with an arm-across-the-back tilt series that can morph into a near-wrist hammerlock - a high percentage pinning combination.
Claw Ride
The claw ride is an extremely popular wrestling technique for both riding and turning an opponent. Coach LeBlanc teaches some unique variations of the claw ride that provide new opportunities to score from this position. You'll see how to transition directly into various tilts from a standing claw ride, a claw spiral, and hips over and across. Many of the tilts can be turned into pins.
These tilts are very basic, but are all devastatingly effective to turn and pin even the toughest opponent.
Coach LeBlanc also shows a unique way of countering a sit-out that eliminates the opponent's chance to escape. His twist puts the wrestler into a common position that results in near-fall points.
Separate yourself from other wrestlers by becoming dominant in the top position! Coach LeBlanc shows you how in this dynamic presentation.
49 minutes. 2014.
WRD-04728B: with Joe LeBlanc,
University of Northern Colorado Assistant Coach;
4x All-American at the University of Wyoming; three-time NWCA Academic All-American; most wins (147) in University of Wyoming wrestling
Joe LeBlanc's philosophy is to stay "one step ahead of your opponent." In this presentation, he teaches you how to do that with techniques to get out from the bottom position. He also discusses the mindset needed to confidently attack and score from the bottom position.
In this video, you will learn a basic stand-up, how to defend against tough leg riders and discover several options for properly clearing the hands so you won't get stopped and end up on your belly.
Start Position
Coach LeBlanc begins by covering the bottom start position and how wrestlers can keep their weight back, hands light and prevent opponents from getting to their ankles. He shows how to keep an opponent from attacking the wrists and also includes a drill to reinforce the technique in several positions.
Stand-up Escape
All wrestlers must know how to perform a stand-up escape. Coach LeBlanc shares his version of an outside leg stand-up that enables the bottom wrestler to get his head and chest up without exploding up. It also leads into the changeover technique.
You'll see two common problems that wrestlers encounter with the stand-up and how to rectify them. Coach LeBlanc shows how knee slides from a safe referee's position allow wrestlers to pressure back into the opponent to get away. Once you get to your feet, Coach LeBlanc focuses on hand fighting and hip separation to be in the proper position and avoid being returned to the mat.
Leg Riding
Leg riding is becoming more popular and every wrestler who wants to be a champion must know how to defend against it. Coach LeBlanc covers six techniques to use when defending against leg riders and common mistakes to avoid in implementing them.
Many of his techniques attack the leg and, if wrestlers don't fight the pressure, they can lead to a reversal and even a pin. You will see what to do when a leg rider seat belts a leg, a short sit series, a high bridge, a Peterson and a shin shuck-an explosive movement with a full hip heist. He also shows how to hit the shin shuck with a half-hip heist that leads into a Peterson.
Granby Roll
Learn the key techniques to making the Granby roll work for an escape or a reversal. LeBlanc breaks it down into simple positions that are easy for athletes to execute and easy for coaches to break down in the training room. You'll see several different ways to perform the Granby, as well as how to avoid the common mistakes to hitting the move.
Chain Wrestle
You'll also get a number of drills to help athletes become chain wrestlers from the bottom. Coach LeBlanc starts with simple stand-up drills and moves to a chain wrestling drill that works on putting different bottom techniques together to reinforce proper positioning from the bottom and develop muscle memory. Coach LeBlanc show a fantastic way of shadow wrestling the bottom position so that your athletes can get in extra mat time.
Develop the skills needed to create confident, dominant wrestlers that score from the bottom position regardless of the opponent's skill level. Don't be satisfied with a one-point escape-go for a five-point move or a pin!
39 minutes. 2014.
WRD-04728C: with Joe LeBlanc,
University of Northern Colorado Assistant Coach;
4x All-American at the University of Wyoming; three-time NWCA Academic All-American; most wins (147) in University of Wyoming wrestling
Give your wrestlers a mental edge over their competition! The mental side of wrestling is an important component of wrestling that many coaches and athletes overlook. Four-time All American Joe LeBlanc addresses that omission with an effective approach to strengthening the mental side of the sport.
The Championship Taper
The wrestling season can be a grind leading to burnout. Coach LeBlanc shares strategies for transitioning athletes from preseason to regular season to peak performance at championship time. You'll learn the appropriate intensity and repetition ratios for each phase of the season and principles for keeping your wrestlers physically and mentally fresh during the championship run.
Match Routines and Strategies
Getting ready for a match can be one of the hardest things an athlete does. Coach LeBlanc shares his approach to preparing athletes for a match. He talks about pre- and post-match routines, and how they are specific to each athlete. He uses his background in kinesiology to address proper hydration and nutrition before competition. Gain insights on match strategy, scouting, match planning and motivation. Knowing how to approach an opponent, especially a top-tier wrestler, is an underused tactic.
Post-match
Post-match analysis is essential if your athletes are going to improve. Learn how to deal with an athlete after wins or losses and how to maintain their focus for their next match. Included is a segment on how a coach can use video to improve an athlete's performance.
Warm-up
Discover specific warm-ups for reducing injuries and preparing wrestlers to function at a high level in practice and in competitions.
Coach LeBlanc uses dynamic movement to begin a training session and static movements to complete a session. The progression shown will get every athlete ready to perform at an optimal level. The cool-down shown will get your athletes ready for the next match and increase their flexibility.
This presentation will benefit wrestlers, coaches and parents. These techniques help athletes recover quickly after a loss and keep them hungry when they are dominating the competition. Wrestling is not just about the physical nature of the sport. This presentation reinforces that often-overlooked mental training that can help wrestlers grow and improve.
33 minutes. 2014.