Takedown by Rich Wallace

Author:Rich Wallace [Wallace, Rich]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Ages 8 & Up
ISBN: 9781101118870
Publisher: PUFFIN BOOKS
Published: 2006-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

8

Half Nelsons

“Work your way out of it!” Coach shouted. “Think about what he’s doing to you.”

Donald squirmed and strained, but Tavo easily forced his shoulders to the mat for a pin. It was the same move the Jersey City wrestler had used to pin him the day before.

A few feet away, Mario was being pinned via that same half-nelson move by Jesse Nadel.

“The half nelson is the most likely pinning move you’re going to be up against,” Coach said. “Both of you guys”—he pointed to Mario, then Donald—“lost that way yesterday. So let’s work on some counter moves. Learn how to get out of it.”

Coach had Jesse get Tavo in the half nelson. “Like this,” he said. “Let’s say Jesse has just taken Tavo down. So Tavo’s on his side, with his arms out.”

Jesse hooked his left arm under Tavo’s left, then gripped the back of Tavo’s head with it. From there he had plenty of leverage to force Tavo over and toward the mat.

“Now, what should Tavo do to counter that?” Coach asked Donald.

Donald shrugged. “Push back as hard as he can?”

“Yeah, but how? Go ahead, Tavo.”

Tavo dug his left elbow into the mat to stop Jesse’s thrust, then turned his head away, reducing Jesse’s leverage. With his left hand, Tavo reached up and forced Jesse’s hand off the back of his neck. Now that Jesse had lost the advantage, Tavo was able to spin free and quickly get to his feet.

“Perfect,” Coach said. “There are other ways out, but let’s work on this one. Pair up again and let’s go.”

So Donald went to the mat and let Tavo apply the hold.

“Like Tavo needs for me to let him put a half nelson on me?” Donald remarked. “He does it in about two seconds even when I start out on my feet.”

Coach laughed. “So let’s not waste the two seconds. Let’s go.”

Tavo applied the grip, and Donald got his elbow down. Tavo’s hand began to slip from Donald’s neck, but then it got tighter. Tavo was strong. He managed to turn Donald over anyway.

“Try it again,” Coach said. “You’re at a big disadvantage, Jenkins, because Tavo knows exactly what you’re trying to do. In a match things happen much more quickly. It becomes almost automatic if you work on it enough.”

They went through the drill several more times. Donald never quite managed to get out of the grip, but he lengthened the time it took Tavo to pin him. And when they switched partners, with Tavo taking on Mario and Donald matched up with Jesse, things changed in a hurry.

Jesse was a few pounds heavier than Donald—he was the first-string wrestler at ninety-five pounds—but it was clear that he didn’t have Tavo’s strength or flexibility. Donald got out of the grip twice. And when it was his turn to put the half nelson on Jesse, he came very close to executing a pin.

That was the breakthrough he was looking for. The rest of the practice session—crunches, leg lifts, running in place—was just as tough as ever, but it had taken on a new meaning for Donald.

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