1. Drills
  2. Wrestling
  3. Takedowns

Live Takedown Goes With a Coach

Short live rounds from your feet, only with a coach running them.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Set up

A coach pairs you with a partner of similar size.

Core: Steady. Beat your own best out of 10 balanced shots.

Ages
14 and up
Time
12 min
Players
You and a partner
Space
Gym or court
Bring
Mat, partner, coach
Level · skill
Advanced · Takedowns

The steps

How it works

  1. A coach pairs you with a partner of similar size.
  2. Wrestle from the feet until one of you scores.
  3. Reset and go again.
  4. Do 6 short goes with rest between.

Coaching point

Stay in your stance.

Safety: Live wrestling only with a coach on the mat and a partner of similar size, age and experience. No slams, no twisting the head or neck. If you hit your head, stop and tell your coach. Skin check first: no partner work with a rash, sore or cold sore until a doctor clears it. Clean the mat before you start and shower after.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Shadow shots: practice the level change and step of a shot on the air while a partner gives a thumbs-up for a low, balanced level. No contact. Swap.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (slow), Core (steady), More (a quick reset). Beat your own best out of 10 balanced shots.

Story

You are a ninja practicing in the quiet dojo.

My best

Beat your own count

Beat your own best out of 10 balanced shots. Only your own number counts: today against last time.

Practice makes progress

Print it now, or save it free

Free for families and teams

Save this drill to your child or team, free

Sign up and the free wrestling week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.

14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free

Does your child's coach know about this?

An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.