Amateur Wrestling

Preface

Believing that individual sport has a greater place in Intercollegiate Athletics and that a man will get many valuable lessons from meeting in friendly competition another man equally as good as he is, and because my wife has asked me to write the book, has caused me to spend one year collecting the pictures and working out the descriptions. I am giving to the wrestling public the best I have in the different groups of holds trips locks and counters.

EK. C. GALLAGHER.

A, & M. College, Stillwater, Okla.

CONTENTS Page EECA an a de + en OE V Acknowledgments” 22... os Sere Mira are re PO XE UES ETE Sie oe Nos Bett ed: ren RO Sir APR Ree EO re XIII CHAPTER I BreLOryr Ora yy Pasting oa 62 ee ne ee 1 CHAPTER II Riprece tiie at latin toe ee sane A ee 5 CHAPTER III LTS SUEDE Cis Rd Wet 8 Ws eee na sc aE Sec ed EARNERS ER ae REE ota 7 CHAPTER IV mreperine eet (nes atches 2). Ae ee ee 9 CHAPTER V Common Wrestling Injuries and What to do. 22 13 CHAPTER VI Peete to wrestle your match .. oe eee 15 CRATER SV LL. <2. ate Seep sls) et Amateur Athletic Union Rules for Catch as Catch can Wrest- TS as FS ON A el SD I PORE ee ee 17 National Collegiate Athletic Association of American Wrestling LT Ee on EO ae Ne el ra RS ee EY SPEER Ae T 7F 22 CHAPTER VIII rent tr HULOSO DN Vee cota Ba ees Aig Le 33 CHAPTER IX (UPL TUES EG I pS 2 Ae ae RR NP 35 CHAPTER X Standing Holds Going Behind ........... i relvee cacti at SE ee ae oe 38 CHAPTER XI To Throw to the Mat ............... AES 70

ERED, ALIS 27) Ae, So ee ea eee 86

VI

CHAPTER XIV

Offensive Wrestling: iit

CUTS SHOWING WRESTLERS IN ACTION

Standing Position A.

Knocking up arm Taking leg and going behind B and C. dapanese wrist lock D.2:.ine 2 ee

Head to head standing A.

Wrist and crotch with lift B.

Pushing up chin to get to legs C.

Takine lege from above hold:D.. =. eee

Knocking up elbow going under A.

Showing hold completed B.

Diving for both legs and counter C.

Counter. atter. take above bold D2... ea

Double body lock A.

Counter for Double body lock B.

Counter for double body lock C.

Pinning trom above counter. Doi... ee

Getting’ behind from front chancery and bar A.

Showing completion of above counter for chancery and bar B. Showing counter for double lock on head C.

Showing finish of counter ShOWn above Doone cecccccccesececncceeeeveseseneeeneeemeeee

Combination double arm pull going behind A. Slipping behind from double body lock B.

Counter position for Double shoulder hold OC.

Arm hook crotch kick double wrist lock variation D..-. Double arm drag Western style A.

Second position of above hold B:

Showing hold progressing C.

Counter for*holdshown jm A. D:228.2..15 0. 3s Cross arm pull A.

Showing counter for above hold B,

Showing counter progressing C.

Showing counter progressing D

VII

Page

Wrist lock and arm drag with inside, crotch Kiek A, Japanese hold progressing C. : tes ORNS Sl ATSB cS UI EL ei dele on OR a ete a td eg bel. 54

Front chancery and front bar A.

Stepping on foot and applying hold B.

Hold progressing C.

Finish of hold and pin from above positions LA ee ce ee es 56

Head lock arm drag and tripping outside right A.

Counter for head lock B.

Counter for head lock C. emcee che head Wook |).2 i. cla eee ee oe Bye)

Working into a double bar from front A.

Hold gotten and ready to throw to mat B.

Reverse half nelson starting C.

eam nOld progressing 1). So Oe ee dol el ee 60

Inside leg tackle A.

Showing hold progressing G.

Counter for leg tackle between C.

Countering with inside leg hold or switeh D.......... een te Mie ees 2 62

Head to head wrong position for top man A,

Counter from above position B.

Pin from above counter C.

Front chancery bar arm and back heel Doi. ccc 64

Pushing head to side to get at legs A.

Double elbow lock and pry to get at legs B.

Inside ankle hold to get behind from head to head C.

aiside ankle hold -to get behind D...0- 22222 eae 66

Reverse crotch from head to head A. .

Shoulder pry and crotch kick to escape B.

Showing standing position when behind A,

How to pick up and bust B.

How to trip and bust C.

' Showing above position progressing Doon -eencpeccccceccernetnnnnen 70

Vill

Stepping on leg to break down to mat A.

Sitting back and tripping both legs B.

Reverse legs amd trip to rat Coon ceee ec ec e ecreeeeeenenetnnan

Sitting up when under or in front A.

Switching from standing taking inside leg B. Grapevining leg to: keep from being thrown to mat C. Taking leg between yours and sitting back D._......... Meu ei es 74

Referees riding position A.

Double body lock and leg pry B.

Single bar arm held by both hands C.

Arm hook and inside crotch D................ Pe nN DOM eh ebro 76

Single bar held by both hands A.

Break for the bar arm B.

Double body lock and shoulder in short ribs C.

Crotch and ankle combination to hold down D....WW-- 78

Body and twisting hammer to ride A.

Body scissor and double arm lift or strecher B.

Double bar over head C.

Figure-four scissor’and half nelson D.._.. - 80

Double bar and hook scissor on legs A.

Hold from front B.

Cross scissor ride with double wrist lock C.

Wrist lock on further arm when behind D............. 82

Trying to pin from cross scissor ride with half nelson eombination A.

Cross scissor ride opponent on back B.

Cross scissor ride with cross face hold C.

Double. body leck prying ler down Dii2.... =e 84

Winging right arm hooking right leg with right A.

Showing above hold progressing B.

leas right toe and pulling opponents right with your left to wing C.

Winging left créteh kick with right: De. . 86

Hooking left toe holding opponents right with your left A. Double wing and throw body across when he rolls B.

Showing above hold progressing C.

Taking head from the sitting position to escape D..WW........

Shifting legs across opponent to come on top from further nelson Sitting to break half nelson and pulling arm loose B.

Sitting up and when opponent reaches over turn C.

poawine nbove bold progressing D.<.460o) Aa es

Getting ready to take head lock and arm drag from under position A.

Showing above hold progressing B.

Showing the next step from above position C.

Pinning after changing the arm to Japanese lock from scissor Becermapponer: cei 10, Dack- Di 22s ose tu ocean meen

Eseaping from leg and erotch combination ride A.

Showing hold progressing B.

Showing next progression C.

Using cross face hold to hold opponent from turning toward cy PAG QS ag 8 ya Se ce Re eR Sloe RO) eee

Under man backing out by getting his leg over opponents and then, get loose A.

Breaking the body scissor as it starts B.

Showing next step in breaking scissor C.

CES 3 BO ATS 70 al DR eR RE RR Pe SERS RENE SOME SEERS eS

Starting the double wrist lock A.

Breaking hands apart B.

Breaking his grip on your arm C.

Double wrist lock progressing from last cut page 98, A.

- Countering double wrist lock by shifting over B.

Countering double wrist lock by coming around in front C. Countering a man who Sits Up tO eCSCAPE Donn cceeccecsscesersecsecesnseneennee

Resisting and breaking the half nelson A.

Hold progressing B.

Escape complete and on top C.

Pursherearn. andenals nelson: Di es le

Showing position under man can escape from A. How to escape from above hold B.

Eseape progressing C.

Winging and kicking crotch with opposite lege) Le eee 104

Backing out from under a further es A.

Showing hold progressing B.

Spinning out from a further nelson C.

Shifting legs across opponent, to come on top from further nel- Ctl cd 2 ee ON, iar eee Sees Roe Menke CRIM NHS Fea 106

Breaking cross scissor ride by bucking him off over your head A. Showing hold progressing B.

Escape complete C.

Showing method of breaking cross scissor ride another variat- OTE De eee heed ere eee ek 108

Right leg over opponents right sit back and take leg hold to escape A.

Showing hold progressing B.

Showing escape complete and coming OM tOp Coie cece 110

Bar arm and half nelson to pin A.

liold progressing B.

' Resisting the hold C.

Body and arm positions to further resist hold D.WWW- 112

Further arm hold to turn and pin A.

Progressing with above hold B.

Hold completed and taken head with arm U.

Breaking the half nelson before it gets started Dusen» « 114

Getting variation of leg split with cross scissor ride A.

Showing hold progressing B.

Sh: wing the switch from sitting C.

Doing back roll to throw opponent over from body ie Dse 116

Getting ready to take variation of split crotch A. Taking leg for split crotch B.

Showing hold progressing C.

Pimmung with the split eroteh: D.c&<. 210 = ee ee 118

Reverse crotch and bar to get the head scissor A. Second! step in getting head scissor B.

Third step in getting head scissor ©.

Last step in getting head scissor D

Page Working into a reverse half nelson from cross scissor ride A. Showing hold gotten ready to go B.

Showing pin hold from above variation C. . The sit'back geom standing Di. A 122

Double wrist lock on further arm step over head for head and arm scissor A. ;

Second position in getting above hold B.

Third position from above C.

Further arm and further leg thrown off balance D............................. 124

Further arm in combination with head and arm scissor A.

Hold applied for fall B.

Under man showing what to do to get out of the half nelson and and prevent being thrown C,

Breaking half nelson pulling hand off head D...WW. 126

Body scissor and half nelson to pin A.

Slipping into a front body scissor with head! and arm combination to pin B.

Getting ready to heave from the crotch and get arm: back C. After the heave gotten arm back and ready to try some other ILE PO CIOS GEM ee ae ae ee gee cacti Oe ear ee ao 128

Pinning with double reverse wrist lock and arm scissor A.

Short arm scissor hold applied B.

Solving problem when man sits up and counter to pin C.

Inside Ieg scissor and further nelson to pin Du 180

Taking further nelson and near arm scissor A.

Showing hold progressing B.

Crotch heave and taking arm scissor C.

pmowine hold progressing Die... o th xIl

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgement of appreciation is made to Guy Lookabaugh, Captain of the Oklahoma A. & M. College wrestling team; Winner of numerous championships including the Southwestern conference, Missoruri Valley and second place in U. S. National Tournament 1925; Member American Olympic team 1924; One of the most outstanding Amateur wrestlers of the U. S.

al ry Charles Strack, National Champion of the U. S. 1924; runner up 1925; member of the American Olympic team 1924; Outstanding heavyweight and light heavyweight in the U. S. for the past four years,

Lynn Reid, Captain of the Oklahoma A. & M. College team 1924; Winner of numerous bouts.

These three men posed for the picture in this book. They present the best types in wrestling. One lithe intelligent aggressive and powerful, another intelligent and very clever but defensive type and the other intensively interested, intelligent and aggressive

All of them exceptional sportmen and all wrestlers liked to work with.

XII

Introduction

Wrestling is a science, rather than a display of great muscular ability or effort. The proper combination of brain and brawn is necessary for success, particularly in amateur mat activities. Skiii is 75 per cent of the required assets of a grapler brute strength 25 per cent. Moreover, the ‘‘will to win’’ and self confidence are all-important elements in the composition of a wrestler.

There, in brief you have the theory of Coach E. C. Gallagher, author of this book, in which he contributes to all wrestlers and prospective wrestlers, whether highschool boy, college man, athletic elub member or professional campaigner, the things he has learned and developed.

Gallagher’s theory has worked. Tests of ever-increasing scope and responsibility and combination have proved his theory successful. As a wrestling coach, he has been universally successful in the eleven years of his career devoted largely to the mat game. Year by year greater laurels have been won by his students and proteges, until, in 1925, his team of Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical college men won the national Amateur Athletic Union’s championship, sweeping into a team title by an overwhelming margin of points,

Fourteen of the twenty-four men who placed among the medalists in the 1925 National A. A. U. tournament were products of Gallagher’s training. Six of the eight national champions had learned the game under his guidance.

Gallagher’s college teams have never had an unsuccessful season. Year upon year, since 1915, the start of his coaching, the Oklahoma Aggies have won consistently. In only two of those seasons have they failed to finish all-victorious schedules. Only three dual intercollegiate meets have been lost. Texas university won one in 1916, Nebraska university one in 1918 and Iowa State College one in 1918. In other years when they were met these teams were defeated.

Because of the consistent victories of his men in Southwest conference competition, Gallagher attained the popular title of

XIV

‘(dean of southwestern wrestling”’ several years ago. Now his ability as a coach has become nationally known.

All sorts of amateur competition has been entered by Gallagher’s men. They have been victorious in Missouri Valley and Western conference meets, in districts and national trials in former years, and in 1924 two! of them were members of the United State Olympic team, which won the world’s championship at the Paris games.

Gallagher’s system, as well as his theory, is largely original. It is unique, in that it is like no other method employed.. In this, book he divulges many secrets heretofore reserved for his own students..

More than half the holds, counters and breaks described in this book are products of Gallagher’s ingenuity. In some instances, they are combinations of old and new methods. Many of them are purely the products of study given the subject by the author. As a system, Gallagher’s methods are different.

In this book, Gallagher has followed the plan of positive statements. If the reader-student desires to obtain the best results from what he finds in the book, it is imperative that he believe wholeheartedly what he reads therein. Nothing of an untried nature has been included. There’s no conjecture, but merely exposition of facts about the most important phases of preparation for success in wrestling. Not too much emphasis has been put upon detailed reasons. The ‘‘how’’ and not the ‘‘why’’ has been stressed.

Gallagher’s students, who receive personal training by him, long ago learned to accept without doubt what the A. and M. College coach told them. That was their first step in success. Next came a familiarity with methods, gained by conscientious practice. To do this or that, in mat meneuvers, came later to be second nature for the student wrestlers. Lastly! came the victory complex. After that only the polishing process remained.

If you are interested in becoming a successful wrestler, and can not be fortunate enough to get personal training in the classes Coach Gallagher conducts, the next best move is to follow carefully the plan of preparation outlined in his book.

The writer of this brief foreword has followed Gallagher’s career as a wrestling coach, season by season, since 1915. It has

XV been his pleasant task to write for the newspapers of the middlewest—more recently of the nation—hundreds of stories of achievements by Gallagher’s men. He has listened to the author’s confidences and has heard whispered ambitions, things he has seen accomplished. Withal, he has observed the modesty with which Coach Gallagher has received acclaim, and has seen the unusual regard and reverence in which Gallagher’s students hold him.

Therefore, there is a sincere pleasure for the writer in recommending to you this book, the product of Gallagher’s experience and a contribution to wrestling—the clean, wholesome sort that rapidly is gaining in popularity in the nation.

RANDLE PERDUE,

Sports Correspondent.

Chapter I History Of Wrestling

Wrestling is almost as man. As soon as men were present in any great numbers men vied with each other in strength combats something like wrestling matches. As the population increased and wars were being fought all kinds of strength tests were popular and men tried their tricks on each other. The waging of wars and the law of the survival of the fittest brought about this condition where men of the class who lacked intelligence in fighting fell first.

In battles it was learned that there were certain holds, trips and pries that would render your opponent at your merey and. these were developed as far as knowledge of the game would permit. The greatest sword fighters and ahnd-to-hand, fighters were no doubt men who had considerable skill in wrestling. We know that there has never been a great step taken in Physical Education and Athleties that was not a direct result of a demand from the military departments of the different countries. In times of peace wrestling was encouraged along with other forms of athletics and a Barbas kind of holds developed.

It seems that merely a matter of physical supremacy kept men vieing with each other in strength and skill contests and kept the wrestling game progressing. Men would meet and try their skill in running, hopping, throwing the stone or performing feats of strength and showing their skill in wrestling other men. Each man added some knowledge to the game and it kept developing.

In studying the different forms of wrestling in their history of development it is well to consider the rules first. In the style practiced in Europe they had rules that would permit only of really good work with the'hands, arms and back. Their rules were such that they did most of the wrestling with their arms. This developed the Graeco-Roman style which is still the leading variety in Europe.

In Japan the different organizations were developing an almost entirely different form of wrestling. Skill and knowledge of the trips were placed above mere strength and many good things about wrestling were developed. However the Japanese were in the habit of fusing such trip holds and counters that would render their opponent helpless. This being the case the Jui Jitsu the leading branch of Japanese wrestling has not quite met with the favor it would have met with if these holds had been left out. We think of Jui Jitsu as being a means of hurting an opponent and rendering him helpless. This is not entirely true and Jui Jitsu in the first grades is as wonderful series of trips holds and counters while in the advanced grades we find every known method of rendering our opponents helpless either by joint locking or by blows to the different parts of the body. The Japanese have had wonderful effect on wrestling which will be shown later.

When men learned to wager on wrestling matches it brought out another class of wrestlers known as professional men. They made a business of wrestling and capitalized on their avlity to beat the other fellow. This was not the easiest way so many bouts were framed so to speak and the wrestlers knew how the bouts were to come off before they were wrestled. The game was thrown in a bad way and the people in general, refused to be a party to unfair methods so professional wrestling nearly went flat.

But there were another class of people and they were amateurs. They wrestled for the pleasure they got out of the game and the good it did their bodies to indulge in sueh athletic exercises. These men barred all punishing holds took out of the game all things that were most likely to injure an opponent and made it possible for two gentlemen to engage in a wrestling match one to beat the other and yet not injure your fellow in person or feeling.

The group just mentioned has saved wrestling. The general public has been led back to wrestling and like it as never before. Since you must educate people to like any thing of this kind the College teams have gone far to establish Amateur Wrestling in the U. S. The different conferences, and organizations have promoted. wrestling to its present state of efficiency. The Olympic Games recognizing wrestling bas kept many a good man in the game and has shown that great good can be realized from indulging in this form of exercise.

The present United States Amateur wrestling is a mixture of European, Japanese, American and the old side hold wrestling. Intelligent wrestlers can find a place for all the good trips blocks and counters. If we see amateur wrestling in California we see a tricky type of holds looking nearly like the Jui Jitsu. If you go the Kastern part of the U. S. you see a more conservative form of wrestling the men afraid to take a chance and trying to win using only a few holds. In the Central West they are influenced on all the different forms and you are likely to see all forms of wrestling. Some men using scissors, some all arm and head holds while the more skilled may use many leg combinations. The style

HISTORY OF WRESTLING 8 in the future and the way men will wrestle will depend upon just how the rules are written.

It is my opinion that the matches must be speeded up and that men. will: be allowed more leniency always giving the decision to the man who has shown the most skill and aggressiveness. At present there are five things that happen while wrestling in addition to getting thrown and your shoulders pinned, they are: going behind an opponent, throwing an opponent to the mat after you are behind, holding an opponent to the mat staying on top, getting out from under if you are on the bottom and the offensive wrestling you may do such as applying holds and beating an opponent with some hold trip lock or counter.

In conclusion why not learn just what we should know and learn it well. Be intelligent wrestlers and keep in good condition. Wrestle clean and be a good sport and last have a determination that will earry you through the hardest battles and bring you out a man win or lose. The history of wrestling will read, that men learned to wrestle fairly during the early years of the twentieth century.

WRESTLING PLAN

Ol

CHAPTER IT

WRESTLING PLAN.

The wrestling outlined in this book is developed on certain lines not heretofore published. Every move and position is based upon a mechanical principle. All the movements of the muscles are figured from a standpoint of anatomy and pyschologly. The theory upon which the holds are derived from is based on position, leverage and strength of groups of muscles.

A man standing does not have a very large base. When pushed backward or pulled forward he resists or advances and retreats to suit the occasion and you cannot get him off his balance. If you push him to the right or left he resists or shifts to the right or left to suit the ease and still not gotten oui of position. Two movements are very unusual and your muscles have not developed to function that way. All the attacks are figured from that theory. If a man is standing never push straight at him but try to combine a straight push wit ha side push and he will be unable to resist such a movement. This is because his, muscles have not been taught to resist such movements. You will find that no man will have much luck resisting a movement at an angle of forty-five degrees from front or side because his muscles are not taught to perform in this manner. When you are on the mat on the defensive, that is down on your hands and knees, if shoved forward you resist it easily. If shoved to the side you resist that movement also. If however you are shoved at an angle of forty-five degrees it throws all the force on one leg of the table and you cannot resist that movement.

Another theory we work on is that a man represents a table it either stands on two legs with limited support or it stands ‘on four. Whether you are on four or two legs you cannot get off balance unless one of the legs are destroyed. When contending with the four legged table it is always best to destroy two legs if possible. If this is not possible then one must be destroyed before you can do anything with your opponent. When you are on ton of an opponent and he is on all fours. First try to break the arm to destroy one leg of the table and then immediately put all your pressure in that direction. It will then be necessary for him to shift the other table legs to take care of the pressure. If he is unable to shift then you have him down on the mat and at a disadvantage.

If he does shift to take care of the force it is with great effort because he has to put more force in the movement. As a better example of this take for example a case of one man holding another down on the mat. The man on top gets one arm back and locks it. The man under has to carry the same weight and resists the same forces with one arm and two legs that he resisted with both arms and legs before. He will not be able to function as easily and will be defeated by losing an advantage. If an opponent is not strong in the arms he will be easy:to handle as far as getting one arm back. If he is,of the more sturdy build he will be hard to do anything with so you will have to direct your attention to his legs. It is seldom that a man who is especially strong and well built in the arms is over-developed in the legs. We then take from the preceeding sentence that we are to attack the weakest part, destroy one leg of the table at a time and by getting your opponent out of position make him work harder in the early part of the bout. He will then be very weary and easily beaten near the end of the wrestling period.

Another point is that you are to breath properly, be in the finest condition possible and then wrestle with the greatest intelligence. There is a limit to the development of muscle and strength but there is no limit the individual may develop his brain. It has been estimated that the knowledge of the game counts seventy five percent in making up a wrestler’s qualifications. When you are making study of wrestling do it in a systematic manner and just like you would learn any other subject.

Another most important point in this plan is if you want to get the most out of your work do not take it so seriously that it becomes too tiresome and you burn out. Take it as a business and then strive to perfect your wrestling to its highest point. Get your body or wrestling machinery in the finest condition and. then with a good engineer at the throttle and good machine you will be able to defeat all comers.

Nearly every book published on the subject of wrestling has many good positions and holds but there is not much system ag to the divisions of holds, trips and counters. In this text in the part showing the holds I have grouped the different holds so you may turn and find out a method to get an opponent in front:.of you, how to get him to the mat, ride him if you are fortunate to: get on top and how to escape from underneath. With all the holds classified you have something definite to work with and can find what you want without going over the entire text.

' Wrestling is only doing the little simple but correct things at the right time, also doing them so fast the other fellow can’t keep up and will eventually give you the chance you want.

PRELIMINARY TRAINING

Chapter III Preliminary Training

Your preliminary training for a wrestling season should cover the period from Sept. Ist., to Jan. 1st. It goes without saying that you _should have lived as clean as possible all your life because a man once dissipated will never bé quite so good as one who has taken the right paths. Begin your training by doing cross country running starting with the half mile for a few days and gradually working up’ until you can do three miles without feeling tired the next day. When you reach this stage then begin to run only on every other day and take wrestling instruction on the other three days. The brain must be prepared several weeks in, advance of the muscle in order to get the best coordination. In explanation, I mean that you cannot learn a hold by trying it ‘just before the match because the paths of reflex are not developed and you will not be able to use anything explained just before the bouts begin.