The Best Leg Defense Series in the World

Oct 9, 2013 by Nickolas Velliquette

Pat McNamara has to have the finest leg defense series in the world. I can personally vouch for that statement.

I remember stepping into the University of Missouri wrestling room as a freshman in college, and like most incoming freshman I sucked on bottom -BAD. I would routinely get beat up on the mat by my salty upper-class team mates . Getting to my feet was a huge undertaking, but nothing was harder for me than getting out of the legs. Luckily, the Mizzou coaching staff had an ace up its sleeve: 3x All American and then assistant coach, Pat McNamara.

Highly cerebral and a very generous coach, McNamara would routinely pull wrestlers, like myself, aside to work on technique (during practice and after). He and I worked on leg defense a lot, which was nice because it's kind of his forte. By the time McNamara got ahold of me, he had already developed a highly successful leg defense series; like a scientist, McNamara had an answer for every hypothetical I threw at him. "What if he goes to the powerhalf after I hip down? How do I break his figure four on my left leg? How do I adjust after he sucks me back after I stop his cross face, while I'm controlling his wrist with my baseball grip???" McNamara had an answer for everything; he knew how to win from anywhere.

Less than a semester into college, I had the fundamentals of his system down, and I knew I could reverse almost anyone (outside of our room) who would throw in the legs on me. And I wasn't the only one. Mizzou specialized in this position, and my team mates would win match after match against even the most experienced leg rider.

Introducing: The Best Leg Defense Series in the World

Leg Defense to Reversal from Crackback Position
This is the fundamental start to McNamara's leg defense progression. When your opponent has his legs in, make sure to hip down while sealing off your right elbow (the one he'll be looking to attack with a power half). From a hip down, make sure to slide away from your opponent and then push his knee away and work your left arm under his leg so that you're in a crack back position. Finish like you normally would for the reversal.

Leg Defense to Reversal from Opponent's Cross Face
You'll see this a lot more in high school than you will in college as many high schooler's feel comfortable going to the cross face once hipped down. When your opponent throws his cross face, make sure to catch his wrist while securing a baseball grip. From there, you should roll to your left and cement his wrist into the mat as you tripod up for the reversal.

Leg Defense to Reversal with Back Door Finish
Here, McNamara shows a common position that you'll get into with a good leg rider. After you hip him down, your opponent will figure four his legs and look for a power half. This is fine. To beat him, you must grab the top of his foot, move your left elbow inside of his thigh and then roll left elbow side before reversing him with a backdoor finish.

Leg Defense from Power Half Wing Down
Coach McNamara shows that if you're opponent already has a power half with the legs in, you can wing him down hard so that his head bounces off the mat. From there, you can hip down (while sealing off your right elbow) and progress in your leg defense series.

Leg Defense to Reversal From Foot Lock
This is one you definitely need to get down as you'll get into this position a lot, especially as you first start working on this series. If your opponent has a solid power half in while you're hipped down, you can go straight back while locking his right foot with yours. You control him from here, and as he panics and goes to the cross face, make sure to catch his wrist and finish by rolling to your left while cementing his wrist into the mat.