How to Shoot a More Explosive Double Leg Takedown
The double leg is the highest percentage takedown in wrestling, and the wrestlers who finish it consistently are the ones who shoot with speed and power. An explosive double leg comes from a fast level change, a driving penetration step, and hips that fire through the finish. All of that can be trained. Watch the drill breakdown below, then use the technique cues, drills, and resistance work that follow to shoot faster and drive through your opponent.
What makes a double leg takedown explosive?
An explosive double leg is a chain of fast, connected movements. It starts with a level change, dropping your hips and bending your knees so you are under your opponent rather than reaching for their legs. Then comes the penetration step, a deep, driving lunge that plants your lead foot between their feet and closes the distance in one motion. From there your hips drive forward and up as you grab behind the knees and finish by running your feet and turning the corner. Wrestlers who look slow on their shot usually change levels too high, step too short, or stall out because their legs and hips are not strong enough to drive through contact. Speed and power on the shot come from explosive legs and hips, and those are exactly the qualities you can build in training.
What separates a slow shot from an explosive one?
If your opponents keep sprawling on your shots or you cannot close the distance, your double leg has leaks. Use this table to compare a slow, easy to stop shot with an explosive one that finishes.
| Phase | Slow Shot | Explosive Shot |
|---|---|---|
| Level change | Bends at the waist, head drops | Drops hips, chest and eyes stay up |
| Penetration step | Short, upright, easy to sprawl on | Deep drive, lead knee near the mat |
| Speed | Telegraphed and slow | Sudden, off a setup or motion |
| Hip drive | Stalls on contact | Hips fire forward through the finish |
| Finish | Stays flat, gets stuffed | Runs the feet, turns the corner |
What training tool builds an explosive shot?
Your shot is only as fast as your legs and hips are strong. Resistance work that loads the penetration step, level change, and hip drive teaches your lower body to fire harder and faster, which is what closes the gap before your opponent can sprawl. P.R.O. Bands let you add resistance to shot drills, resisted sprawls, squats, and hip drive work so you build explosive takedown power anywhere, from the wrestling room to home.
P.R.O. Resistance Bands
Add resistance to shots, sprawls, and hip drives to build the leg and hip power behind an explosive double leg.
What drills make your double leg faster?
These drills build the speed, technique, and power of an explosive shot. Add them to your training two or three times a week and focus on driving through every rep.
Takedown questions wrestlers ask
Why do my shots keep getting sprawled on?
Usually because the shot is slow or telegraphed and the penetration step is too short. A faster level change, a deeper step, and a setup to hide the shot make it much harder to stuff.
How do resistance bands help my takedowns?
They add load to your shots, sprawls, and hip drives, which builds explosive leg and hip strength. Stronger, faster legs close the distance before your opponent can react.
Should I keep my head up when I shoot?
Yes. Dropping your head bends you at the waist and stalls the shot. Keep your chest and eyes up so you can drive through and finish.
How long until my shot gets more explosive?
Technique sharpens within a couple of weeks of focused drilling, and explosive strength builds over several weeks of consistent resistance work.
Build the power behind an explosive shot
Train your legs and hips to drive through the double leg and finish.
Tags: Wrestling, Double Leg, Takedowns, Explosive Power, Resistance Bands, Wrestling Drills
