How to Shoot a Faster Takedown in Wrestling Like Jordan Burroughs
A takedown is won in the first half second. To shoot a faster, more explosive takedown, you train a quick level change, a hard penetration step, and the hip drive that finishes the shot before your opponent can react. Wrestlers famous for a blast double, like Jordan Burroughs, are not just fast on their feet. They set up the shot, change levels in an instant, and drive through with power built in the weight room and on the mat. Here is how to train the same explosive shot.
What actually makes a takedown explosive?
Speed on a shot is not just moving your feet fast. It is a sharp level change followed by a hard penetration step that puts your hips under your opponent before they can sprawl. The wrestlers who finish clean shots drop their level without tipping it off, then explode forward and up through the hips, all in one connected motion.
Power drives that motion. A fast shot is a lot of force applied in a short time, so strong legs, hips, and a braced core are what turn a good setup into a finished takedown. Add the ability to change direction and re-shoot, and you become the wrestler who is always a step ahead in a scramble.
Setups matter just as much as raw speed. A level change you sell with your hands, a snap, or a tie opens the lane for the shot, so your opponent is reacting late. Train the shot and the setup together, because the fastest penetration step in the room does not score if the other wrestler sees it coming.
Which training builds a faster shot?
Each method trains a different piece of an explosive takedown. Build the strength, then express it as speed on the mat.
| Method | What it builds | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Resisted penetration steps | Explosive hip drive into the shot | 2 days a week |
| Short sprints and jumps | First-step quickness and leg power | 2 days a week |
| Live shot drilling | Setups, timing, and clean finishes | Most practices |
| Hip and core strength | Force and stability through the finish | 2 to 3 days a week |
A simple week might pair two explosive strength days with daily shot drilling and a couple of short sprint and jump sessions. Keep the explosive work fresh and crisp, not tired, because a fast shot is trained with full effort and real recovery, never by grinding through fatigue.
Do resistance bands make your shot faster?
They do, because a band lets you load the exact motion of a shot. Loop a band behind you, drop your level, and drive your penetration step against the resistance. Your hips learn to fire hard and forward. Step out of the band and your live shot feels light and quick, which is the overspeed effect coaches use to build speed.
Loop bands also build the glutes, hips, and hamstrings that power every shot, sprawl, and scramble, and they travel in a gym bag for warm-ups or at-home sessions. Use them for short, explosive efforts with full rest, plus slower strength work like lateral walks and bridges on your off days.
Because the bands come in a range of tensions, they grow with you from a first-year wrestler to a varsity starter. Start with a lighter band so your penetration step stays clean and sharp, then move up only once the movement looks fast and powerful. The goal is always a crisp, explosive shot, so keep the load honest and let speed lead the way.
P.R.O. Bands Resistance Training Bands
Load your penetration step and hip drive, then shoot free and feel the takedown explode.
What drills build a faster takedown?
Work these fresh, early in a session, with full recovery between reps. Speed is a quality you train sharp, not tired.
Takedown questions wrestlers ask
How can I make my shot faster?
Sharpen the level change, then add resisted penetration steps and short sprints for explosive hip drive. Most wrestlers feel a quicker shot within 4 to 6 weeks of consistent work.
Do resistance bands help wrestling?
Yes. They load the penetration step and build the hips and legs that power shots, sprawls, and scrambles, and they let you add overspeed work when you step out of the band.
Is a fast shot about speed or strength?
Both. A fast shot is force applied quickly, so you build strength in the legs and hips, then express it as speed through clean, repeated reps on the mat.
Why does my opponent always sprawl on my shot?
Usually the shot is telegraphed. Add a real setup, hide the level change, and shoot off a reaction so the other wrestler is late rather than ready.
How often should I train explosive shots?
Two explosive sessions a week, plus daily shot drilling, is plenty. Keep the fast work fresh so every rep is at full speed.
Build an explosive takedown
Add resisted penetration steps and hip strength work to your week and shoot faster than your opponent can react.
Tags: wrestling, takedowns, double leg, explosive power, resistance bands, Jordan Burroughs
