with Steve Costanzo,
St. Cloud State University Head Coach;
2018 NCAA DII National Champions - third title in four years, including back-to-back National Championships (2016-17);
2018 NWCA DII National Duals Champions;
2016 NCAA DII Coach of the Year;
2018 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Champions - winners of seven straight conference titles (2012-18) and 11 overall; 5x NSIC Coach of the Year; former Dana College Head Coach - 2016 NAIA National Champions
Steve Costanzo has turned St. Cloud State into a NCAA D-II wrestling powerhouse. Under Coach Costanzo, the Huskies have won back-to-back NCAA Division II titles (2016-17). Through the 2017 season, St. Cloud has won six straight Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships (and 10 overall under Costanzo) and have not lost a conference dual meet since 2011. Coach Costanzo, two-time National D-II Coach of the Year, has coached seven National Champions and 76 All-Americans. He also served as head coach at Dana College, where he led his squad to the 2006 NAIA National Title and was awarded the NAIA Coach of the Year.
Many wrestlers at all levels are successful at getting to the legs, but struggle with finishing, either wasting energy being stalemated, or being scored on with counter offense. Frequently, these wrestlers have a finish or two they feel comfortable with, but don't have a systematic approach to dealing with the variety of defenses that opponents can use against them.
Two-time National Coach of the Year Steve Constanzo shows a complete system for finishing the single leg attack. Along with his assistant, Division II All-American Jay Hildreth, Costanzo demonstrates the fundamental positioning to finish the single leg and high crotch off your opponent's reaction on your feet and on the mat. They also demonstrate how to finish from various problem positions that wrestlers may encounter from their takedown attempts.
Single Leg Finishes (Head on the Inside)
Learn the "nuts and bolts" of the single leg by understanding the proper positioning. Costanzo demonstrates four main finishes from your feet:
Train your wrestlers to use their defensive position as an advantage to finish their takedown. You'll learn different single leg finishes from the mat. Coach Costanzo breaks down each technique, emphasizing key points so that the techniques are easy to learn.
- Tug of War Position: Great way to defeat an opponent's whizzer attempt and to finish a takedown.
- Knee Slide: Beat an opponent with heavy hips by getting underneath them into a better position.
You'll also learn a variety of ways to look for falls after finishing the takedowns, such as a turk.
Beating the Key Lock or Shin Whizzer
One position that frustrates even the most experience athletes is the key lock, shin whizzer or hip lock position, as it isolates the leg and prevents the other wrestler from getting an angle to finish the single leg. Constanzo shows two distinct finishes to finish the single leg on the mat. These techniques are a must for wrestlers who are getting stuck in this position!
High Crotch Finishes (Head on the Outside)
Coach Jay Hildreth shows a variety of adjustment to improve your finishing percentage with the two most common high crotch finishes: the switch-off to a double leg and the dump, which is a great way to finish a high crotch if your opponent blocks your elbow to prevent you from switching off to a double leg finish.
Beating the Crackdown Position
Once wrestlers have established themselves as a threat in these positions, opponents will look to immediately enter the crackdown against them. From here, Hildreth shows five finishes, depending on the exact position the wrestlers land in, including two that will end in back points.
- Create Space to a Body Turk: Great way to pick up a fall when wrestlers get stuck between opponent's legs.
- Create Space to a Backside Double: Another way to score from between the opponent's legs.
- Circle into Him: Ideal finish for when wrestlers are outside the opponent's legs in a crackdown situation.
- Swim and Catch His Head: Allows for a transition from a crackdown to a cradle.
- Elbow Roll: Score big points when the opponent locks around your body by finishing in a Peterson Roll or Turk.
By learning a complete system of finishing leg attacks, wrestlers will always be in a position to score and control the match. Learn some great moves from Coach Constanzo today!
68 minutes. 2017.
WRD-05245B:
with Steve Costanzo,
St. Cloud State University Head Coach;
2018 NCAA DII National Champions - third title in four years, including back-to-back National Championships (2016-17);
2018 NWCA DII National Duals Champions;
2016 NCAA DII Coach of the Year;
2018 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Champions - winners of seven straight conference titles (2012-18) and 11 overall; 5x NSIC Coach of the Year; former Dana College Head Coach - 2016 NAIA National Champions
featuring Austin Goergen,
4x All-American at St. Cloud St.;
named the NCAA Division II's Most Dominant Wrestler for 2017;
holds the team record for most falls in a career (71) and season (20)
Steve Costanzo has turned St. Cloud State into a NCAA D-II wrestling powerhouse. Under Coach Costanzo, the Huskies have won back-to-back NCAA Division II titles (2016-17). Through the 2017 season, St. Cloud has won six straight Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships (and 10 overall under Costanzo) and have not lost a conference dual meet since 2011. Coach Costanzo, two-time National D-II Coach of the Year, has coached seven National Champions and 76 All-Americans. He also served as head coach at Dana College, where he led his squad to the 2006 NAIA National Title and was awarded the NAIA Coach of the Year.
Steve Costanza, with help from four-time All-American Austin Goergen, shows you how to score from the mat (and the neutral position) using his Leg Turk series. Along with the details of successfully executing the Turks, you'll see the set-ups, common mistakes, and how to score the pin out of these Turks. No secret is spared in covering how to get the Turk and your opponent to their back!
Bent Leg Turk
The Bent Leg Turk is a simple, but highly effective version of the Turk which does not involve scissoring your opponent's leg. Coach Goergen demonstrates the Turk from the set-up, through the takedown to the finish, highlighting several key details that make sure it stays functional.
Costanzo demonstrates how to secure the fall after scoring the maximum allotment of near fall points, followed by the common mistakes made with the technique and how to rectify these mistakes.
Split Leg Turk
The Split Leg Turk is the more traditional Turk that includes a scissors of the opponent's "top" leg. It's one of the most effective scoring techniques from the top position that can crush your opponent's spirit due to its scoring power. Costanzo demonstrates how to get into the hold from a variety of positions, and how to finish scoring back points and pins. You'll also see how to set up and hit the Split Leg Turk from leg attacks in single leg, double leg, and high-crotch positions.
Also demonstrated are the Trapped Leg Turk, which is a variation of the Turk that involves a figure four of your opponents leg, and the High Thigh Turk. You'll learn the main points of each, including how to finish the hold with a fall and how to correct the common mistakes related to each Turk.
Body Turk
The crackdown position is difficult for many wrestlers. Assistant Coach Jay Hildreth demonstrates how to use a Body Turk as a counter to opponent defense, primarily the crackdown position. He teaches two ways to secure the Body Turk, and technique to score back points from it.
Breakdown Drills for the Turk Series
Coach Costanzo shows three drills that he has his wrestlers do to master the Turk series. The first drill helps wrestlers develop good hip position while using the Turk and works on keeping the opponent on the mat. The last two drills are sparring drills that have the wrestlers go over each Turk series. During the drill sessions, Costanzo talks through the holds and focuses attention on key details as the wrestlers drill on the holds.
This is a great video for an intermediate or advanced wrestler that wants to become tough on top from a comfortable position of already having a leg in. Not only are you shown how to get the turn in, you are shown how to get to it from the legs and various breakdowns and what to do when your opponent tries to counter the turn. This is a devastating series from the top position and you will benefit greatly from learning the finer points of a Leg Turk!
43 minutes. 2017.