Mastering Arm-Drags in Wrestling Personal Training
- jamie03066
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
20.06.2026
Wrestling Personal Training
Tuesday night marked my client’s third wrestling lesson, part of his fourth course on the MMA pathway. The first half of the CCMA wrestling course focuses on upper waist grappling, which aligns closely with Greco-Roman Wrestling techniques. This session centered on arm-drags, a fundamental move that can give you control and momentum in wrestling and MMA.
Wrestling personal training offers a unique chance to build skills step-by-step, and arm-drags are a perfect example of a technique that requires practice, timing, and body control. Let me walk you through how we approached this in training and why it matters.
Building the Foundation: Warm-Up and Upper Body Control
We started with warm-up drills to prepare the body and mind. Break-falls helped my client get comfortable with falling safely, a crucial skill in wrestling. Then, we moved into collar and elbow tie grappling to focus on controlling the upper body.
Next came the core of the session: under-hooks and over-hooks. These grips are essential for controlling your opponent’s body and setting up moves like the arm-drag. We drilled pummelling, a technique where you fight for inside control by sliding your arms under and over your opponent’s arms. This drill builds hand fighting skills and body positioning.
To put these grips into practice, we sparred with a rule that only allowed arm and body holds. This limitation forced my client to focus on upper body control without relying on leg attacks or other moves. It’s a great way to sharpen specific skills in wrestling personal training.
Introducing the Arm-Drag
Once my client was comfortable with controlling the body through under-hooks and over-hooks, we introduced the arm-drag. This move involves pulling your opponent’s arm across their body to create an opening for a takedown or positional advantage.
We began by drilling pummelling into the arm-drag position. This means maintaining inside control while setting up the arm-drag. Then, we practiced taking the arm-drag from a posted arm, which is when your opponent extends their arm to maintain balance or distance.
A key part of the arm-drag is centring, a defensive and balance technique often described as the Greco-Roman wrestling sprawl. Centring helps you keep your balance, defend against counters, and maintain control of the center of the mat. We drilled centring to counter the arm-drag, teaching my client how to stay balanced and ready to respond.
Sparring with Focused Rules to Reinforce Skills
To finish the session, we sparred again, this time allowing collar ties and all holds above the waist. This full upper body sparring gave my client the chance to apply everything learned: pummelling, arm-drags, centring and controlling the opponent’s body.
This kind of focused sparring is invaluable in wrestling personal training because it simulates real match conditions while emphasizing specific techniques. It helps build muscle memory and confidence in using moves like the arm-drag under pressure.
Why Arm-Drags Matter in Wrestling and MMA
Arm-drags are more than just a flashy move. They are a practical tool for:
Creating openings for takedowns or transitions
Controlling your opponent’s movement
Setting up dominant positions
Defending against aggressive opponents
In MMA, where striking and grappling blend, controlling the upper body can prevent strikes and lead to effective takedowns. Mastering arm-drags through wrestling personal training builds a strong foundation for these skills.
Tips for Practising Arm-Drags in Your Training
If you want to improve your arm-drag, here are some practical tips based on my experience coaching:
Focus on hand fighting first. Good hand control sets up the arm-drag.
Keep your body low and balanced to avoid being countered.
Use your opponent’s momentum against them by timing the arm-drag when they post or push.
Drill centring regularly to maintain balance and defend counters.
Practice sparring with limited holds to isolate and improve specific techniques.
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