Clarissa Chun: Par Terre Defense - Create Space, Attack the Lock

with Clarissa Chun,
University of Iowa Head Women's Wrestling Coach;
USA Wrestling Women's National Team Assistant Coach from 2017 through 2021;
while at USA Wrestling, the U.S. women's team won 17 World medals, including seven gold, four silver and six bronzes plus an Olympic gold, Olympic silver, and two Olympic bronzes;
2008 World Champion (48 kg); 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist;
6x Gold Medalist at the Pan American Wrestling Championships;
2x U.S. Open champion;
named to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Class of 2022;
wrestled at the international level for over 12 years;
Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame 2018 inductee

If you're in need of a resource that covers how to keep from getting turned and how to approach par terre defense as a whole, then this video featuring Clarissa Chun is your answer! Coach Chun, the former USA Wrestling Women's National Team Assistant Coach, details how wrestlers can avoid getting exposed and make opponents work much harder for their points.

Basic Position and Setup

Chun beings by teaching how to close off both the upper and lower body by using your arms and legs so your opponent can't gain position. You'll learn how to move in order to stay one step ahead of the opponent at all times.

Next, Coach Chun covers how to find the lock and apply pressure in order to roll the lock and break it while staying open. She also teaches how to circle on the mat and pin the lock if it won't break.

Defending the High Guts and Leg Lace

You will see Chun demonstrate how to utilize proper hip placement to put pressure on the lock. She also details how to inch forward while remaining open to break the lock.

Defending the leg lace boils down to the wrestler keeping their hands below their knees. Coach Chun shows how to maintain wide knees and keep ankles separate so the opponent can't get the lock. You'll observe how Chun uses knee and hip movement to break the lock and what to do if the opponent gets a leg turk in order to stay bellied down.

Coach Chun teaches you her entire philosophy to defending the par terre position. She explains where to put pressure and how to achieve maximum pressure to break your opponent's lock and keep from getting turned. An added benefit to this video is listening to coaches ask questions at the end of her presentation. In all, you'll get impactful, informative insights from an Olympic coach on how she defended as a wrestler, and now, how she trains resident and visiting athletes at the Olympic Training Center.

48 minutes. 2020.