Freestyle Turns: Leg Laces and Gut Wrenches

with Coleman Scott;
Oklahoma State Associate Head Coach;
North Carolina Head Coach from 2015 to 2023;
coached 14 All-Americans and 9 Conference Champions;
North Carolina Assistant Coach from 2014 to 2015;
Oklahoma State Assistant Coach from 2013 to 2014;
2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist;
2008 NCAA Champion & 4x All American at Oklahoma State;
part of 2 NCAA National team Championships;
2x USA Junior Freestyle National Champion;
3x-time Pennsylvania HS State Champion;
2004 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award;
2004 Junior Wade Schalles Award

Leg laces are underutilized in wrestling because they are more technical and require significant skill development. Properly developed, they can be nearly unstoppable and win you countless matches.

Coach Scott learned from the legendary John Smith at Oklahoma State University, and his video shows effective ways of scoring points in freestyle wrestling. He covers his basic lace, how to beat the primary counters to the lace, and how to gut the way he is comfortable. He completes the video with leg attacks that lead into his par-terre offense.

Leg Lace

A good leg lace can tech an opponent and end a match quickly. Coach Scott details all the intricacies that make this leg lace so effective, as well as what will happen if it is not done correctly. He also shows how to beat the opponent's defenses while keeping the turn the same. Included is a drill that will help beat the most common defense to the leg lace.

Coach Scott also shows his unique freestyle defense, which helps defend against the two most popular turns, leg laces and gut wrenches.

Trap Arm Gut Wrench

Coach Scott delves into his gut wrench and how he gets to it. He feel that once you get the lock, you should be able to score. The action isn't much different from the lace. Coach Scott covers details including: getting your shoulder on the opponent's shoulder blade, hooking the opponent's knee with your inside ankle, and more. He prefers a high gut, but discusses how effective a low gut can be if you are comfortable there.

Transitions from a Leg Attack

Learning to score in transition will separate you as an athlete, and make it impossible for the opponent to defend. Coach Scott shows several different takedowns that transition into a leg lace or a gut wrench. Most of his transitions either come from a low single or a pick to a dominant lace. You'll also learn how to transition from a duck under to a trapped arm gut. This technique is a match-ender when hit correctly.

There's a reason that Coach Scott has reached the highest levels as a competitor, and his work on top is a big part of that!

65 minutes. 2017.