Mohamed 'Bogy' Abdelfatah: Upper Body Ties to Control Your Opponent

with Mohamed 'Bogy' Abdelfatah,
U.S. Greco-Roman National Team Assistant Coach;
2006 World Champion (84 kg);
3x Olympian for Egypt;
over 25 medals in international competition

The best wrestlers in the world have one thing in common: they can control their opponent from the start of the match to the end of the match. By controlling an opponent throughout the match, wrestlers have the ability to create opportunities for offensive attacks and shut down their opponent's opportunity to score.

This video featuring U.S. Greco-Roman National Team Assistant Coach Mohamed 'Bogy' Abdelfatah will help you develop an understanding of how to open scoring opportunities off initial contact. Coach Abdelfatah demonstrates two primary ways to make initial contact in order to gain control of your opponent and score. He also demonstrates how to develop a series of attacks off these initial control positions and explains the importance of having an "A", "B", and "C" plan of attack.

Develop a Series of Attacks to Score

Learn how the initial control of an opponent allows a wrestler to develop a series of attacks based on their opponent's reaction to a set-up. Abdelfatah explains why understanding how an opponent may react is key in how a wrestler should prepare in order to score off the reaction. You will learn:

• How to properly utilize an underhook or 2-on-1 in order to control your opponent to set up offensive attacks.
• How to use your positioning to make an opponent uncomfortable, causing them to get out of position.
• The key points to execute an underhook and transition into offensive attacks, such as a body lock and reverse headlock.

Coach Abdelfatah also demonstrates a variety of ways wrestlers can score from one attack based on the opponent's reaction, such as using an off-balance to a front headlock in the down position, duck under in the middle position, or arm throw in the upright position.

Coaching Philosophy

Coach Abdelfatah provides insight on how he had to evolve as a coach by realizing that what worked for him as an athlete may not work for someone else. He also discusses how to successfully grow a wrestler's interest in the sport and prepare athletes for competition. His presentation touches on:

• Understanding how the skills developed in wrestling can be utilized for other sports.
• How to integrate Greco-Roman skills into freestyle/folkstyle wrestling.
• The importance of adjusting coaching style based on each wrestler's unique needs.
• The importance of match analysis for competition preparation.

You also will hear Abdelfatah respond to numerous questions from the attending coaches, which helps clarify points discussed during the session.

Abdelfatah is reknowned as being one of the most technical and dominant wrestlers in the world during his time as a competitor. You will learn how he developed this reputation through gaining control of his opponent through wrist control and how he developed a scoring system off his opponents' reactions to his set-ups.

58 minutes. 2020.