Fireman’s Carry (Inside Fireman’s Carry from Neutral, Same-Side Tie)

"Wrestling is a sacred activity" Coach Bobby Douglas

MOVE: Fireman’s Carry (inside, same-side tie)

GOAL:Take the opponent from neutral to their back or hip by loading their weight onto your shoulders and rotating them over.

BEST TIME TO USE:

• Neutral position

• Same-side tie (toe-to-toe)

• Opponent is upright, reaching, or heavy on their lead foot

PREREQS:

• Comfortable changing stance

• Ability to penetrate with head and knee

• Basic arm control (triceps tie, elbow position)

• Understanding of keeping back straight under load

SAFETY:

• Keep your back straight when catching weight (like a barbell)

• No jerking the neck or yanking the arm violently

• Drop to your hip, not straight to your knees, to avoid knee stress

• Control the arm in the neck crease, not with a death grip

STEPS (numbered):

1. Same-side tie & triceps pullFrom a neutral, same-side toe-to-toe stance, reach with your non-dominant hand to the opponent’s same-side triceps. Pull it back and slightly down to shift their weight forward onto their toes.

2. Foot switch & weight shiftAs you pull, switch your feet so your lead foot is now opposite (creating penetration angle). Your weight loads onto your back foot like a spring, while your opponent leans over their front foot.

3. Create the gapThe triceps pull extends their arm and opens the elbow away from their ribs. This gap is critical, don’t rush it.

4. Penetration stepExplode forward off your back foot. Shoot your head and lead foot through the gap, knee traveling between their feet.

5. Clear the arm with your headAs your head passes under the arm, switch from pulling to pushing the arm into their neck, and look into their armpit.

6. Lock the arm with your neckShrug your shoulder and slide your head so the arm sits in the crease of your neck. This curved lock is stronger than grip strength.

7. Secure the leg Your free (dominant) hand snakes down the leg to the ankle, staying tight along the thigh.

8. Catch the sprawl correctly Expect their weight to fall on you. Catch it on your back, keep your back straight, and sit on both knees with space between your heels and hips.

9. Micro-stand for timeUse your legs to squat up even an inch. That brief rise buys you time to rotate.

10. Finish with the rollDrop to the hip farthest from the opponent, rolling hip → shoulder → elbow → head, like a controlled cartwheel. Best case: they land on their back.

11. If they cling and block the finish

    • Flip hips to face their head

    • Tuck your head into their armpit gap

    • Flip hips back toward their feet

    • Pop your head free onto their chest and finish the takedown

KEY DETAILS (3–5):

• The arm-neck crease does the control, not your grip

• Head position creates the lock, look into the armpit

• Catch the sprawl with a flat back, not rounded

• A small stand-up creates big finishing opportunities

• Rotation finishes the move, not strength

COMMON ERRORS → FIX:

If the arm slips out, then you’re pulling instead of pushing the arm into your neck.

If you feel crushed under their weight, then your back is rounded, straighten it before rolling.

CUES (5–8):

• “Pull → step → shoot”

• “Head clears the arm”

• “Look into the armpit”

• “Arm lives in the neck”

• “Back like a barbell rack”

• “Stand an inch”

• “Hip, shoulder, head”

SUMMARY (1–2 sentences):

The fireman’s carry works by creating an arm gap, locking the arm with your neck, and rotating, not muscling, the opponent over your shoulders. When done correctly, the opponent carries their own weight to the mat