At what age can girls start wrestling?

Many youth clubs allow children to begin wrestling as early as five or six. Early exposure to stance, balance, and movement builds a foundation for long-term success, and sessions at this age emphasize fun and safe skill-building.

Do girls wrestle against boys?

At the youth and early middle school levels, girls often compete against boys where numbers are limited. As participation grows, more states now offer all-girls divisions and sanctioned state championships.

Is wrestling safe for girls?

Yes—when proper guidelines are followed. With protective gear, clean mats, and trained coaches, wrestling has comparatively low injury rates. Modern programs emphasize hydration, nutrition, and avoiding dangerous weight-cutting.

What gear do female wrestlers need?

Core items include wrestling shoes, headgear (optional internationally but recommended in U.S. youth programs), a fitted singlet or compression set, and knee pads. Hygiene gear such as personal water bottles and antibacterial wipes is also encouraged.

Are there college opportunities for women wrestlers?

Yes. Women’s wrestling is an NCAA Emerging Sport and is fully sanctioned in the NAIA. Hundreds of programs now exist, with scholarship pathways for qualified athletes.

The Duck-Under Takedown: A Guide for Beginners and Parents

Introduction

The duck-under is a wrestling takedown that involves literally ducking under your opponent’s arm and slipping behind them (fanaticwrestling.com). In simple terms, you put your head under their arm and pop out to their side or back. This move is usually set up from a tie-up (when wrestlers are grabbing each other’s arms or upper body) and is great to use when an opponent is leaning forward or pushing into you. It’s a popular technique because it relies on timing and technique rather than strength – making it an excellent choice for beginners. In fact, the duck-under is considered an elementary move, yet it’s powerful enough that even advanced wrestlers and Olympic champions have used it successfully (fanaticwrestling.com). For young wrestlers, learning the duck-under helps develop good fundamentals like balance, level changing, and using an opponent’s momentum, all in a relatively safe and controlled way. Below is a friendly, step-by-step guide on how to perform a duck-under, along with coaching tips for parents, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to counter the move.

Step-by-Step: How to Perform a Duck-Under

Stance and Tie-Up: Begin in a proper wrestling stance – knees bent, back straight, and hands up. Typically, a duck-under starts from a collar tie and inside control position (fanaticwrestling.com). This means one hand is on the back of your opponent’s neck (collar tie) and your other hand is controlling their arm, cupping behind their triceps or gripping near their elbow (fanaticwrestling.com). Keep your elbows in and stay balanced on the balls of your feet. This tie-up gives you control and a feel for the opponent’s movement before you shoot the duck-under.
Create an Opening: To successfully duck under, you need your opponent’s arm to lift away from their side and create space. Set them up by triggering a reaction. One simple setup is to push or pull your opponent using the tie-up. For example, you might push into them briefly – when they push back (a natural reaction), that’s your moment to go (fanaticwrestling.com). Another setup is to clap or pull their arms together then quickly yank them apart, which also opens a gap between their arm and body. The goal is to get your opponent’s arm away from their ribcage, even if just for a second. That little gap is where you will duck through. Good wrestlers often use a bit of misdirection or a “sleight of hand” – for instance, faking one attack (like a foot tap or a tug to one side) to make the opponent move their arm, then immediately switching to the duck-under on the other side (fanaticwrestling.com) As a beginner, focus on a basic trigger: when you feel them pressing back or see their arm rise up, you’re ready to duck under.
Level Change and Positioning: Drop your level by bending your knees (not by bending at your waist). A proper level change is critical – you want to get low enough to slip under their arm while maintaining good posture. Step your lead foot slightly to the outside of your opponent’s foot on the side you’re ducking under. For example, if you’re ducking under their right arm, step your left foot to the outside of their right foot. This step creates an angle and positions your body halfway to their back. Keep your head up as you change levels – face looking forward or slightly up – so you don’t end up staring at the mat. (A common coaching phrase is “look at the ceiling” as you duck under.) Your back should stay straight, and your hips move in under your body. At the same time, use your hands to clear the path: lift or pop up the arm you’re ducking under. For instance, if you have their right arm, you might slide your hand from their neck to under their arm, to help raise it. The other hand can maintain contact (holding their wrist or elbow) until you’re ready to release and grab their body. Now you have lowered yourself, positioned at an angle, and created a space to go through.
The Ducking Movement: Now the fun part – perform the actual duck-under. Bend your knees and “shoot” your head and shoulders under their arm. It’s a quick slip to the side. Imagine you’re trying to put your ear against their side or back. As you duck, keep your body tight to them – you don’t want to dive far away; you want to skim right under their arm. Drive with your legs and rotate your body through to the other side of your opponent. For example, if going under their right arm, push off your right foot and move to their right side. Immediately look up as your head clears past their armpit – this helps to bump their arm up and prevents them from pushing your head down. As you pop out, turn your torso toward them. Your original tie hand (which was on their neck) should now be coming around their waist or hip, ready to grasp them. Your other hand that lifted their arm can now let go of that arm and reach around their back or grab their far leg if it’s within reach. Essentially, you’ve slid under their arm like a door opening, and you’re now beside or behind your opponent.
Finish the Takedown: Finishing a duck-under means securing control and bringing your opponent down for the takedown points. As soon as you come out behind them, secure a grip around their body. A common finish is to wrap both arms around their waist from behind – this is called a rear body lock. From here, you have a few options to take them to the mat. One simple finish is a “go-behind”: once you’re behind them, just maintain chest-to-back contact and keep your arms around them – in scholastic (folkstyle) wrestling, getting behind and controlling them like this already scores two points. For a stronger finish, tighten your grip around their waist (or grab behind both of their thighs from behind) and lift or pull them backward for a mat return. A mat return is when you pick an opponent up from behind and gently (but firmly) bring them back down to the mat. For instance, you can lift with the rear body lock and twist so that they fall forward onto the mat, or simply trip them from behind with your leg. Even without a big lift, you can drive forward or sideways with your head and hips to off-balance them and “force them to the mat”. Always remember to keep your chest close to their back as you take them down, so they can’t wriggle free. Once on the mat, establish control (such as wrapping an arm around their waist and the other arm around one of their arms, or hooking their legs) to secure the position. Congratulations – you’ve executed a duck-under takedown!

Coaching Tips for Parents

Teaching and encouraging a young wrestler can be as important as the techniques themselves. Here are some parent-friendly coaching tips to help your beginner wrestler master the duck-under:

Emphasize Proper Form: Remind your child to bend their knees and drop their hips when changing levels, rather than just bending over at the waist. A solid stance and level change not only make the duck-under work better, but also keep them safe from getting flipped. Encourage them to keep their head up and back straight when they duck – a low or loose head can get them stuck under their opponent. Sometimes saying “look up when you duck” helps them remember this key point.
Start Slow and Build Confidence: It helps to practice the duck-under step by step. You can have your child practice on their knees first, where the stakes are low. (For example, one drill is having the partner drape an arm over the child’s neck while the child “walks in” on the knees, looks up, and pops out from under the arm. This builds the feeling of getting hips in and head out.) Celebrate small improvements – like a smoother level change or a nice quick duck – so your wrestler feels confident. As they get the hang of it, they can speed it up.
Use Simple Cues: Give easy reminders that stick in a kid’s mind. Phrases like “Set it up first!”, “Drop, duck, and drive!” or “Head up, back up!” can cue them through the move. Simple words can help them remember to create an opening, lower their level, and keep good posture through the move. Find a cue that your child responds to best (every kid is different).
Encourage Awareness: Help your child understand when to try a duck-under. For instance, if you see their opponent pushing hard on your child’s shoulders or leaning in with a collar tie, that’s a great time to duck under. You can gently remind them (from the sidelines or during practice) to “feel the push – now go under.” Also teach them to keep their stance even after they go behind – sometimes beginners get excited after ducking under and forget defense. Encourage them to stay low, keep their hooks (arms) in, and be ready in case the opponent tries to spin out.
Positive Reinforcement and Patience: Learning wrestling moves can be challenging, so be generous with praise when your child executes the duck-under correctly, even in part. If they struggle, focus on one aspect at a time (for example, just the level change) rather than the entire move. Make it fun: you can turn practice into a game, like “how many duck-unders can you do in 30 seconds?” with light resistance. Most importantly, let your child know you’re proud of their effort. A confident and relaxed wrestler will learn much faster.

Common Beginner Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Even simple moves like the duck-under can go wrong if not done correctly. Here are some common mistakes beginners make with the duck-under, and how to fix them:

Bending at the waist instead of changing levels: Many new wrestlers make the mistake of just bending forward to duck under, which leaves their hips back and head down. This is ineffective and can be dangerous (it’s easy to get pushed down or stuck in a front headlock). Fix: Emphasize bending the knees and dropping the hips low. They should lower their level by squatting, not by bowing their back. Practicing stance drills and knee-bend exercises can help break the habit of bending at the waist. A good duck-under feels like a quick level drop – like sitting into a chair – rather than just leaning over.
Not setting up the move (shooting without an opening): Beginners often try to dive under an opponent’s arm without any setup, which rarely works against an aware opponent. If you don’t create an opening, the opponent’s arm will stay tight and block your path. Fix: Always set up the duck-under with movement or a tie adjustment. Teach your wrestler to make the opponent react – a pull, a little shove, a arm fake – then duck under when the arm lifts or the opponent steps. Patience is key. It can help to drill the setup alone: for example, push-pull drills where the child learns to feel the opponent’s push-back and use that moment to duck.
Failing to keep the head up (looking at the mat): If a wrestler’s head is down or they stare at the ground during the duck-under, they often get stuck underneath. The opponent might sprawl or clamp down on the head. Fix: Remind them to look up as they come under the arm. A high chin and eyes forward will naturally lift the opponent’s arm and prevent getting caught in a front headlock. Coaches often say “ear to their chest” or “eyes to the sky” – these cues help kids remember to keep the head in a strong position. You can physically guide your child’s head up during slow practice to build the habit.
Poor foot placement and no angle: A common error is trying to duck straight forward rather than to the side. If you don’t step your foot to the side (outside your opponent’s foot), you’ll end up directly in front of them, and they can easily square back up. Fix: Emphasize that the duck-under is an angle attack. The lead foot should step to the side of the opponent, creating a flank attack. You can draw a circle or an “L” on the mat during practice to show the path their foot should take. With the correct step, the wrestler will automatically end up at the opponent’s side or back. Practicing the duck-under footwork in isolation (step-drop-duck without an opponent) can improve muscle memory for the angle.
Not securing control after ducking under: Sometimes a beginner succeeds in getting under the arm but then lets go or fails to grab something once they’re behind. The opponent can then escape or spin around. Fix: Teach the wrestler that the duck-under isn’t finished until you have the opponent. The instant they pop out behind, they should grab onto the body – usually a waist lock or grabbing the hips. A helpful drill is to freeze for a moment once they get behind and make sure they have a tight hold. Encourage them to maintain chest-to-back contact. As they get more advanced, they can transition that hold into different finishes (like lifting, tripping, or mat returns), but the core idea is: don’t come out empty-handed! In practice, after a duck-under, have them hold their partner for a second to simulate control, rather than just sliding through and letting go.

Common Counters to the Duck-Under and How to Defend

No move works all the time – opponents will try to counter your wrestler’s duck-under. Here are some common counters an opponent might use against a duck-under, along with basic ways for your wrestler to recover or defend:

Opponent circles away or squares up: A savvy opponent will feel the duck-under coming and quickly circle out or turn to face your wrestler to prevent them from getting behind (fanaticwrestling.com). Essentially, they step away and deny the angle. How to respond: If this happens, your wrestler should not chase blindly. Teach them to follow through and come back to a good stance if the duck-under fails. Often, missing a duck-under leaves you in front of the opponent again – so they should be ready to attack with something else immediately or re-tie. One strategy is to chain into another move: for instance, if the opponent pulls their arm down and steps back, that arm might be extended – your wrestler can switch to an arm drag or a single-leg takedown on the other side that the opponent exposed (fanaticwrestling.com). The key is to keep wrestling: don’t pause in frustration if the first try doesn’t work. Regain inside control and try another setup or attack.
Opponent clamps down with a whizzer (overhook) and sprawls: One of the most common counters to a duck-under is for the opponent to whizzer hard – meaning they throw an overhook on the arm your wrestler ducked under – and sprawl or hip in. This can stop the duck-under and even threaten to put your wrestler underneath or off-balance. (In wrestling slang, a quick hard whizzer and sprawl in this situation is sometimes called a “pancake” attempt on the attacker.) How to respond: First, prevention: keeping head up and back straight during the duck-under makes it harder for them to force you down. If your wrestler feels their arm trapped by a whizzer, they should “limp arm” out if possible – essentially, relax that arm and pull it out and back quickly to free it from the opponent’s overhook. Simultaneously, they should continue to circle towards the opponent’s back. If the opponent sprawls heavy, your wrestler might need to bail out of the duck-under to avoid getting caught underneath – that means letting go and facing the opponent again, rather than holding on at all costs. It’s important to drill the concept that if a move is stopped, it’s okay to abandon it and reset. Also, if your wrestler managed to get partway behind and the opponent is whizzering, sometimes they can still complete the takedown by staying tight, stepping around, and tugging the opponent down to the mat. In summary, defend the whizzer by keeping good posture, slipping the arm out (so the opponent has nothing to latch onto), and continuing the motion.
Opponent grabs a front headlock or pushes the head down: If a wrestler attempts a duck-under with poor technique (like head down or from too far away), a quick opponent might catch their neck in a front headlock or simply shove their head toward the mat to stuff the attempt. How to respond: The best defense is avoiding this scenario – no duck-under should leave your neck exposed in the first place. That’s why we stress keeping the head up and tight to the side of their body during the move. However, if your wrestler does get caught in a front headlock, they should immediately posture up, look up, and drive into the opponent to take away the pressure. They can also try to grab the opponent’s elbow (the one encircling the head) to relieve the choke pressure and prevent the opponent from cranking on their neck. From there, they can work to escape by backing out or switching to a single-leg hold if one is available. Remind your child: if their head is stuck, don’t panic – stay calm, hand-fight the grip, and stand up. It’s a tough spot, but with practice they can learn to defend it.

Finally, a general principle for dealing with counters: have a Plan B. A well-rounded wrestler always has a follow-up move in mind if the first move doesn’t succeed. The duck-under, for example, can flow into other takedowns (single legs, doubles) or re-attacks, depending on how the opponent reacts (fanaticwrestling.com). Encourage your wrestler to practice chain wrestling – after a duck-under, instantly transitioning to another move if necessary. On the flip side, if your child’s opponent tries a duck-under on them, they can use the same counters: circle away fast, keep elbows tight, sprawl or whizzer hard, and stay low. As a parent, you don’t need to coach every detail, but understanding these counters means you can appreciate your child’s efforts both in offense and defense. With time and practice, the duck-under will become a confident part of your beginner wrestler’s arsenal – a move they can hit, defend, and adapt from as they grow in the sport. Good luck, and have fun wrestling!

Sources: Technique details were referenced from classic wrestling coaching manuals and experts, including Bobby Douglas’s The Takedown, Stan Dziedzic’s U.S. Wrestling Syllabus, Dennis Johnson’s Wrestling Drill Book, and modern instructional insights (fanaticwrestling.com). These sources emphasize proper fundamentals – stance, level change, head position, and setup – which are exactly what we focused on in this guide. The combination of time-tested techniques and beginner-friendly explanations above should put you and your young wrestler on the path to mastering the duck-under. Enjoy the journey!