Wrestling For Beginners [Paperback]

Tom Jarman (Author), Reid Hanley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

At any level of wrestling competition, the basic fundamentals are essential to success in the sport. Wrestling for Beginners gives novice wrestlers those techniques that serve as the foundation for all wrestling instruction--conditioning, maneuvers, holds, takedowns, counters, strategy, and pinning combinations. This readable and effective manual includes hundreds of stop-action photographs emphasizing proper body positions, grips, postures, and movements. There are tips on diet and nutrition, building endurance, increasing flexibility and balance, as well as specific points for mastering each of the seven basic wrestling skills. Speciac appendixes include a listing of United States Wrestling Federation weight divisions and scoring procedures and a glossary of terms. Tom Jarman, former head wrestling coach at Northwestern University, previously coached at Taylor University for 13 years, where his teams won seven conference championships and posted a 128-22 dual meet record. A two-time AII-American champion, Jarman has coached ten national place winners and one national champion. Reid Hanley is a sports writer and the author of Who's Who in Track and Field. He is winner of the 1978 Illinois Press Association award for sports writers and the 1980 Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Newsman of the Year honor.

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (April 1, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809256568
• ISBN-13: 978-0809256563
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #93,269 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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  Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Wrestling

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid introduction/overview of wrestling skills, September 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Wrestling For Beginners (Paperback)

This book delivers what it promises in the title. It is written for someone who plans to participate in wrestling but has no background in it. Emphasis is placed on basic skills.

The book begins with a brief discussion of wrestling benefits and a bit of history. Then the discussion moves to the seven core skills (stance, level changing, lifting, etc). Each skill is covered in some detail with several excellent photograhps for each major point. The rest of the book is devoted to a representative sample of basic takedowns, escapes, pins, etc.

The book does not cover the sport's organizing bodies, associations, rules, coaching strategies, etc in any depth. Nor does it cover any advanced skills. I did not perceive either of these things to be a lack.

The book's material was well organized and well presnted. There were plenty of clear and helpful photographs accompanying the text.

Overall, I was very pleased and would recommend it to others.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid resource for beginning wrestlers, July 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wrestling For Beginners (Paperback)

Too often, wrestling coaches and wrestling books fail to build a solid foundation for wrestlers. The athletes wind up not reaching their potential. This book avoids that problem. It teaches the athlete all the basics, without distracting him with advanced topics he is not ready to learn. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to start wrestling, and to many people who have already been into wrestling for a while.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book on basic wrestling skills, December 20, 2003

By	Joseph M Burtner (Kennesaw, Georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Wrestling For Beginners (Paperback)

I've looked at a lot of grappling and wrestling books over the years, but none of then covers the basic skills as thoroughly as this one does. The book starts off by giving a history of wrestling, going all the way back to ancient times. Another beginning chapter covers the fundamentals of a wrestling training program, like dieting and the nature of excersises. Much more detail is given to the seven basic wrestling skills: stance, movement, penetration, lifting, back arching, backstep, and changing levels. Easy to follow, black and white photos give examples of both the right and wrong ways to perform these skills. The technique section is very basic, but covers most of the common skills, like the double-leg, high crotch, and head-and-arm throw for takedowns, stand-ups and sitouts in the escapes section, and half Nelson and cradles for the breakdowns/pinning section. The appendix on weight classes and scoring would be helpful to people unfamiliar with the sport, as is the rather extensive glossary. The book is easy to follow, and is essential for understanding the basics of amature wrestling. I'd recomend it to wrestlers of all levels as kind of a "back to the basics" book, to martial artists looking to expand their grappling arsenal, and to those interested in grappling for self-defense, as the throws and escapes are workable in a scuffle.