One Legged Wrestler Debate

[vatech733]

The wrestler from Arizone State, Anthony Robles was born with one leg and recently won the NCAA Championship.  I have a good friend who is a wrestler for Pitt and he told me that with his body size would normally be a 170lb wrestler.  First of all this is no hate to the kid because he is a freak at what he does and I give him the most respect and props for what he has done to become a champion.  But my friends and I have been talking and we can't decide if only having one leg in wrestling is an advantage.  Surely no one would cut their own leg off to become a national champion, but how do you take down a wrestler with one leg? Are their more advantages to having one leg in wrestling than having two?  Debate!

 

[vatech733]

The wrestler from Arizone State, Anthony Robles was born with one leg and recently won the NCAA Championship.  I have a good friend who is a wrestler for Pitt and he told me that with his body size would normally be a 170lb wrestler.  First of all this is no hate to the kid because he is a freak at what he does and I give him the most respect and props for what he has done to become a champion.  But my friends and I have been talking and we can't decide if only having one leg in wrestling is an advantage.  Surely no one would cut their own leg off to become a national champion, but how do you take down a wrestler with one leg? Are their more advantages to having one leg in wrestling than having two?  Debate!

 

[jet5foo1]

Can't deny that he is gigantic! Definitely wrestles down a few wt. classes from his one-legged self.

 

[jet5foo1]

Can't deny that he is gigantic! Definitely wrestles down a few wt. classes from his one-legged self.

 

[ohyeah10]

yeah i was thinking that when i saw that first thread. Dude has a weight advantage against anyone else but he also only has one leg. Im guessing it would be harder to submit him since he could wiggle outta it. i think the weight thing gives him a huge advantage though

 

[ohyeah10]

yeah i was thinking that when i saw that first thread. Dude has a weight advantage against anyone else but he also only has one leg. Im guessing it would be harder to submit him since he could wiggle outta it. i think the weight thing gives him a huge advantage though

 

[blacklion23]

I'm going to say it is advantage. I was watching a highlight recently where a one-legged wrestler won and it got me to thinking the same thing. I say it's advantage because I believe most wrestlers are use to wrestling others with all limbs. With that said, a wrestlers usual technique can go out the window. Ive never wrestled a day in my life or been into the sport btw.

 

[trasoul82]

Ethically, it's wrong. It's an unfair advantage for the one legged guy and it's not really that debatable. He has the upperbody strength of people a couple of weight classes above him and he has the advantage of wrestling 4-limbed wrestlers all the time. How can you even prepare for a guy with one leg? Ask him to practice with him before you face him? Film can't even prepare you for what it's like.

Technically, he's not breaking any rules. It's also good to see him turn his disability into an advantage.

At the end of the day, I'd be quick to challenge him in an $+%-kicking contest. That is all.

 

[blacklion23]

I'm going to say it is advantage. I was watching a highlight recently where a one-legged wrestler won and it got me to thinking the same thing. I say it's advantage because I believe most wrestlers are use to wrestling others with all limbs. With that said, a wrestlers usual technique can go out the window. Ive never wrestled a day in my life or been into the sport btw.

 

[trasoul82]

Ethically, it's wrong. It's an unfair advantage for the one legged guy and it's not really that debatable. He has the upperbody strength of people a couple of weight classes above him and he has the advantage of wrestling 4-limbed wrestlers all the time. How can you even prepare for a guy with one leg? Ask him to practice with him before you face him? Film can't even prepare you for what it's like.

Technically, he's not breaking any rules. It's also good to see him turn his disability into an advantage.

At the end of the day, I'd be quick to challenge him in an $+%-kicking contest. That is all.

 

[atlfootballer]

I was thinking this exact same thing when I first saw this... he is huge compared to his competition and it has to harder to pin him down with him just having one leg.

 

[atlfootballer]

I was thinking this exact same thing when I first saw this... he is huge compared to his competition and it has to harder to pin him down with him just having one leg.

 

[bjamez20]

i dont really know enough about wrestling to debate this, but it seems like you'd be able to get a lot more leverage with 2 legs. he's definitely huge compared to the competition though.

either way, go devils

 

[bjamez20]

i dont really know enough about wrestling to debate this, but it seems like you'd be able to get a lot more leverage with 2 legs. he's definitely huge compared to the competition though.

either way, go devils

 

[vatech733]

does anyone know if you can take him down? or is he already considered on the ground?

 

[vatech733]

does anyone know if you can take him down? or is he already considered on the ground?

 

[superbowlhomeboy217]

Originally Posted by vatech733

does anyone know if you can take him down? or is he already considered on the ground?

Scoring a takedown is not as simple as forcing a wrestler to the mat. You must also be in a position of control e.g. you are behind his hips, your opponent isn't gripping any of your legs, etc.

What really is a grey area as far as Robles is concerned is the fact that a takedown can be scored by controlling both of a wrestlers legs and forcing their body weight onto their hands. With Robles, even if you have one leg and he is down on both hands, it isn't necessarily going to be called a takedown, provided his knee is off the mat.

As far as it being an advantage; it is and it isn't. Robles isn't exactly an overnight sensation. Over the years he has put in his work and steadily ascended the college wrestling ranks until he reached the top. If this was such a huge advantage, I believe it would have been evident from the beginning. Though Robles has had an excellent career, he wasn't always the dominant wrestler he is today. It took him years to figure out how to make his body work for him and not against him.

If it was such a huge advantage, this wouldn't be such a huge story because people would be doing it all of the time. You don't have to go to that many high school tournaments to find wrestlers that are competing while missing limbs. Its much more common than people would expect, though someone as successful as Robles only comes around once every decade or so.

 

[superbowlhomeboy217]

Originally Posted by vatech733

does anyone know if you can take him down? or is he already considered on the ground?

Scoring a takedown is not as simple as forcing a wrestler to the mat. You must also be in a position of control e.g. you are behind his hips, your opponent isn't gripping any of your legs, etc.

What really is a grey area as far as Robles is concerned is the fact that a takedown can be scored by controlling both of a wrestlers legs and forcing their body weight onto their hands. With Robles, even if you have one leg and he is down on both hands, it isn't necessarily going to be called a takedown, provided his knee is off the mat.

As far as it being an advantage; it is and it isn't. Robles isn't exactly an overnight sensation. Over the years he has put in his work and steadily ascended the college wrestling ranks until he reached the top. If this was such a huge advantage, I believe it would have been evident from the beginning. Though Robles has had an excellent career, he wasn't always the dominant wrestler he is today. It took him years to figure out how to make his body work for him and not against him.

If it was such a huge advantage, this wouldn't be such a huge story because people would be doing it all of the time. You don't have to go to that many high school tournaments to find wrestlers that are competing while missing limbs. Its much more common than people would expect, though someone as successful as Robles only comes around once every decade or so.

 

[vatech733]

Originally Posted by superbowlhomeboy217

Originally Posted by vatech733

does anyone know if you can take him down? or is he already considered on the ground?

Scoring a takedown is not as simple as forcing a wrestler to the mat. You must also be in a position of control e.g. you are behind his hips, your opponent isn't gripping any of your legs, etc.

What really is a grey area as far as Robles is concerned is the fact that a takedown can be scored by controlling both of a wrestlers legs and forcing their body weight onto their hands. With Robles, even if you have one leg and he is down on both hands, it isn't necessarily going to be called a takedown, provided his knee is off the mat.

As far as it being an advantage; it is and it isn't. Robles isn't exactly an overnight sensation. Over the years he has put in his work and steadily ascended the college wrestling ranks until he reached the top. If this was such a huge advantage, I believe it would have been evident from the beginning. Though Robles has had an excellent career, he wasn't always the dominant wrestler he is today. It took him years to figure out how to make his body work for him and not against him.

If it was such a huge advantage, this wouldn't be such a huge story because people would be doing it all of the time. You don't have to go to that many high school tournaments to find wrestlers that are competing while missing limbs. Its much more common than people would expect, though someone as successful as Robles only comes around once every decade or so.

very appreciated

but knowing every college wrestler has to learn how to use his body and use good technique, is there any advantage when you learn to use the one leg as well as he can compared to a wrestler who is just as good technically but has 2 legs?

 

[vatech733]

Originally Posted by superbowlhomeboy217

Originally Posted by vatech733

does anyone know if you can take him down? or is he already considered on the ground?

Scoring a takedown is not as simple as forcing a wrestler to the mat. You must also be in a position of control e.g. you are behind his hips, your opponent isn't gripping any of your legs, etc.

What really is a grey area as far as Robles is concerned is the fact that a takedown can be scored by controlling both of a wrestlers legs and forcing their body weight onto their hands. With Robles, even if you have one leg and he is down on both hands, it isn't necessarily going to be called a takedown, provided his knee is off the mat.

As far as it being an advantage; it is and it isn't. Robles isn't exactly an overnight sensation. Over the years he has put in his work and steadily ascended the college wrestling ranks until he reached the top. If this was such a huge advantage, I believe it would have been evident from the beginning. Though Robles has had an excellent career, he wasn't always the dominant wrestler he is today. It took him years to figure out how to make his body work for him and not against him.

If it was such a huge advantage, this wouldn't be such a huge story because people would be doing it all of the time. You don't have to go to that many high school tournaments to find wrestlers that are competing while missing limbs. Its much more common than people would expect, though someone as successful as Robles only comes around once every decade or so.

very appreciated

but knowing every college wrestler has to learn how to use his body and use good technique, is there any advantage when you learn to use the one leg as well as he can compared to a wrestler who is just as good technically but has 2 legs?

 

[TheGodFresco]

Zach Gowen >

 

[TheGodFresco]

Zach Gowen >

 

[jet5foo1]

^

Son couldn't just kick..... so the dropkicks sufficed.

 

[jet5foo1]

^

Son couldn't just kick..... so the dropkicks sufficed.

 

[superbowlhomeboy217]

vatech733 wrote:

very appreciated

but knowing every college wrestler has to learn how to use his body and use good technique, is there any advantage when you learn to use the one leg as well as he can compared to a wrestler who is just as good technically but has 2 legs?


He definitely has a strength advantage, and while the fact that he stays low to the mat the whole time certainly limits the type of attacks his opponents can do, its limits his own options as well. His NCAA Semi-Final against Ben Kjar is a great example of this. Kjar game planned about as well as I've seen anyone do, but Roble's strength was too much in the end.

What Robles figured out was how to make up for this later in matches when wrestlers are forced to wrestle on the mat. In smaller spaces, his strength becomes a much greater factor and he is able to tilt almost anyone to earn nearfall points. This is how he dominated.