Edit Article

  • 7 Editors

There are several types of cradles with which one may pin one's opponent in the sport of wrestling. This article will deal with an easy but effective method of cradling one's opponent: the Nearside Bow-and-Arrow method. We will assume that the defending wrestler is on his/her stomach and has "clamped up" their limbs, preventing the offensive wrestler from executing any conventional pinning combinations.



  1. Run a Nearside Bow And Arrow Cradle Step 1.jpg
    Put pressure down onto the defender's upper-body and post your hand on their head, stuffing their face down and into the mat.
  2. Run a Nearside Bow And Arrow Cradle Step 2.jpg
    Spin out to one side, staying off your knees, staying on your toes, and putting weight and pressure fully onto the opponent. They should be unable to do much about this except to just lay there. They may try to pull their legs up towards their chests to try to get back to their base position, but that will only help you pull off this pinning combination. You should be perpendicular to them at this point.
  3. Run a Nearside Bow And Arrow Cradle Step 3.jpg
    While resting all your weight on your opponent, and keeping your hand posted on their head, reach out with your free hand and grab/hook the ankle of your opponent's near leg with that hand.
  4. Run a Nearside Bow And Arrow Cradle Step 4.jpg
    Put your head into their side. This requires that you take your weight off of their back. Keep pressure down on their head with your hand, and keep hold of their near ankle with the other hand. This motion of placing your head into their side should be a quick one. NOTE: If your opponent bases up (gets back to being on their hands and knees as opposed to being flat on their stomach) put the head into their hip. However, if they are still flat, drive your head into their ribs (this tends to cause the opponent discomfort). Where you put your head determines what leverage you have and on what axis they will be bent in half.
  5. Run a Nearside Bow And Arrow Cradle Step 5.jpg
    Drive your head into their side (either the ribs or the hip, depending on their position), and pull on their head and their ankle. This is like fitting an arrow to a bow. Picture yourself as the arrow, and your opponent as the bowstring.
  6. Run a Nearside Bow And Arrow Cradle Step 6.jpg
    As you drive, and their leg starts to bend toward their head, monitor how close your hands come to each other. Once you feel you can lock your hands, slide the hand that is gripping their ankle down to their knee-joint and then lock your hands. Your elbow joint should be in their knee joint while your other elbow joint should be at the back of their head.
  7. Run a Nearside Bow And Arrow Cradle Step 7.jpg
    Once your opponent is on their side, Lock hands and squeeze.
  8. Run a Nearside Bow And Arrow Cradle Step 8.jpg
    Finally, drive your opponent to their back, staying on top of them with your weight over their chest to force their shoulders to the mat. Pin.

We could really use your help!

Can you tell us about
how to trailer a motorcycle
Can you tell us about
car stereos?
car stereos
how to install a car stereo
Can you tell us about
how to install a camshaft
Can you tell us about
raising children?
raising children
how to get kids to sleep
Thanks for helping! Please tell us everything you know about
Provide Details.
Don't say: Eat more fats.


  • When taking the opponent to their back, it may help to step over the cradled leg, then use your body to power the leg up toward the opponent's head. This keeps the leg in between your body and your opponent's head, preventing them from locking their legs and kicking to break your grip.


  • If, rather than finishing on top, you decide to sag off to the side or in front of their head, make sure you hook the opponent's free leg with one of your legs, then figure-four the leg to the mat to prevent them from using it to kick out of the pinning combination. They should end up stacked on their shoulders with you holding their one leg and head in your arms, and their free leg being scissored between yours.

Things You'll Need

  • An opponent
  • A coach or informed supervisor who knows about the move you're trying to do, so that they can correct you when you practice it.

Article Info

Categories: Wrestling Moves


Did this article help you?
Yes No

an Author!

Write an Article