The Russian tie in wrestling — also called a two-on-one — is a controlling grip where you secure your opponent's arm with both hands and lock it tight to your chest. It's probably the lowest-risk dominant position in the entire sport. Jon Trenge says it straight: "Almost zero risk. The good stuff you can do, there's probably 20 moves from here."
Here's why it works so well. You're not underneath your opponent. You're not on your knees. And they only have one arm to wrestle with.
How to Get the Russian Tie
Most wrestlers are right-handed, right leg forward. When the whistle blows, a lot of them grab your neck with their right hand. That's your opening.
Grab their elbow — right on those bony points on each side (the epicondyles, if you want to get technical). Shrug your shoulder and try to touch your shoulder to theirs. As Trenge demonstrates, "We're both going to look that direction. 90 degrees to his arm." That forces their arm down in front of you. Scoop the wrist, pull the whole arm tight to your chest.
The detail most people miss: your shoulder position. "I want my shoulder really to be behind his shoulder," Trenge explains. "I'm pushing down on the back of his shoulder capsule and pulling up on his hand." That pressure tweaks the rotator cuff and makes it very uncomfortable to stay there.
What You Can Do From Here
Trenge's favorite attack is simple. Take your top hand, squat down, lean on their shoulder, and reach for the back of their knee. You're picking up a single leg with basically no risk. If they pull the leg back? No problem — you're still in a neutral position and set up for a snap-down.
Worst case scenario, you push the arm away and let go. Nothing bad happens.
The Russian tie pairs beautifully with the single leg takedown. Master both and you'll control every hand fight. Get the complete system in the Complete Wrestling System.