SLT: Hooking The Leg

In his Ringside at Skull Island blog, Joe recently wrote up a match description which included a reference to the “leghook” pinning position as one of his Subtle Little Things — one of those simple, barely noticeable hot buttons that we love to see in a wrestling match.  I agree with Joe, I love it when a winning wrestler “hooks the leg”.  Here are some photos of the specific position we are blogging about…

Here is what Joe wrote in his blog — the man sure has a way with words:  “Let me give you one of my own (Subtle Little Things) — the leghook as the victor covers the vanquished with his body. That extra little rollup, the loser’s knee forced up against the pectoralis muscle of the man who took him down, always does the trick for me.” Me too!

So why does a wrestler even bother to hook the other man’s leg?  It sure seems like more effort than just laying on him. They tell us the purpose is to prevent the beaten man from kicking out — but in truth he can easily kick out, even with a leg hooked, if the match is not finished.

I think part of the reason for the leghook is to make this suggestive position seem more like fighting and less like gay sex (and therefore more socially acceptable).  If the man on top remembers to cradle one leg in his arm, our brains tell us:  It’s OK — they are simply grappling. If he were to just lay on top of the other man chest to chest, we might think — HEY!  That looks too gay!  Are they being Homos??!

It also sends a message of total control and dominance — as if the winning wrestler is saying: “I worked him over so good and exhausted him so completely, I can even gently cradle his leg and he can’t stop me.  I can bend this ragdoll in any position I want, even holding up his leg, and he is just my play-thing at this point.”

And one final reason for hooking the leg is to show the wrestling fans (those who are into that sort of thing) his bulge.  It’s a final taste of eye candy for the Crotch Watchers in the audience.  It sends a message of helplessness and vulnerability for the beaten man to be placed on display, his thighs spread open invitingly to the viewers’ gaze.