SECRETS of Training for Wrestlers
Wrestling. A sport where if you want to be elite, you need to be strong, fast, explosive and a conditioned freak.
That’s obvious.
But what are the points of emphases that are usually overlooked when training for wrestling? And how do you address these areas in your training program?
Well, here are several areas of weakness that I always address with my wrestlers.
The first thing is isometric contractions. A lot of a wrestling match involves two guys trying to maneuver the other into a certain position, and due to that there is a stalemate for a certain period of time. That tells us that we must train using isometrics. Certain isometrics that I like to use are ab planks, side planks, advanced side plank, chin-up holds and wall-sits to name a few. These all have great carry-over to the wrestling mat.
The second thing is pulling strength. If you notice when you walk into a gym, there are way more people doing presses than there are doing rows. And those that are doing rows, are using a weight that is way too heavy for them, so there is a very minimal training effect for the back musculature that the exercise is supposed to be working. This is one of the reasons that shoulder injuries are so common.
In addition to that, a lot of a wrestling match involves pulling your opponent. To be successful you have to have a strong back. Here’s what you do to make sure you are not neglecting your back when you are training.
For every horizontal “push” exercise you do, like a bench press, make sure you also do a horizontal “pull” exercise, like a 1 arm DB Row. For every vertical “push” exercise, like a military press, be sure to do a vertical “pull” exercise, like a chin-up.
This is so important and will help keep you healthy. Plus it looks pretty badass to have a jacked up back.
Third, is your neck strength. Neck work is vital for all wrestlers and NEEDS to be done. However, you should never go heavy with any weighted neck exercises. It’s not safe. Train your neck in flexion, extension and laterally but use a light weight for high reps. It’s also important to train the neck using isometrics, but don’t just jump right into a bridge if you haven’t done them in a while. Start using your arms and work your way up.
Finally, to excel at your sport you need lethal grip strength. To train your grip start adding loaded carries like farmer’s walks into your program immediately. You can also do stuff like fat bar holds and pinch plate holds for time. If you don’t have access to a fat bar order a pair of Fat Gripz and keep them in your gym bag. You can also use them on presses, rows, curls and various other exercises to train your hands and grip.
As a bonus, do yourself a favor and start including strongman exercises into your training regimen. Keg cleans and presses, sand bag shouldering, tire flips, tire carries, sandbag zercher carries. They are all great. Think about it, your opponent isn’t an evenly distributed weight, so why should you train only using an evenly distributed barbell or dumbbell? Sandbags and Kegs are a bitch because the sand and water are moving all over the place, which makes it much more difficult to control. Just like your opponent. These exercises will help build truly “functional” strength and muscle. Start using them now.
With all of that said you have some basic info you need to create a great training program for your offseason. One thing that you have to do is develop incredible relative strength. Meaning you have to master your own bodyweight. Push-ups, chin-ups, planks, lunges, inverted push-ups and similar exercises should be mastered by the time November-December come around.
Obviously, the stuff I always talk about like deadlifting, squatting and sprinting are still a must. These are just the overlooked secrets of a successful wrestling program.
I really hopes this helps you guys have the season of a lifetime. If you want to push yourself even harder and have a team around you supporting every minute of your training session, then email me at chris@tutelatraining.com and let’s set up your free trial. When you sign up you also get speed and conditioning work, and a nutritional program to get you ripped and keep you strong so you can wrestle at your best!
If you have any questions feel free to email me or drop a comment below. I’d love to answer any questions and hear your feedback.
Catch you on the next one!
