Most wrestlers screw up their off mat training.

They either do way too much body building (hypertrophy training) when they are trying to maintain or cut weight with no focus on maximal strength or they don’t strength train at all and just do “cardio”. Technique being equal or close the stronger athlete in HS almost always imposes his will.

The sport of wrestling is unique in that it is a weight class sport meaning they have to find balance between size and strength but it also requires different types of strength. 1st and foremost they must be maximally strong (maximal amount of weight moved for 1 rep)… they need to be explosive but also be able to repeat that explosiveness over and over again when fatigued. This is unlike most sports.

A base of cardio is important but most guys lay at one end or the other they either over do it or do too much non-specific energy system work. Remember a match is 3 periods of 2:00 high intensity, with tons of iso-metric strength endurance while they are engaged with the opponent not 45:00 low intensity jogging.

We take care of all this for our wrestlers. In 3 days they train a heavy lower body day, heavy upper body day, then a 3rd day (Thurs @ 6pm) of specific energy system training, explosive strength development, then upper body muscular endurance, grip, and iso-metric strength.

An Example Wrestler Session is the following:

1- Prefatigue: partner carry 300 yards (under 2:00) or a burpee for every second over, rest :30 then 600 yard sprint under 2:00

2- Dyanmic Strength: -zercher box squats (weight across elbows is great for combat athletes)- 8×3 light and fast

-heavy dumbell kneeling jumps 8×5

-sled toss off front leg 8×6

3- Rep Upper/Core/Grip: -Iso pull up hold overhand grip – 3x:30

-Seated on floor DB Alternating OH Press 3x max

-millitary crawls 3×50 yards

Check it all out here!!