ultimate wrestling strength

Ultimate Wrestling Strength and Conditioning

2009 Wrestling Performance LLC All Rights Reserved www.wrestlingperformance.com


The Ultimate Wrestling Strength And Conditioning Guide

How To Build Stronger, Faster and Better Conditioned Wrestlers At Any Age!

By Steve Preston MSwww.wrestlingperformance.com

For questions or comments email:[email protected]



Disclaimer

The exercises and training programs in this manual may be too strenuous for some people. This information assumes you have had a proper medical examination with a doctor's clearance to partake in the training programs in this manual. The information in this manual is intended to be used by individuals who are in otherwise good health, free from injuries. Please consult with a qualified Personal Trainer or Coach before beginning any programs within. Steve Preston, Wrestling Performance LLC, its affiliates, sponsors or associates, are in no way liable for accidents or injuries that may occur when attempting any of the training programs within.



Dedication:

Behind Every Good Man Is A Great Woman!

That saying couldn't be more true for my life. I'd like to think that I'm a good man... and I know without a doubt that I'm married to a great woman. My wife Michelle is so patient, understanding, and caring... and I would never have been able to write this without her support.



Table of ContentsThe Ultimate Wrestling Strength And Conditioning Guide.......................................................................2

Disclaimer............................................................................................................................................. 3Dedication:................................................................................................................................................. 4The Truth Behind Building Greater Strength, Speed And Conditioning In Wrestlers...............................6What Is 'Wrestling-Specific Strength'?...................................................................................................... 7How To Train Youth Wrestlers ..............................................................................................................10Conditioning for Youth Wrestlers............................................................................................................ 12Stretching for Youth Wrestlers................................................................................................................. 16Ultimate Strength Training for Youth Wrestlers...................................................................................... 24How to Set Up Offseason Strength Programs for Youth Wrestlers..........................................................27Youth Wrestlers Off-season Training:......................................................................................................294 Week Break-In.......................................................................................................................................29Youth Wrestling Offseason Training Phase 1........................................................................................38Youth Wrestling Offseason Training Phase 2........................................................................................49Youth Wrestling Preseason Training........................................................................................................ 59Youth Wrestling Preseason Training Program......................................................................................... 61Youth Wrestling In-season Training Program..........................................................................................70How To Train High School Wrestlers ..................................................................................................... 76Stretching for High School, College, and MMA Athletes....................................................................... 78How to Set Up Offseason Strength Programs for High School Wrestlers..............................................80High School Wrestlers Off-season Training:........................................................................................... 824 Week Break-In.......................................................................................................................................82High School Wrestling Offseason Training Program Phase 1.............................................................. 95High School Wrestling Offseason Training Program Phase 2............................................................ 105How to Set Up Preseason Strength Programs for High School Wrestlers............................................ 115High School Wrestling Preseason Training Program.............................................................................117How To Set Up In-season Strength Programs for High School Wrestlers ............................................125How To Train College Wrestlers/MMA Athletes...................................................................................132College Wrestling/MMA Athlete Offseason Program........................................................................... 136College Wrestling/MMA Athlete Preseason Training Program............................................................. 139College Wrestling/MMA Athlete In-season Training Program..............................................................141Conditioning for High School, College and MMA Athletes..................................................................142The Ultimate Running Program For Wrestlers!..................................................................................... 144How To Get Diesel-Strong In 4 Weeks!.................................................................................................146Recommended Resources...................................................................................................................... 148



The Truth Behind Building Greater Strength, Speed And Conditioning In Wrestlers

Amateur Wrestling is one of the toughest, most-rewarding sports available to young athletes. If you are reading this manual I probably don't need to convince you of that. It is a sport that builds character and discipline, unparalleled by any other sport.

Anyone who has ever gone through a full season as a wrestler knows how important strength and conditioning are to your overall success. Champion wrestlers are strong, fast, conditioned... and of course, skilled!

But here's the thing... It doesn't matter how much skill you have if you don't have 'wrestling strength.' Every wrestling move you execute begins with a combination of things from your body that coordinate an effort. All of these 'things' that work together have one thing in common... STRENGTH!

Let me explain.

Your ability to wrestle and all of the moves required to be successful is a result of certain 'non-trainable' and 'trainable' factors:

Non-trainable factors are:

Body Proportions

Neuromuscular Coordination

Trainable Factors are:

Skill

Flexibility

Cardiovascular Endurance

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Muscular Strength

Of the 7 factors, it is Muscular Strength that is the center of all the rest of the factors. Each one of the other factors is supportive of your strength, but it is strength that needs to be



increased in order to maximize your potential as a wrestler or MMA athlete. Not just any strength however... you need 'wrestling-specific strength.'

Body Proportions are inherent. That means you can't exactly do anything about the length of your long bones or the length of the muscles, nor where they insert on the bones as tendons. This has a lot to do with those that are classified as 'naturals' when it comes to sports.

Neuromuscular Coordination is another non-trainable factor. You are born with a combination of red and white muscle fibers which are also referred to as slow twitch fibers and fast twitch fibers. Although we all have both types of fibers, we are basically born with a certain proportion of each, which may be more or less in some people than in others. Generally, those with more fast twitch fibers are considered naturally strong, powerful and explosive, while those in abundance of slow twitch fibers are well-suited for aerobic activities such as distance running.

Skill, flexibility, BMI and endurance are all trainable factors. That means that you have the ability to change these factors, because they all revolve around your strength levels. When you increase your strength you can improve your skills as a wrestler with all else being equal. You can also increase your flexibility when you have more muscle to work with. The more muscle and strength you have, the more fat you burn as well... because fat burns in muscle cells. Lastly, you can increase your cardiovascular endurance by adding muscle and strength to your body. Cardiovascular training in and of itself will do virtually nothing to help your overall strength level, but increasing your relative strength will improve your cardiovascular fitness level.

With this said, it makes sense that in order to greatly improve the wrestling ability of any wrestler, you must increase 'wrestling-specific strength.'

What Is 'Wrestling-Specific Strength'?

No doubt about it, wrestlers are unique as athletes and must be trained differently than any other athletes. MMA fighters can and should implement 'wrestling-specific' strength and conditioning into their training regimens from time to time to improve their ability to grapple as well.

Wrestling-specific strength is strength that allows you to build lean, strong muscles that aren't too bulky, yet can last the duration of a grueling wrestling match... and even



into overtime.

Developing wrestling-specific strength is definitely a misunderstood topic. There are so many coaches, parents and wrestlers advocating programs that are unproductive at best, and possibly injurious to the 'young athletes.' The basis for effective training programs to 'develop' wrestlers into champions is:

Wrestlers Are Young Athletes With Different Growth Patterns In Their Different Stages Of Life... And MUST Be Trained With This In Mind!

Simply, this means that a Youth Wrestler needs to train differently than a High School Wrestler and a High School Wrestler needs to train differently than a College Wrestler.

All too often we see coaches and proud parents borrowing the High School Wrestling Workout and having their 6th grader train with it in hopes of raising the bar and accelerating the young wrestlers gains to that of the High School Level. Or we see High School Wrestlers borrowing the programs of a top Division 1 program and using them to 'take their performance up a notch.' The problem is that the wrestlers aren't getting what they need. They're simply getting what we 'think' they need.

You see... wrestlers are 'developing athletes' and each stage in their physical and emotional development is a stage where growth patterns and coordination are unique. These stages of development require that certain training needs be addressed in order to make fast gains as well as long-term success.

That last sentence was the key... You must have a long-term approach in mind for any strength and conditioning program to truly be effective. That doesn't mean that every Middle School Wrestler can or should plan on going to college to wrestle, but they need to be trained according to the age-level requirements at that time in their lives... They will have better success as wrestlers both short-term and long-term.

My goal with this training manual is to enlighten you as to how you can best serve the needs of your wrestlers at any age by not only providing them with effective 'wrestling-specific' training programs to increase their strength, speed and conditioning, but also their 'age-specific/wrestling-specific' needs for longer, more successful wrestling careers with less burnout and injuries.

In this manual I'm going to break it all down for you so that it all makes sense. You will notice



that some of the training exercises and workouts are similar for Youth Wrestlers as well as the older wrestlers. This was done purposely as I feel that some exercises and training methods should be used by wrestlers of all ages. Other exercises will be exclusive to certain age levels because they are more important for a particular stage of growth and development.

Read this manual and really try to think about 'what' you want to accomplish and 'why' I recommend that you do things a certain way. You will then be empowered to train wrestling champions at all age levels...

Let's get started...



How To Train Youth Wrestlers

Youth Wrestling, for the purposes of this manual are broken down into 6-13. This is assuming we are working with boys, as boys tend to mature more slowly than girls... and most of the wrestlers here are going to be boys. However, when working with girls, most of the principles and programs within will apply as well.

Wrestlers between the ages of 6 and 13 have bodies that are like sponges and 'soak up' everything in terms of coordination development. A wrestling coach teaches young wrestlers moves that they will need for the mat and then drills the young wrestlers until they can execute the moves with fluidity and smooth quickness.

It is really important to give focus to overall 'coordination development' in wrestlers 6-13 while teaching wrestling technique. Wrestlers who are young can be developed into better athletes that will perform better in the long run by continuously addressing 'coordination training' in practice.

I'll get into the specifics of strength training young wrestlers in a moment but I feel the need to stress adding in the following things within wrestling practice:

Bilateral Training When working with wrestlers in the 6-13 age group you can use the technique of teaching non-dominance to enhance their ability to react, and effortlessly perform different moves by teaching 'both sides. When teaching takedowns, be sure to have wrestlers work from both their 'less-preferred' leg along with their 'preferred' leg when stepping in for a takedown. Have them learn to shoot takedowns on both sides. Have them learn Sit-outs from both sides. Have them learn to perform a Switch from both sides.



Do you see what I'm getting at?...

By teaching the younger wrestler to use both sides of the body equally, you will instill a more firm neuromuscular connection that will transpire into effortless wrestling down the road. In the long run, this equates to more wins.

Added Movements - Younger wrestlers can benefit greatly by adding a twist here and there when teaching the fundamental skills for wrestling. We can greatly serve the young wrestler when we add skills that will help increase their self-awareness and body control.

Let me explain...

Instead of only teaching a single-leg or double-leg takedown with a young wrestler, add a movement just prior to shooting a takedown such as:

Start from one knee and then shoot takedown Jump up and perform a 360 degree spin then shoot takedown Perform a somersault then immediately shoot takedown

Not only are these simple added movements fun for the younger wrestlers, but they are exceptional little tricks to employ to help your young wrestlers perfect the actual skill you seek (in this case, takedown ability). Be creative here. You can add movements when teaching any skills that you want the young wrestlers to concentrate on.



Conditioning for Youth Wrestlers

It certainly seems at times that younger wrestlers between ages 6-13 have endless energy, doesn't it?

They can seemingly go from zero to 100 in no time flat and keep it up to the end of the match...

But many wrestling programs like to send youth wrestlers for long jogs to get them into condition for the season...

This is not only counter-productive, but it's a sure path to burnout over the long haul. First, jogging elicits an aerobic energy requirement from your body. Wrestling is an anaerobic sport. Therefore, jogging is severely overrated as a means to achieve 'wrestling-specific' conditioning for the requirements of a wrestling match. (Later in this manual I will go over the ONLY time I have wrestlers jog to get into mat shape)

It's even worse to mindlessly send the youth wrestlers out for long jogs because of their phase of growth and development. Remember, when working with youth wrestlers you are not working with 'young athletes'... you are working with 'developing young athletes.' I can tell you from years of experience, that if you want to burn a kid out and lose them mentally... just send them for jogs all the time.

Another important consideration when training wrestlers 6-13 is that their overall ability to gain absolute strength is not as much from a killer strength training program as much as from increasing their overall coordination. That's not to say that strength training programs for youth wrestlers are completely ineffective. It simply means that incorporating the right kind of strength training program along with efforts to improve overall coordination and gross motor skills will be most-effective.

Youth wrestlers can best get into condition for the wrestling mat with game-oriented activities...

The way a young mind works necessitates 'fun' activities while conditioning. Here are some ideas of things you can add to practices when working with youth wrestlers to improve their overall conditioning in a competitive game-like setting:



Relay Races - I don't think I've ever met a youth wrestler that didn't get 'pumped up' when they found out that they were going to compete in a relay race. Relay Races that employ different gross motor skills serve the young wrestler with multiple benefits:

They train the anaerobic energy system of the wrestler, similar to that required in a match

They promote teamwork They can be used to promote skills without constant 'drilling'

The key behind effective Relay Races in order to develop young wrestlers into well-conditioned wrestlers is to define your goals, and thoroughly explain what you want to see. Let them know that quality comes first and you want to see the skill perfected. Here's an example:

You can start out with a Ring Relay. Divide your wrestlers into teams of 4. Have each team of 4 sit one behind the other behind the starting line. The first person in each line will have a rubber ring (or anything that they can run with in their hand). On the command of the 'whistle' (I like to use a whistle so that they get used to reacting to that sound since it's sport-specific for wrestling) the first person runs across the gym to a line on the other side where they drop the ring. They immediately turn and run back to their team and 'High 5' the next person in line. The second person immediately runs across the gym where they pick up the ring and immediately run back to their line. When the second person gets back to their line they hand the ring to the next person who proceeds to run the ring across the gym, drop it off on the finish line and run back etc.

The first team to finish is the winner...

The last team to finish is eliminated.

You immediately begin another round with the teams that are still in. This continues until you have 1 team left as your overall winner.

This is a great way to add overall conditioning to your young wrestlers...

I like to do this with different skills too. Use your imagination...

You can do Relay Races with:

Crab Walks Bear Crawls Frog Leaps Duckwalks Spider Crawls



The gross motor patterns that are trained during this activity with enhance the overall progress in your youth wrestlers in so many ways. If you aren't using Relays, do so.

Reaction Drills - Having youth wrestlers work on reaction drills is another very important training consideration when planning practices and training for youth wrestlers. When we think of wrestling we usually think of wrestlers having to react from the sound of the whistle. This is of course, very specific to the requirements of the mat. But you can increase the young wrestlers' ability to react off the whistle by also having them react to visual cues, as well as different auditory cues.

Visual Cues Training - Although wrestlers have to react to the sound of a whistle when in a match, you can increase their reaction time to the auditory stimulus (the whistle) by training their ability to react to visual stimulus.

One way to work on speed of reaction visually is the Ball Drop Drill. In this drill you have 2 partners face off approximately the same distance and stance as the start of a wrestling match from a standing position. One partner holds a tennis ball. The partner with the ball drops the ball, and the other partner must react by catching the ball.

Verbal Reaction Training - Verbal reaction training is another favorite of mine when working with young wrestlers. In this type of reaction training the wrestler begins in their stance. The coach then yells out one of 3 commands,KNEEL, BELLY or BACK. The wrestler must either kneel, lie on their belly, or lie on their back as quickly as possible following the command. This reaction training develops the overall speed of a young wrestler incredibly well without the need for strength training simply because at this young age their muscles adapt to training with 'cues' more than weights.

Now I know there are some people who will read this and literally freak out because I suggested that you use Verbal Reaction Training while actually 'teaching' a wrestler to lie on their back. Going from the back to the belly or kneeling is very functional within the sport of wrestling in my opinion. Also, you must teach wrestlers to get off their back as quickly as possible.

Sprint Reaction Training - Another great way to build more speed and power from youth wrestlers is to employ Sprint Reaction Training. You begin by having your wrestler lined up next to each other on a line. You have them start in one of the following ways:

Kneeling Lying on stomach with arms stretched overhead Lying on back with arms stretched overhead Hands and knees



The coach then blows the whistle, and the wrestlers react by scrambling to their feet as quickly as possible and sprint across the mat. This is done rapidly with wrestlers running back to end of their line to await their next turn.

This type of reaction training helps develop the neuromuscular connection in the Posterior Chain muscle group Hips, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes and Core. This is the basis for developing incredible strength and coordination on the wrestling mat.



Stretching for Youth Wrestlers

As I alluded to in the previous section, youth wrestlers between ages 6 and 13 benefit in their overall strength by improving their gross motor coordination and reaction time. Absolute strength appears to increase more than it actually does (or can) at this level when you increase overall coordination.

Another important thing to note at this level is that Stretching must be age-appropriate.

To begin, there are 3 types of stretching that wrestlers should be familiar with: Static Flexibility Training, Dynamic Flexibility Training, and Proprioneuromuscular Facilitation Stretching (PNF Stretching).

Static Flexibility Training - Static Flexibility Training is the type of stretching that is performed by getting into a stretched position and 'holding the stretch' for periods of 30 seconds to 60 seconds or more. This type of flexibility training is used at least 2-3 hours before training, after training or before bed. But here's the important thing:

Static Flexibility Training Should NOT Be Used With Wrestlers In The 6-13 Age Group!

The youth wrestler has delicate connections between the soft tissue (muscles, tendons and ligaments) and bones. Static stretching serves the purpose of permanently increasing the length of short muscles such as with previously injured areas and basic muscle imbalances. Static stretching is contraindicated until the wrestler reaches the 14+ age group as with High School Wrestlers.

PNF Flexibility Training PNF Stretching is a type of stretch where the muscles are taken through periods of repeated relaxation and stretching to achieve an overall increased range of motion in a joint. PNF Stretching is the most effective for permanently lengthening a muscle.

PNF is performed either alone or with a partner. It can be performed before or after exercise, unlike Static Flexibility Stretching. However, PNF Stretching like Static Flexibility Stretching should not be performed by youth wrestlers. I will discuss more about PNF and how to use it in the upcoming section on High School Wrestling Training.

Dynamic Flexibility Training - Dynamic Flexibility Training is an active type of stretching of



the muscles. In this form of stretching, the body is taken through full ranges of motion without holding any positions.

This type of flexibility training serves numerous purposes:

Raises your body core temperature to loosen up for training, a match or practice Increases the viscosity within joints to reduce wear and tear and help prevent

unnecessary injury Increases muscular strength throughout the full range of motion of a joint

Dynamic Flexibility Training is advocated for Youth Wrestlers both as a warmup for training, practice or matches AND as a cool-down after these events. This type of flexibility training helps a youth wrestler prevent injury and 'safely' keep a full range of motion in a joint. This sets the stage for more pronounced strength gains once the wrestler reaches High School.

The following workout is a thorough Dynamic Warm-up Routine that can be effectively used by wrestlers of any age. The only difference is that the older wrestlers in High School as well as College/MMA is the addition of other stretching protocols.



Wrestling Dynamic Warmup

This Dynamic Warmup can be used for wrestlers at all ages and skill levels. It should be performed before any practice, matches, or strength/conditioning training. This program can actually be used with virtually any athletes as it warms up the entire body for athletic endeavors.

Dynamic Warmup

Perform each exercise with a full range of motion No rest in between exercises Keep face relaxed and breathe normally during exercise

Exercise Reps/DurationBurpees 20Jumping Jacks 20Monster Walk 10 per sideSide Monster Walk 10 per sideCombat Squats 10Shoulder Rotations 10 each directionCrab Walk with Table Top 15 steps, table top every 5 stepsHip Extensions 6 with 2-second hold at topInchworm 6Dynamic Superman 10Knee to Armpit 10 per sideBear Crawls 10

Dynamic Warmup Exercises

Burpees Begin in standing position

Squat down and place hands on floor in front of you



Extend legs straight back pushup position

Jump back into squat position

Jumping Jacks Begin in standing position with legs together and hands at your side

In one motion, jump up and straddle legs as arms reach over head and hands touch

Continue in rapid fashion

Monster Walk Begin in standing position with hands on hips

Lunge out to front with as large of a step as possible without twisting hips

Immediately lunge forward with opposite leg

Continue with big lunges without rest



Side Monster Walk Begin in standing position with hands on hips

Lunge out to side as far as possible

Return to standing position, then repeat

Combat Squats Begin in standing position with hands over head

Crouch down rising up on balls of feet and touch ground

Rise to standing position with hands over head

Repeat

Shoulder Rotations Begin in standing position with arms held straight out to sides

Perform a circular motion with arms, moving from the shoulder

Do 10 motions in the forward directions

Repeat in reverse direction



Crab Walk With Table Top Begin with feet and hands on floor with bottom raised off floor

Walk 5 steps with hands and feet

Raise hips up until they are parallel with the floor and pause for 2 seconds

Allow hips to drop down and move 5 more steps

Repeat

Hip Extensions Begin lying on back with knees bent and arms outstretched on floor

Raise hips off floor until the glutes are flexed

Pause in top position for 2 seconds

Repeat



Inchworm Begin in pushup position with hands placed out in front of head

Keep legs and arms straight as you begin to walk your feet towards your hands

Reach a pike position, then walk hands out in front of head to original position

Repeat

Dynamic Superman Lie on floor on stomach with arms and legs outstretched

Simultaneously raise arms and legs from floor while trying to keep them straight

Pause in top position, then relax for 2 seconds

Repeat

Knee To Armpit Begin on hands and knees

Raise right arm and left leg out straight

Bring left leg in towards right armpit while driving right elbow in towards left knee

Repeat for desired repetitions on same side

Repeat with opposite arm and leg



Bear Crawls Begin on hands and feet

Walk forward on hands and feet

Repeat in backwards and sideways directions if desired



Ultimate Strength Training for Youth Wrestlers

Finally... we're at the point of discussing strength training for youth wrestlers. Before I get into the training programs themselves for the offseason, let's discuss the needs of a wrestler and therefore the basis of our training program.

The Principles of Movement - In every aspect of a wrestling match you are using your body to the fullest. Virtually all of your muscles are shortening or lengthening with constant contractions. All of your movements on the mat stem from one of the basic movement patterns:

Squat Bend Lunge Twist Push Pull Walking (gait of walking pattern)

Wrestlers require all of these movement patterns to be optimal in order to wrestle at their best. Taking it a step further, a wrestler requires training in all 3 planes of motion:

Sagittal Plane - This is movement from front to back, and divides the body through the middle into right and left halves. Exercises such as Squats, Bench Presses and Deadlifts work the body in the Sagittal Plane of motion.

Frontal Plane - This is movement from the left to right sides of the body, or right to left. This assumes the body is divided forming a front half and a back half of the body. Exercises such as Side Planks, Abduction and Adduction of the hips, and Lateral Raises work the body in the Frontal Plane of motion.

Transverse Plane - The Transverse Plane of motion is movement across the body. Any time you perform an exercise such as Wood Chops or Cross Body Cable Pulls you are heavily involving the core... specifically the Transverse Abdominus Muscle area. This, my friend, is



key to developing total mat speed and power. This plane of motion is often neglected in traditional wrestling strength training programs.

Core Stability - The core is the cornerstone of a wrestler's strength. Every time you shoot a takedown, escape, reverse your opponent, stand up from referee's position etc. you require core stability. This is your body's ability to keep a good posture for wrestling moves while you work against the efforts of your opponent.

To increase core stability in youth wrestlers it is imperative to include Planks and variations of Planks in a strength training program. This is especially true with Youth Wrestler because the core tends to be weaker with the younger wrestlers. Not only is this going to hurt their performance on the mat but they are much more susceptible to injuries throughout their careers, especially in the back and hips.

Unilateral Movement - Often in a wrestling match the wrestler has to place weight and pivot off of one leg or hand at a time. Because of this we incorporate a good amount of unilateral strength training in the programs of younger wrestlers. Unilateral Training is when you perform exercise with only one side of your body at at time. For a young wrestler, this means:

Developing a Full Range of Motion On Both Sides of the Body Equally, Which Means More Power and Less Injuries

Increased Strength Development Due to More Increased Muscle Fiber Recruitment

Faster Strength Gains In Muscle

It's pretty interesting to note that when you perform an exercise with one arm or leg at a time, you will notice immediate strength gains per half of your body. I've used unilateral training extensively with all ages of wrestlers and fighters. But we do them differently, depending on the ages of the wrestlers we're working with.

I really like to use bodyweight and dumbbells when training younger wrestlers. They allow for proper education on range of motion for ultimate strength gains for the mat. With just bodyweight and simple tools such as dumbbells, you can use unilateral training with your youth wrestlers that will do more for their stage of development than just about anything else out there.

Some great examples of unilateral exercises that best benefit youth wrestlers are:



1 Leg Romanian Deadlift

1 Leg Squat

1 Arm DB Bench Press

1 Arm DB Shoulder Press

1 Arm Lateral Raise

1 Arm Row

1 Leg Cross Foot Touch Squat

1 Leg Heel Touch

1 Arm Pulldown

Posterior Chain Development - The posterior chain muscle group, as mentioned before, is a group of muscle working together. At the youth level, we're trying to build a coordinated effort amongst the muscle groups that make up the posterior chain. This helps us build strength while we build coordination in the same area that we work in High School. The difference is that in High School we move into exercises that allow the wrestler to increase the workload on the posterior chain muscles. The posterior chain muscles will get sufficient stimulus from many of the unilateral exercises that will be in the program.

Neck Training - Most of the neck training that is done in practice with Bridging will suffice as a neck training stimulus for the youth wrestler. But the one thing missing from the training programs of many wrestlers is Static Resistance Neck Training. Basically, you can do this 2 ways:

Sit at the end of a bench. Have a partner hold their hand on your forehead as you sit perfectly upright. Push into your partners hand with your forehead while your opponent gives just enough resistance so that you can't move your head forward. Do this for 45-60 seconds. Do this for each side of the head, as well as front and back to cover all 4 directions of movement.

Hold a Swiss Ball against the wall at head level. Push all 4 sides of your head (forehead, back of head, left side, right side) against ball, keeping neck straight, for 45-60 seconds per side.

Grip Training - Grip training will be enhanced at the youth level mostly from exercises requiring multi-joint movement involving both the lats and the biceps such as Front Chins, Reverse Grip Chins, Reverse Grip Rows etc. Grip training will evolve as the Youth Wrestler



grows and becomes a High School Wrestler.

With all of the above taken into consideration, here is a format to construct your Youth Offseason Wrestling Strength Program.

To begin, you will perform the following 4 Week Break-In workout. Upon completion of these 4 weeks of training the Youth Wrestler will be able to perform the Offseason Base Training workout for the duration of the offseason.

How to Set Up Offseason Strength Programs for Youth Wrestlers

Over the years I've tried just about every training program, workout, schedule etc. that you could possibly think of... both with myself and my athletes.

Here are a couple of things that I've found to be most successful when setting up strength training programs for wrestlers:

1. Full body workout or workouts that split the body into 'A' and 'B' workouts are best I've found that when you do a full body workout as a wrestler you don't do too many sets or total resistance on any one body part. This is so important because you want to create a stimulus to make your muscles stronger, but you don't want to pulverize a muscle group as a bodybuilder trains. This leads to muscle soreness and stiffness. To keep strong, fluid, powerful movement for the mat we perform just enough work to 'get the job done' and no more.

2. 3 weekly sessions in the offseason work best - No matter how you decide to split up the workouts for your youth wrestlers, 3 days seems to work best as far as developing an athletic learning pattern to master the exercises or eliciting a neuromuscular coordination response from the training.

3. The offseason is the period of least wrestling - I'm not concerned with having a distinct amount of time to be determined the offseason, because it depends on how much wrestling is being done. If a youth wrestles with his team for 4 months, and spends 3 more months wrestling in club, camps and tournaments, then their offseason is only 5 months long. If another wrestlers only wrestlers with his team for 4 months, then his offseason is 8 months long. If a wrestler goes all year long, he will simply have to integrate offseason style training for 4 months of the year.



4. Use a 4 week break-in No matter what level of wrestlers you're working with, a break-in, bodyweight workout that addresses muscle imbalances will serve the wrestler well in the long run. Less injuries, more wins will be noticed with optimal training, and optimal training occurs when wrestlers even out muscle imbalances first. More on this below.



Youth Wrestlers Off-season Training:

4 Week Break-In

The following is a 4 week program to be followed as soon as your Youth Wrestlers begin their Offseason training. This 4 week period is a time where your young athlete has a chance to even out muscular imbalances between antagonistic muscle groups. These are muscles that act in opposition, whereas when one of the muscles contract, the muscle that is opposite to it will lengthen. Examples would be the muscles of the chest and the muscles in the upper back. Another example would be the biceps in the front of the arm and the triceps in the back of the arm. I could go on all day because there are over 600 muscles in the body, and whenever any of them contract there is an opposing muscle that is lengthening, and vice-versa.

Another benefit of this mandatory 4 week Break-In workout for Youth Wrestlers is balancing out muscular imbalances and tonic (shortened, tight muscles) between opposite sides of the body ie. Left and right sides. When you help the Youth Wrestler achieve balance between opposite sides of the body you will help them develop further and make better long-term progress both in the training environment and the wrestling mat.

The Workout will be done 3 times per week with an 'A' and 'B' training split. It would look like this:

Monday: Workout 'A'

Wednesday: Workout 'B'

Friday: Workout 'A'

Monday: Workout 'B'

Wednesday: Workout 'A'

Friday: Workout 'B'

Monday: Workout 'A'

Wednesday: Workout 'B'



Friday: Workout 'A'

Monday: Workout 'B'

Wednesday: Workout 'A'

Friday: Workout 'B'

Workout 'A'

Exercise RepetitionsPushups with feet on bench 10 30 repsHeel Touch Single Leg Squats * 10 30 reps1 Leg Stiff Leg Deadlift 12 each sideProne Cobra 60 secondsAlternating Arm/Leg Raise 8 per sidePlank Up to 60 seconds

Perform one set for each leg squatting down and touching the outside of the foot that's on the same side as your hand. Perform a second set for each leg where you reach across the front of the opposite foot to touch the outside of the opposite foot in the squat position. (see photos below)

Go through entire workout, rest 2 minutes then repeat.

Workout 'B'

Exercise Reps/DurationCombat Squats 10 30 repsBack Extensions 10 15 repsSide Planks 10 15 reps per side1 Leg Hip Extensions 8 per side, hold each rep for 3 secondsExternal Rotation with Band 12 15 reps per sideLower Abs Pull 10 12 reps

Perform each exercise with minimal rest in between exercises. Rest 2 minutes after circuit, then repeat.

Go through entire workout. Rest 2 minutes, then repeat.



** After 4 weeks of this workout, muscular imbalances between antagonistic muscles as well as bilaterally will be evened out. This sets the stage for full-out Offseason Strength Training.



4 Week Break-In Exercises

Pushups With Feet On Bench Begin in a pushup position with feet on bench keeping back flat

Lower by bending arms until your chest is 2 inches from floor

Press back up to starting position

Heel Touch Single Leg Squats Stand on one leg with arms at your sides

Squat down and reach hand to touch outside of foot on squatting leg

Repeat for desired repetitions

Repeat on opposite side

One Leg Stiff Leg Deadlift Stand on one leg with arms hanging down in front of your body

Keeping a slight bend in knee, reach both hands in front of foot





Prone Cobra Lie on floor with arms and legs outstretched

Raise only the torso and arms as high as possible and pause for 1-2 seconds

Lower and repeat

Alternating Arm/Leg Raise Lie face down on floor with arms and legs outstretched

Raise right arm and left leg simultaneously

Repeat with left arm and right leg

Keep alternating for desired repetitions



Plank Position yourself on forearms and feet with back straight

Try to pull your navel in towards your spine

Hold for desired time

Combat Squats Begin in standing position with hands over head

Crouch down rising up on balls of feet and touch ground

Rise to standing position with hands over head

Repeat

Back Extensions Lie face down on a stability ball so that your body bends keeping feet on floor

Raise arms and torso up using the mid and lower back muscles

Repeat



Side Planks Lie on side with forearm and feet on floor

Raise hips up from floor pausing at top

Repeat

One Leg Hip Extension Lie on back with one knee bent and the other leg straight. Keep arms outstretched

Push foot of bent knee into floor, raising the straight leg up using the hips

Flex hips at top and pause for 1-2 seconds

Lower and repeat



External Rotation with Band Stand with elbow tight to side, holding a band at waist level

Rotate forearm out to side while keeping elbow against side

Return to starting position and repeat

Lower Abs Pull Lie on back and reach back to hold a pole

Bend knees and flatten lower back against floor

Blow your air out as you pull your knees in towards your chest, using lower abs

Repeat



Youth Wrestling Offseason Training Phase 1

You begin this phase immediately after the 4 Week Break In workout above. Do this Offseason Phase 1 Program with your Youth Wrestlers for 3-6 weeks. How long you do it is determined by how long you want your offseason program to last. The first 4 weeks are the Break In Workout, then the rest of the Offseason is divided between this Phase 1 Program and the Phase 2 Program.

Ex. If you have 16 weeks for your offseason, the first 4 weeks are dedicated to the 4 Week Break In, leaving 12 weeks to be split between the Phase 1 and the Phase 2 Programs. This would mean 6 weeks of each of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Programs.

You can now concentrate on building strength throughout the body of the youth wrestler with a concentration on core stability, mobility and stabilization throughout the entire body.

The Youth Offseason Phase 1 plan is another 'A' and 'B' workout. Do it on a schedule of 3 non-consecutive days per week, such as Monday Wednesday Friday.

YOUTH OFF-SEASON PHASE 1 Workout 'A'

Exercise Reps Rest SetsStability Ball Wall Squats

10 12 90 s 3 4

Reverse Lunges 10 12 each side 60 s 2 3 Inverted Rows 8 10 60 s 3 4 1 Arm DB Rows 8 10 60 s 2 3 Zottman Curls 10 12 30 s 2 3 Plank Hold static 30 s 2 3 Back Raise 10 12 30 s 2 3



YOUTH OFF-SEASON PHASE 1 Workout 'B'

Exercise Reps Rest SetsIncline DB Press 10 12 90 sec 3 4 DB Floor Press 8 10 90 sec 2 3 Pushup w/feet on Stability Ball

Max repetitions 60 sec 2 3

Leg Curls 10 12 60 sec 3 4 Reverse Wood Chop 10 12 60 sec 2 3 One Leg Plank 60 sec 30 sec 2 3 Seated Face Pull with Rope

10 12 30 sec 2 3

(Below are pictures and descriptions of the exercises.)

Youth Offseason Phase 1 Exercises

Stability Ball Wall Squats Position a Stability Ball against wall and your lower-mid back area. Feet are slightly ahead of body

Hold 2 dumbbells at sides

Slowly lower until tops of thighs are parallel with floor

Return to standing position

Repeat

Reverse Lunges



Stand with feet shoulder width apart, holding dumbbells at side

Take a lunge step backwards with left leg dipping down so that front leg forms 90 degree angle

Return to starting position and repeat on same leg for desired repetitions

Repeat with opposite leg

Inverted Rows Position a bar at shoulder level in a power rack with a bench in front of rack

Hold bar outside of shoulder width, resting feet on bench. Keep legs straight

Pull torso towards bar, pausing at the top

Lower to starting position and repeat

One Arm Dumbbell Rows Position yourself with knees slightly bent, bending forward at waist with back flat.

Hold a dumbbell at side with opposite hand on waist

Pull dumbbell up into side of body with elbow traveling towards ceiling

Repeat for desired repetitions, then switch sides



Zottman Curls Stand with dumbbells held at side

Curl dumbbells up with supinated wrists (underhand)

At top of curl pronate wrists (turn wrists so palms face down) and lower

Repeat

Plank Position yourself on forearms and feet with back straight





Back Extensions Lie face down on a stability ball so that your body bends keeping feet on floor

Raise arms and torso up using the mid and lower back muscles

Repeat

Incline Dumbbell Press Lie back on an inclined bench holding 2 dumbbells outside of chest

Keeping scapula pulled towards each other, press dumbbells straight up

Lower slowly in same range of motion

Repeat

Dumbbell Floor Press Lie on floor with knees bent and feet flat on floor. Hold 2 dumbbells over chest level

Lower dumbbells until elbows touch floor

Press to starting position

Repeat



Pushup With Feet On Stability Ball Get into a pushup position with feet on a stability ball. Keep back flat

Lower until chest is 2 inches off floor

Press up to starting position

Repeat

Leg Curls Lie on floor on back with feet on a stability ball and legs straight

Raise your hips off floor to begin exercise

Pull heels in towards glutes, flexing hamstrings until complete

Straighten legs to starting position

Repeat



Reverse Wood Chop With Medicine Ball Begin by holding a medicine ball outside body next to feet with both hands

Stand and pull medicine ball across body over opposite shoulder



One Leg Plank Position yourself on forearms and feet with back straight


Raise one leg up so glutes are flexed


Seated Face Pull With Rope Attach a rope to a pulldown machine

Hold rope handles with thumbs facing

Keep elbows up and wide as you pull the rope towards your face

Return to starting position and repeat



Youth Wrestling Offseason Training Phase 2

You now enter the second phase of Youth Offseason Training. This Phase 2 program is designed to concentrate more on strength building. It still considers the need for bilateral strength and coordination in the Youth Wrestler.

Youth Offseason Phase 2 is still a 3 day per week program. You again use an 'A' and 'B' workout system, alternating them over 3 nonconsecutive days per week. I'll assume that you're going to use a Monday Wednesday Friday schedule.

YOUTH OFF-SEASON PHASE 2: Workout 'A'

Exercise Reps Rest SetsDB Sumo Deadlifts 12 15 90 sec 3 4 2 Hand DB Row 10 12 60 sec 3 4 Wood Chop w/ Band 10 12 each side 60 sec 2 3 Reverse Hyperextension or regular version

10 12 60 sec 2 3

Seated DB Shoulder Press

10 12 60 sec 2 3

DB Hammer Curl 10 12 60 sec 2 3 Stability Ball Pikes 10 12 30 sec 3 4

YOUTH OFF-SEASON PHASE 2: Workout 'B'

Exercise Reps Rest SetsDB Chest Press 10 12 60 sec 2 3 DB Lunge (one leg at a time)

10 12 each leg 30 sec 3 4 each side

1 Leg Goodmorning 10 12 each leg 30 sec 3 4 each side



Front Grip Pullups Max reps 60 sec 3 4 Reverse Wood Chop with Band

12 15 30 sec 2 3

Seated Russian Twist With Medicine Ball

12 15 each side 30 sec 3 4

Superman 10 12 30 sec 3 4

With youth wrestlers I would emphasize slow, controlled exercise. Have them compete to see who has the best form. Remember, 'function follows form.' In the older wrestlers I begin to incorporate strict cadences (time to lift weight, time holding weight, time lowering weight etc.) but at the youth level it is a too early to worry about precise repetition speed.


Dumbbell Sumo Deadlifts Stand in a wide stance with dumbbells hanging in the middle

Lower the dumbbells while sitting back (as if sitting towards a chair behind you) until thighs reach parallel with floor


Repeat

2 Hand Dumbbell Row Stand with 2 dumbbells

Bend forward at waist to a 45% angle, keeping back flat

Row the dumbells simultaneously towards sides. Emphasize pulling with elbows

Lower to starting position and repeat



Wood Chop With Band Attach a band to a high stationary object

Hold band with both hands over shoulder on one side of body

Pull band across body towards opposite foot



Reverse Hyperextension (If Reverse Hyperextension isn't available, use regular Hyperextension or Reverse Hyperextension on Stability Ball)

Lie face down on machine with legs hanging straight down. Loop strap around heels

Head is down to begin

Raise the legs using the hips

Raise head as legs lift up

Pause at top, then repeat



Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Sit at the end of a bench with dumbbells at shoulder level, facing forward

Press dumbbells straight overhead

Return to starting position

Repeat

Dumbbell Hammer Curl Stand with dumbbells hanging by sides

Keeping upper arm stationary against side, curl dumbbells up with thumbs up until a 90 degree angle is reached between upper arm and forearm

Lower slowly to starting position

Repeat



Stability Ball Pikes Get in a pushup position with feet on top of stability ball

Keeping legs straight, pull feet in towards chest allowing body to bend at waist until pike position is reached

Lower to starting position

Repeat

Dumbbell Chest Press Lie on flat bench with dumbbells at chest level, palms forward

Press straight up with dumbbells over chest level

Lower slowly to starting position

Repeat

Dumbbell Lunge Stand with dumbbells hanging to sides

Take a lunge step forward so that the foot reaches further out than the knee

Push back to standing position and repeat for desired repetitions

Repeat on other side



One Leg Good Morning Stand on one leg while bending other knee so trail leg is behind you

Clasp hands behind head

Bend forward from waist towards the floor until you stretch the hamstrings

Return to starting position

Front Grip Pullups Take a front grip on a pullup bar, slightly wider than shoulder width

Bend knees and clasp feet behind you

Keep back arched

Pull your chest to the bar

Lower to starting position then repeat



Reverse Wood Chop With Band Attach a band to a low stationary object

Hold band with both hands over shoulder on one side of body near foot

Pull band across body towards opposite shoulder



Seated Russian Twist With Medicine Ball Sit on floor and raise feet 4-6 inches above the floor

Hold a medicine ball with both hands to one side of the body

In a rapid fashion, alternate the ball from one side of the body to the other while keeping feet up



Superman Lie face down on the floor with your arms and legs extended and almost straight

Raise up your torso and thighs from the floor at the same time

Pause at top

Lower to floor and repeat



Youth Wrestling Preseason Training

The Preseason is the time of year just before the scholastic wrestling season begins. You can do the preseason workouts for 8-16 weeks. This is the phase where you want to increase strength levels and also increase power output by emphasizing 'speed exercises.'

For the purposes of this manual, your 'Speed Exercises' are those that require fast execution. I believe that speed improvements are prevalent in youth wrestlers when training in this fashion, from the change of exercises as well as using exercises that allow for greater mobility and stabilization throughout the core and limbs.

Youth Wrestlers train with similar types of exercises that the older wrestlers use during preseason training, but the exercises at this level will be scaled down to the neuromuscular coordination appropriate to their level of growth and development.

One of the big, 'buzz words' in the Strength and Conditioning field is Plyometrics. Plyometrics are a training method that recruits more fast-twitch fibers to fire off, resulting in improved speed and power in the athlete performing them. The thing I always feel the need to point out to coaches is that Plyometrics are irrelevant, useless and even dangerous when performed improperly.

A couple of points to consider during the Preseason when you're thinking about using Plyometrics with your wrestlers:

You Can't Build Speed Unless You Build Strength First It happens every year. Wrestlers and coaches go their own separate ways over the summer. Sure, there's the occasional Tournament and club practices, but the strength workouts diminish down to nothing. Then September rolls around and the coaches panic and start getting kids in the gym to get ready for the upcoming season. They plunge right into plyometric exercises in hopes of speeding up power and strength development. Let me tell you, improving strength and conditioning for any level of wrestling is a process, not just a workout. You can't blow off your Offseason training and then jump right into Preseason training with good results. If you are working with a wrestler who has just had a long layoff, skip the preseason training and just work on the offseason training. You can always build strength through a full range of motion and get stronger, faster and more powerful in the process. You can't do this as effectively with just using Preseason workouts.



Kids ALWAYS Train Plyometrics Have you ever watched a PE class or recess of Elementary or Middle School children? Their entire world of play is straight-up Plyometrics. Constantly leaping, jumping, bounding, dodging, fleeing, chasing in traditional or untraditional game situations develop neuromuscular coordination in and of itself. I like to include Plyometrics in the Preseason training programs of Youth Wrestlers to teach discipline in training, as well as the ability to concentrate.

Don't Overdo It Plyo's shouldn't be done year-round. They begin to lose their effectiveness over time. The body is best trained in periodized phases that allow for increased strength development first, then speed and power. Periods of complete rest from training, then training with basic strength exercises minus Plyometrics is recommended for any age wrestler.

Youth Wrestling Preseason Training has a few things in common with the Offseason Strength Phases:

Training is done on an 'A' and 'B' training split, on 3 non-consecutive days per week ie. Monday Wednesday Friday. (As with Offseason training, the 2 workouts are alternated so that you perform each workout 3 times every 2 weeks.)

7 exercises per workout I used to train wrestlers with more exercises per workout, but have reduced the maximum number of exercises in any given workout to 7. This reduces overall workout time, allowing for more 'possible' hormone release. I've found a marked strength increase in any athlete I've worked with by reducing the number of exercises to 7 during the Offseason and Preseason training.

Full body workouts I used to have my wrestlers split their workouts so that they were doing 3 different training sessions per week and were training 1/3 of the body during each session. The problem was that they were much too sore after training and that would affect wrestling practices or matches. Their muscles also seemed to get much tighter, necessitating extensive stretching during the season to overcome the shortening and tightening of the muscles.

You only have 1 phase during the Youth Preseason training.



Youth Wrestling Preseason Training Program

YOUTH PRE-SEASON: Workout 'A'

Exercise Reps Rest SetsJumping Squats 3 45 sec 8

Bench Dips Max reps 60 sec 3Bulgarian Split Squat 8 each side 90 sec 3

1 Arm SB Chest Press

8 each side 60 sec 3

Renegade Rows 8 each side 60 sec 3SB Knee Tuck 10 12 30 sec 3

Cross Knee Crunches 10 12 30 sec 3

YOUTH PRE-SEASON: Workout 'B'

Exercise Reps Rest SetsPlyo Pushups from floor

3 45 sec 8

DB Sumo Deadlifts 10 60 sec 3Seated Dumbbell SB Shoulder Press

10 60 sec 3

SB Leg Curl 8 10 30 sec 31 Arm DB Bent Row 10 each side 60 sec 3Stability Ball Exchange

10 30 sec 3

Plate Truck Driver 8 60 sec 2




Jumping Squats Begin by crouching down into a power stance with hands out in front of you

Explode straight up in the air, stretching arms towards ceiling for full extension

Land in same power stance as in starting position

Repeat

Note: The picture on the right doesn't show an actual jump. Be sure to teach wrestlers to jump as high as possible.

Bench Dips Position yourself between 2 benches or chairs so that your hands and feet are aligned

Hands grasp bench with a front grip. Heels are against the pad of the second bench

Lower your body by bending at the elbows

Push up by squeezing the triceps

Repeat

Bulgarian Split Squat Position yourself on one leg with the trail leg's foot on a bench behind you. Keep hips straight



Front leg is in front, far enough so that when you perform the exercise the knee doesn't travel over the toe

Descend into a Lunge position

Push back up to standing position by squeezing the quadriceps muscles (front of thigh) and glutes

One Arm Stability Ball Chest Press Position yourself on a Stability Ball so that your Shoulder Blades (Scapulae) and Mid-Back area are

resting on top

Feet are flat on floor and a dumbbell is held in one hand

You then consciously raise the hips so that your body forms a 'table top'

Begin with dumbbell in lowered position outside of your chest

Press the dumbbell straight up from the chest without allowing your body to twist

Lower slowly and repeat

Renegade Rows Grasp 2 dumbbells and get into a pushup position with a flat back

Take a wide stance with feet for stability

Pull one of the dumbbells into your side, while reaching towards the ceiling with your elbow

Concentrate on feeling contraction in the back muscles to top

Pause in contracted position, lower slowly and repeat



Stability Ball Knee Tuck Get into a pushup position with feet on top of a Stability Ball

Pull knees into chest while rolling the stability ball towards your head

Pause in contracted position, then slowly extend legs back to starting position

Repeat

Cross Knee Crunches Lie on back on floor with left foot crossed in front of right knee. Clasp right hand behind head

Simultaneously lift the left knee while bringing the right elbow towards the left knee

Pause in contracted position, lower, and repeat



Plyometric Pushups from Floor Begin in a pushup position with hands just outside shoulders. Back is kept flat.

Push up explosively, trying to get as high as possible

Upon landing, assume starting position as quickly as possible and repeat for desired repetitions




Repeat

Seated Dumbbell Stability Ball Shoulder Press Position yourself seated on a Stability Ball with dumbbells at shoulder level, palms forward. Feet flat on

floor.

Push dumbbells straight up in a straight path of movement

Lower twice to starting position

Repeat



Leg Curls Lie on floor on back with feet on a stability ball and legs straight

Raise your hips off floor to begin exercise

Pull heels in towards glutes, flexing hamstrings until complete

Straighten legs to starting position

Repeat

One Arm Dumbbell Rows Position yourself with knees slightly bent, bending forward at waist with back flat.

Hold a dumbbell at side with opposite hand on waist

Pull dumbbell up into side of body with elbow traveling towards ceiling

Repeat for desired repetitions, then switch sides



Stability Ball Exchange Lie on floor on back with arms and legs outstretched and holding a Stability Ball overhead

In one motion raise the hands and feet up and towards each other in a Pike position

When hands and feet meet in the middle pass the ball from your hands to the inside of your legs

Extend the body flat and repeat. Keep alternating the ball between hands and feet

Plate Truck Driver Grasp the plate as a bus driver of a Metro Bus might grab the wheel

Without twisting the body, continuously turn the 'wheel' to the left and then to the right until you reach fatigue or desired number of repetitions



Youth Wrestling In-season Training Program

In-season Strength and Conditioning for the sport of Wrestling has to be one of the most misunderstood concepts in all of sports...

All too often in my Strength and Conditioning years, I've seen these 2 big mistakes in regard to In-season training for wrestling:

1. The wrestlers don't do any form of resistance training aka 'working out' during the In-season This is a period of time when most wrestlers begin to lose a lot of strength and energy. This can be a result of insufficient nutrition (don't get me started here... check out my 'Ultimate Wrestling Nutrition manual for more on nutrition), overtraining due to excessive demands place on the body without sufficient recovery, and undertraining because there is no regard for any type of resistance training... It becomes 100% wrestling. If a wrestler doesn't do any form of resistance training during the inseason to challenge the muscles and 'force them' to stop 'catabolizing' (breaking down), the result is less than optimal wrestling performance as the season progresses.

2. The wrestlers do too much overall resistance training, practicing and running to allow sufficient recovery. Unfortunately, many coaches still pound their wrestlers into submission with excessive amounts of aerobic activity (jogging), countless hours in the weight room, and countless hours of high-intensity practices. The initial hopes are to 'get the boys in shape.' The problem arises when the body is forced to endure high volumes of high-intensity exercise. When a wrestler performs high volumes, and frequent duration of high-intensity training and practices, the result is usually fatigue, burnout, poor wrestling performance, and eventually... injury! I love high intensity training in any athletic endeavor. But I've always been a stickler for rest, and recuperation.

Recuperation is the key component to an effective Inseason Program for any wrestler!

-------------------------------------------------SIDEBAR-------------------------------------------------------One of the most disregarded elements to the creation of an In-season Strength Program for Youth Wrestlers is stability and mobility. Be sure you are doing a dynamic warmup such as the one suggested earlier in this manual before practice, and AFTER practice. Finishing practice with a Dynamic Warmup (which then is a warm-down), helps to keep a sense of mobility and stability within the joints and core of the growing body.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are 2 things I like to do in regard to developing an Inseason training program:

Reduce the Number of Exercises Because of the rigors that the wrestling season places on a young athlete, the volume of strength and conditioning exercises are reduced. Both the Offseason and Preseason Phases of training suggested 7 exercises per training session. During the Inseason, I like to reduce the total number of exercises per training session to only 6. This small reduction in number of exercises helps adjust for the increased anaerobic demands placed on the body... especially your nervous energy. Think of your body as having a tank full of nervous energy, similar to the gas tank in a car. Your body has only so much nervous energy which is the same energy that helps you recover from workouts as well as energize the workouts themselves. If you use too much energy, and don't replenish it, you are left with nothing in the tank and you ultimately suffer loss of energy, fatigue and burnout. By reducing the number of exercises slightly, we adapt to the current stresses and continue to wrestler at our best.

Reduce the Number of Sets Along with slightly reducing the number of exercises for the In-season training program, I like to reduce the number of sets per exercise. By doing this, we stimulate the muscles with just enough work to 'get the job done' while allowing the body to recover more quickly with its increased In-season demands. Remember, the Inseason adage Stimulate... Don't Annihilate! You will wrestler much better deep into the season when it really counts by striking an effective balance between muscle stimulation and recovery. I find that just 1 or 2 sets per exercise (as opposed to 3 or 4 sets per exercise as with the Preseason and Offseason will suffice).

Reduce Frequency of Exercise As you recall, my Offseason and Preseason programs call for an 'A' and 'B' training split. These 2 workouts are then alternated every Monday Wednesday and Friday. You will also recall that this means doing each workout 3 times every 2 weeks. This changes during the In-season Program. We still use the same days of the week, Monday Wednesday Friday. But here's the difference... We use an 'A' workout only! It is performed 2 times the first week and 1 time the second week. It looks like this:

Inseason Training Split for Youth Wrestlers

Monday Wednesday FridayWeek 1 A AWeek 2 AWeek 3 A A



Week 4 AWeek 5 A AWeek 6 AWeek 7 A AWeek 8 A

YOUTH INSEASON: Workout 'A'

Exercise Reps Rest SetsFlat DB Bench Press 8 10 45 sec 1 2 DB Sumo Deadlifts 8 10 45 sec 1 2 Renegade Rows 8 10 45 sec 1 2 Bulgarian Split Squat 8 10 each side 45 sec 1 2 Superman 10 15 30 sec 1 2 SB Pikes 10 15 30 sec 1 2



Youth In-season Exercises

Flat Dumbbell Bench Press Position yourself on a bench with feet flat on floor and dumbbells at chest level with palms forward

Press dumbbells in a straight line up from the chest until lockout

Slowly lower dumbbells and repeat




Repeat

Renegade Rows Grasp 2 dumbbells and get into a pushup position with a flat back

Take a wide stance with feet for stability

Pull one of the dumbbells into your side, while reaching towards the ceiling with your elbow

Concentrate on feeling contraction in the back muscles to top



Pause in contracted position, lower slowly and repeat

Bulgarian Split Squat Position yourself on one leg with the trail leg's foot on a bench behind you. Keep hips straight

Front leg is in front, far enough so that when you perform the exercise the knee doesn't travel over the toe

Descend into a Lunge position

Push back up to standing position by squeezing the quadriceps muscles (front of thigh) and glutes

Alternating Superman Lie face down on the floor with your arms and legs extended and almost straight

Raise up your right arm and left leg from the floor at the same time

Pause at top

Lower to floor and repeat with left arm and right leg

Alternate in a non-stop fashion until repetitions are complete



Stability Ball Pikes Get in a pushup position with feet on top of stability ball

Keeping legs straight, pull feet in towards chest allowing body to bend at waist until pike position is reached

Lower to starting position

Repeat



How To Train High School Wrestlers

High School aged wrestlers are in a very unique growth and development stage in life. Think about it... growing between 6 12 inches in a year's time. It's simply amazing. High School students who hit rapid growth spurts are frequently set up having tight muscles. This is a result of the long bones in the body growing at a faster rate than the length of the muscles, tendons and ligaments.

High School wrestlers are also in a period of increased hormone levels. The body can respond really well at this to the proper training stimulus at this stage in life. I've always believed that the increased need for sleep, optimal nutrition and recovery time in between training sessions or practices for High School athletes is seriously neglected. A little training goes a long way for a High School wrestler... when done PROPERLY!

Here are the Basic Principles to Effective High School Wrestling Training:

1. Emphasize Mobility and Range of Motion As I mentioned, the long bones in the human skeletal system are growing at a rapid pace during the high school years. A training program must emphasize stretching (Dynamic, Static and PNF) liberally at the High School level. Exercise to correct muscular imbalances should be the first stage in your High School Offseason Training Program.

2. Increase Stability The High School wrestler has a need for a fully-developed, functional core within all 3 planes of motion. Before any power can be generated they must develop stability in the core. This is accomplished with a combination of multi-joint exercises and 'wrestling-specific' core training. Use PNF and Static stretching with High School wrestlers as I will discuss in a later chapter.

3. Increase Strength in 3 Planes of Motion To fully develop into a wrestling champion, there should be training attention to the Sagittal, Frontal and Transverse planes of motion. This means you need exercises that address the neuromuscular needs of that plane of motion but don't actually try to mimic the sport itself. All too often we see programs that 'appear to be sport-specific' because the exercise looks



similar to the actions required in the sport. This usually results in a negative neuromuscular connection, resulting in poor sports performance. For our purposes, we will train strength through planes of motion, and allow 'sport-specific training' to come from drilling and live wrestling in practice. This is trained with more challenging exercises at the High School level.

4. Increase Strength of Posterior Chain The hips, glutes, lower back, middle back, and hamstrings all work synergistically to help you develop force on the mat. By training them as a unit with multi-joint exercises you will help develop more mat speed and strength. High school wrestlers should spend extra time with offseason training in order to develop this area. The difference between the exercises used with Youth Wrestlers and those in the High School Program is now we are going to be using the barbell more, along with exercises that force more overall resistance for the muscles.

5. Unilateral Training When we work with Youth Wrestlers, Unilateral Training helps develop stabilizing muscles, which lead to better balance and skills. This helps train them to be better athletes as they mature into High School Wrestlers. Unilateral Training becomes more involved when used properly by the High School Wrestler. I believe that wrestlers will benefit so much more with their overall strength levels as well as neuromuscular coordination by adding Unilateral Training exercises to their program. The difference from Youth Training with this style of training is again the exercises. At the High School level, we want to fire off more muscle fibers (at least 20% more) and can ultimately increase strength gains that carry over the the wrestling mat.

** I really feel that most 'direct' neck and grip training is redundant and irrelevant. Within the programs of most scholastic wresting teams are plenty of work on both. However, if you want to specialize on these areas, you can get tons of programs to build the neck and grip at Wrestling Performance. **



Stretching for High School, College, and MMA Athletes

In a previous chapter I discussed how stretching for Youth Wrestlers. I mentioned the 3 types of stretching that wrestlers are concerned with:

1. Static Flexibility Stretching2. Dynamic Warmups3. PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation)

I discussed how Static Flexibility Stretching isn't advisable in Youth wrestlers due to the instability in the joints and the excessive forced range of motion in a Static Flexibility exercise being more dangerous than good for the younger wrestler.

This all changes at the High School level. Since High School wrestlers are hitting rapid growth and development spurts, the long bone growth necessitates frequent Static Flexibility Stretching. That means for optimal wrestling performance, they should be using Static Flexibility Stretching at least once daily, and twice when possible. I won't get into specific stretching protocols here as most wrestling programs have their own stretching programs. Just be sure to do it!

Dynamic Warmups are the type of stretching that every wrestler of every age should perform before ever beginning practice, matches or strength/conditioning training. (The Dynamic Warmup routine in this manual is appropriate for all levels).

PNF is an optional stretching technique. With PNF, you sometimes work with a partner, and sometimes not. It is performed by having your partner (or pushing against an immovable object such as a doorway or wall) push the muscle into a full stretch. You then push against your partner or wall in the opposite direction for 5 seconds. The muscle is momentarily a

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