5 Wrestling Strength Tips to Become a Winning & Pinning Machine

May 22, 2024
Zach Even - Esh
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5 Wrestling Strength Tips:

1) Implement carries, calisthenics & sleds on the regular.

GPP must be a high focus for wrestlers to build durability both physically and mentally.

20 years ago I was on the phone w/ Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell. His phone number was listed at the end of every training tape (Back then I had the VHS tapes).

Louie was telling me about a group of wrestlers he was working with. He spoke about things like slamming med balls for 5 minutes, dragging sleds for time or for a mile non stop. These Wrestlers weighed between 105 and 112 lbs and they all could bench 205! I was sold immediately. At the time I was training a thrower who weighed 220 and could bench 185 x 3. I knew I needed to learn more to get these athletes stronger.

Those conversations became weekly phone calls about training combat athletes for years!

Forever Grateful......

The above video is an excerpt from one of the Bonuses inside The Underground Strength Coach Cert.

2) Relative Body Strength is crucial.

If wrestlers can't do pull ups, push ups, lunges, jumps, sprints, etc then they are at a deficit. They will struggle in practice due to lack of relative body strength. Often times, the issue with athletes who can't do calisthenics, especially pull ups, is that the athlete is either weak and / or fat and weak.

Pull Ups are a great test of relative body strength.

Training for Wrestlers should be 5 or 6 days a week broken up like this:

2 - 3 sessions each of wrestling & strength training.

If your wrestling lags, then wrestle 3 x week.

If strength is the limiting factor, then lift 3 x week instead of 2 x week.

Wrestlers can also add "mini workouts" to their busy schedule.

For example, if you need to get stronger but can't lift 3 x week, then one day a week get 50 pull ups or max pull ups in 10 minutes. Another day can be a few sets of farmer walks with dumbbells or kettlebells. Another day can be sandbag training for 10 - 15 minutes.

5) Build the legs, back & hips MORE than the beach muscles.

A wrestler with impressive chest & arms is NOT dangerous compared to a wrestler w/ powerful legs, back and traps.

I see too many wrestlers and high school athletes in general focusing on machine exercises.

I see these athletes doing half squats and unable to bend deep due to tight ankles and hips, often a result of sitting all day in school and not focusing on building athleticism.