While speed, agility, conditioning, and technique are the primary attributes on the wrestling mat, when all of these are equal, strength can be the deciding factor. Weight training to strengthen certain commonly used muscle groups with the goal of making specific movements stronger should be the focus of every wrestling weightlifting program. Improving speed, core strength, weight gain, and general posterior chain muscle group development are other important aspects that should also be included in an off-season weight training program for wrestlers. With limited time (per session and off-season), your weightlifting and nutritional program must be meticulously timed to optimize muscle gains for best transfer to your sport.

When programming your weightlifting program for the competitive wrestler, first make sure your program is balanced for upper and lower body development. Then complete the program with exercises that will strengthen the muscles with particular fighting moves in mind. Stay away from machines (such as nautilus, hammer force, etc.) as they tend to offer force in a single plane of motion and have little to no functional force transfer in sports. It’s best to choose free-weight compound movements (such as squats, cleans, and overhead presses) as they apply to your sport and as the main foundation of your program, and accessory lifts to customize the program to your needs. athlete. Also include bodyweight exercises, such as pull-ups and push-ups, and graduate to doing them with additional weight as strength progresses.

Compound exercises such as the squat, power clean, clean and press, and deadlift will produce the greatest stimulation to the nervous system and therefore the greatest effect on muscle development. These exercises are also some of the best ways to build the posterior chain. Posterior chain musculature development is the key to preventing neck and spinal injuries, as well as directly affecting many common wrestling positions. Use only one compound exercise per session, then follow up with 2-4 accessory exercises to complement the compound movement already completed and focus on building strength for specific movements performed on the mat. Choose these to enhance the overall repertoire of techniques the athlete knows or customize exercises to help the athlete get better at certain moves he wants to get better at.

Developing the lats is important to provide a stronger snap when pulling the head down, resulting in driving your opponent down to the mat to secure a front headlock or as a distraction leading to a takedown. Strong lats can also make a difference when you pull your leg in when your opponent has stretched out after you attempted a single-leg takedown. The lats also play an important role in ensuring firm control over your opponent when you pick them up for a return to the mat. As your opponents try to break your hold by tightening/straightening your leg, if your lats, arms and grip are strong enough, you will be able to complete the takedown by pulling your leg in. Train your lats with pull-ups, one-arm rows, barbell rows, and low cable rows. For best transfer, pull-ups should be performed with your arms slightly bent and fully extended, as you’ll find both positions on the mat.

Strong shoulders are important in the fight when defending a takedown. After you’re down and your opponent is trying to complete the takedown by pulling your leg in, strong shoulders will help you pull him away as you press against his hips. An iron shoulder capsule is also important in preventing common injuries to this joint, as the arms are frequently extended and pulled beyond their normal range of motion when immobilized or rotated. The best shoulder strengthening exercises for wrestling are military/overhead presses (behind the neck) and push presses (in front of the neck) with a shorter range of motion. For the best shoulder health, overhead presses should only be done to the top of your head (and not to the base of your neck). Train your shoulders for power using an overhead short pin press performed inside a power rack with standards set a couple of inches from the top of your head. Strengthen and tighten the shoulder capsule with internal and external rotation exercises (the same ones done for physical therapy when treating a rotator cuff tear).

In addition to maintaining an emphasis on the posterior chain musculature, training the core should also be a priority. Returns, escapes, reversals, bottom exits, and takedowns of any kind will require a strong core. This muscle group includes the lumbar erectors, glutes, hips, abdominals, and obliques. For the greatest performance advantage and power transfer to the wrestling mat, train your abs with weight at least once or twice a week. The most functional exercises are performed with the legs straight instead of bent. Hanging leg raises, straight-leg crunches (with weights), straight-leg sumo crunches (with weights), and standing crunches with a lateral pull machine are all great exercises to strengthen your abs. Weighted back raises, deadlifts (stiff-legged, roman, and conventional), reverse hyperflexions, and good mornings with a safety bar squat are the best exercises to strengthen your lower back. The obliques are best trained with weighted side bends (as heavy as possible) and weighted twisting movements, like log splitters.

Strengthening the neck is also important for wrestlers, not only to protect the cervical spine, but also to defend against getting hit on the head. When fighting with the hands, the neck is constantly pulled; a strong neck is helpful in combating this, as well as being able to get your head out of headlocks and break your opponent’s hold when defending against a cradle. Train both the SCM and the posterior neck in your sessions. Shrugs and a head harness are great for strengthening the back of your neck; Lying neck flexion with a weight on the forehead works well for training the SCM. End several of your weightlifting sessions with grip training. There are many occasions on the wrestling mat where a superior grip will help you prevail. Train your crush strength grip using professional grippers and static grip strength by holding the weight plates together for a period of time. You can also build crushing grip strength by rolling up (and squeezing) a beach towel for several reps.

Add an off-season strength program to your wrestling training and watch your performance on the mat soar. When setting up your program, study specific techniques that you want to improve and try to strengthen the muscle groups used in the execution of the movement. Pick at least one compound move per session, perform it first, and fill the rest of the training session with accessory exercises to target muscles used to improve certain wrestling moves. Train your abs/core at least once or twice a week at the end of your session. Add 1-2 grip training exercises at the end of at least one or two training sessions per week.