Strength Training for Wrestling

Here are the top 4 strength training for wrestling exercises. After I detail the top 4 exercises, I'll detail a sample strength training for wrestling program.

Strength Training for Wrestling Exercise #1- Box Squat

There are a number of reasons why wrestlers should box squat. One, I've found that it's easier for my wrestlers to learn and execute. Nothing is more frustrating than spending hours upon hours working technique with a wrestler because that's something they already do in practice. Not only is the box squat easier to learn than the free squat; it's also more effective. I believe the box squat to be more effective primarily for two reasons. First, the pause in between the eccentric (sitting down) and concentric (standing up) simulates stalemate situations in wrestling where producing a powerful effort from your lower body may be necessary to winning that situation. Second, you are able to recuperate faster from a box squatting workout than a free squatting workout. In fact, this happened to me just this past Sunday. I was training a group of wrestlers and the bar we wanted to box squat with was being used by someone else in the gym. So on the fly we agreed that hack squatting would be a suitable alternative for the day. When those wrestlers came in on Tuesday for their next lifting session they all said they were still unbelievably sore from Sunday's workout and that walking had been a chore the last couple of days. Now, if walking is a chore, how the heck do you expect to practice at a high level??

Muscles Worked: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes Stabilizers: Core

Setup: First construct a box that will put the tops of your thighs parallel to the ground when you sit on it. You can use anything from stacking plates to a bench. You can also buy an adjustable box for box squatting at Elite Fitness Systems. I get all my stuff from them so if I mention specific pieces of equipment without letting you know where to find it just go to Elite; you'll find it there.

Execution: Take the bar out of the rack by squatting under it and standing up. Step back and take an athletic stance that is comfortable for you (as your hips get stronger your stance will most likely start to widen). Start the lift by driving your hips back while simultaneously driving your knees out. Sit your hips back and down to the box under control to prevent "plopping" on the box. Dropping uncontrollably to the box (aka plopping) is a great way to injure your back so make sure you never do this. If you sat your hips back correctly your shins will be perpendicular to the floor. Pause for a second on the box and stand back up.

Wrestler Usage: Strong legs are needed for everything from sprawling, to finishing takedowns, to throwing an opponent. I think the box squat is the best way to build strong legs for wrestling for two reasons. One, you don't get as sore from box squatting as compared to free squatting. As a result, you aren't forced to hobble around during your wrestling practice thereby maximizing the benefits of each workout. Two, pausing on the box teaches you to produce a lot of force from a relaxed state much like you have to do when getting off the bottom or finishing a shot after your opponent sprawls.

Strength Training for Wrestling Exercise #2- Deadlift

The deadlift is probably one of the best all around lifts a wrestler can do to improve their strength on the mat. The deadlift strengthens the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, and back) as well as the hands. We all know having a strong grip and back are important to being a successful wrestler, but the hamstrings and glutes are often looked over when developing a wrestling specific strength training program. The reason the hamstrings and glutes are so important for wrestlers to develop is because they are responsible for hip extension. What's hip extension? It's the same movement you see when you're sprawling, finishing a takedown, lifting an opponent, and throwing an opponent. We've all heard our coaches scream "HIPS!!" at one time or another and the deadlift is one of the most efficient ways to develop the muscles responsible for strong hips needed to win more matches.

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Quads, Glutes, Low Back

Stabilizers: Core, Traps

Setup: Set a bar on the floor and load it with your starting weight.

Execution: There are two ways to deadlift- sumo and conventional. A conventional deadlift places more of an emphasis on the low back and is characterized by taking a grip that is outside your legs with your feet directly under your hips. A sumo deadlift places more of an emphasis on the hips and is characterized by taking a grip that is inside your legs with your feet wider than your hips. Once you determine how exactly you're going to pull, the movement once your feet are in place is the same. Take an alternate grip (one hand has an overhand grip and one hand has an underhand grip) on the bar. Lower your hips and arch your back so that at the very least your back is flat, if not slightly arched. From there maintain a tight core to prevent any rounding at the back from occurring and stand up with the weight while keeping it tight to your legs throughout. Lower the weight back to the pins, reset your back arch, and repeat for the predetermined number of reps.

Wrestler Usage: Because both a strong pair of hips (for things like better sprawls) and a strong back (for lifting opponents) is needed to be a successful wrestler I'm not going to how one style of deadlifting may help you more than the other. In fact, one way to get the best of both worlds is to simply rotate both styles into your training.

Strength Training for Wrestling Exercise #3- Weighted Chinup

The weighted chinup is by far the best upper body exercise a wrestler can do when looking to increase their strength on the mat. It has been stated time and again that wrestling is a sport of pulling. Therefore, I feel maximally developing the upper body pulling muscles will put wrestlers in a better position to succeed in matches. The wrestlers with the best weighted chinups that I work with can all do around 100lbs for 3 reps. These same wrestlers can also finish nearly every shot they get in on. Coincidence? I'll let you decide for yourself.

Muscles Worked: Lats, Rhomboids, Shoulders (Posterior Deltoid), Biceps

Stabilizers: n/a

Setup: Attach a belt with weight around your waist or place a number of heavy chains around your neck. Take an underhand grip on a chinup/pullup bar.

Execution: Pull your chest up to your hands until your chin is above bar. Lower yourself back to a near straight armed position and repeat for the prescribed number of reps. Avoid kicking and/or swinging to create momentum in an effort to squeeze out additional reps.

Wrestler Usage: Strengthening the muscles responsible for upper body pulling will have you scoring more takedowns, controlling your opponents on the mat better, and finishing more matches with pins. It is often said that wrestling is a sport of pulling and yet when I look at a lot of strength and conditioning programs specifically for wrestlers I see very little pulling going on, just lots of benching. Wouldn't developing the pulling muscles to function better be a good investment of your time? I'll tell you who thought it was- J.P. O'Connor. He spent lots of time with me before going to college and then some time over the summers. I got him hooked on weighted chinups early on to the point where I've seen him do 2 strict reps with 150lbs around his waist! I can't imagine too many people who can sprawl on that kind of strength, can you?

Strength Training for Wrestling Exercise #4- Bench Press

Now, I know I argued above for the weighted chinup being important for wrestling specific strength training programs, however, there is a reason why you'll find the bench press in about 99.9% of strength training programs in the country- it's a tried and true way to develop upper body strength. Is it super functional for wrestlers? No. But then again, is lying on your back pushing on something seen in any sport? Having a stronger upper body never hurt a wrestler's chance at success, so don't worry so much about it and get benching some heavy weights!

Muscles Worked: Pecs, Shoulders (Anterior Deltoid), Triceps

Stabilizers: Lats, Rhomboids, Traps, Muscles of Rotator Cuff

Setup: Position the bar at a height that enables you to pull the bar out of the rack rather than press it up and out.

Execution: I'd imagine that you're probably familiar with the bench press so instead of going into step by step execution, instead I'd like to offer up a few pointers that you may not be aware of. First, before you unrack the bar, squeeze your shoulder blades together as tight as possible. This will help to not only cut down on the distance the bar has to travel but it will also lock your shoulders in a position lease likely to get injured. Most shoulder injuries from the bench press occur when the lifter drives his/her shoulders away from the bench in an effort to finish a rep. Squeezing your shoulders together before and maintaining that position throughout the lift will help to prevent this. Second, tuck your elbows slightly towards your sides as you lower the bar to your chest in an effort to touch the bottom of the sternum and/or near the bottom of your pecs. This will also help to take some strain off your shoulders.

Wrestler Usage: The bench press isn't the most functional lift for wrestling. However, it is a great measure of upper body strength and a great confidence booster when it's going up. So while the bench press may not be the best investment of your time in terms of functional strength training, it will give you a stronger upper body which will enable you to better control your opponents, ride them better, and score more points in every position. And if you think about it, I'm sure Brock Lesnar benches a lot and he's pretty good at manhandling his opponents in the cage, so why wouldn't it be the same on the mat?!?!

Here is a sample of an upper body day and a lower body day that I am currently using to prepare the only 4x High School National Champion to wrestle at the Division 1 level later this year.

Strength Training for Wrestling Upper Body Day:

Superset- Reverse Mini Band Bench Press 5x3 and Weighted Chinup 5x5

Superset- Alternate Dumbbell Bench 4x6 and Fat Handle Cable Row 4x8

Superset- Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press 3x10 and Band Face Pull 3x15

Superset- Rope Cable Curl 3x8 and Rock Wall Chinups 3x8

Strength Training for Wrestling Lower Body Day:

Superset- Box Squat 5x5 and Dumbbell Side Bend 4x10

Superset- Deadlift 4x3 and Standing Ab Wheel 4x8

Superset- Dumbbell Lunge 3x6 and Glute Ham Raise 3x8

Superset- Back Extension 3x12 and Decline Situp 3x12

Dickie White is the co-founder of Shamrock Strength and Conditioning, one of the nation's top systems for training champion wrestlers. Dickie is a 2006 graduate of the Ithaca College Clinical Exercise Science program and holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). For more information on how you can improve your performance on the mat through his strength training system please visit his blog and sign up for his free newsletter at wrestler-power.com