As one of the most physically strenuous sports, wrestling sees a proportionately greater likelihood of injuries. Wrestling is one of the most challenging sports since it calls for a mix of physical strength, quickness, technical skill, and mental tenacity at the highest levels.
Wrestlers know this; thus, they put in their best effort in conditioning before the training season begins. Wrestlers must have high levels of anaerobic power and the capacity to function at the highest level.
Pro wrestlers exhibit better values in this area, which makes it a defining characteristic of elite performance. Let’s hear some conditioning advice and strategies for peak performance straight from the pros.
Warm-Up
Dynamic warm-ups, which typically involve movement stretches, are used by many pro wrestlers. These stretches assist in loosening up your muscles and preparing your body for the motions required by wrestling. Wrestlers’ dynamic stretching warm-ups can consist of a variety of exercises, such as:
Hamstring Stretch
Hamstrings can be stretched in numerous ways. The Frankenstein walk is an example of a popular dynamic stretch that works well as a warm-up before training. This stretch requires a gentle forward kick with a straight knee and an opposite forward reach with the opposite hand. You can execute this stretch either standing still or while moving across the floor.
Child’s Pose
The child’s pose is another great way to loosen up your back and arm muscles. Kneel down, bringing your toes together and your knees apart. Extend your arms forward and tilt your head down. You can stretch better if you extend your arms more to the sides.
Hip Flexor Stretch
Stretching the hip flexors, which are positioned in the hip’s front, can be done in various ways. Half kneeling is a good position to stretch the hip flexors. To perform this stretch, one knee should be on the floor, and the foot of the other leg should be flat. To feel a stretch at the front of the hip of the leg with the bent knee, perform a slight forward lunge. Maintaining an upright spine position will allow you to feel the stretch in the intended muscle.
Strength Training
You can only be a good wrestler with a body that can endure and even overcome a resistance you’ll encounter. A successful takedown depends on the grappler’s ability to brace their body in various positions and speeds.
It’s essential to train your upper body in a way that doesn’t put undue stress on your joints, and that means including exercises that work your biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders, and back. Start with exercises like lateral shoulder raises, bicep curls, pec flies, triceps kickbacks, and bent-over dumbbell rows. There is a higher risk of shoulder injury when performing complete range-of-motion exercises like bench presses and lat pull-downs, so you should try to avoid these if feasible.
Furthermore, one of the keys to success for wrestlers is having a solid core. Having a strong core not only benefits them physically but also protects them from injury. A powerful core consists of strong abdominal muscles, glutes, hips, and a strong back. Exercises that improve your core’s stability and balance will yield the best results.
Basic exercises to build a strong core are glute bridges, planks, supermans, and standing wood chop. Add in some crunches to work those abdominal and obliques, too.
Power in the legs is also essential for wrestlers. Their stability and agility allow them to avoid being pinned, while their strength allows them to launch themselves into powerful attacks. You can execute standing calf raises with various toe angles or use the sitting calf-raise equipment for your calves.
To supplement strength training, you can take whey protein or high-protein smoothies since these are proven to help you increase strength, gain muscle, and lose significant amounts of body fat.
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Every wrestler needs strength and speed, but those with unrestricted cardiovascular fitness frequently succeed in the latter stages of a match when their opponent begins to tire. Wrestlers can improve their cardiovascular fitness with a variety of simple techniques.
Cycling, whether on a track, an off-road route, or a stationary bike in a gym, is excellent aerobic training for wrestlers. Moreover, some wrestlers enjoy running in groups because it fosters teamwork and gives some healthy rivalry to keep them motivated.
Short-distance training increases explosive muscle power, while long-distance training strengthens the cardiovascular system. Jumping rope is also a popular cardio exercise that has been shown to benefit athletes in various sports, including wrestling and boxing.
Conclusion
Having great conditioning is crucial if you want to achieve your athletic goals. You’ll have a better chance of making it in the game if you’ve put in the time and effort to get in the best shape possible. A few of the conditioning exercises used by professional wrestlers have been outlined here. Still, your trainer is in the greatest position to provide you with specific instructions on how to improve in wrestling.
