For me, this is kind of like bringing a knife into a gunfight. Will you have a weapon? Yes, you will have one, but I can assure you it is not the one you want! Wrestling works all 3 energy systems (ATP-PC, Alactic, and Oxidative), so our physical preparation needs to reflect the development of ALL of these energy systems, not just the oxidative energy system (the system used on long, slow runs)At our gym, our wrestlers perform a combination of heavy strength training (chins, bench, squat, deadlifts), explosive movements (box jumps, broad jumps), accessory movements to bring up muscular weaknesses/prevent injury, and of course, conditioning. We condition using sleds, prowlers, complexes, and strongman circuits that test not only your physical capacity but your mental resolve. We call this type of conditioning Metabolic Conditioning, and is by far and away the most superior method of conditioning if you are a wrestler. It is oxidative, it is alactic, it requires explosive strength…and it kicks your butt!

 

2.)    “Strength training will make me gain weight, and I won’t be able to wrestle in my weight class.”

 This is a complete lie, and it saddens me that so many high school wrestlers don’t strength train for this reason! Think about ALL of the people in this country that lose weight by strength training…there are quite a few! By strength training you increase your metabolic rate by increasing the amount of lean muscle tissue you have on your body (which requires more calories to upkeep at rest). If you are eating a clean, balanced diet that is not focused on an excess of calories (please make sure you are eating enough and not depriving yourself), you will not gain weight because our bodies require a caloric excess to build an appreciable amount of muscle. Even if you do put on muscle, you will be leaner in the long run, and “bigger” in your weight class. I have strictly discussed body composition here, do I even have to get into the performance gains you will see by getting stronger?

 

Say you have a Chemistry test in 5 weeks. You spend the first week studying your butt off, but then things start to “get in the way,” and by the 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th weeks you aren’t studying at all. Do you think you will perform well on that test? No! Strength training is the same way. We want to be at our STRONGEST in season, so it makes no sense to just stop during the season. Even 1-2 quality sessions a week can make a tremendous difference. In a sport that can come down to minor details and “wouldas, couldas, shouldas,” why leave it to chance? Stay STRONG in season! If you study for the Chem test right up to the test, you will perform far better than you would have otherwise.

 

Who says you need a gym? Sure, we do use barbells and dumbbells in our facility, but we also use homemade sandbags, gravel filled kegs, and PLENTY of bodyweight movements. Ever see Rocky IV? Sure, it is just a movie, but the point is, resistance is just resistance, whether it is coming from manual resistance or a $20,000 machine. Be creative, innovative, and don’t make excuses!