Are you aiming to boost your wrestling skills and outshine your adversaries? If yes, integrating the right workouts into your regimen is vital. Wrestling demands physical strength, stamina, and agility. That’s when weight training becomes indispensable. It’s a crucial part of any wrestler’s program, enhancing the power and strength needed to dominate competitors.
In this article, we’ll uncover the significance of weightlifting for wrestling and highlight its advantages. Additionally, we’ll outline the 11 top exercises tailored for wrestlers, arming you with the insights to elevate your training routine.
11 Best Exercises For Wrestling
To excel in wrestling, it’s crucial to incorporate a variety of exercises that target the specific muscles and movements needed for success on the mat. Here are the 11 premier exercises that can bolster your strength, power, and endurance, allowing you to dominate your opponents.
1. Deadlift
The deadlift is an essential exercise for wrestlers as it engages multiple muscle groups, including the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and back. It also enhances grip strength, crucial for maintaining control during matches. Proper deadlift form is critical to harnessing the full benefits and reducing injury risk.
2. Pull-ups
Pull-ups are outstanding for building upper body strength and improving grip, both essential for wrestlers. These exercises target the muscles in your back, arms, and shoulders, aiding in maintaining control and power during takedowns, escapes, and holds.
3. Iso-row
Iso-row exercises target the muscles in your back and shoulders, key for maintaining correct posture and control in wrestling. These can be performed using resistance bands or cable machines, improving stability and overall upper-body strength.
4. Curl-hammer curl combination
The curl-hammer curl combination targets the biceps and forearms, essential for a firm grip and opponent control. By combining regular curls with hammer curls in your workout routine, you develop rounded arm strength.
5. Iso-chest press
The iso-chest press exercise targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps, building upper body strength for powerful takedowns and control on the mat. This exercise can be performed with dumbbells or resistance bands and should be a staple in your training regimen.
6. Front squat
Front squats are excellent for developing lower body strength and explosive power, critical for executing powerful moves during matches. Placing the barbell in front of your body instead of behind helps improve core stability and balance.
7. Shrug
The shrug targets your traps and upper back muscles, aiding in developing a robust and stable upper body. This exercise, which can be done with dumbbells or a barbell, is particularly useful for improving your ability to resist and control your opponent’s actions.
8. Body-weight skull crushers
Body-weight skull crushers are an excellent exercise for targeting the triceps, which play a crucial role in maintaining arm control and executing effective moves. Incorporating this exercise into your routine helps enhance arm strength and endurance.
9. Body-weight hamstring bridge
The body-weight hamstring bridge primarily targets the muscles at the back of your legs, including the hamstrings and glutes. This exercise enhances lower body strength and stability, boosting your ability to perform explosive moves on the mat.
10. Neck plank
The neck plank workout zeroes in on the muscles in your neck and aids in enhancing neck strength and stability, crucial for withstanding and breaking free from opponents’ grips. Perform this exercise cautiously, adhering to proper technique and gradually increasing difficulty over time.
11. Split squat
The split squat is a single-leg exercise that emphasizes developing lower body strength and stability. By focusing on each leg separately, this workout helps boost balance, coordination, and power for dynamic movements during matches.
Advantages of Strength Training for Wrestlers
Strength training is a vital element for any wrestler, offering numerous benefits that can enhance both their performance and overall health:
Physical Advantages:
- This is the most apparent advantage, enabling wrestlers to perform takedowns, throws, and escapes with more force and explosiveness.
- Boosted Endurance: Wrestling requires both muscular and cardiovascular endurance. Strength training builds stronger muscles, allowing them to work longer and combat fatigue.
- Lowered Injury Risk: Stronger muscles and tendons offer better joint support, reducing the risk of strains, sprains, and other injuries common in wrestling.
- Improved Flexibility: Many strength training exercises include dynamic stretches, enhancing flexibility for better technique and maneuverability.
Mental Advantages:
- Increased Confidence: Witnessing strength gains and improved performance naturally boosts confidence, a crucial psychological factor in wrestling.
- Mental Toughness: Strength training often requires pushing through discomfort, cultivating mental resilience and grit essential for wrestling success.
- Consistent commitment to a training regimen instills discipline and focus, transferable skills valuable in both wrestling and life.
Additional Advantages:
- Weight Control: Strength training helps build muscle mass, which burns more calories at rest, aiding in weight control, often crucial for different weight categories.
- Stronger Bones: Weight-bearing exercises stimulate bone growth, making wrestlers less prone to bone injuries.
- Improved Overall Fitness: The benefits of strength training extend beyond wrestling, enhancing general fitness and well-being.
Common Queries
What do wrestlers workout?
Wrestlers need to stay in excellent cardiovascular shape. Cardio exercises may include running, swimming, cycling, and high-intensity interval training. These workouts build stamina and help sustain high energy during bouts.
What are the best muscles to build for wrestling?
Wrestling primarily involves pulling actions for the upper body, focusing on muscles such as Lats, Rhomboids, Biceps, and Middle/Lower Trapezius, essential for moves like single-leg pulls, double underhooks, and opponent shoves.
How do I get better shape for wrestling?
Strength Training: A comprehensive program that includes squats, deadlifts, and bench presses helps build muscle and power. High-repetition bodyweight exercises like push-ups and pull-ups supplement weight training.
Are bicep curls good for wrestling?
Absolutely, freestyle wrestling demands strength in both biceps and latissimus dorsi (lats). These muscle groups are vital for executing various techniques, such as takedowns and maintaining control over opponents.