Wrestling Performance Videos

In this month’s newsletter we will be going over exercises for wrestlers. These are functional exercises to help increase lower leg strength, power, shoulder stability; things that you are going to take on the mat with you.

Sandbag Carry: The first exercise we are going to do is the Sandbag Carry. Coaches, this is easy to do. Fill up a bag of sand, weight it… whatever weight you want, but making sure it is big enough so the athletes can pick it up over their shoulder. The movement is going to consist of: picking the bag up, bring it on to the shoulder, performing a squat, and back down; just like you would on the wrestling mat. Doing these over time will help build endurance for the wrestler. 

Band Good Morning: The next exercise is going to be a band good morning. This is going to work on lower back strengthening, hip strengthening, and also working on the muscles of the neck. When a wrestler is grabbing you on your neck, trying to pull you down, the wrestlers have to be able to resist this. This movement can help build strength so that when you get into those positions those muscles will instantly be able to fire.

Step into the band, squatting down, putting it around the neck, and standing up. Keeping your back in a straight line, bend at the hips, and back up.

Band Exercise for Shoulder Stability: The next exercise we are going to be doing is a band exercise for shoulder stability. It is going to be good for wrestlers to build this up; working on strength, bringing a wrestler down, pummeling.

The exercise will start by getting tension on the bands, arms straight. You go into several different movements from here. First one just going out and back in. The wrestlers do one minute of this. Then coming down, bring the shoulders up and down. You are using the tension of the bands to keep the shoulder muscles activated.

The next one you can do a functional exercise as far as pummeling; just rotating in and out.

Cutting Weight without Cutting Strength

The biggest concern for wrestlers and coaches is keeping a wrestler’s strength up while maintaining their weight. Many wrestlers will try to work down to a lower class because they feel they have a strength advantage. The only problem is that many athletes resort to unhealthy methods of cutting weight. Unhealthy methods include dehydration, fasting, diet pills and even purging. Not only will these methods decrease an athlete’s strength; more seriously, they can cause lung and heart issues as well as organ failure.

It is important for wrestlers to have a realistic weight in mind. Athletes should use their body fat percentage to figure this out. Iowa High School Athletic Association says a wrestler can have no less than 7% BF for guys and 12% for girls. If an athlete’s natural weight is at 7% or below they must have a doctor’s note to participate.

Another important weight cutting tip is that athletes should give themselves enough time to lose the weight. It is unhealthy to cut more that 10 pounds in a day. Many wrestlers will do this, but it will dehydrate them. Even if a match is an hour or two away, the body cannot absorb the fluid fast enough for proper muscular function, meaning the wrestler will not be as strong as he or she could be.

When eating during the season, wrestlers must have breakfast. This is the one meal you cannot cut out. If a wrestler does not eat breakfast, this will slow the body’s metabolism down, making it difficult to burn calories throughout the day. If the body senses too little calories or energy, it will start to go after muscle for the energy source. It is important to eat a nutritious breakfast followed my several small meals throughout the day to help burn fat and keep energy and strength levels up.

Following these simple guidelines can help an individual achieve a healthy wrestling weight without worrying about strength levels, and more importantly, any risk to their health.

Sterling Physical Therapy Facts

1. A doctor's referral is not needed for insurance to pay for physical therapy treatment.
2. We will assist you with insurance inquires regarding coverage.
3. Immediate physical therapy treatment lowers health care costs for you.
4. Immediate physical therapy treatment also allows quicker return to work, life and sports.