Wrestling Workouts

Wrestling is one of the most grueling sports in the world that demands the athletes be in peak conditioning. Wrestling workouts are known for being brutal and many interested in the training are curious about the different workouts wrestlers perform.

That’s why we’ve listed all of the different types of exercises that wrestlers do in their wrestling workouts. Check out all of the different types of exercises wrestlers include in their workouts below and create your own routines.

Wrestling Workouts For Peak Conditioning

Compound Strength Exercises 

When wrestlers aren’t on the mat, they’re in the weight room doing a variety of strength wrestling workouts. Every wrestler has their own weightlifting routine that they follow under the guidance of their strength coaches.

The compound strength exercises that a wrestler might do will likely include the following.

• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Pull-ups/Chin-Ups
• Overhead Press
• Kettlebell Movements
• Plate Movements

Squats

Squats are the foundation for many of the best wrestling strength workouts. Wrestlers will often either do straight barbell squats, sport-specific Zercher squats, dumbbell squats, or kettlebell squats.

Depending on the goal of the wrestler, they perform 10-20 reps for endurance and 1-5 for strength with heavier weights.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a great exercise to perform to improve your raw strength. However, there’s some debate that a straight bar deadlift might increase the likelihood of injury or future back problems.

If you want to get the benefits of deadlifts, you can use safer alternatives such as using a trap-bar or dumbbells.

Pull-ups/Chin-Ups

Pull-ups and chin-up variations are arguably the best compound movements you can do for your upper body. They target everything all at once from your arms, chest, back, and core muscles. You should definitely include these into your workout routine.

Overhead Presses

Overhead presses increase a wrestler’s raw power, while simulating the lifting of an opponent. The movements of an overhead press are crucial for improving grappling and pushing movements.

Rows

Rows are another great exercise that should be added to any wrestling workout. The movement of a row simultaneously targets your arm and back muscles. A great movement for you that will enable you to lift an opponent off the ground

Kettlebells 

Kettlebells are one of the best pieces of workout equipment that a wrestler could use. They come in various sizes and enable you to do various compound movements that are safe and effective.

They have been used by wrestlers for decades and will improve everything from your strength to conditioning. Definitely consider using kettlebells within your wrestling workouts.

Plates

Along with kettlebells, many wrestlers also use weighted plates in their workouts. The same plates that you put on bars can be used on their own for various different exercises.

Almost all of the same movements done with a kettlebell can be done with a plate.

Plyometric Exercises 

All great wrestling workouts include a wide variety of different plyometric exercises. The list of plyometrics you could perform is endless and will all improve your explosiveness and power.

Some of the main types of plyometrics that wrestlers perform include:

• Box Jump Variations
• Step Ups
• Side Step Ups
• Medicine Ball Throws
• Medicine Ball Slams
• Medicine Ball Jump Squats
• Medicine Ball Jump Squat Slams
• Depth Jumps
• Squat Hops
• Duck Walks 
• Bear Crawls

Agility & Mobility Drills 

Different agility and mobility drills are always included in the best wrestling workouts. These types of drills are not only beneficial for wrestlers, but athletes from almost every sport.

Some of the different agility and mobility drills that top wrestlers may perform include these tops of drills.

• Ladder Drills: Ladder drills not only improve quickness but also improve a wrestler’s coordination.
• Cone Drills: Cone drills offer the same qualities as ladder drills and also include improving the ability to change direction.

Endurance Training

Wrestling takes a lot of endurance, which is why it’s a focus in many of the best wrestling workouts. Wrestlers do many different types of endurance training within their workouts, which include the following.

• Interval Training: Wrestlers will alternate between periods of high-intensity activity like sprints. Going for a short period of explosion, followed by recovery, and repeat.
• Sled Drags/Pushes: Sled drags and pulls are full-body workouts that simultaneously improve your cardio, strength, and endurance.
• Track Drills: During the preseason, wrestling teams will spend a lot of time on the track performing running drills. Everything from sprints to long-distance running to improve their cardio.
• Stadium Runs: All of the best wrestling teams run the bleachers at their track or stadiums. Pushing their endurance going up and down the bleachers and doing various drills on them.

Sport-Specific Conditioning 

The foundation of all good wrestling workouts is specific conditioning. For any sport you practice, the best way to condition your body is to do specific movements and techniques.

This is why wrestlers spend almost all of their workouts on the mat, practicing wrestling. Wrestlers will do all of the following movements to improve their conditioning for competitions.

• Takedown Drills
• Hand Fighting Drills 
• Pummeling Drills
• Escape Drills
• Defensive Drills
• Technical Wrestling Rounds
• Live Wrestling Rounds

The only way to get better at wrestling is to be on the mat practicing wrestling. All other wrestling workouts will improve your strength and stamina, but this training is the most important. There is no substitute for the conditioning that wrestling practice gives you.

Core Strengthening 

Every wrestler spends time improving the strength of their cores during their workouts.  Some of the core exercises they commonly do include the following listed below.

• Planks
• Leg Raises
• Crunches
• Russian Twists
• Knees-to-Chest
• V-Ups
• Bicycles
• Lat Crunches
• Leg Raise Holds

Battle Ropes 

Over the last decades, battle ropes have been included in the wrestling workouts of the sport’s top athletes. These are heavy and thick ropes that come in a variety of weight and thickness.

Battle rope workouts can improve everything from a wrestler’s strength, stamina, and explosive power. Some of the movements performed with battle ropes include the following listed below.

• Double Waves
• Single Waves
• Lateral Waves
• Slams
• Circles 
• Snakes
• Alternating Lunge Waves 
• Jump Squat Slams

Band Exercises

Another piece of equipment that is frequently used within boxing workouts is resistance bands. One of the more used brands that all of the world’s top wrestlers use is the Dopa bands.

These resistance bands come in a variety of sizes and allow wrestlers to do many sport-specific movements.

Some of the drills you could do with good resistance bands include:

• Shots
• Level Changes
• Sprawls
• Snap Downs
• Pummeling

All of the sport specific movements you already do, but with more resistance to improve your strength and stamina.

Recovery & Flexibility 

Wrestling workouts are grueling, but they also have an emphasis on recovery and flexibility. Every wrestler will go through different dynamic stretches before and after their workouts.

Performing stretches before training to reduce the risk of injury and after to improve recovery and flexibility. Many wrestlers will also use tools such as foam rollers, tennis balls, and massage drills to aid their recovery.

Some wrestlers will even take up yoga and go through different routines to improve their recovery and flexibility.

Do Wrestlers Go For Reps or Time in Their Workouts?

Generally, wrestlers will do a mix of rep and AMRAP rounds in their workout routines. Every wrestler has their own routines that are created by either their wrestling coach or conditioning coaches.

If you watch any highlights of wrestling workouts, you will see all of the different types of exercises mentioned above. These grueling workouts will not only get wrestlers physically ready to compete, but also mentally ready.