When should your wrestler strength train?
With the start of the season it’s a busy time for parents of youth wrestlers, and it can be a challenge to find time for strength training between school practices, club and competitions. Unfortunately, strength training typically takes a back seat and gets administered haphazardly after practice or abandoned all together. The key is knowing what you are trying to get out of a certain training session and then understanding how and when to execute it to get the desired results.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
For STRENGTH – heavy compound lifts or challenging BW exercises, these are best done as a separate workout on an off day or in the morning before school. Before practice (never after) is fine, just know that it may take away from the practice. I highly recommend wrestlers doing their main lifts for the week on a midday morning before school and on a non-competition weekend day.
For SPEED – plyometrics or sprints, before practice or anytime in a non fatigued state. Remember, sprints can be used as conditioning, but doing them after practice will not actually improve speed or power
For ENDURANCE – BW, circuits, sleds, rope climbs, med balls, etc. – these are fine to do after practice or even after a strength workout.
For TOUGHNESS and TENACITY – I recommend using the same modalities as endurance workouts and putting them to the test after practice. Barbell lifts, squats, deadlifts, etc. shouldn’t be used as conditioning or for “toughness” circuits.
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