Weight training for wrestling: Science vs application

[SeanR 2]

AS a strength and conditioning coach, and also 45 years of experience in the weight room (along with a successful body building record) I know that building muscle requires a number of variables to be favorable. First, you need high intensity lifting to stimulate growth. Next you need a caloric surplus to feed those muscles. Finally, you must manage cortisol levels that are elevated by high intensity training. The best way to manage cortisol? Take a day off (cortisol is also blunted via steroids...endemic in bodybuilding but a terrible choice for young wrestlers). That is why an off season weight program of 4-5 days a week builds more muscle than working out every day. These reason are also why I generally advocate only one, 2 days tops of weight training during wrestling season. If you are giving 100% in multiple 2 plus hour wrestling practices with tons of conditioning (IE elevating cortisol) and competing twice a week (IE making weight and limiting calories) the body has limited opportunity to grow from weight training. Having said that, weight training still is an extremely effective tool for wrestlers.

However, I am still seeing lots of wrestlers spending 2 hours in the gym lifting after a 2 hour wrestling practice. I also notice that these wrestlers generally don't do well in competition. Here is what I advocate, and I would like to see what other coaches/wrestlers think: Ideally the best days for weight training are when you get a 2 day break from wrestling. For example, my sons team has no midweek tournament this week, just practice and then a huge tournament spread out over 2 days. If you get bumped on the first day (Friday) you don't wrestle Saturday, and will thus have Sat and Sunday off. In this case you want to pour yourself 100% into a fairly long and brutal weight day on Sat, and take Sunday off completely.

The next best opportunity is when you have 1 day off. In that case, do an intense, but shorter work out. Stick to the basics, squat, deadlift, row, pull ups, and bench. For both workouts keep reps fairly high, in the 8-12 range. Heavy lifting is best done in the off season, in season is more about strength maintenance than putting on a lot of muscle. 

Finally, the third best scenario is to weight train on a day you had an easy practice. Again, shorten the weight training, possibly only focusing on half the body (upper vs lower) and leaving the rest for another day. Another important point: Never train on a day of, or a day before competition. Doing so is a recipe for disaster.

I would like to hear what other coaches think. I know that there are people, like Kevin Jackson, who advocate lots of in season weight training, but that was more than 30 years ago when wrestlers also used saunas and plastic bags on the day of competition, all dated and proven ineffective technologies. Nonetheless, if you have had success I would like to hear about it.

[DrBaker 497]

High school wrestling is a different sport. It’s a tough balance between all the variables involved. You can never focus only on one aspect. It’s hard to manage a day off. It’s hard to get enough nutrition. Plus all the kids are sooo different. It’s a rough job for the coaches.