Wrestling Strength Training: Are Basic Lifts (Deadlift, Bench Press, Squat) Enough for Wrestling Strength?

A recent study by Lucciano Francino and his team looked at the effects of a six-week training program on top-level wrestlers. They wanted to see how this training affected the Special Wrestling Fitness Test (SWFT), which measures important fitness aspects for wrestling.

Key Findings

Performance Improvement: Wrestlers showed significant improvements in their performance, especially in the number of throws and their SWFT scores after the six-week program.

Throws: The average number of throws increased from 23.5 to 24.9, which is a statistically significant improvement (p = 0.022).

Conclusion and Implications

The study suggests that a six-week multi-component training program can significantly improve wrestling performance in highly trained wrestlers. Coaches can use similar programs to help athletes prepare for big competitions by focusing on increasing throws and improving their SWFT scores.

Example of a Training Plan

Weekly Training Schedule

Day 1: Strength Training

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of light cardio
• Deadlift: 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Bench Press: 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Squats: 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Pull-ups: 3 sets of max reps
• Core exercises: Planks and Russian twists, 3 sets of 15 reps each

Day 2: Wrestling Drills and Conditioning

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• Wrestling drills: 30 minutes of takedown and defense drills
• Conditioning: 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
• Cool-down: 10 minutes of stretching

Day 3: Rest or Active Recovery

• Light activity: Yoga or walking for 30 minutes

Day 4: Strength Training

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of light cardio
• Power Cleans: 4 sets of 6 reps
• Overhead Press: 4 sets of 6–8 reps
• Lunges: 4 sets of 8 reps per leg
• Rows: 4 sets of 8 reps
• Core exercises: Leg raises and side planks, 3 sets of 15 reps each

Day 5: Wrestling Drills and Conditioning

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• Wrestling drills: 30 minutes of grip strength and pinning drills
• Conditioning: 20 minutes of circuit training
• Cool-down: 10 minutes of stretching

Day 6: Light Technique Day

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of light cardio
• Technique practice: 1 hour of drilling techniques at a moderate pace
• Core exercises: Stability ball exercises, 3 sets of 15 reps each

Day 7: Rest

How Kiwi Fitness Can Help

Kiwi Fitness, an AI-powered personal training platform, can be very useful in providing these personalized and adaptable training plans for your fitness goals. Here’s how Kiwi Fitness supports wrestlers and other users:

Personalized Training: Kiwi Fitness creates workout plans tailored to your fitness level, goals, and needs, ensuring effective training.

Convenience: You can train at home, making it easy and less intimidating, especially for seniors and busy athletes.

Expert Guidance: The platform offers detailed instructions and video demonstrations to ensure exercises are done safely and correctly.

Adaptability: As you progress, Kiwi Fitness adjusts your workout plans to keep them challenging yet achievable.

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