Wrestling Workouts: The Complete Guide to Strength, Conditioning & Performance

If you want to dominate on the mat, you need more than just skill—you need smart, effective wrestling workouts. Wrestling is one of the toughest sports, demanding a unique mix of functional strength, muscular endurance, and athlete performance. Whether you’re in high school, college, or going pro, your training must match the demands of the sport. That means balancing strength and conditioning with sport-specific drills, recovery, and smart planning. 

This guide breaks down everything you need—from off-season training to competition prep. You’ll learn how to build power, improve stamina, and peak at the right time. Let’s dive into the complete system for better results and mat-ready performance.

Why Wrestlers Need Specialized Training

Wrestling workouts are not like what football or basketball players do. Wrestlers need functional strength to control and throw opponents. They must develop muscular endurance for long matches and explosive power for quick moves. Regular gym routines often miss the mark.

To be a great wrestler, your training must match the needs of the mat. That means using sports-specific workouts, like split squat jumps for power and rope climbs for grip. You also need resistance training and plyometric exercises that challenge your muscles just like a match would.

Testing & Evaluation Before You Start

Before starting wrestling workouts, it’s smart to check your fitness level. Athlete testing shows you where you’re strong and where you need work. It helps with better exercise programming and reduces injury risk.

Common tests include a VO2 max test for endurance, a barbell curl for arm strength, and a bodyweight test like rope climbs. Testing gives a baseline to build your wrestling strength program and track progress through each wrestling season.

Warm-Up & Cool-Down: The Foundation of Injury-Free Training

Every workout must start with a dynamic warm-up. This includes mobility drills, movement prep, and light cardio to raise your heart rate. Skipping this step can lead to injuries.

After training, finish with a cool-down routine. Use static stretching to improve flexibility and help your muscles recover. Taking time to warm up and cool down is key to injury prevention.

Off-Season Wrestling Workouts: Building the Base

During off-season training, your goal is to build an endurance base, add size, and fix weak areas. This is the time to focus on muscle building and increase your strength through hypertrophy training.

A good off-season wrestling workout uses an upper-lower split. For example, train your upper body on Monday and Thursday, and lower body on Tuesday and Friday. This gives each muscle group time to recover and grow.

Day	Focus	Example Exercises
Monday	Upper Body	Bench Press, Pull-Ups, Rows
Tuesday	Lower Body	Squats, Lunges, Split Squat Jumps
Thursday	Upper Body	Barbell Curl, Shoulder Press
Friday	Lower Body	Deadlifts, Calf Raises, Step-Ups

Pre-Season Wrestling Workouts: Shifting to Speed & Power

Pre-season training is the time to switch from building to sharpening. Now it’s about power development, agility training, and preparing for matches. You’ll do more reactive drills and plyometric exercises.

Add lifts like the hang power clean and hang power snatch to boost power output. Combine them with tempo runs, short sprints, and fast footwork drills. This type of training brings everything together before the first match.

In-Season Wrestling Workouts: Maintain & Peak

In the in-season training phase, you must keep the gains from off-season while staying fresh for matches. This is called the peaking phase. You train less but smarter.

A 2-day full-body plan is best. Focus on resistance training, flexibility training, and core stability. Your goal is to perform your best without getting tired or hurt. Always include a warm-up routine and a cool-down routine in each session.

Wrestling Strength Training: Key Lifts & Programs

Great wrestling workouts include top lifts. The best ones are the squat, deadlift, bench press, pull-up, and row. These moves build functional strength and carry over to the mat.

Use weightlifting for wrestlers in a periodized training plan. Start heavy in the off-season, move to explosive in the pre-season, and back off during the season. Include extra work for grip, neck, and core to avoid injuries.

Conditioning for Wrestling: Cardio That Mimics the Mat

Cardio for wrestlers is not about running miles. You need wrestling conditioning that mimics a match. Mix long slow distance (LSD) cardio with sprints and tempo runs.

Try circuits that include shadow wrestling, sprints, rope climbs, and burpees. These build both aerobic and anaerobic systems. The goal is to increase your VO2 max while staying match-ready.

Injury Prevention & Recovery for Wrestlers

Wrestling is hard on the body. You must train smart to prevent injuries. Focus on flexibility training, mobility drills, and smart rest.

Use methods like massage, ice baths, and sleep for recovery. Follow your exercise programming and don’t skip deload weeks. Knowing when to push and when to rest keeps you healthy all season.

Advanced Wrestling Workouts & Techniques

Elite wrestlers use advanced methods like contrast training, bands, chains, and Olympic lifts. These build more athletic development and boost your power output.

If you’re training for a college wrestling program or high-level competition, add tools like sleds and sandbags. These push your body harder than regular weights and prep you for anything on the mat.

Conclusion

Wrestling workouts are more than just lifting weights or running laps. They’re a complete system that builds strength and conditioning, improves athlete performance, and reduces injuries. By training smart in the off-season, sharpening in the pre-season, and maintaining during the in-season, you give yourself the best shot at victory.

Keep following this guide and adjust it to your level. Whether you’re doing high school wrestling workouts or training for college, the same rules apply. Train hard, rest smart, and always stay ready for the mat.

FAQs

1. What is the best workout for wrestling?
   The best wrestling workouts combine strength training, wrestling conditioning, mobility drills, and sports-specific workouts to match the demands of the mat.
2. How do wrestlers get so explosive?
   Wrestlers build explosiveness through plyometric exercises, Olympic lifts like the hang power clean, and focused power development training.
3. What are the 7 basic skills of wrestling?
   The 7 basics include stance, motion, level change, penetration, back step, lifting, and back arch.
4. How should wrestlers train?
   Wrestlers should follow a periodized training plan with resistance training, reactive drills, and smart exercise programming based on their wrestling season phase.
5. How do wrestlers get big?
   Wrestlers gain size through targeted hypertrophy training, weight lifting for wrestlers, proper nutrition, and recovery.