Coach's Corner – Wrestling Drills
Basic Drills to Improve your Skills on the Mat
Back Lifts
The back lift is a great wrestling drill to build core strength in the abs and back. You can gather the entire team in your wrestling room for this drill. Pair up wrestlers of the same weight, or at least two wrestlers of equal size and have one wrestler in the control position behind the other wrestler.
Have each group of two start at one end of the mat and with each step the wrestler behind will lift, take one step forward and then set the other wrestler down. Make sure the wrestlers are lifting with their legs, not their backs and watch to make sure there’s a good lock around the waist.
The back lifts accomplish two big things: one, it builds strength in the lower body area, and two, your wrestlers’ lift techniques will improve.
Foot Speed Drills
Six minutes is a long time. As you get to the end of a wrestling match, you get tired, and your foot speed decreases leaving you open to a late takedown. A number of foot speed drills can help you stay in the match when it feels like your legs are about to come out from under you.
All drills should be done over a tapeline and take up between 45 seconds to a minute with about a minute in between to rest. Here are five great foot speed drills to work on:
Knee-ups – jumping as high as possible; always bring the knees to the chest.
Lateral hops – keeping your feet together, hop side-to-side over the tapeline.
Right/left lateral hops – hop side-to-side using only your right/only your left foot.
Quick Feet – chop feet in place as fast as possible.
Front to back hops – keeping your feet together, hop backward and forward over the tapeline.