WRESTLERS TRAINING

Parents and coaches are always concerned about what age their child or athlete can safely begin a weight training program. Scot Davis, the all-time winningest coach in amateur wrestling history, takes on the myths and rumors of lifting weights at the youth level and demonstrates safe lifting techniques and circuits for young wrestlers. A major consideration for wrestlers is weight management. Rapid weight loss to make a weight category has profound adverse effects on the wrestler's physiology, particularly in relation to strength endurance (1). Both nutritional and training techniques can help to minimize any weight reduction required in the first place and also to minimize the negative effects of rapid weight loss. In a sport that many spectators characterize as sudden, explosive attacks and counterattacks that are executed on a repeated basis for duration up to 6 minutes or until an opponent has been pinned, the need for endurance training is simple, to develop the energy production system(s) to meet the demands of a wrestling match.