Youth wrestlers are not Champions... YET! They are growing athletes in growing bodies...

from their bones to their connective tissue, to their muscles, and to their entire Central Nervous System. For this reason, you can use exercises such as the following with your Youth Wrestlers to help them develop as wrestlers... and as total athletes. I believe that you can develop better wrestlers when you concentrate on proper development during the ages of 6-13 years old. The following exercises are a compilation of some of my favorites... They will help your Youth Wrestlers gain control of their own body and increase strength without undue stress on the joints. Youll also nd that they will get better-coordinated, improve balance, improve visual and auditory accuity and more!! There is no set workout plan for these exercises... they are exercises that you might consider peppering in to your Youth Wrestling practices. Be sure to make it fun... Youth Wrestlers, as with all kids love fun. They learn through games and fun. Accentuate this!! If you want a more structured strength training system for your Youth Wrestlers be sure to check out the programs in my Ultimate Wrestling Strength manual:) Best Regards, Steve Preston

Bear Crawl (Front and Backwards)

Begin by placing only the hands and feet on the mat or oor. Walk across mat or oor on hands and feet. Emphasize getting the knee up towards the armpit in order to activate the hip exors and extensors. This is very important for young wrestlers in order to establish full development and range of motion throughout this area.

Table Top Crab Walk

Begin exercise on hands and feet, keeping your hips off the mat. Walk backwards and forwards being sure to raise each leg high with each step. After a step with each leg, raise the hips up like a Table Top and pause in contracted position for 2 seconds. Repeat.

Monster Walk

Begin in a Takedown Stance. Lunge out as far as possible with one leg and arms outreached. Be sure to extend back leg while lunging. Recover to standing position and repeat on opposite side.

Lunge Hold

Begin in a Takedown Stance. Lunge to front with lead leg. Twist your body to each side with arms outstretched. Hold each side for 2 seconds. Repeat with opposite leg. Be sure to keep torso upright while performing in order to activate the Internal Oblique muscles.

Broad Jumps

Begin in a powerful stance with feet about shoulder width apart. Crouch down and swing arms through as you jump as far as you can. You must take off and land on both feet. This one is best performed for 5-8 jumps in a row, followed by a short rest. Posterior Chain development is enhanced along with mat speed by adding these into any wrestlers workout.

Heel Walk

This exercise gives a workout to the Anterior Tibialis muscle. This is the muscle in the front of your lower leg, outside of your Tibia (Shin Bone). I like to have guys work this exercise into their programs because it gives support to the Soleus and Gastrocnemius muscles, which make up the calf. These are very important to overall mat speed, strength, and power. By working its antagonistic (opposing) muscles you allow for more strength and stability throughout the calf area. Walking across the mat on the heels is done by trying to get the wrestlers to stand as upright as possible while performing. This increases the force from the Anterior Tibialis.

360 and Shoot

A 360 and Shoot drill is simply having the wrestler jump up in the air and perform a full 360 twist and then immediately taking a shadow shot. This is done by performing the 360 in both the clockwise and counterclockwise positions. I like to do either 5-8 on one side, followed by 5-8 on the other side. You can also alternate sides with each repetition.

Supine Sprints

The wrestler lies on the mat face down with arms and legs out. When he hears the whistle he will jump up to his feet and sprint across the mat as fast as possible. After the sprint they walk back to their line and repeat. I like to have 4 wrestlers in each line... and following a fast pace in between wrestlers.

Front Roll and Shoot

Begin in a stance. On the whistle do a front roll, and immediately take a Shadow Shot. At the completion of the shot, walk back to the front of the mat and repeat for 5-8 repetitions.

1 Knee Kneeling to Shot

Begin by kneeling on the mat, balancing on one knee. When the whistle blows, jump up as fast as you can and immediately take a Shadow Shot. After the Shadow Shot, hustle back to the end of the mat and perform another shot when the whistle blows. This should be done 5-8 repetitions per leg.

Scramble To Balance

Begin by lying in a Superman position, face down on the mat. When the whistle blows, immediately jump up to balance on one leg. Repeat for 5-8 repetitions on the same leg, then repeat for 5-8 repetitions on the other leg. You can switch it up sometimes by alternating repetitions on each leg, switching back and forth.

90 Degree Jump and Deep Land

Begin in a crouch with arms outstretched at the forearm. When the whistle blows jump up from both feet and land 90 degrees in either direction with a deep land. The whistle will immediately blow, and another 90 degree turn is taken with a deep land. Continue for 5-8 repetitions in each direction with minimal rest in between repetitions.

180 and Shoot

Begin in a stance. When the whistle blows, jump up in the air and land 180 degrees in either direction (facing in the opposite direction from where you started). Immediately upon landing, take a Shadow Shot. Repeat for 5-8 repetitions in each direction, then repeat in opposite direction.

Cone Touches

Begin by placing a medicine ball or cone on the mat or oor. Place one of your feet lightly on top of the cone or medicine ball. Switch to the opposite foot as fast as you can, then immediately switch back as fast as you can. Continue for 10-15 repetitions on each foot with rapid succession. This is one set. Repeat for 5-8 sets.

Dive Bombers

This is a modied Pushup. Begin with legs straight and arms straight with hips high. Keep hips high as you bend at the elbow, lowering your face to the mat. Drive the hips and chest through and nish with legs extended, arms straight and head/chest up. Reverse your body back through to starting position and repeat for 5-10 repetitions per set. Perform 5-8 sets of the exercise.

Front Squat with Medicine Ball

Begin by hugging a Medicine Ball against your Chest. Squat down to a position where the tops of the Thighs are parallel with the oor. Be sure to push the Hips back and keep the Chest held high during the descent. Emphasize keeping the weight on your heels.

Medicine Ball Pushups

Place a hand on top of a Medicine Ball. Perform a Pushup with the Medicine Ball side getting an extra stretch. Repeat for desired repetitions and then switch sides. Emphasize stretching and squeezing the Pectoral muscles throughout.

Squat and Throw with Medicine Ball

Hold a Medicine Ball at Chest level with both hands. Squat down into a full squat position where the thighs are parallel with the oor. Explode up to a standing position and continue the momentum upwards so that the arms outstretch overhead and throw the Medicine Ball overhead. Have a training partner or yourself recover the ball quickly and repeat.

Inchworm

Begin by lying in a Prone position on the mat. Lift your hips off the mat slightly. Begin walking your feet towards your hands while bending at the Hips. This will force you into a Pike position at the nish. Continue by walking your hands out in front of you again to regain the starting position. Challenge yourself by trying to maintain a full layout position with arms and legs outstretched and body straight before repeating.

Lunge Walk with Front Raise

Begin in a standing position. Lunge forward with one of your legs, while simultaneously reaching both hands as far in front as you can. Try to keep the chest held high while performing. Recover to standing position and alternate with the other side.

1 Leg Goodmornings with Medicine Ball

Hold a Medicine Ball behind your head with both hands. Stand on one foot. Bend forward from the Hips while simultaneously reaching the foot on the other leg behind you. Lower until you feel a good stretch in the hamstrings and glutes. Recover to a starting position and repeat for desired repetitions. Switch legs and repeat.

Lunge Circuit

Begin in a standing position. Lunge straight ahead with one leg while simultaneously reaching straight ahead with both arms. Recover to standing position. Lunge out to the side with the same leg while reaching your hands out in front again. Recover to standing position, and then lunge behind you while reaching both hands out in front. Repeat the circuit on the same leg for 5-8 repetitions. Switch legs and repeat.

Prone Cobras

Lie on the mat in a Prone position with arms and legs outstretched. Keep your lower body ush against the mat. Raise the torso up as high as you can off the mat. Pause in the top position before lowering under control to the starting position. Repeat for 5-8 repetitions.

Overhead Squat with Medicine Ball

Stand in a slightly wider than shoulder width position with a Medicine Ball held overhead. Descend into a squat position by pushing the hips back, and keeping the shins and chest upright. Stand back up to a standing position. Repeat for 5-8 repetitions.

Bulgarian Squat with Medicine Ball

Begin by holding a Medicine Ball against your Chest. Take a split stance with one foot in front of you and the other foot in back of you. Squat straight down while bending both knees. When done properly the shin of the front leg will be perpendicular with the oor.

High Pull with Medicine Ball

Hold a Medicine Ball with both hands in front of you. Squat down so the ball is just off the oor. Explode straight up so you rise up on your toes while pulling the elbows up as high as possible. Lower to starting position and repeat.B

Medicine Ball Deadlift

Begin with Medicine Ball on oor. Grasp with both hands. Lower the hips and atten your back. Keep the Chest held high as you rise up to a standing position. Lower back to the starting position and repeat.

Stepups

Place an empty bucket upside down on the oor. Place one foot on top of the bucket. Drive up so that you are standing on one foot on top of the bucket and balancing. Pause in this position, then lower under control to starting position. Repeat for desired repetitions. Repeat on other side.