Improve Your Wrestling Strength
Wresting is a time-honored sport that dates back to the Greco Romans and if you are a wrestler, you know that strength is key. Having the ability to overpower your opponent and win the match does not solely rest on strength alone, but it will help you get back into a good position when needed. Increasing strength is not a very difficult task, but it will take commitment and a few necessary adjustments to your lifestyle. Here are a few tips to help get you started in increasing your strength for wrestling.
Improving Your Diet
Improving your diet is one of the best ways to gain bone strength. Increasing your vitamin D and calcium intake will help your bones become denser. You can find vitamin D and calcium in supplements or through milk. You can also find vitamin D and calcium in yogurt and cheese. Eat a lot of protein. Protein will help you develop muscle and burn fat.
Work Your Way Up With Weights
Weight training is one of the best ways to develop muscle and make you stronger for the wrestling mat. A lot of wrestlers will work their way up to the harder weights over a series of weeks. For instance, they will do a whole series of reps with 25-30 lb weights for one week and then move up to 40-45 lb weights. Although this is effective, it’s not optimizing muscle growth. If you really want to get stronger before your next match, work your way up during the session. For instance, do 15 reps with a 20-25 lb weight. Rest and then do 10 reps with 30-35 lb weights. Rest and then do 5 reps with 40-45 lb weights. This will build your muscle much faster.
Rest
In order to gain strength, your body needs to product Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). This is the fuel source for all of the muscle contractions in your body. Without ATP, your body will not be able to build muscle. Resting between your sets for the proper amount of time will help you develop more ATP for the next set of reps. The recommended amount of time to rest is about 3-5 minutes between reps.
Training with a Partner
A great way to get in shape is to train with a partner. A better way to get in shape is to train with somebody who is a lot stronger than you. When you train with somebody that is stronger than you they can push you to the limits. You don’t want to hurt yourself, but training with somebody who is stronger than you will give you that added boost to keep up. A partner will also be able to spot you while you lift. You can spot them between reps so you get the necessary resting time to rebuild the ATP in your system.
Train without Shoes
Some gyms will have a policy against this and it can be dangerous if you are not careful. If you must wear shoes or you don’t feel comfortable with this, pick up a pair of Converse Chuck Tailors. The less material you have between your body and the floor means the more muscle you will activate when lifting.
