My self designed offseason wrestling program... Am I doing it right

With the end of my wrestling season in sight, I took some time today to draw up an offseason program to improve my strength and explosiveness, while improving my conditioning for next season. I'm looking to go up a weight class from 160 to 170 next season, so I will be eating a moderate calorie surplus over the next several months


Begin with warm up jog or jump rope, followed by stretching

Then perform any three of the following
Box jumps
Double box jumps
Seated box jumps*
Weighted box jumps
Side box jumps
Broad jumps
split box jumps

Day 1*
Box squat 3x5
Power clean 4x3
Shrugs 3x8
Abs

Day 2*
Bench 3x5
Weighted dips 3xfailure
Curls *3x10
Abs

Day 3*
Deadlifts 3x5
Rows *3x5
Weighted pull ups *3xfailure
Abs

After each workout, perform 3 of the following conditioning exercises for as many reps possible in three 2 minute sets
Tire flips
Sledgehammer*
Hills
Bleachers
Bear crawls up hill/down hill
Rope climbs*
Farmers walk
Sled pulls/push
Med ball slams

Thoughts? Constructive criticism welcome

 

What prior lifting experience do you have? There are better, proven programs out there. Check the S&P FAQ, second post.

I would scrap the conditioning at the end of the workout so you can focus all of your energy on lifting and getting bigger and stronger. Conditioning can be improved pretty quickly so you can add it back in when you get closer to wrestling season again. Or don't do it after every session, just maybe day 3 (assuming you have 2 rest days after day 3 e.g. M/W/F split).

If you aren't already you should stick to dynamic stretching in your warm-up and save static stretching for after you lift e.g. cooldown.

 

I consider myself an intermediate lifter.
Bench 205
Squat 315
Deadlift 345
I want to keep the conditioning at the end because I will be competing in offseason tournaments, and need to be ready to go the full six minutes all year long

 

Will you have any wrestling practices? If so, how many? How long?

 

I'll be practicing at various high schools two or three days a week for about two hours. These practices are heavier on technique as opposed to conditioning, and I will never be lifting on the same day as I have a practice

 

Your plan seems good enough for what you want. I would recommend as much ropes as you can handle, as grip strength in wrestling is a super weapon.

 

Are the shrugs for aesthetics or is there another reason to have them in there? It seems like it would be better on your squat day to add a squat assistance such as good mornings, front squats, rdl's, ghr's or something like that in place of the shrugs.

 

what are you trying to accomplish? Strength, conditioned, build muscle? How much do you weigh? In all honesty i dont really like it. Youre mixing and matching different end goals. However i do agree with the jump roping as much as possible. I hope you are using dynamic stretches not static. ITs a big mistake lifters make. If youre lifting to increase strenght and performance, personally i would supper set your low rep squats with box jumps-keeping both under 6 reps. you could do a lot more each day as well. I mean if you have 15 minutes thats fine. I like what youre doing each day but i would add a few things. You have no shoulder presses in there and to my understanding wrestlers really benefit from a strong press( you could actually throw that in with your chest day since they are both a push exercise.)

My lift numbers are Bench-350, squat 405 deadlift 415, i weigh 200 lbs i like to stay fairly lean

Mock lift schedule i use, i fee like we have the same goals
bench-warm up 3 sets of 135x5
5x5- 225, 245, 275, 285, 305
225-two sets to failure.

decline press 4x8
fly 3x15
dips i do as many sets as 15 with 30 seconds rest, usually 3-5

I then do triceps-one exercise 5x5 then 2 more exercises 3x8 reps and 3x15

The beginning exercises i lift for strength and slowly transition to endurance as im getting tired.

 

Shrugs should be a part of every routine, and especially those of wrestlers. I'm of the opinion that the usual rep schemes should be doubled for shrugs - it's such a short movement that 8 reps hardly counts as strength training.

OP what's the * for after certain exercises?

 

In all honesty it looks good to me. I'm not really a fan of doing conditioning RIGHT after heavy lifting though, I prefer to do it a couple hours later or so

Edit - also I see you're trying to gain weight, your diet is going to be equally as important as your lifting. Make sure you are eating a lot. Shouldn't really feel hungry at any time of the day.

 

The shrugs are more for aesthetics than anything else. I currently weigh around 160 pounds. The * is just a typo that I made frequently. Good mornings are a good idea, I'll definetly be adding them to the squat day

 

^ Trust me, the shrugs will help with a lot more than getting a jacked yoke. As a wrestler you need to be doing everything you can to protect your cervical spine alignment, especially since your coach will probably have you doing about million stupid bridges every week.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/shrug_science_part_1

 

Wrestling isn't nearly as much about having a strong press as it is about having strong hips, legs, and a strong back. Shoulder pressing hardly translates into wrestling. Movements like the box squat and deadlift simulate using your hips to drive through a takedown or explode from bottom. Rows simulate pulling your opponent in to set up a shot. Cleans are similar to extending the hips violently to lift my opponent and return him to the mat or land a suplex. Bench and dips help me perform a snap down or push away my opponents hips when he sprawls. All the conditioning is there because in addition to having strong muscles, I have to be able to use them with a constant output for six minutes. I'm training for wrestling, not just weightlifting

 

I think I once read a strength coach talking about football, or wrestling, or something high contact. He said 'Do you want to protect your neck? Then get rid of it.'

Makes sense to me.

 

Thanks for this article. Giving it a read now. I often read a lot of "shrugs are a waste of time" type stuff. Personally I've never really done them. Aren't other pulling movements (DLs, BORs, facepulls etc) enough?

 

While I won't advice you of anything, since I don't know shit, I really like this video, and feel like sharing it.

 

Great video, and now that I re-read that post i kind of sound like an asshole in it. I guess my point was my goal in designing this routine was, at least as far as the lifting goes, find the muscles that I use on the mat, and then do the lifts that will make the most of those stronger at once

 

Sometimes, but usually not; just like squats alone aren't necessarily sufficient for optimal glute development. As far as posture & movement patterns go, almost everybody could do with better lower trap activation and endurance. The (oh christ I'm going to have to say it) functional benefits, e.g. thoracic mobility and cervical spine & scapular stability, are too great to neglect IMO. So between the postural correction, max strength and plain ol' hypertrophy uses, chances are you need shrugs in your routine in one form or another.

 

I happen to know that my lower traps fail to activate correctly during typical pulling movements. I am religiously doing the required exercises prescribed by my physio. Is it possible to shrug without activating the lower traps? My problem during exercises like BORs is that the stronger muscles of my back take over.

 

Plenty...

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online...ning_performance/top_priority_for_lower_traps