Ask Cael: My high school has a small wrestling program and so the wrestling room isn’t open till the season begins in November. I’ve been running every day but i really want to start practicing wrestling as early as possible to get ready for the season. What should i do to prepare for the season?

Story Published Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Question from Sam: I’m going into my Junior Year in High school. I wrestled varsity my first two years and i really want to continue and get better. I’ve always heard advice for geting better in wrestling by gonig to the wrestling room a couple times a week. My high school has a small wrestling program and so the wrestling room isn”t open till the season begins in November. I\’ve been running every day but i really want to start practicing wrestling as early as possible to get ready for the season. What should i do to prepare for the season?

Sam,

I would keep running and doing strength and conditioning exercises. Do push ups, pull ups and a lot of stance motion. Work on your footwork and visualize performing technique. If you don’t have access to mats, ask your coach if there is anyway you can get on the mats. I think most coaches would be happy to open the wresting room for you if you ask. Also, there should be mats somewhere in your community that you can use. If not, or if the wrestling room is used for something else until November, find a partner and work on hand fighting and skills that you don’t necessarily need a mat. With all the access to technique and wrestling video on YouTube you should have plenty of access to all the technique you could need. I have had several technique videos on YouTube. I think they may have been taken down recently to change them to Penn State and/or Undefeated videos but they will be back up soon. It is a great time to be a young wrestler with all the access to wrestling technique out there online.  Be relentless and creative, and you will continue to make progess.

It sounds like you are doing this but make sure you are in tip top shape when November rolls around.  Yhat way, as your opponents are trying to get into shape, you will be working on getting better.

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