Let’s face it…

The Bench Press is like a badge of honor in the weight room.  Nobody asks you how much you deadlift or squat.  They definitely don’t bother to ask you how much you power clean or how your reverse hyperextension is going…

But the bench press is always asked about.  ”How much do you bench?”  If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me that I’d be retired.  Fortunately for me I built my own bench press to World Class standards so getting asked that question was always fine with me:)

We all know that wrestling is a unique sport.  Strength training for wrestling is unique to other sports as well.  If you try to train a wrestler like any other athlete you won’t get the mat results you could have.  So in an effort to get as strong and conditioned as humanly possible for wrestling the question remains,”should wrestlers perform the Bench Press.”

Before I answer this I want to clear something up.  A few years ago, a so-called wrestling training expert wrote that wrestlers should never perform the Bench Press because with the Bench Press you lie on your back… and a wrestler should never lie on their back.

That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!

The technique that you learn for wrestling should never be imitated in your strength training.  In other words, it’s fine to lie on your back when performing a strength training exercise because strength training is something completely different than wrestling.  Besides, what is the problem with learning to press extra weight away from your body?

When performed properly, the Bench Press isn’t simply an exercise.  It’s not just some upper body exercise either.  It’s a full-body movement.  It’s very technical, and can pack on tons of functional strength for your upper body as well as your posterior chain. (I’m always preaching about the posterior chain muscles and their importance to ultimate wrestling performances.)

The problem is that most guys don’t train the Bench Press properly.  They don’t set up properly, and this minimizes the muscles that are being trained.  They also don’t have a sound training system.  It becomes more of a “go to the weight room and test your max” than a systematic training system.

If you are currently including the Bench Press in your strength training for wrestling you’re on the right track.  Just be sure you:

1.  Train a lot of back work with deadlifts and rows of all sorts.

2.  Train the bench press in phases… not all-year round. (Training any exercise too often will lead to injuries eventually)

3.  Eat sufficient amounts of protein and complex carbohydrates to support the tissue breakdown and muscle layering that occurs after a workout is completed.

If you would like to know more about how to include Bench Pressing in your wrestling-specific training program leave me a post:)

Steve

PS.  The Bad Ass Bench Press program is coming VERY soon.  It’s a unique Bench Press training system that will add 40 lbs to your Bench Press in 60 days… Guaranteed.

The Top 20 Strength Exercises For Wrestlers!

Ok… with the Offseason now here for most wrestlers, it’s important to consider your training to get diesel-strong for next season…

Here are “some” of my favorite strength exercises for wrestlers…

1.  Barbell Squats

2.  Trap Bar Deadlifts

3.  Reverse Hyperextensions

4.  Glute-Ham-Gastroc Machine

5.  Reverse Close Grip Chinups

6.  Seated Rows With a Thick Bar

7.  T-Bar Rows

8.  Weighted Dips

9.  Bench Press (free weight or Hammer Strength)- medium grip

10.  Smith Machine Bench Press off Floor

11.  Standing Thick Bar Shoulder Press

12.  Dumbbell Lateral Raises

13.  Shrugs with Dumbbells

14.  Reverse Curl with Thick Bar

15.  Pushdowns with Thick Bar

16.  Seated Calf Raise

17.  Raise-ups (for abs)

18.  Dumbbell Hammer Curls

19.  4 Way Neck Machine

20.  Lying Leg Curl/Romanian Deadlift superset

… and NO, Powercleans DON’T make the list!!
* You should never perform more than 12 exercises in a workout.  If you can do more, you’re not working hard enough.

** Perform a full body routine if you are wrestling more than 2 times per week.

*** Each exercise should be progressive, meaning that you should always strive to add weight or reps with each workout.

I have been meaning to give you all a copy of this for some time…

This past winter, one of the coaches who successfully used my Ultimate Wrestling Strength Training and Nutrition System decided to make an easy-to-use meal planner out of it.

It’s geared towards wrestlers who want/need to cut weight… but want to do it properly and without starving. Check it out:

Wrestling Weight Loss Plan (download)

Post below if you have any questions…

Steve

The most important meal of a wrestler’s day is the Post-workout or practice meal.

When you practice and/or train with intensity, you deplete the muscles of glycogen. Glycogen is stored energy which comes from the synthesis of glucose molecules that are broken down after you eat carbohydrates.

But your muscles only have so much stored energy, and this supply must consistently be replenished. If you fail to replenish your glycogen storage, and continue to practice/train like a madman, you will eventually experience overtraining symptoms or injury.

In order to overcome this situation, it’s best to have a post-workout meal within 20 minutes of your practice or workout. This meal is geared towards reversing the catabolic (muscle breakdown) effect and allow you body to get anabolic (tissue growth).

The ideal meal is one that has a 3:1 ratio of simple carbohydrates to protein. The carbohydrates are best in simple form (sugar) and the protein is best in a pre-digested form (powder).

After you consume your post-workout meal, you should have a regular meal about an hour later. (more on this in another article)

Here are 3 of my favorite post-workout meals:

- Protein shake plus 2 bananas (1 banana for little guys)
- Protein shake plus 2 servings of Gatorade
- 2 cups of chocolate milk

I personally go for the chocolate milk because it’s the fastest option for me. On days that I want something different I mix 1 scoop of Prograde Protein in water, and have 2 bananas.

There are other options and I’ll be happy to share them with you if you’d like. These are just my favorites…

As a way to say “thanks” for such a great wrestling season, I want to help you guys get on the right path during this off-season…

By increasing your ability to sprawl, cross-face, and defend all take-downs you will win more matches next season… GUARANTEED:)

So… here is a complimentary copy of my “Take Down Defense Specialization Workout for Wrestlers”:

http://ultimatewrestlingstrength.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Takedown-Defense-specialization-workout.pdf

Let me know if you have any questions…

Train hard,

Steve

I hope you have been watched the NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championships…especially the finals!

This weekend with the best college wrestlers in the country is spectacular.

Just like I did last year, I’m using this event to “give back” to my newsletter subscribers and blog followers…

I am giving away one of 3 BIG prizes just for answering 2 questions and posting them on the blog RIGHT NOW…

But first, here are the prizes:

FIRST PRIZE: The Wrestling Performance “Whole Enchilada” Package.

This is the big collection of our best DVD’s, CD’s and training/nutrition manuals.  It will be delivered to your door in a big box within a few days.  (If you win, I’ll email you for your address to send it out to you:))  ($300 value)

SECOND PRIZE:  The Wrestling Performance “Mini-Package”

This is our 3 DVD set of the How To Cut Weight for Wrestling, 6 Minute Conditioning and the Advanced 6 Minute Conditioning (with kettlebells) DVD’s.  These are our most popular DVD’s and will be shipped right to your doorstep within days.  ($97 value)

THIRD PRIZE: Workouts for Wrestlers Package

This is the digital (instant download) of 13 specialization strength training programs to enhance and improve any weaknesses you have on the wrestling mat.  Combined with regular practice and technique training, these programs will supercharge your wrestling skills.  These wrestling-specific training programs are backed with 30 years of strength training experience. ($97 value)

Now all you have to do for a chance to win one of these prizes is answer the following 2 questions and post them below (250 words or less):

1.  ”What Was The Best Match of the Finals and Why?”

2.  ”What Was The Best Move Of The Finals?”

That’s it… just answer those 2 questions and leave your post below.  I’ll go over the answers on Monday evening and post the winners here.  (If you’re a winner I’ll also email you with details of how to get your prizes:))

Don’t delay… post your answers below right now… and good luck to all!

===============================================================

THE WINNERS ARE…

1. Scott Miller – Big Wrestling Package Grand Prize!

2.  Brian Hoover – Wrestling Performance Mini-Package!

3.  Jason Hines – Workouts for Wrestlers ebook Package!

One of the hardest things I have to do with these contests is pick the winners.  That’s because everyone is different, has different opinions, and sees different things on the wrestling mat.  I did something that I usually do… I picked my top 15 favorites, then through the names in a hat (my lucky Yankees cap), and randomly picked these winners!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to ALL who posted.  The NCAA’s were outstanding once again…

PLEASE… train hard this offseason, and look forward to next season.  As always, I will be sending tons of tips, tactics and strategies that all of you can use to better your wrestling performances:)

Train hard,

Steve

How many times have you watched a wrestling match where a guy starts on bottom, and on the whistle he can’t seem to do anything??

He tries to do a Standup… but every time he almost gets to his feet he his taken back down to the mat.

He tries to do a Sit-out… but it looks like it’s in slow motion while the top guy simply follows the weak Sit-out attempt.

He tries to do a Switch… but looks more like a fish out of water.

This happens all too often to wrestlers. You can have all of the technical skills but not be able to execute them to their fullest if you don’t have the key muscles firing off in unison.

Here are 4 tips to ensure that your Escapes are a strong part of your wrestling strategy:

1. Sumo Deadlifts – In order to maximize your ability to powerfully “drive up” from the “down” position you should work on the Sumo-style Deadlift. This exercise will not only work the hips and hamstrings, but it will also force you to keep your torso more erect while driving your feet through the floor. The translation to the wrestling mat is evident because you will learn to keep you head up and drive power through your hips… instead of flopping forward, back down to the mat.

2. Burpees to Pullup – This hybrid exercise combines a basic Burpee (with a jump at the end), followed immediately by a Pullup. This combination helps you learn to fire off more muscle fibers in an explosive fashion. The Pullup at the end of each Burpee is for good measure, and is relevant to anything you do on the mat. This exercise combination is a full body exercise that will have a huge carryover to your ability to stand up from the down position.

3. Hip Escape Drill – This drill is to be performed in rapid fashion. It’s a great finisher for any wrestling practice or after your Escapes Specialization Training. I like this exercise because you get a unique contraction throughout your Internal Obliques muscles… and these muscles (which are deep inside your love handles area) are responsible for more mat speed and power when trying to perform an escape than most other muscles in your body. In fact, the Internal Obliques have been affectionately nick-named the “Tornado Muscles” due to the whipping speed that you can achieve when you strengthen them.

4. Hack Squat With Barbell Behind Legs – This rarely seen exercise is awesome for developing strength and power for standups. You will involve a tremendous amount of core activity by performing these. It’s like doing a regular barbell deadlift except the barbell is positioned in back of the legs. This teaches your body to really extend the legs and pull your hips through.

These exercises are only 4 that work in unison to help you carry out your Escapes on the wrestling mat.  The key is to keep them progressive… in other words, strive for more weight or reps with each successive workout.

If you would like a “done-for-you” workout that will help any wrestler develop that explosive power out of the down position, be sure to get your copy of my Escapes Specialization Workout for Wrestlers <<== ONLY $10 this week!

I get asked a lot by wrestlers, coaches and parents what the best meal for wrestlers is…

In order to answer that you have to first consider what you’re trying to achieve.  In the case of most wrestlers the answer is the same…

- Keep strength up

- Keep energy levels up

- Help repair lean muscle tissue and recovery

- Minimize extra body weight and bloating

Considering these goals above the answer is simple:

“Meal Replacement Drinks”

If you’ve read my ’63 Strength, Conditioning and Nutrition Tips for Wrestlers, Coaches and Parents” you know that I’ve always been a fan of using Meal Replacement Drinks for wrestling.

Meal Replacement Drinks aren’t magical… they’re not even what I consider supplements.  They are simply food.

But, they are extremely calorically-dense food.  This means that for every calorie you ingest you get maximum micronutrient and macronutrient quality.  In other words, there are no wasted, empty calories that serve no constructive purpose in your wrestling nutrition plan… and therefore, mat performance.

In the past, I always recommended the original brand of meal replacement powder… but that’s all changed.

I’ve noticed a steady decline in the quality of most of the commercial meal replacement powders.  The quality of ingredients have diminished (so they can make more profit per unit). I still really like Prograde Nutrition Meal Replacement Drinks because they are natural, don’t add a lot of fillers and I personally know the fitness guys who started the company… and trust them:)

But… the focus of this article is to show you how to make your own meal replacement drinks so you are getting the best nutrition without all of the chemicals and fillers found in most commercial MRD’s.

Here’s my newest (and tastiest) recipe:

Steve’s Home-made Meal Replacement Drink

- 1 or 2 scoops of 100% natural whey protein powder

- 1 banana

- 1/4-1/2 cup dry whole oatmeal

- 1/4- 1/2 cup Total cereal

- 2 tbsp honey

Add all of the above ingredients to your blender.  Then add 12-16 oz water + 3 ice cubes. Blend at high speed for 30-40 seconds.  Pour and enjoy.

* Use the lower end of ingredient amounts if under 120 lbs.  You can add to or subtract from the ingredients to suit your needs.  Generally, you up the protein and lower the oats and cereal when cutting weight… and do the opposite when trying to bulk up:)

Want to know a little secret that can make all the difference to your wrestling team’s success??

… In-Season Training!