Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

63
Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 1 Explosive Power Training for Wrestling By: Dickie White

description

If you're looking to develop explosive power for wrestling, then this is a great resource.

Transcript of Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Page 1: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 1

Explosive Power Training for

Wrestling

By: Dickie White

Page 2: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 2

Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: This manual is designed to provide information in regards to the subject matter covered. It is provided with the understanding that the author is not rendering medical advice or other medical/health services. You must consult your physician prior to starting any exercise program or if you have any medical condition or injury that contraindicates physical activity. These exercises and programs are designed for healthy individuals and the content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read. The author shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this E-book. Don’t lift heavy weights if you are alone, inexperienced, injured, or fatigued. If you experience any lightheadedness, dizziness, or shortness of breath while exercising, stop and consult a physician. Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this E-book does not imply endorsement by the author.

Copyright Notices: This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. Any unauthorized transfer, use, sharing, reproduction, sale, or distribution of these materials by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise is prohibited. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, without the expressed written consent of the author. Published under Copyright Laws of the Library of Congress of The United States of America, by: Dickie White 2 Tracy St. Binghamton, NY 13905 [email protected]

Page 3: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 3

Quick Thank You/Intro

First off, I’d like to thank you for downloading this E-book. I’m putting this together with

confidence (based on the years of experience I have training wrestlers at all levels) that it will help take

your wrestling performance to the next level. With as much information as there is available on the

Internet, in the locker room, from the jacked guy at your gym, from all the bodybuilding magazines, etc.

I am humbled that you have chosen to improve your performance on the mat with my knowledge and

programs.

Years ago (but not that many!) it was a common belief that if you wanted to improve your

performance as a wrestler, all you had to do was wrestle more. While this is partially true, we know

now that there are a number of components that go into improving your performance as a wrestler.

However, in the past, prominent figures in the physical education field, in addition to old school

coaches, believed and preached that lifting weights would make wrestlers “muscle bound” or “bulked

up” and therefore too clumsy and slow to perform well on the mat. But as years passed and a new age

of wrestling emerged, these dogmatic beliefs slowly started to fade away.

Modern wrestling has evolved to a higher level and the athleticism and abilities as today’s

modern warriors of the mat keep getting better. Gone are the days when you can get away with

wrestling during the winter season and be as successful as some of today’s new age wrestlers. With the

constant improvement in the performances of wrestlers as a whole, an increasing demand has emerged

for high level strength and conditioning plans focused on maximizing strength, power, and speed on the

mat.

Today most coaches and wrestlers generally believe that various forms of resistance training

create stronger and more powerful wrestlers in addition to decreasing the risk of sustaining an injury on

Page 4: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 4

the mat. But while that concept is almost universally accepted in our sport, the methods used to best

improve strength and power is what seems to be causing the controversy nowadays.

Unfortunately, there remain people in the wrestling community that argue against the use of

weightlifting and explosive training for wrestlers, and athletes in general, due to the possibility of injury.

It’s important to keep in mind that there is nothing inherently dangerous about traditional resistance

training movements. As you know, injuries during training can occur under all sorts of conditions,

including the use of “safer” machines. There is no doubt that mastering complex barbell and dumbbell

movements is more difficult than simply sitting on a machine and performing an exercise within a fixed

range of motion, but then again so is mastering a Standing Granby Roll as compared to a Stand-Up.

A machine has a fixed range of motion which will restrict you from doing anything but what it

was designed for you to do. A barbell or dumbbell, on the other hand, needs constant focus and

feedback- just like what is needed to be successful on the mat! The true key to avoiding injury during

training is to know how to perform the exercises properly and, preferably, to perform them in a

professionally supervised setting.

As it turns out, the ability to produce force against an external resistance is dependent upon the

speed at which the wrestler is trained. What this means is that if heavy weights are lifted at a slow

speed, the wrestler will get good at lifting at that speed. Therefore, slow deadlift training will not

necessarily make for an improved Clean. However, if a wrestler gets good at lifting at a faster speed, as

in a Power Clean or other explosive lift with external resistance, he’ll get good at generating force at

that faster rate of speed.

KEY CONCLUSION: The rate of speed that is trained in the weight room is the rate of speed

to which we get accustomed to generating.

Page 5: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 5

But this idea only works well in one direction. Strength developed at slow speeds can only be

effectively used slowly. However, strength developed at fast speeds can be used effectively at both fast

and slow speeds!

So of course the next question is why then should I perform lifts such as the squat at slower

speeds, if I am training for an explosive sport like wrestling? The reason is because there are slow and

isometric (stalemate) situations in wrestling that are best overcome by developing strength through the

usage of maximal weight and slower speeds (these lifting techniques and programs are detailed in my

Wrestler Strength System at www.wrestlerstrength.com) . The bottom line is this- both types of

training are necessary, and both contribute to the development of one another. For example, who has

the greater potential to be explosive- a wrestler who deadlifts 500 pounds or a wrestler who deadlifts

200 pounds.

With this in mind, coaches and wrestlers alike have begun searching for the ultimate power

training system for wrestlers. Consequently, Olympic weightlifting, their dumbbell derivatives, and

plyometrics have become commonly utilized methods to developing speed and power in wrestlers (after

all Olympic weightlifters are arguably the most explosive athletes on the planet so they must be doing

something right!)

Explosive Power Training for Wrestling is written for wrestlers and coaches who are looking to

better understand how to maximize both power and speed on the wrestling mat. Through a better

understanding of how and why these various methods of increasing power and speed are performed,

you’ll be able to safely and effectively incorporate them into your training program for maximal gains!

When learned and developed properly, explosive weightlifting and power training movements

will contribute to an improved wrestling performance. One of the focuses of Explosive Power Training

for Wrestling is to effectively teach and demonstrate the various movements that will lead to the

increases in power, speed, and explosiveness that you’re looking for.

Page 6: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 6

So if you’re ready to learn the proper techniques to all of the exercises that are going to give you

an explosive edge on the mat, then let’s get started!

Page 7: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 7

My Two Cents

…But, before I begin, I’d like to first offer my thoughts on the Olympic lifts. I think if there are

ways around them, that you should consider those ways. I’ve found the Olympic lifts to be fairly difficult

for any of my wrestlers except for the most athletic to learn and show good technique with (which is

why I have detailed the Clean and Jerk as much as I have, we never do BB Snatches though).

Additionally, because they are difficult to master, they become difficult to derive the maximal benefits

from (in this case explosive power).

The purpose of using traditional Olympic lifts in strength and conditioning programs is to

develop powerful triple extension. Triple extension is defined as the simultaneous extension of the

ankle, knee, and hip. Triple extension in wrestling is in your drive leg when taking a shot, when you

stand up with to get off the bottom, when you sprawl to keep an opponent from advancing his leg

attack, when you lift an opponent to return them to the mat after a stand up, during various throws

including headlocks, etc. In a nutshell, triple extension is found EVERYWHERE in wrestling. For further

discussion on this check out the series of blog posts I wrote starting at- http://www.wrestler-

power.com/training-for-wrestling/

However, what I’ve found over my years of using them with my wrestlers (I tend to introduce

them during their senior year before they go to college so they show proficiency at them and don’t fall

behind during their Freshman year) is that they’re too concerned with catching the weight in the rack

position. Because I feel they’re more focused on catching the weight rather than aggressively throwing

their hips in and powering the bar up with explosive triple extension, I don’t feel as though they get the

maximal benefits of the Clean. As a result, I tend to favor a few derivatives of the Olympic lifts as well as

a few alternatives to generate explosive power in wrestlers.

Page 8: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 8

So why then am I detailing the Olympic lifts first in this E-Book? I am doing so because they are

still widely used in a large number of strength and conditioning programs for wrestlers around the

world. It would be completely irresponsible of me to not include some information and descriptions on

the Olympic lifts even though I usually implement different methods to increase explosive power. Are

my methods superior? No, not necessarily. However, I think it is worth mentioning that at the time of

writing this, in the last 5 years of training wrestlers, 3 of my clients have won NCAA Division 1 National

Titles- Troy Nickerson (125lbs in 2009), J.P. O’Connor (157lbs in 2010), and a 3rd (2010-2012, I can’t

mention his name until he graduates due to NCAA compliance rules). That means that 20% of the 2010

NCAA National Champions were past clients!! Anyway, enough of that; let’s get into it!

Page 9: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 9

Hang Clean

Intro

The term “power” as a qualifier in front of an exercise refers to an abbreviated version of a

more involved and complicated exercise. In the case of the Power Clean, it simply means finishing the

lift in a standing position as opposed to a full front squat as you would see in the Olympics.

Before I get any further into this section, I want to first differentiate between a Power Clean and

a Hang Clean because I oftentimes use the terms interchangeably. While a Power Clean finishes in the

standing position, it is started with the bar on the ground.

A Hang Clean is performed from a standing position, and therefore is not only easier to learn but

also transfers easier to your performance on the mat (most of the power you generate in wrestling is

from a standing position, so it makes sense to me that developing power from this position will

optimally carryover). Here is a quick video of me performing my preferred variation of the Clean for

wrestlers, the Hang Clean- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4UVZTw_hec

The reason the Cleans are so popular in wrestling strength and conditioning programs is because

they increase explosive power and, when done correctly, many believe Cleans to be the best exercise for

converting the strength obtained during other exercises into power. Since the very nature of wrestling is

explosive, developing the ability to accelerate your body and/or an opponent’s body is paramount to

success.

The Hang Clean requires pulling the barbell up fast and high enough using power generated by

the hips and legs in an effort to catch it in the rack position. As a result, typically, the faster the barbell

comes up, the higher it will go and the higher the bar can be pulled the more weight can be cleaned.

Additionally, the higher the bar can be pulled to the shoulders is a direct result of power being

Page 10: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 10

generated by the legs and hips, the two primary areas we’re looking to target to make you a faster and

more powerful wrestler!

The reason I support the use of finishing Hang Cleans in a standing position versus a Front Squat

is because I’ve found a traditional Clean to put too much emphasis on getting under the bar and

catching it in a full Front Squat position. This is a BIG mistake I made in college. By focusing on finishing

in a deep Front Squat, I learned the hard way that you end up taking the focus off of maximizing your

power output to pull the bar as high as possible. As a result, while my Clean increased, I didn’t notice

my explosive power getting any better on the mat.

Since the purpose of using the Clean as a means to improve your performance on the mat, I

believe the Hang Clean is the best variation of the Clean for maximizing speed and power in wrestlers!

To further support this, past research studies have shown that vertical jump performance is

predictive of sports proficiency (in your case, your ability to perform at a high level as a wrestler) and

that Hang Clean performance is predictive of vertical jump performance as it has a direct and positive

correlation with the vertical jump. Therefore, the Hang Clean (and other Explosive Power Training lifts)

is believed by many to be the lift that bridges the gap between the strength and conditioning program

to on the mat performance!

Alright now that we’ve covered how and why the Hang Clean (and other explosive power

exercises) is most often used in wrestling strength and conditioning programs, let’s now get into a step-

by-step breakdown of the technique.

Page 11: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 11

Power Position

All of the Olympic lifts are developed around your Power Position. Your Power Position is

individually specific, but is easy for anyone to find. To get into your Power Position, simply lower

yourself into the same position you would as if I instructed you to perform a max vertical jump.

Once you have identified your Power Position, you are ready to start developing your Explosive

Power Training Plan as this is the position that all of the movements will center around. And why

wouldn’t they, right? I mean, if you are using a vertical jump to measure the effectiveness of your

explosive power production, wouldn’t it make sense that the movements you’re training center around

the power you can generate from your Power Position?!

This is why my wrestlers have been able to get so explosive without doing many traditional

Olympic lifts. All of the lower body explosive power training movements that they perform is all based

upon their ability to generate maximal power from the Power Position. This is the key to success

of any exercise aimed at increasing explosive power!

Page 12: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 12

Learning the Hang Clean

The Hang Clean is most often taught from the top down. This means that the rack position

(when the bar is resting across your shoulders) is taught first and then the subsequent parts are

introduced after the wrestler shows good technique at each stage. When the rack position becomes

comfortable, you’ll simply slide down a little at a time into the full Hang Clean, making the eventual

transition from partial movements to the full thing.

When learning how to perform a Hang Clean be sure to avoid muscling the weight up. Wrestlers

often have the tendency to do this with the lighter weights that are be used to learn the technique.

Instead, focus on developing smooth technique, just like you would learn a new wrestling move.

During the preliminary stages to learning the Hang Clean, you must become comfortable with

holding the bar in the Rack. However, due mostly to flexibility issues, many wrestlers who first try

learning the Hang Clean have a difficult time getting into the proper position. Don’t rush this process

and instead take the necessary time to develop the required flexibility. Don’t worry, I’ll show you lots of

exercises that will develop the explosive power you’re looking for that you can use during the time it

takes you to get comfortable under the bar.

Page 13: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 13

Front Squat

The Front Squat is introduced as the first exercise in most Clean instructional sequences. While

the technique for the Front Squat is not important for improving your Hang Clean (because you finish a

Hang Clean in an athletic stance, not in a full Front Squat), it is definitely still the best way to begin

teaching any variation of the Clean because it gets wrestlers comfortable in the Rack position.

Additionally, it’s a great builder of lower body strength and flexibility as well as core stability.

To begin a Front Squat, place a bar at about shoulder height in a power rack. Take double

overhand grip on the bar about a thumb length away from the start of the knurling (this will be

individually specific and is dependent upon flexibility and comfort levels). Rotate your elbows under the

bar as you step both feet under it. Because you may not have the flexibility for it immediately, your

elbows may point slightly outward and your triceps may not be parallel to the ground.

Lock your core and squat the bar off of the rack by standing straight up. Take a step back with

both feet and position them on the floor a little wider than hip width apart with your toes pointed out

slightly.

Begin the exercise by driving your hips back and bending at the knees so that you begin to squat

straight down. As you lower yourself focus on keeping your feet flat and your knees out. Once you have

lowered yourself to a parallel position (tops of thighs parallel to the ground) or below parallel position

squat back up to the starting position.

On the way up put extra emphasis on driving your elbows up as you drive with your legs. This

will prevent you from falling forward and/or losing your balance. When you’ve completed your set,

return the bar to the hooks.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStPjvF8DzQ

If you are having trouble getting low with the Front Squat, or any Squat for the matter, check

out these links to some of my past blog posts about hip and lower body flexibility:

Page 14: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 14

http://www.wrestler-power.com/strength-wrestling-diagnostic-tip/

http://www.wrestler-power.com/squat-stripper/

http://www.wrestler-power.com/proper-hamstring-stretching/

http://www.wrestler-power.com/positional-release-wrestling/

http://www.wrestler-power.com/2-positional-releases-wrestlers/

Once you are comfortable with the Front Squat, you are ready to move on.

Page 15: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 15

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

To begin this exercise, place a barbell in the hooks of a Power Rack at about a mid-thigh height

or load up a bar on the floor for which to Deadlift to the starting position. Take a double overhand grip

about a thumb length from the start of the knurling. You can also use an alternate grip if you’re looking

to use heavier weights than you’d be able to Power Clean, but for learning and transferability purposes

stick with a double overhand grip initially.

Lift the bar off the hooks by standing up with it and step back into the center of the rack. Arch

your back and lock your core into place. Bring your chest up and look straight ahead. Bend at your

knees slightly while simultaneously driving your hips back as you begin to lower into your Power

Position.

Once you have reached your Power Position, if your flexibility allows (it should), continue to

lower the bar past your knee and down your shins. Once you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, return to

the starting position by driving your hips forward and pulling the bar up your legs until you are standing.

It is of the utmost importance that your back stay arched throughout this exercise both for

safety’s sake and so that you are able to optimally transfer the RDL to a better Power Clean.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpeo5YM9n60

Page 16: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 16

Hang Clean Starting Position

Begin by placing your feet directly under your hips with your toes forward. Your shins should be

a couple inches away from a bar that is loaded and on the ground. The bar should be no more than over

the middle of your foot.

Once your footing is set, squat down to the bar by driving your hips back and bending at the

knees. Keep your feet flat throughout this process while putting forth a strong effort to keep your

bodyweight on the mid to upper portion of your feet.

Take a double overhand grip on the bar about a thumbs length from the start of the knurling on

the bar. Your shoulders should be slightly in front of the bar and your elbows should be rotated out.

Inflate your lungs, arch your back, look straight ahead and perform a Deadlift so that you are standing

upright with the bar.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSQoI9qwbYs

If you’re having trouble getting into this position follow the blog series I wrote here-

http://www.wrestler-power.com/strength-wrestling/

Page 17: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 17

Power Position

Once you are standing with the bar, you’re ready to lower to your Power Position. Drive your

hips back and bend at the knees slightly until the bar is across the middle of your thighs. A big mistake

made by many wrestlers is bending too much at the knees and not driving their hips back far enough.

Think of it almost like you’re performing a shortened range of motion Romanian Deadlift.

Additionally, from a muscle functioning perspective, the hamstrings and glutes extend the hips

so loading them by assuming a proper Power Position will help you to maximize your power output

during the Hang Clean.

Here’s a video demonstrating getting into Power Position-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXun7obTrdY

Page 18: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 18

Jump Shrug/Power Shrug

Once you have reached your Power Position and the bar is mid-thigh, begin to aggressively drive

your hips toward the bar by beginning to extend at your hips, knees, and ankles. While you’re driving

your hips into the bar, simultaneously begin to put forth a strong effort to jump off the ground with the

barbell. Continue this until you have reached a full triple extension position and you’re literally on your

toes right before you’re about to leave the ground.

Continue to drive the bar upward by allowing your feet to leave the ground as you literally try to

jump the weight up (if the weight is light enough your feet will most likely leave the ground, however if

the weight is maximal, you may not get much, if any liftoff from the ground). As you reach this position

begin to carry that power from your lower body to your upper body by shrugging as explosively as

possible.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnA-y1Yu04s

Page 19: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 19

High Pull

As you reach the peak of your Jump Shrug, you will begin to pull the bar up farther by lifting

your elbows toward the ceiling so that the bar’s momentum continues until the bar is at chest height.

As soon as you begin to pull the bar up, you’ll notice that you’re also going to begin pulling yourself

down slightly as your feet begin to return to the ground.

If you only get efficient at a High Pull, that’s still great as it’s an exercise I have the wrestlers I

train use regularly, especially toward the end of the season to help maximize their power for the big end

of the year tournaments.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWXI93-9zP8

Page 20: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 20

Rack and Rack Drill

As soon as you reach the peak of your High Pull and you begin to travel back down to the ground

from the peak of your explosive effort you need to focus on a few things. First, get your feet flat on the

ground as soon as possible. This means driving them at such a rate that a “stomping” noise is often

made. While you’re doing this you should also begin to rotate your elbows forward and under the bar.

Your wrists will begin to bend back as the bar starts to come in contact with your shoulders. As the bar

settles in to the rack position bend at the knees slightly to cushion the impact of the bar against your

body.

The Rack Drill is an exercise I learned from long time Cornell Wrestling Strength Coach Tom

Dilliplane. To perform it, set up a bar across safety pins in a Power Rack at chest height. Take a double

overhand grip about a thumb length from the start of the knurling. Lift your elbows up toward the

ceiling so they are at the top of a High Pull position (the bar should still be across the hooks or safety

pins).

When you are ready drive your elbows under the bar as quickly as possible and get into the Rack

Position. The focus of this exercise is 100% speed and precision to get you used to quickly and

accurately Racking the weight.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMj2p4Cwbb8

Page 21: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 21

Jerk

Intro

The Jerk is second Olympic lift I’m going to introduce in this eBook. To be honest, I use the

traditional barbell Jerk from time to time in my programs with my wrestlers, but I regularly have them

perform this exercise with a dumbbell or Kettlebell. While the Jerk is executed very quickly like the

Hang Clean, I feel as though it’s much easier to learn.

Contrary to how similar it looks to a barbell overhead press, a Jerk is far from an upper body

exercise. In fact, when performed correctly the arms and shoulders only push the body under the bar

and stabilize it overhead in the final position.

Earlier, in the Hang Clean section, I wrote about how I fell victim to performing full Cleans as

opposed to Power Cleans in college and how that ended up not improving my performance as I had

intended them to. Jerks, on the other hand, paid HUGE dividends for me in terms of my explosiveness

on the mat.

In fact, I still vividly remember performing Jerks in the Power Racks of the Hill Center weight

room (the athletes’ only gym at Ithaca College). Because it was a Division 3 school, over the summer

very few athletes would stay and train. In fact, in regards to the wrestling team, only me and my long

time friend and training partner, KC Beach, would stay each and every summer to take full advantage of

some good training sessions.

Because the campus would slow down so much over the summer, we’d have to break into the

Hill Center just to lift. Once we got up there, we always did our best to stay quiet so as to not alert

anyone that we were up there training hard. We always had good alibis ready just in case, but we tried

to stay quiet none-the-less. That is, unless it was a day we were doing Jerks.

Page 22: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 22

Being two competitive guys, KC and I would regularly work up and beyond what we were

planning on lifting that day and continually get into contests to see who could lift the most weight. I

swear KC liked doing Jerks just because he liked to drop the weight from over his head to see how much

noise it would make. Man that would piss me off LOL!!

While we definitely both benefited on the mat from performing this lift, I’ll still never forget a

few of KC’s missed attempts where a barbell loaded with 270+ pounds would come crashing down

across the pins! …Anyway, sorry for the quick aside; let’s get back to business.

Just like the Hang Clean (and all of the Explosive Power Training movements), the Jerk centers

around your ability to generate force from your Power Position. In fact, high level lifters have been able

to Jerk 2-3 times their bodyweight! Unlike the Power Clean, however, the Jerk has 2 finishes (Power and

Split), which I will introduce to you later.

As I mentioned earlier, while the Jerk is a quick lift, there are actually a number of different

stages that you go through to properly execute it. So let’s get into exactly what you need to do to

properly perform a Jerk.

Page 23: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 23

Learning the Jerk

As opposed to the Hang Clean, the Jerk is a relatively simple and straightforward movement that

closely resembles an Overhead Press (which I’m sure you’re familiar with if you’ve ever lifted weights

before). In fact, once the bar feels comfortable to you in the starting position, some quick experience

with pressing a bar overhead is all that’s really needed.

Overhead Press

The Overhead Press is an extremely important lift for developing strength in the shoulders and

triceps as well as stability throughout the upper body and core. To perform an Overhead Press, set a

barbell in a rack at the same height you would to perform a Jerk. If you are too tall (which results in the

plates hitting the top of the rack) simply set the bar up outside the rack.

Take a double overhand grip on the bar about a thumbs length away from the start of the

knurling and slightly squat under it (about a quarter squat). Stand up with the bar with your wrists

locked (this is very different than the starting position with the Jerk). The bar should be against the tops

of your shoulders.

Step back, set your feet up the same way you would to perform either a Front Squat or a Jerk,

and lock your knees by squeezing your quads. Once you are in a stable position, press the bar straight

up while simultaneously leaning back just enough so that the bar does not hit your chin or face as it’s

pressed up. Once the bar is over your head, bring your head forward and continue to press the bar

straight up until it is locked out overhead.

Return the bar under control to the starting position and repeat for reps. Even though we’re

using the Overhead Press to prepare you to perform a Jerk, be sure to avoid using your legs to aid in

driving the bar up.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rib0dWfl7hk

Page 24: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 24

Push Press

The Push Press is nearly identical to a Jerk; you’ll just be using less of a leg drive. In fact, if

you’ve ever done a heavy set of Overhead Presses, you may have actually performed a Push Press as you

fought to squeeze out another one or two reps at the end of a set by driving slightly with your legs.

Set the bar up the same way you would to perform an Overhead Press. Once you have walked

the weight out and are in the starting position, begin to dip by bending at the knees and driving your

hips back slightly. Go about halfway to your Power Position before redirecting your dip into a drive.

Keep in mind that there is a difference between the drive for a Push Press and the drive for a Jerk- the

drive for the Push Press should be much less explosive.

Instead of exploding off of the ground, simply use your legs to drive yourself onto your toes

while you press the bar overhead using the momentum from your leg drive. Because the drive you use

for the Push Press is less than that for a Jerk, you’ll have to lock the weight out overhead by pressing it

the last few inches. An important technique point to keep in mind here is to not lean back to squeeze

out one last rep as this may result in an injury to your back. Other than that, a Push Press is identical to

a Jerk. Once you are comfortable with performing a Push Press, you’re ready to move on to the Jerk!

Here’s a link to a blog post I wrote better detailing the difference as well as the execution-

http://www.wrestler-power.com/training-wrestling-db-push-press/

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U02WQd5YUME

Page 25: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 25

Phases of the Jerk

Starting Position

The Jerk is performed in competition immediately after the completion of a Clean. However, I

normally have my wrestlers perform this exercise separately, and almost always from a rack; so I’ll

introduce it that way. However, if you don’t have enough room to safely perform a Jerk in or outside of

a power rack, your best bet is to perform a Hang Clean to get the bar into proper starting position and

then perform the exercise from there.

Position a bar in hooks that are set up outside of a power rack at the same height you would if

you were going to perform a Front Squat (if you’re short enough where the bar or plates won’t hit the

top of the rack you can set it up in the rack just as you would for a Front Squat).

Take double overhand grip on the bar about a thumb length away from the start of the knurling

(this will be individually specific and is dependent upon flexibility and comfort levels). Rotate your

elbows under the bar as you step both feet under the bar. Drive your elbows up in an attempt to

position your triceps parallel to the floor. I personally don’t get too crazy with this as I’ve experimented

with both and don’t like performing the Jerk from a full Rack Position.

Lock your core and squat the bar off of the rack. Take a step back with both feet and position

them on the floor a little wider than hip width apart.

Page 26: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 26

Dip and Drive

The dip is simple, and should be fairly easily performed, especially after your Power Position

becomes second nature to you. With the bar solidly in place across your shoulders, lower yourself into

your Power Position with as much speed as you’re comfortable with. The faster you can do this, the

greater potential you’ll have to produce maximal power. Avoid going so fast that the bar escapes your

shoulders during your dip. Additionally, don’t push yourself to go fast when you first begin; operate at a

speed that is comfortable to you.

As soon as you’ve reached your Power Position, stop your descent and then rapidly begin to

explode upward in a vertical jump. Because the Jerk is nearly a straight up and down explosive lift, I

actually like it more for building the lower body power necessary to produce BIG speed and throws on

the mat.

Use the same power generated by your triple extension in the Jerk as you would use for the

Hang Clean. As you rise up on your toes, begin to drive the bar off your chest directing the bar up with

your shoulders. Be sure to keep your chin back slightly as the bar begins to travel in front of your face.

Once the bar has been driven a few inches off your chest after you’ve completed your maximal

upward explosion, you’ll begin to set up for your catch. The first catch, the Power Catch, is the one I use

with my wrestlers and the second catch, the Split Catch is the one Coach Dilliplane favors with his

wrestlers.

Page 27: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 27

Power Catch

I find the Power Catch easiest to learn because you don’t need to move your feet. I also like it

because it forces you to produce maximal power from your lower body and hips, instead of doing just

enough to split under the bar to catch it (remember my story about how full Cleans didn’t improve my

performance? I compare the Split Catch to a full Front Squat finish for the Clean).

To finish a Jerk in the Power Position will almost feel natural after performing Hang Cleans. Just

like in the Hang Clean, once you have reached your maximal vertical explosion, begin to focus on quickly

returning your feet flat to the ground and “pressing” your body under the bar. I put pressing in quotes

because in order to perform a proper Jerk, there is actually no pressing or muscling up of the weight. It

is one explosive, fluid motion.

Once you are under the weight lock your elbows and firmly settle into your Power Position with

the bar secure and stable overhead (known as the “catch”). Return to a fully standing position with the

bar locked overhead to complete the Power Jerk.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOvJWv5L2Iw

Page 28: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 28

Split Catch

While the Split Catch seems a bit more complicated, Coach Dilliplane has told me that is has

been his finding that this actually comes naturally to wrestlers simply because of the thousands of

penetration steps they’ve taken in their lives. He also says that wrestlers will always step the foot

forward that they’d normally take their penetration step with. So for what looks to be a complicated

movement, he has found it actually comes easily to wrestlers!

To complete a Split Catch simply drive your penetration step forward and your other leg back

simultaneously as you return your feet to the ground from your maximal vertical explosion. It is

suggested by most Olympic Coaches that the distance between your two feet should be somewhere

between 2 and 2 ½ feet apart. However, don’t get too caught up in this suggestion. Remember- you’re

a wrestler just trying to become more explosive, not an Olympic lifter trying to maximize the amount of

weight you can Jerk.

Complete the Split Catch by “pressing” yourself under the bar while simultaneously catching

your body and the bar in a bent knees position with your arms locked out with the bar overhead. Once

you have the bar secured overhead, quickly step your front foot back and then your back foot forward

meeting halfway so that you are fully upright and the bar is still locked overhead.

Here’s a video demonstrating this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5zTOHvKhHQ

Page 29: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 29

Returning the Weight

The final phase of the Jerk is returning the weight. There are two ways to do this. First, you can

lower it back to your shoulders if you are planning to perform more reps (as I demonstrate in both the

Power Catch video and Split Catch video above). Do so by lowering it as much as you can under control

while simultaneously bending at the knees to cushion the bar against your shoulders.

The second way is the way I mentioned above when I told the story of KC. Simply direct the bar

to the floor while stepping back so that it does not hit you. Make sure to keep your hands on or near

the bar if you are using bumper plates to prevent it from bouncing and hitting you after. DO NOT drop

the barbell to the floor like this if you are using standard iron plates or the gym you’re lifting at doesn’t

allow it as it’s a good way to get yourself kicked out in the middle of a training session!!

On a side note, if you’re looking for a serious gym that will allow this, check out this locator-

http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/node/4420

Page 30: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 30

Strength-Speed Exercises

Intro

The same reasons as to why you’d perform a Hang Clean or Jerk to increase power for wrestling

are the same as to why you’d perform the exercises detailed below. Why? They all fall under the same

Strength-Speed category. In a nutshell (for those of you who regularly read my blogs on Wrestler-

Power.com this is nothing new) Strength-Speed exercises are performed with heavier implements and

the speed at which the exercises are executed are lower than those detailed in the Speed-

Strength/Plyometric category which use lighter implements and/or your body weight.

That said, while Strength-Speed exercises are typically slower due to the heavier weights, they

should still be performed explosively. In fact, choosing your weights to ensure the power output

remains high is of the utmost importance for getting maximal benefits from Strength-Speed exercises.

For example, just the other day I was performing DB Jerks during my Friday workout. Although

my right shoulder was a little banged up, I was feeling good and moving the weight pretty fast.

However, once I got to 80lbs I noticed I just didn’t feel as explosive as I did with the 75lb dumbbell;

especially with my right arm due to the shoulder that was bothering me. So, rather than sacrifice my

execution speed, I choose to move back down to 75lbs; the heaviest weight at which I did not feel my

speed was being compromised because of the external resistance.

So while percentages are typically used with Olympic-style Power Programs (and I myself use

them from time to time), it is of more importance that you go by feel when training for maximal power

output and development. So keep this in mind when you’re implementing these exercises below and

following the plans in the Speed-Strength/Plyometric eBook.

Page 31: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 31

Strength-Speed Exercises

Kettlebell Exercises

Below are the exercises along with brief descriptions of the Kettlebell exercises I have the

wrestlers I train perform. I’ve listed them in order of how I progress them from the most basic to the

most complex. So follow work them into your program to develop the proper foundation for Kettlebell

training before progressing.

Kettlebell Swing- This is the most basic of Kettlebell lifts for power. It’s fairly easy to perform, but takes

some practice to get the purpose of the exercise mastered (maximal hip extension to propel the bell).

Take a double overhand grip and deadlift the KB to a standing position. From there lower into your

Power Position and lightly swing the bell between your legs. Once it’s as far back as it will go drive your

hips forward snapping them at the top to propel the bell up to chest level. Keep your lats tight

throughout and pull the KB back to the starting position once it’s reached peak height. Your feet should

remain flat on the ground throughout.

Kettlebell Clean- This is the next exercise in the Kettlebell progression. Much like the Hang Clean, the

rack position with a KB takes some time to get used to. If I have a wrestler that is having difficulty

performing KB Cleans due to issues with the rack position, I’ll have him simply walk around the gym with

the KB in the rack and/or perform squats and overhead presses with the bell in this position. Regardless

of what you do to get a feeling for the position, once the rack position is comfortable, the exercise is

easy to learn. Again, all of the power is being generated from the Power Position as the KB is pulled

much like a Hang Clean to the rack position. Be sure to finish each rep by showing control of the bell in

the rack position rather than simply bouncing it off your shoulder and returning it for the next rep.

Page 32: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 32

Consistency with your reps and showing control at the end of each one will help you know when to

progress to the next weight.

While there can be a lot of issues with this exercise or any other Strength-Speed exercise in

terms of attaining maximal power output, I recently read an article in Power magazine by Glenn Pendlay

going over Power Cleans. In it he said that the one thing he found to correct most of the mistakes with

Power exercises is forcefully stomping your feet as you reach the completion of the exercise. This helps

to place a strong emphasis on generating maximal power from your legs and hips. If you listen to the

Kettlebell Clean video, or any other Strength-Speed exercise for that matter, you should be able to hear

my feet land upon the completion of each rep.

Kettlebell Clean and Jerk- This is essentially the same as above, just with a Jerk added to make it a two

part lift. Once you perform the Clean and have the KB secured in the rack position, lower yourself back

to your Power Position (do so slowly to prevent the bell from “jumping” from your body which will make

the Jerk very difficult to complete and could injure your shoulder). Once you’ve reached your Power

Position explode back up in an effort to perform a vertical jump with the bell. At the peak of your jump

transfer the power generated from your lower body to your upper body as you continue to direct the

bell overhead. Stomp your feet and catch yourself under the bell to complete the Jerk. Return it in the

reverse order to begin your next rep.

Kettlebell Snatch- The KB Snatch along with the Double Hand KB Snatch are probably my two favorites

in terms of Strength-Speed Kettlebell exercises. I really think the triple extension and the hip power

needed to complete a KB Snatch transfers over to the mat as good as any exercise (to see what I mean

watch the speed of my hip extension during the KB Snatch and compare it to the KB Clean, Jerk, or any

other exercise). To perform it, start by lowering into your Power Position while holding a bell in one of

Page 33: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 33

your hands. Again, just like any Explosive Power Training movement, explode once you have reached

your power position. The upper body pull is very similar to that of a KB Clean, it just continues as you

pull the bell overhead and settle in under it. Because you finish the lift overhead with one powerful

triple extension, I feel as though the legs and hips need to work overtime to produce the power needed

to successfully complete a rep; making this a great lift for wrestlers. So while this exercise may take a

little time to get used to, once you do I suggest you keep it in your regular rotation.

Kettlebell Swing + Band- This exercise is the same as the Swing, the only difference is the addition of the

band. As you can see by the video the band forces your hips to work harder to produce the power

necessary to drive the bell to the peak of the movement. In addition, the band helps with pulling it back

into position faster which will set off a stronger stretch reflex. All in all greater power output is achieved

with this exercise, so when you’re ready, work it into your program for a few weeks and see how your

performance on the mat improves.

Double Hand Kettlebell Snatch- To perform the Double Hand Kettlebell Snatch, position your feet on

either side of the Kettlebell and take a double overhand grip. Lower your hips, arch your back and

perform a Deadlift to lift it to the starting position. From there drive your hips back which will lower the

bell straight down to just about between your knees. Drive your hips forward and drive your legs into

the ground in an attempt to jump as high as you can. At the peak of your jump begin to pull the bell over

your head by shrugging and then performing an Upright Row as you direct it overhead.

Keep in mind that at no point during this exercise should you be performing the lift with your

upper body; it is simply used to direct the bell overhead from the force being produced by your lower

body and hips. Once the bell is overhead, stabilize it in the bottoms up position. This will help build

your reactive grip strength as well as your shoulder and core stability making this a great strength

Page 34: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 34

training for wrestling exercise. Return the bell as shown in the video to the starting position and repeat

for the necessary reps.

Double Kettlebell Clean- The next two KB exercises I tend to use only with my most experienced guys

and also with guys who can handle the 88lb KB (the heaviest at my gym) with ease and are therefore in

need of more resistance. I’m fortunate to have a pair of 71 and 53lb KBs that guys can perform Double

Cleans with if they need an additional challenge or I want to change things up with them to keep their

bodies from adapting to the power training they’ve been doing. So give these a shot if you have a pair

of KBs that are the same size, just make sure to pay close attention to your fingers. I’ve banged mine

between two bells before while performing Double Cleans and let me tell you, it’s not fun!

Double Kettlebell Clean and Jerk- Much like the Double KB Clean, the Double KB Clean and Jerk is

performed the same as with one bell. Be sure to treat both the Clean and the Jerk as two separate

movements. What I mean by this is sometimes guys I train will not get a full triple extension on the

Clean and will stay in a squat after they’ve racked the bells before they perform the Jerk rather than

performing the Clean, getting settled, and then performing the Jerk. Notice in the video how I perform

each lift separately even though I’m doing one after the other.

Page 35: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 35

Other Strength-Speed Exercises

Below are the other strength-speed exercises I perform and have my wrestlers perform. I’ve

decided to lump them all into one category because there’s only a couple of different exercises we do

with each implement. Regardless, they’re all great exercises to add into your program, and if you don’t

have access to KBs, they’ll provide a bulk of your strength-speed training.

Power Squat Flip- While you may not have access to a Power Squat machine, there’s a good chance

there’s some kind of squat machine at the gym you go to. So play around with some different variations

like this on the one you have available to you. Essentially that’s how my training partner and I came

across this; we were just trying to come up with easy to implement alternatives to traditional Olympic

lifting and came up with this explosive Tire Flip alternative. So try it out and get creative if you have to.

Power Squat Jerk- Much like the Power Squat Flip, you may need to get a little creative with the squat

machine(s) you have at the gym you train at. The Jerk should be a little easier to perform though as it

doesn’t require such a low starting position which some machines may not allow for safety reasons.

Grappler Jerk- While you may not have access to a Grappler (video of a Grappler and it’s many uses), to

perform this exercise all you need to do is anchor the end of a bar in a corner or against something that

it can wedge into and not move around. Here’s a video of a press being performed with a bar wedged in

a tire tread. As you can see setting up a “Grappler” at your gym shouldn’t be too difficult so try out this

Jerk variation.

Grappler Twist- The Grappler Twist is one of my top 3 ways to build rotational power on the feet (the

other two are the Band Twist and Rope Ball). Keep the weight at a level that allows you to perform the

Page 36: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 36

exercise explosively, but don’t be afraid to add weight each set so long as your speed stays high as this is

a strength-speed exercise. Focus on creating as much force at the side of your hip to drive the bar over

to the other side. Much like the other exercises in this section, your arms should not be doing the work;

it’s all from your legs, hips, and, in this case, core.

Barbell Jump Squat- The Barbell Jump Squat is a great way to build lower body and hip power, but what

I like best about it is that it can be performed at almost any gym. While some of the exercises above

require specialized equipment, or tweaking things a bit, the Jump Squat only requires you have a barbell

and some weight (and not even a lot, I don’t have my guys use more than 30% of their max Squat for

this exercise). Even if you don’t have a rack you can Clean the barbell and get it on your back (I’ve

written programs for a wrestler before who had a bench, but not a rack so he had to Clean the barbell to

get it on his back to perform Squats, Front Squats, etc.). Anyway, it’s as simple as performing a Squat

and then jumping up as violently as possible. The landing is key though! Be sure to cushion your landing

using the landing techniques introduced in the Speed-Strength section below.

Page 37: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 37

Plyometric/Speed-Strength Exercises

Intro

Alright, now that we’ve covered two of the Olympic lifts, their progressions and the other

strength-speed exercises I use to develop explosive power in wrestlers, it’s time to get into the various

speed-strength exercises that I use with the wrestlers that I train to build explosive power!

Speed-strength is one type of explosive power that, when developed, will improve your

performance in certain areas on the mat. Speed-strength is improved by using your bodyweight or VERY

light weights (we’re talking 10lb medicine balls and things like that). The primary objective of improving

speed-strength for wrestling is improved speed with your own bodyweight. Improved speed-strength

will increase the speed and power at which you take shots, stand up off the bottom, sprawl, scramble,

and create effective motion on the mat.

In terms of what I’ve personally noticed in speed-strength training I do for MMA- I feel much

more athletic in training and in the cage. I’m able to move a lot quicker and do a lot more than I was

previously able to do when simply spending time lifting weights for strength when I was in the weight

room. Additionally, my training partner who plays college Lacrosse has said the same thing. In fact, he

was recently “promoted” to Long-Stick Midfielder (I have no idea what this means, lol) which he

informed me is usually filled by the fastest and most athletic kid on the team. Keep in mind that we’re

both self-admitted former fat guys who were not in the least bit athletic in high school.

One important thing to keep in mind with speed-strength is that it is also improved by actually

wrestling. Being quick on the mat is as much a function of your ability to time and react to your

opponent as it is how good you are at performing speed-strength exercises. However, by combining the

speed-strength exercises I’m going to detail with an already rigorous on-the-mat training schedule as I’m

Page 38: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 38

sure you’re already doing, you’re certain to see marked improvement with your speed and power in the

situations I detailed above.

In a nutshell, utilizing speed-strength exercises (plyometrics) is one of the methods for

developing explosive power for wrestling. As a result, coaches and wrestlers alike have taken notice to

the improvements plyometrics can elicit. As such, they have begun to integrate various plyometric

exercises into their training programs. However, there is a lot that goes in to both exercise selection and

programming which will help maximize your potential.

While the exact science behind plyometrics is unknown, there is a lot known in the field of

strength and conditioning that can help explain exactly how and why they are so effective. The human

body is continually being acted upon by external forces. These forces cause the muscles to contract.

The contractions that occur can be both positive (concentric, active shortening of muscles like pressing a

bar off your chest) and negative (eccentric, active lengthening of muscles like lowering a bar to your

chest).

The energy needed to perform an eccentric action is less than that of a concentric action (which

is why you can lower a bar to your chest but can sometimes not press it back up). Because of this

different relationship between input and output of energy, there exists a higher mechanical efficiency in

eccentric movements than in concentric movements. Additionally, force production during eccentric

contractions is higher.

Why is all this science crap significant?!? Because when eccentric actions are performed at

moderate to high speeds (commonly seen in jumps, bounds, etc.) the muscles called upon to perform

the work are fast-twitch muscle fibers. These fibers have higher firing frequencies, are larger, and

produce more force per motor unit than any other muscle fiber type!!

In summary, because of various factors within your body that influence force, eccentric to rapid

concentric muscle actions (as seen in various jumps and other explosive efforts) produce the greatest

Page 39: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 39

force and power capabilities in your muscles! That’s why plyometrics work and that’s why you NEED to

do them to maximize your explosive power!!

Page 40: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 40

Considerations

Before I get into the specifics of the exercises, I first want to introduce a couple considerations

from the two plyo books I reference. These considerations are meant to maximize your safety.

Remember- you can’t win matches when you’re sidelined with an injury, and believe me, I’ve injured

myself (muscle tears in my legs) by not properly assessing and preparing myself for plyometric

workouts. There are a number of factors to consider, so let’s get right into it.

The first aspect to consider when planning to engage in a plyometric program is your age.

Chronological age is an important consideration because pre-pubescent individuals should not

participate in high intensity plyometrics. The continual growth of the skeletal system, cartilage at the

epiphyseal plates, and joint surfaces make the extreme forces of some plyometric exercises destructive.

Light/low intensity plyos are ok; in fact, as a young wrestler, I’m sure you’ve already performed a

number of varieties in the wrestling room including various skips, hops, and jumps.

Your physical capabilities and health limitations must also be brought into consideration. For

example, assess your ankle/calf flexibility by standing in front of a bench press and placing your foot flat

on top of it. Drive the knee of the foot on the bench forward. If you can drive your knee over your toe

while keeping your foot flat on the bench, you have enough ankle flexibility for proper landings in

various plyometric jumps.

Similarly, look back to any past injuries you may have sustained. For example, a previous knee

injury may prevent you from performing certain exercises without pain or it may compromise your

ability to land from a jump in proper position. If either of these situations are the case, know your body

and make the necessary adjustments to exercises that you can perform properly. For example,

yesterday I tried performing Single Leg Jumps to a box. However, due to a nagging right ankle injury, I

was unable to perform the jumps with my right leg nearly as well as my left. I was unable to get full

Page 41: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 41

triple extension to get off the ground and was landing very poorly. As you may have guessed, I dropped

the exercise for the day and just worked on some lower intensity plyos that I could perform without

putting my ankle at risk for further agitation.

Your genetic makeup is another BIG factor in your success with plyometrics, and your training in

general. In fact, I was taught in college that genetics are the #1 predictor of athletic success. Second

was training, and third was nutrition (two things you can, and should control!). The fact of the matter is

no matter how hard you hammer your explosive power training; if you just don’t have the genetic

makeup (your body isn’t full of Type-II muscle, aka Fast Twitch, fibers) you will only get so explosive.

That’s not to say that you won’t benefit from this style of training. Here, let me give you an example of

two wrestlers I’ve worked with for a few years.

The first wrestler, Colin, is about 5’7” and weighs about 240lbs in the off-season (as you can

imagine, he’s a pretty stocky guy). He has Box Squatted 565lbs before. But, for as strong as he is, he is

not as explosive. He’s pretty powerful, but not as powerful as you would expect a 565lb squatter to be.

The second wrestler, 4x NHSCAA National Champ Tyler Beckwith, has been training on and off

with me for a number of years. He weighs about 190lbs in the off-season and doesn’t lift as regularly

throughout the season as Colin does. As a result, he doesn’t make the continual gains Colin makes.

However, Tyler is able to come in at any given time and Log Clean into the high 200s; at least 60 more

pounds than Colin. He’s just a naturally explosive individual. I train both fairly similarly, but Colin

obviously responds better to more traditional strength training, while Tyler, being the naturally

explosive wrestler that he is, will always be able to perform better with explosive lifts.

Training experience with explosive exercises is another thing to consider before beginning a

plyometric program as it can be more important than chronological age. It is unfortunately too common

for mature, high-level wrestlers who are at the top of their on-the-mat game to suffer injuries from

explosive power training because they lack experience with it. Most of you reading this are doing so to

Page 42: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 42

benefit you personally, so it is of the utmost importance that you realistically determine your abilities by

reviewing some of the considerations above. Remember- you should always start light and work up.

With that in mind, let’s get into some landing drills that will help to prep your body for higher

intensity jumps in the future. Showing control and stability when performing the drills below will help to

best insure that you’re body is prepared for higher level plyos.

Page 43: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 43

My Thoughts On Implementing Plyos

I’ve read a bunch of different rules in lots of fancy books (good old college!) as to what to use as

an indicator(s) in regards to when to start a wrestler with plyos, but in all honesty I don’t follow them.

Running and sprinting are considered plyos and I’d venture to guess any wrestler in the world has done

both of those activities. In addition, as you know various jumps are as well and you can’t tell me a

wrestler hasn’t jumped at least once in their life before. So rather than worry about the little things, I

just start them off with the basics and progress them as soon as they show consistent proficiency with

the exercise.

…As I’m writing this I decided to take a short Facebook break and saw that one of my mentors,

Jim Wendler, posted a new article on T-Nation where he gives his thoughts on implementing plyos.

Below is an excerpt from the article. For the rest of it Click Here.

There’s been a lot of confusion about the role of jumping, throwing, and different explosive

movements in training. It’s reached the point that no one seems to be “ready” for them. Some experts

have deemed that a lifter must achieve a certain level of strength in the main lifts (double bodyweight

squat for example) before embarking on any type of jumping program.

Apparently, this rule does not apply to my 7-year-old-son and his classmates at recess, or they

just choose to ignore it as they run, hop, and jump until the bell rings. Perhaps in 10 years, my son will

read these experts and become, like many, totally paralyzed in training. But not if I have anything to say

about it. So let’s clear things up now.

First, unless you’re terribly obese, have no coordination, and/or play World of Warcraft your

entire life, you can jump. If you’re reading T-NATION, you probably can jump better than the average

mouth breather. You may no be fielding offers for track and field scholarships, but you can do it. If you

Page 44: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 44

still doubt that you can, please expect more from yourself. Seriously, Doctors put animal hearts into

humans to allow them to live, so I don’t think it’s asking a lot that you get a little air under your feet.

Second, your jumping programming doesn’t have to be “Russian” or whatever the new pseudo-

underground buzzword is. If you want to jump in your training, the best way to do it is to jump.

Seriously, don’t over-think it too much.

Third, you don’t have to “max” out in your jumps every time. As long as the height of the box in

a box jump or the distance to travel in a long jump challenges you, you’re doing it right. Don’t think that

every time you leave your feet that you have to set some kind of personal record. It’s not necessary.

You can’t jump a challenging height or distance slow, so stop stressing about it.

…Man, I’m glad Jim was able to put into words the thoughts that were going through my head

right now. Anyway, I really like his philosophy on training- don’t make excuses that you’re not ready for

this or you can’t do this exercise because you don’t have the right equipment. Instead, make do with

what you have. It’s more about pushing yourself to get better every training session than it is getting

worried about small stuff that’s out of your control.

Alright, now that we’ve covered that, let’s get into some basic landing drills I use to build a basic

foundation in the wrestlers I train.

Page 45: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 45

Plyometric Landing Drills

Learning how to land is of the utmost importance when it comes to performing plyometric

exercises. Not only will training your body to land properly enable you to better absorb force thereby

optimally preparing your body to redirect it as forcefully as possible but it will also help train your joints

to stabilize properly so you can avoid injuries.

There are two important things to keep in mind while landing; but in a nutshell you want to land

in an athletic stance. First, train yourself to land in your Power Position. This will best prepare you to

explode immediately for reactive jumps.

Additionally, try to cushion the landing as much as possible. Basically, you should focus on

landing as quietly as possible.

Here are the landing drills I first start the wrestlers I train using to build the proper base. Once

they show proficiency with them I’ll move them on into some of the progression detailed further on in

this eBook.

Double Leg Bench Landing- This is the first exercise I begin a wrestler with. Don’t worry about working

up in height for this exercise. Just perform a few and make sure you feel comfortable and land properly.

If you don’t, practice these for a few weeks until you are and you’ll be ready to move on.

Box Jump- I like to implement Box Jumps early because they will build an explosive lower body and hips

and there isn’t a hard landing associated with it so the chances of sustaining an injury are low as the

wrestler develops their landing skills. Don’t get too carried away looking to increase the height early on.

Just get comfortable with performing each jump and landing properly. In addition, avoid jumping down

from the box. Instead, slide down like I do in the video or step down of the box is low enough.

Page 46: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 46

Vertical Jump With Landing- This is the next jump in the progression because there is a little more force

that travels through the body from the landing. It’s a great way to train your body to land properly and

softly and be in a ready position to jump again. While you shouldn’t jump again right away, training

your body to be ready will optimally prepare you for the various higher intensity reactive jumps later in

your training.

Horizontal Jump With Landing- Much like the Vertical Jump With Landing, the Horizontal version is

great at training your body to land properly so it’s ready for another explosive effort immediately after.

I’m a big proponent of explosive horizontal training for wrestling because in that’s the power you’ll be

looking to generate when shooting on your opponent. So while vertical power is great for mat returns

and getting off the bottom, developing your horizontal power equally important. So be sure to have a

good balance between all the jumps in your explosive power training program.

Low Intensity Reactive Vertical Jump- This is the first type of reactive jump I’ll have the wrestlers I train

perform. I don’t stress attaining a certain height or being as explosive as they can be. Rather, I just

want them to get a rhythm down and get comfortable with absorbing the force of a landing and

redirecting it into an explosive effort. In addition, this is a great way to warm-up before performing

higher intensity jumps on any given day. For instance, on days I am to perform reactive Vertical Jumps

and/or a heavy strength-speed exercise, I’ll perform a few sets of this for about 6-8 reps.

Low Intensity Reactive Horizontal Jump- The focus for this is the same as the Low Intensity Reactive

Vertical Jump only it’s performed horizontally. Again don’t worry about how far you jump, just get

Page 47: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 47

accustomed to putting about 5 jumps together give or take. Much like the vertical version, I oftentimes

use these as a warm-up before more intense horizontal jumping.

Short Pogo Jump- This is a lower intensity reactive jump that should mimic using a Speed Jump Rope as

much as possible. It’s a great way to warm up the ankles and get your Central Nervous System firing

before getting into higher intensity jumps. I personally perform a few of these as part of my warm-up

before most workouts.

Single Leg Bench Landing- Once you start developing a good base with double leg landings and jumps,

it’s time to move into single leg variations. As you know, I’m a big believer in developing both single leg

strength and power in wrestling because a large percentage of the time on the mat you’re looking to

develop power off of one leg at a time. So start preparing yourself for higher level single leg jumps by

first training your body to stabilize properly during a landing. As you can see by the video, it’s not the

easiest thing in the world.

Single Leg Jump To Bench- Much like the Box Jump, I like to start working in Single Leg Jumps to a bench

very soon so that the wrestler can start developing single leg power almost immediately without as

much of a fear of injury from an improper landing.

Single Leg Vertical Jump With Landing- Because there is more force to absorb and stabilize against, I like

to work this in once the wrestler shows a consistent ability to stabilize properly from a Single Leg Bench

Landing.

Page 48: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 48

Single Leg Horizontal Jump With Landing- Nearly identical to the vertical version, the only difference is

you jump horizontally for this jump making it a great way to build the single leg power that is as specific

as it gets for wrestling.

Lateral Jump With Landing- Another common movement in wrestling that oftentimes gets overlooked is

lateral movement (side to side movement). Cutting angles on shots is sometimes the only way you’re

able to finish and get 2 points, so training your body to move explosively in a lateral direction is of the

utmost importance. Again, focus on demonstrating good stability and landing appropriately to decrease

your risk of an ankle or knee injury on the mat.

Sample 4-Week Program

Here’s a sample 4 week program that incorporates the exercises above to build a solid base

before getting into some of the exercises below.

Week 1

Day 1: Double Leg Bench Landing 4x5, Box Jump 4x5

Day 2: Double Leg Bench Landing 4x5, Horizontal Jump With Landing 4x5

Day 3: Double Leg Bench Landing 4x5, Box Jump 4x5

Week 2

Day 1: Double Leg Bench Landing 4x5, Box Jump 4x5

Day 2: Box Jump 4x5, Vertical Jump With Landing 4x5

Day 3: Horizontal Jump With Landing 4x5, Vertical Jump With Landing 4x5

Page 49: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 49

Week 3

Day 1: Single Leg Bench Landing 4x5, Single Leg Jump To Bench 4x5

Day 2: Single Leg Bench Landing 4x5, Single Leg Vertical Jump With Landing 4x5

Day 3: Single Leg Vertical Jump With Landing 4x5, Lateral Jump With Landing 4x5

Week 4

Day 1: Lateral Jump With Landing 4x5, Single Leg Horizontal Jump With Landing 4x5

Day 2: Low Intensity Reactive Horizontal Jump 4x5, Short Pogo Jump 4x10

Day 3: Low Intensity Reactive Vertical Jump 4x5, Short Pogo Jump 4x10

The sets and reps suggested above are far from set in stone. While I do like the suggestions of

Chad Smith from Juggernaught Training (he suggests no more than 30 total high intensity jumps twice a

week in his BJJ Training Manual), because these are base building jumps, I wasn’t too concerned with

sticking to that.

Besides, are there days that I go over 30 jumps? Sure. Does my body shut down on jump 31

and say “Dickie, you went over the limit by 1 jump so we’re done for the day?” No. Remember, sets,

reps, and all that are just suggestions. Eventually you’ll learn to go by feel as you learn what your body

is going to best respond to.

Anyway, once you’re comfortable and confident in your ability to perform the base building

plyos above, you can start implementing the plyos below.

Page 50: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 50

Explosive Jump Training

Most of the jumps below are listed in order of single effort jumps which I’ll categorize as

medium-intensity, to reactive jumps which I’ll categorize as high-intensity. In terms of how I work these

into programs, I always start with a single effort, medium-intensity exercise of a certain direction

(vertical, horizontal, lateral) and follow that up with a reactive jump of the same direction. For example

I may begin with a Box Squat Vertical Jump and then follow that up with a Reactive Vertical Jump and/or

a Reactive Single Leg Vertical Jump.

Box Squat Vertical Jump- I’ve been using this exercise for a number of years and feel it’s a great way to

develop power from a “stalemate” position much like a Box Squat or Anderson Squat. There are two

ways to perform this exercise. The first (as shown in this video) is to rock back slightly and bring the feet

up. This helps to produce a little momentum as well as add a slight reactive component to the jump.

The second is to simply squat to the bench/box and pause without rocking or bringing the feet up.

Box Squat Horizontal Jump- Here’s the second variation of this jump that I just started working in within

the last couple months. This video shows the more difficult way to perform Box Squat Jumps- no

rocking or lifting the feet off the ground. I mix both styles in so don’t feel you have to always perform it

this way because harder is better. They’re both different and will both help to improve your power in

different directions on the mat.

High Pogo Jump- I really like these as I feel they do a great job of training powerful ankle extension. I

sometimes get the parents of the wrestlers I train asking me why we don’t do direct calf work like calf

presses and things like that. I always respond with the question that if I were to ask them to jump as

Page 51: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 51

high as they can with straight legs using only their calves to do so versus having them jump as high as

they can using typical vertical jump technique which one would enable them to get higher? Of course

you’ll be able to jump much higher from your Power Position because the hips are the point where

maximal power is generated. However, the calves do contribute and High Pogo Jumps are a much

better way to train functional, explosive ankle extension in wrestlers as opposed to calf presses.

Single Leg Bench Jump- This is a great exercise to build some serious single leg power. While

performing this keep a couple of things in mind. First, start with a lower box to get a feel for the

exercise before working up in height. Second, be sure to vary your box/bench heights to train your legs

to produce power at all different angles. Finally, control your landing to the best of your ability. Don’t

just fall to the ground after jumping as high as you can.

Lunge Jump- This is the reactive version of the Single Leg Bench Jump and has been a staple in the

power programs for the wrestlers I train for quite a while now.

KEY POINT APPLYING TO ALL REACTIVE JUMPS: Much like any other reactive exercise, when

you first begin focus on developing a good rhythm and getting maximal height. However, once you get

comfortable with it, the real focus should start to shift to minimizing the time you spend on the ground

between each rep. By cutting down on the time you spend on the ground (known as the amortization

phase) you’ll train your body to react quicker and with more power on the mat!

Double Leg Reactive Lateral Jump- I work this in from time to time with the wrestlers I train, but if I

have a choice, I almost always favor the single leg variation for this because I can’t think of a time when

you look to produce lateral power off of two legs in a match. Nonetheless this is still worth working in

as it will provide a different stimulus on your body. As with any other reactive jump focus on two things-

Page 52: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 52

minimizing your time on the ground and maximizing your height. Don’t worry so much about the height

of the object you’re jumping over. The last thing you want is to use something too high and trip over it

causing some kind of injury.

Reactive Lateral Jump- In terms of lateral jumps, this is my preferred style for wrestlers. It’s very similar

to the double leg version except you’re going to be looking to cover as much horizontal distance with

this jump rather than vertical height like you would with the double leg variation. This is great for

building power to finish shots by cutting the corner and driving.

Reactive Single Leg Horizontal Jump- The Reactive Single Leg Horizontal Jump is another very high

intensity jump (just like the Lateral above and Vertical below) so build the necessary base before

performing these. Additionally, get a thorough warm-up. Reactive single leg plyos are about as good as

it gets for wrestling so definitely try to work these in focusing on covering as much ground with each

jump as possible while minimizing the time you spend on the ground between each jump.

Reactive Single Leg Vertical Jump- This is another great high-intensity reactive single leg jump. While

they don’t transfer to the mat as well as the Lateral or Horizontal Jumps, they are still worth working in

to give your body a different stimulus. However if you had to exclude one reactive single leg jump in

your training, I’d choose this over the other two.

Page 53: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 53

Explosive Kneeling Jump Training

In the last couple of months I’ve really start to regularly implement Kneeling Jumps and their

variations into the workouts I use with my wrestlers. While I’ve worked them into their programs for a

couple of years, I’ve started to really get excited about the possibilities of these after reading about the

success Phil Harrington had with them to set the World Record Raw Squat at 198lbs. Here’s a video of

his squat. And here are some vides of his jumps- Kneeling Jump 1 and Kneeling Jump 2.

So as you can see, not only will these jump help you get off the bottom with more speed and

power, but they’ll increase your power in many other positions on the mat (like if your shot gets stuffed

and you need to power through your opponent’s sprawl) and in the weight room.

Kneeling Jump- The Kneeling Jump is the first in the progression. Here are a few things to keep in mind

that will affect the difficulty of these exercises. First, the lower your hips are to your heels at the start,

the easier it will be. Second, the jump will also be easier if your toes are dug into the ground as opposed

the tops of your feet being flat. Notice how my hips are high and there is minimal motion in them to

perform this jump. Additionally, my feet are also flat. That’s what you want to work towards. However,

don’t be discouraged if you don’t start like this. Most of the wrestlers I train start with their butt by

their ankles and their toes dug into the ground. You can see what I mean by the “toes dug into the

ground” by looking at some of the reactive Kneeling Jumps I perform below (for instance the Kneeling

Vertical Jump).

Wide Kneeling Jump- A wider stance will also help you to perform this jump a little easier. Additionally,

if you take a wider stance when squatting, this style of Kneeling Jump will transfer over to higher

weights. I like to work both into the programs I write because there are times when you need to

Page 54: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 54

produce hip power from a narrow base and times when you need to produce hip power from a wide

base. I’m sure you’re beginning to notice that I like to use a variety of power exercises for the very

reason that you can’t predict the number of positions you’ll be in during a wrestling match. So being

prepared for them all will have you ready to come out on top anywhere the match goes.

Kneeling Vertical Jump- This style of single effort, reactive Kneeling Jump is what I’ve used more often in

the programs I write for wrestlers. The technique is the same as any other Kneeling Jump except that as

soon as you land from the initial jump, you’ll be looking to perform a max vertical jump. As it shows in

the video, be sure to land with proper technique.

Kneeling Horizontal Jump- The Kneeling Horizontal Jump is the Kneeling Jump that started it all at my

gym in terms of plyo jumps. I saw it as a great way to incorporate two important jumps, the Kneeling

and the Horizontal, into one that would build the hip and lower body power as well as functional

reactive power. Focus on maximal horizontal distance while minimizing your ground contact time after

the initial Kneeling Jump.

Kneeling Single Leg Lateral Jump- This jump is a great supplement to the Lateral Jump variations

detailed above. In addition, it’s about as good as it gets in terms of training your body to produce the

maximal, single leg lateral power needed to cut the corner and finish a High Crotch or Double Leg.

Kneeling Lunge Jump- This is a new variation I’ve been implementing with great success into my

programs the last few months. Because you oftentimes come up on one leg at a time when standing up,

this trains the body to come up very quickly and then produce maximal vertical power which is needed

to continue the stand up once you get your feet under you.

Page 55: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 55

Kneeling Jump With Bar- The next two jumps are ways to increase the difficulty of any of the above

Kneeling Jump variations. First, by putting a bar (in this case a PVC pipe) being your back, you’ll

eliminate any arm action that may have been assisting you during your Kneeling Jumps. This forces your

hips to work like never before to produce the necessary power to get up. As you get comfortable with a

light bar or PVC, start increasing weight by using an EZ Curl bar, weight vest, Body Bar, or pre-loaded curl

bars. While these take some practice and refining technique, they will pay huge dividends in time as you

begin to increase weight.

Kneeling Jump To Box- The second way to increase the difficulty of a Kneeling Jump is to jump onto a

box. The fact that such a short box can be so intimidating will surprise you like none other. Nearly every

wrestler that I’ve had perform these has always hesitated the first few times I’ve put a small box in the

video in front of them. However, once you get comfortable, as with anything else, start working up as

your power increases.

Page 56: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 56

Explosive Band Training

While I’ve used bands for a number of years in the power training programs I have wrestlers

use, I’ve narrowed the exercises down to just 4 primary movements. If you don’t have access to bands,

cable machines are a suitable replacement, but often the force you generate will cause the weight to

slam and make a lot of noise and/or potentially damage the machine. Therefore, I’ve found most gym

owners and managers to discourage the use of the machines in this way. So if you can’t get away with it

at your gym, just buy a couple bands. I get them at Elitefts.com. Just search bands. I’d suggest getting a

Mini, Monster-Mini, and Light band to start.

Band Twist- The Band Twist is a great way to build rotational speed and power that will translate into an

increase in effectiveness of the various throws you may use during a match. I personally use this to

increase my rotational power so I can throw harder punches, but either way, it’s a great exercise to

incorporate. Focus on driving with your legs and rotating as quickly through your core as possible. The

speed of execution coupled with a good, full range of motion with the Band Twist will help you to

maximize your gains with it.

Band Arm Spin- This is another great rotational exercise to improve your throws, specifically Arm Spins

or Headlocks. Additionally, it’s a great alternative to striking a tire with a Sledge Hammer if you don’t

have access to that. So try this out and remember- feel free to take your time on the steps before the

explosive portion of the exercise. All that really matters is the force you produce when you’re throwing

your hips back and pulling the band with your core.

Page 57: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 57

Band High Pull- The Band High Pull is a great way to increase your hip speed for throws and fast mat

returns. As you can see, the movement is almost identical to a High Pull performed with a barbell. The

only real difference is you’ll lean back slightly as you perform this exercise whereas with a BB High Pull

you’ll remain upright.

Band Snap Down- Finally, I have the wrestlers I train use the Band Snap Down to increase the power at

which they perform snaps on an opponent’s head. Not only will this help you to more effectively score

snap down go behinds, but it will also produce a better reaction from your opponent if you’re snapping

his head to get him to stand up so you can take a shot. Either way, this is a great exercise to implement.

Page 58: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 58

Explosive Medicine Ball Training

Seated Rope Ball- This isn’t the most common piece of equipment in a gym, however, you can make one

fairly easily by using a mesh bag (one that you may already use to carry your wrestling gear in). While

mesh bags typically are not the most durable, if you’re just using it once and a while for Rope Ball

exercises like this, it should hold up alright. Rope Ball training is a fantastic way to build unbelievable

rotational core power so be sure to train it when/if you have the opportunity to.

Rotating Med Ball Slam- This is a great alternative to a Sledge Hammer strike on a tire. While the Sledge

Hammer is a useful tool to build core power in wrestlers (along with forearm and shoulder endurance if

used for high rep sets), it’s not the be all end all of training implements regardless of how popular they

seem to be. Regardless, the Rotating Med Ball Slam will build unbelievable core power and will directly

transfer over to your ability to put a lot of force behind each one of your snap downs.

Med Ball Slam- This is nearly identical to the Rotating variation above. A little while ago I wrote a fairly

detailed post on the ins and outs of performing a Med Ball Slam and how you can use it to maximize

your power. Check it out HERE.

Med Ball Overhead Wall Slam- The MB Overhead Wall Slam, much like the Chest Pass, is a great way to

train your body to produce some serious horizontal power to act upon an external resistance. While this

may look like an upper body exercise, it’s far from it. The single leg power along with the hip/core snap

is what makes this exercise so explosive. Focus on producing maximal force from your leg drive off the

ground and carrying that through your core to create a snap that rockets the ball against the wall with

serious force.

Page 59: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 59

Med Ball Chest Pass- While the upper body motion is different here when compared to the Overhead

Wall Slam, the same lower body and hip mechanics are required to produce the power needed to get

maximal power output with this exercise. Watch the two videos and notice the similarities in my lower

body and hips.

Med Ball Rotational Throw- This is another great rotational exercise that will directly carryover to any

throwing situation you may be in during a match. Again, the power is coming from my lower body and

hips, not my upper body. Watch my back leg in this video and see how quickly it drives and pivots in the

ground to initiate the throw. Look to produce the same effort when implementing this into your power

program.

Med Ball Toss- The Med Ball Toss has been one of the most used power exercises with the wrestlers

that I train. However, because we live in wonderful Central New York, there is a limited window during

which these can be performed. So while I do think they’re a great exercise, I unfortunately am unable to

implement them at the end of the season. Regardless, it’s an excellent speed-strength exercise and a

good excuse to get outside and train when it’s nice out. Here’s a fairly detailed blog post I wrote about

it a while ago- Med Ball Toss.

Single Leg Med Ball Toss- This is a great variation to work in after a couple sets of a MB Toss. The

mechanics are all the same, you’ll just perform this exercise on one leg at a time, rather than both. It’s

another great way to build single leg power for wrestling.

Standing Rope Ball- The Standing Rope Ball is very similar to the Seated Rope Ball. Again, because of

the weather in Central New York I tend to have the wrestlers I train use the Standing Rope Ball during

Page 60: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 60

the months where they can actually go outside and the Seated Rope Ball during the colder months when

we’d have to shovel a bunch of snow just to create a space outside for to perform this variation.

Whether you perform this seated or standing, it’s great for rotational speed and power as well as

building grip strength. So do your best to find a way to work it into your training program.

Page 61: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 61

Misc. Explosive Training

These next five exercises are other power exercises I use primarily to build upper body power

(except for the Speed Russian Twist). However, because your upper body power is affected by the

power you can generate from your hips (Med Ball Chest Pass, etc.) and because hip power is the most

important athletic quality for wrestling I put more of an emphasis on that.

Additionally, look at some of these “upper body” power exercises. Notice in the Plyo Pushup

how my hips come up slightly to initiate the movement. Also notice how my hips move to help produce

enough power at the bottom of the Clap Pullup to generate the necessary power. Some would say this

is bad form, but I’m not a bodybuilder looking to isolate a certain muscle in my body. I’m a former

wrestler who’s looking to be as fast and powerful as humanly possible in the cage. So training my body

to produce maximal speed and power as whole is the primary focus.

Bench Plyo Pushup- This is the first of the 3-part progression. Even if you are at a later stage in the

progression, it’s still a great, low-impact way to warm-up. The big thing I’m not too focused on when

doing Plyo Pushups of any kind is clapping. While I’ll mix them in with more experienced wrestlers

who’ve trained with me for a while, I discourage wrestlers who first start training with me from doing

this. I feel like the emphasis is lost on getting as high as possible when you look to clap in between.

Instead, you focus on getting just high enough to clap and then come back down. This situation is

identical to the Full Clean story I told in the Hang Clean section.

Plyo Pushup- The Plyo Pushup is next in the progression, and in all honesty, is stage 2 of 2. The reason I

say that is because the reactive nature of this exercise makes it just as challenging as the single effort

Plyo Pushup to a bench or box that I detail below. Both are great ways to build serious upper body

Page 62: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 62

pushing power so make sure to work this into your training. As you begin to increase your power, look

to clap your hands behind your back or stand up like I do at the end of your set.

Plyo Pushup To Box- This is a great way to measure the power you’re generating with your Plyo Pushup.

As the height at which you’re able to push up to increases, the more power you are probably generating

(you may also be getting more flexible allowing you to land deeper, similar to a Box Jump). So work

these in from time to time to get an idea of the power gains you’re making.

Pylo Pull-up- I’ve messaged around with different variations of these in the past. Here’s a video of a

Reactive Rope Chin-Up performed by Conor Kleitz, who a month later took the Bronze at the Fila Cadet

Pan-Am Games. Any type of Clap Pull-up, or chin-up where you switch your grip to a pull-up, or any

other kind of explosive upper body pull is a great way to build serious pulling power in the Lats and

Biceps. The returns on this type of exercise include being able to pull in your opponents legs faster

when you shoot, lock up and pull faster with various body locks, and pull with more force when you

have an underhook.

Speed Russian Twist- The Speed Russian Twist is another way I build rotational speed with the wrestlers

I train. The best thing about it is that it doesn’t require any specialized equipment to perform, so

anyone can do it. To increase the difficulty hold a weight of some kind (I prefer dumbbells). Don’t let

the speed at which you perform this exercise suffer from the increase in weight, so move up

conservatively.

Page 63: Explosive Power Training for Wrestling

Copyright © 2013 by Dickie White. All Rights Reserved. Page 63

References

Chu, Donald A. Jumping Into Plyometrics, 2 ed. Human Kinetics. Champaign, IL, 1998.

Newton, Harvey. Explosive Lifting for Sports. Human Kinetics. Champaign, IL, 2002.

Radcliffe, James C. and Farentinos, Robert C. High-Powered Plyometrics. Human Kinetics. Champaign,

IL, 1999.

Smith, Chad W. Juggernaut BJJ Physical Preparation Manual. Self-published eBook, 2011.