Wrestling is a demanding sport that requires large amounts of physical and mental toughness for success. Wrestlers spend hours a day training in the gym and on the mat for matches that only last a total of six minutes or less. Often the outcome of a close match can be determined by which wrestler has greater physical endurance and sheer strength of will.
Strength Training
According to sports trainer Phil Davies, on his website Sports Fitness Advisor, the weight training program of a wrestler must focus on the ability to maintain high levels of strength over a long period of time. To this end, Davies recommends lifting moderate amounts of weight while performing 15 to 30 repetitions per set. This type of lifting allows a wrestler to lift heavy weights for a longer period of time, which can be useful when he is on the bottom, attempting to escape or block an opponent's takedown.
Lactic Acid Tolerance
Wrestlers are constantly in motion and working their muscles while in a match. This causes lactic acid to build up in the muscles, which can greatly reduce a muscle's capacity to perform. Not only does an endurance weight lifting program increase a wrestler's strength, but it can greatly expand his capacity to endure the buildup of lactic acid. Being able to ignore the effects of lactic acid can help a wrestler better focus on his technique during a match instead of on how tired he is.
Cardiovascular Fitness
Just as a wrestler's arms and legs must be able to endure six minutes of competition with very little rest, so must his heart muscle. Wrestling and mixed martial arts coach Mike Fry states in his BodyBuilding.com article "Cardiovascular Training for Wrestlers" that a wrestler should do some type of endurance cardiovascular training in every practice session. These sessions strengthen the heart muscle so that more oxygen-rich blood can be pumped throughout the body and enable a stronger performance throughout the match.
Mental Edge
Dan Gable, who is perhaps the most accomplished wrestler in history, notes in his book "Coaching Wrestling Successfully" that having a properly trained body can give a wrestler the confidence he needs to defeat his opponents. When a wrestler knows he has prepared his body to the best of his ability for a match, he does not need to worry about surviving to the final whistle and can therefore concentrate on the task at hand.
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