Plyometrics are a style of exercise that uses explosive movement to build fast-twitch muscle strength, while being done for long enough to build cardiovascular and muscle endurance. Skipping is probably the best-known example of a pyometric exercise -- and an exercise some wrestling programs use to build up the physical attributes of their athletes.
Skipping for Cardio
Most wrestlers develop their cardiovascular endurance by running -- either long runs on a road or track, or with laps in the wrestling room. Some teams will use skipping as one of many footwork drills that break up the action of a cardio workout, making it more engaging and less monotonous for the athletes.
High Skipping
A simple variant on skipping is to launch yourself upward as high as possible with each skip. Wrestlers use this variant to build strength in their calves and quads, muscles necessary for shooting into a takedown and for standing up when escaping from a controlled position.
Long Skipping
You can also skip in a way that propels you forward as far as possible with each skip. This variation on the theme focuses on the muscles of the hamstrings and rear. Wrestlers use these muscles to escape when their legs are captured, such as in a single-leg takedown or a cradle.
Randomized Skipping
Footwork is vital to success on the mat. Skipping at random, or under specific, ever-changing direction from a coach, can help wrestlers to build their awareness of and control over their footwork. This works both in terms of building the physical attributes a wrestler needs for superior footwork and in terms of improving the balance and mental understanding that makes it possible.
Broken Field Skipping
Wrestlers can gain a lot from doing any of the above skipping drills. They can gain even more by doing the drills on a field that's cluttered with equipment, or blocked by wrestlers trying to tag or catch them. This kind of broken field skipping combines the physical conditioning of regular skipping drills with the awareness and strategy that comes from dealing with an unreliable surface.
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