Having a good warm up before a match is absolutely critical for success. Wrestlers who don’t have a proper warm-up don’t compete as well because their reaction time is reduced, and they are at a higher risk of getting injured. Simply put, you should never skip a warm-up. In fact, it should be your main priority before a match.
There are two types of warm-ups that will be discussed in this guide. The first is the team warm-up before competition. The second is your individual warm-up that you will do on your own before every match. Consider the points in this guide and you can establish a warm-up routine that will carry you to a higher level of competition.
The Team Warm-Up
A good initial warm-up before a dual meet or tournament is critical in getting yourself ready for competition. This warm-up allows you to “wake up” and put your body and mind in competition mode. Another reason it’s important is because you’ll generally have more time for a complete warm-up that includes extensive drilling and stretching. A good 30 to 45 minute warm-up will prepare you for a day of competition. Here are a few tips to help establish your own warm-up routine:
Break a Sweat
Start every warm-up with some kind of cardiovascular activity. There are a few easy ways to get your body warm:
- Jogging
- Biking
- Jumping rope
- Light drilling
The goal is to break a sweat before you start stretching. When your body temperature is high enough, your muscles, joints, and tendons will be receptive to stimulation which increases the effectiveness of your stretches.
Stretching Routine
When you’re warmed up, begin light stretching. Hold your stretches for roughly 20 to 30 seconds, depending on the type of stretch. Make sure to hold each position. Do not bounce, twist, or jerk while stretching. Moving around decreases the effectiveness of most stretches and can actually result in an injury.
Establish a routine. In general, most teams have their own routine that benefits that specific group of wrestlers. You should cover all of the muscle groups while stretching and make sure to target any particularly sore muscles.
Drilling
Drilling is a huge part of any pre-competition warm-up. Focus on setting up and finishing your techniques at full speed, with correct timing. Make sure to drill all of your takedowns, escapes, top moves, and turns. This is also the time to focus on specific strategies you’ll be using in your matches, like scoring at the edge of the mat. Use this time to compose yourself — focus on your techniques and you’ll be able to implement your game plan on the mat.
Limit Live Wrestling
It’s important that you limit live wrestling before a competition. Generally speaking, your warm-up time should be used to fine-tune your techniques and get ready to compete. But, keep in mind that you don’t want to get hurt right before a match.
Everyone warms up differently and some need live wrestling to find their “rhythm.” If you do decide to go live as a warm-up, exert only about 25 to 50 percent of intensity. It’s more important to focus on timing and technique than on power.
Hot Tip: Careful on the Mat!
Despite what many people think, most injuries in wrestling come from crowded conditions on the mat before a tournament. Live wrestling increases the chance that you run into someone. And, in the (unfortunate) circumstance that you do get injured, you might be withdrawn from an entire day’s worth of competition! So be careful when you’re on the mats before a competition. Try to get as much space on the mat as possible and be observant of those around you. The last thing you want to do is to injure yourself or someone else minutes before the first round. Be courteous of those around you and take it easy!
The Individual Warm-Up
Every wrestler has a different individual warm-up routine, often with vastly different strategies and philosophies. Some wrestlers utilize a less intensive, relaxed type of warm-up, while others prepare more rigorously. Regardless, the best wrestlers have routines to help them prepare for the grind of a wrestling match. The key to establishing a beneficial warm-up routine is to first understand your mind and body, and then figure out how to get it ready for competition.
Give Yourself Time
You want to give yourself enough time to warm up. This means not waking up from a nap and hurrying to your match. This also means that you aren’t exhausting all of your energy by jumping rope for hours on end before your next match.
Generally, a good rule to follow is to be up and moving around about 30 minutes before your match, or two to three weight classes before your own. This will give your body the time it needs to gradually increase its temperature so you’re physically ready to go. It will also give you enough time to think about your match and compose any game plan strategies you may have.
Get Moving
As mentioned earlier, your body works much more efficiently when your temperature is slightly elevated. By doing this you’ll be able to “oil the machine,” so to speak. Your coordination will improve, and your muscles and joints will work and react better. You’ll generally feel better by relieving any tension you may have in your body. For these reasons, you should be sweating before you even step onto the mat.
Jumping rope is a great way to increase your heart rate and break a sweat before a match. Wrestling tournaments can be crowded, so make sure you have enough space to move around. Another popular way to warm up is to “bounce.” Jumping up and down and moving your limbs will help you loosen up and break a sweat.
Mental Warm-Up
It may not be apparent, but warming up is just as important for your mind as it is for your body. Just like everything else in life, going into an activity with the right state of mind will increase your chance at success. This is no different for wrestling. Not only must you be ready to win, but you must know how you’re going to win even before you strap up your singlet and shake your opponent’s hand.
Visualization is a technique that should be a primary part of your warm-up routine. Essentially, visualization is seeing the “result” of the match before it happens. Visualize how you will wrestle in your match:
- How you will setup your takedowns
- How you will act and react in different positions
- How you will defend against techniques that your opponent will use (if you know him)
When you visualize, you want to focus more on your offensive strategy. If you spend too much time thinking about defensive moves, that’s all you will be ready to do. Visualizing your offensive techniques will allow you to compete with more confidence.
Ready to Rumble
All wrestlers have a slightly different warm-up routine. Your job is to figure out the best routine that will get you mentally and physically prepared before you even step onto the mat. If ever in doubt about any procedure or practice, look to older and more experienced wrestlers for advice. They have had a lot of time experimenting with the best ways to prepare for matches. With competitive experience, you too will be able to establish your own routine. But until then, consider the tips in this guide and have no doubt that you are ready to rumble! Good luck!
