Off Season Wrestling Workout Program

I created the original Hunt Fitness Offseason Wrestling Workout Program in 2011. Over the years, the feedback has been great. This is one of the most popular off-season wrestling programs on the internet. I have received emails from wrestlers worldwide who have achieved great success following this program. This is the updated version for 2023. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Wrestlers are notoriously hard workers. The brutal training sessions of our legends are that of folklore. The best wrestlers outwork the competition on the mat, in the weight room, and life. It has been that way for decades. Wrestlers are a different breed, and they take off-season wrestling training seriously.

The discipline required to excel is unmatched by other sports. A wrestler needs to be exceptionally strong physically and mentally. As Gable famously said, “once you’ve wrestled, everything in life is easy.” 

With that in mind, hard work alone is not enough to get an edge. Everyone on the podium works hard. Hard work is a prerequisite. It’s not only about working harder. To get ahead, you must have a better plan. You need to work smarter, too. 

If I have any criticism of most wrestling programs, it’s their commitment to old-school methodologies. Most of these methodologies have no rhyme or reason, and the programs are passed down from generation to generation.

I guess if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

But a program can blend old-school toughness with new-age thinking. It does not have to be black or white.

More is not better. Better is better.

To be the best requires a relentless pursuit of excellence. That includes seeking out the best information. New research on the best practices to gain strength, improve conditioning, and become more explosive comes out every year. Take advantage of it.

If you take this workout program seriously, you can be a completely different wrestler by next year. Winners separate in the offseason.

Building the Ultimate Wrestler

As a wrestler, what is the most important “exercise” you can do to improve at your sport? Is it a squat, deadlift, lunge, pull-up, or dumbbell row?

The answer is none of those.

Wrestling is the most important exercise for improving your game. Anything we do in the gym is secondary to what we do in the wrestling room. Now, don’t take that the wrong way. Besides becoming a better technician on the mat, improving your strength and conditioning is the next best thing.

The principle of specificity states that the results you get from training are specific to the type of exercise you do. In the context of wrestling, manipulating the training variables best facilitates growth as a wrestler. But what qualities make a great wrestler?

Picture some of the greatest of all time – Dan Gable, Cael Sanderson, Jordan Burroughs, and Kyle Dake.

What do they look like? What attributes do they demonstrate in their matches? How do they win? Asking these questions provides some direction on where to take our training.

Wrestling is unique in that it requires the development of multiple abilities. Unlike team sports, where you can specialize in a specific position on the field, a wrestler has to be solid everywhere.

Wrestlers need to develop strength and power, but they also need to perform conditioning that allows them to express their maximal strength and power under the sport’s metabolic conditions. Additionally, wrestlers need speed, flexibility, and coordination.

The good news is that the abilities develop in a complementary fashion, and wrestling itself progresses all of them. Our goal in the weight room is to fill in the gaps.

Strength

Out of all the abilities, strength is the critical quality to develop because it serves as a foundation upon which others can be enhanced. Strong athletes are typically also powerful and fast.

Strength can be defined in a few different ways.

• Maximal Strength: The ability to apply maximal levels of force or strength irrespective of time constraints.

• Strength Endurance: The ability to apply levels of force for a prolonged time without decay.

• Relative Strength: The ability to apply high force relative to the athlete’s body mass.

Hypertrophy / Muscle Building

Multiple factors contribute to muscular strength, and muscle size is one. Building muscle does not necessarily increase strength linearly, but a bigger muscle has the potential to be a stronger muscle.

Building muscle is closely related to body composition, which describes the percentage of fat, bone, and lean tissue in the body. Since we can’t manipulate our bone structure, it comes down to the ratio between body fat and lean body mass.

In a sport like wrestling, we are always trying to optimize our body composition in relation to our weight class. Being the most jacked guy in the bracket doesn’t mean you will win. But if you take two equally skilled guys, the one with more muscle has an advantage.

Power / Rate of Force Development

In athletics, power can be loosely defined as explosive strength or the ability to apply force with speed.

Power is a critical component of wrestling. It adds more snap to takedowns and can improve one’s ability to throw or toss an opponent.

A lot of power is developed on the mat. However, we will augment the work in the wrestling room with jumps, throws, and Olympic weightlifting-style movements.

Conditioning

If strength is the essential quality to develop, conditioning is the second. The legs feed the wolf, as they say.

Conditioning improves work capacity and allows you to optimally display your true abilities throughout the match. There is no excuse for being under-conditioned.

Although supremely important, conditioning is less of a focus during the offseason. Cardiovascular fitness improves quickly (relatively speaking). Therefore, it is more of a priority during the pre-season and in-season periods. Plus, the best conditioning for wrestling is live wrestling.

That said, we want to maintain a solid baseline of conditioning all year, so cardio has to be a part of off-season wrestling training.

Our conditioning work will be broken down into two domains.

Low-Intensity Cardio

In general, I am a big fan of low-intensity cardio. It’s relatively easy to do, won’t negatively impact lifting performance, and helps you build general physical preparedness. Plus, it helps burn a few extra calories.

When I say low-intensity cardio, I am talking about zone two cardio. This is exercising at 60-75% of your max heart rate or about a 5/6 out of 10 on the RPE scale. At this intensity, you should be able to carry on a conversation. It shouldn’t be a walk in the park, but you shouldn’t be struggling for air either.

Don’t let people tell you that low-intensity cardio is not needed for wrestling because it’s not specific to the conditioning requirements of the sport. Remember, if you only want to train specifically, wrestling is the only thing that matters.

With strength and conditioning, we are trying to improve specific qualities. Low-intensity cardio builds an aerobic base, lowering resting heart rate and improving work capacity.

Examples of zone 2 cardio are jogs/light runs, rucks (walks with weighted vests/backpacks), walks at an incline, bike rides, air dynes, ellipticals, and steppers.

*Estimated Max Heart Rate = 220-age

High-Intensity Cardio

The other form of conditioning we will be doing is high intensity. As the name implies, this form of conditioning work is more demanding.

Wrestling is performed at a high intensity, so this conditioning is more specific to the sport. That said, because it is more demanding, it must be programmed intelligently to not interfere with other aspects of the program. Doing too much high-intensity conditioning work will limit lifting performance and adaptation.

When combined with low-intensity cardio, you get the best of both worlds.

High-intensity conditioning includes sprints, hill sprints, stair sprints, bike or air dyne intervals, prowler or sled work, and metabolic conditioning circuits.

Flexibility

Flexibility measures the degree of movement that occurs at a joint. It has static and dynamic components.

The most flexible athlete is not always the most successful. The goal is to optimize flexibility with the demands of the sport, not simply looking to maximize flexibility as a whole.

That said, wrestling requires a high degree of flexibility. Getting into compromising positions is a critical component of the sport. The best wrestlers, specifically in the lower body, are highly flexible.

Although static stretching has fallen out of favor in some circles, it is still a valuable part of a well-constructed flexibility routine. The key is timing. Stretch after the workout, not before.

Static stretching reliably increases flexibility and range of motion. Stretching after training can also aid in muscle recovery.

The Warm-Up and Cool Down

The warm-up is traditionally broken down into two categories, general and specific. This entire process should not take longer than 10-15 minutes. In all seriousness, one of the issues with warming up is time. I get it! You have a limited amount of time to dedicate to the gym. When it comes to the warm-up, use the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule). What 20% can I do to deliver 80% of the results? The answer will be different for everyone.

The General Warm-Up

The purpose of the general warm-up is to increase core temperature, improve mobility and improve joint fluidity. Start with something low intensity, low energy cost, and high value. Think of it this way. We want to start by just getting the blood flowing.

* 5-10 minutes of low-intensity cardiovascular activity – treadmill, exercise bike, jump rope, jumping jacks, barbell complex, etc. 

The Specific Warm-up

The next step is a quick circuit to get blood into the muscles and reinforce good movement.

Perform 3-5 rounds of the following:

Air Squat x 10

Lunge x 10 for each leg

Cossack Squat x 5 for each leg

Push-up x 10

Band Pullapart x 10-20

Warm-up Sets

Last but not least, warm-up sets. Some people will require more warm-up sets than others. The stronger you are, the more warm-up sets you need before getting into the working weight.

Always do at least 1-2 warm-up sets to work up to your working weight on the main exercise of the day. Also, it doesn’t matter how strong you are. Start with an empty 45lb bar.

Cool Down: Flexibility/Stretching Routine 

At the end of each workout, perform a cool-down stretching routine. Choose 3-5 stretches to complete. Hold for 15-30 seconds, and perform each 2-3 times. Pick stretches that address tightness. Also, focus on areas of the body trained the hardest during the training session. For example, stretch the chest and shoulders on a day with a lot of bench presses. 

For more information about warming up, check out this article: https://kylehuntfitness.com/how-i-warm-up-for-a-workout-in-10-minutes-or-less/.

Off-Season Wrestling Workout: Post-Season [Weeks 1-4]

Recovery is the goal mentally and physically right after the season. After a brutal wrestling season, a month of lower-intensity effort is good to ease into the offseason. I recommend athletes take a week or two off before jumping into structured training. During this time, encourage general activity—swimming, mountain biking, hiking, pick-up games of football, basketball, soccer, etc.

During the post-season phase, there are only two training days per week.

Post Season: Week 1

Monday:

• Back Squat: 3 sets x 5 reps @72%
• Trap Bar Deadlift: 3 sets x 8-10 reps @3-4 RIR
• Leg Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps @2-3 RIR
• Farmer Walk: 3 sets x 90 seconds @Heavy (super set with)
• Ab Wheel / Barbell Rollout: 3 sets x 10-20 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• 10-15 minutes of zone 2 cardio

Thursday:

• Bench Press: 3 sets x 5 reps @72%
• Pull-up or Chin-up: 3 sets x 5-10 reps @ 1-2 RIR (add weight if needed)
• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 10-12 reps @ 3-4 RIR
• Dumbbell Hammer Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps @ 1-2 RIR (super set with)
• Cable or Band Triceps Pressdown: 3 sets x 12-15 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• 10-15 minutes of zone 2 cardio

Off-Season Wrestling Workout: Off-Season Phase 1 [Weeks 5-12]

Phase one of the offseason program is often called the general preparatory phase. The goal is to gain strength, build muscle, and improve strength and endurance. Additionally, this phase will prepare the athletes for more advanced training in phase two.

In phase one, the emphasis is on learning the movements and building a base to work with.

Offseason: Week 5

Monday:

• Box Jump: 5 sets x 3 reps
• Back Squat: 4 sets x 8 reps @68%
• Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat: 4 sets x 10-12 reps @2-3 RIR (super set with)
• Inverted Row: 4 sets x 10-20 reps @1-2 RIR
• Heavy Dumbbell Hold: 3 sets x 30-45 seconds @Heavy (super set with)
• Ab Wheel / Barbell Rollout: 3 sets x 10-20 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• 20-30 minutes of zone 2 cardio

Wednesday:

• Med Ball Chest Pass: 5 sets x 3 reps
• Bench Press: 4 sets x 8 reps @68%
• Pull-up or Chin-up: 4 sets x 6-10 reps @ 1-2 RIR (add weight if needed)
• Incline One Arm Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 10-12 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• Dumbbell Row: 3 sets x 15-20 reps @ 1-2 RIR (super set with)
• Weighted Neck Curl: 3 sets x 15-20 reps @ 2-3 RIR
• 20-30 minutes of zone 2 cardio

Friday:

• Broad Jump: 5 sets x 3 reps
• Trap Bar Deadlift: 4 sets x 8 reps @68%
• Goblet Squat: 4 sets x 15-20 reps @2-3 RIR (super set with)
• Barbell Row: 4 sets x 10-12 reps @1-2 RIR
• Suitcase Carry: 3 sets x 90 seconds @Heavy (super set with)
• Weighted Sit-Up: 3 sets x 15-20 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• 20 minutes As Many Rounds As Possible [5 Pull-ups, 10 Push-ups, 15 Air Squats]

Saturday or Sunday: Optional

• Med Rotational Slam: 5 sets x 1 rep on each side
• Pull-up or Chin-up: 50-100 reps @ bodyweight in as few sets as possible
• Parallel Bar Dips: 4 sets x failure @ bodyweight
• Chest Supported Row: 3 sets x 10-12 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• Dumbbell Hammer Curl: 3 sets x 12-15 reps @ 1-2 RIR (super set with)
• Cable or Band Triceps Pressdown: 3 sets x 15-20 reps @ 1-2 RIR

Off-Season Wrestling Workout: Offseason Phase 2 [Weeks 13-20]

In phase two, the priority shifts to max strength and power. Having the team train together, or athletes partnering up can be a great idea to promote competition during this phase. 

Offseason: Week 13

Monday:

• Split Squat Jump: 3 sets x 3 reps
• Hang Power Clean: 8 sets x 3 reps @70%
• Back Squat: 5 sets x 3 reps @80%
• Dumbbell Step Up: 3 sets x 8-10 reps @ 1-2 RIR (super set with)
• Chest Supported Row: 3 sets x 8-10 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• Wrist Roller: 3 sets x 5-8 reps @ 0-1 RIR (super set with)
• Cable or Band Palof Press: 3 sets x 10-20 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• 3 Rounds For Time: 400m Run, 21 Kettlebell Swings, 12 Pull-Ups

Wednesday:

• Med Ball Slam: 5 sets x 3 reps
• Hang Dumbbell or Kettlebell Snatch: 4 sets x 3 reps
• Banded Bench Press: 8 sets x 3 reps @ 50-60% (plus band resistance)
• Towel Pull-up: 4 sets x Failure @ bodyweight (super set with)
• Standing One Arm Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• Dumbbell Row: 3 sets x 6-8 reps @1-2 RIR (super set with)
• Weighted Neck Extension: 3 sets x 10-12 reps @ 2-3 RIR
• Sprint Intervals: 5-10 x 20-30 seconds of all-out effort. Rest 1-2 minutes between intervals.

Friday:

• Tuck Jump: 5 sets x 3 reps
• Kettlebell Swing: 3 sets x 5-10 reps @ Heavy
• Banded Deadlift: 8 sets x 1 reps @ 50-60% (plus band resistance)
• Leg Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps @ 1-2 RIR (super set with)
• Barbell Row: 3 sets x 6-8 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• Farmer Carry: 3 sets x 90 seconds @Heavy (super set with)
• Push-up Plank: 3 sets x 60 seconds
• Finish as fast as possible. Run 1/2 mile. Rest for three minutes. Run 1/2 mile. Rest for three minutes. Run 1/2 mile.

Note: After phase 2, the athletes should have a de-load week before jumping into preseason training.

Saturday or Sunday: Optional

• Med Ball Slam: 5 sets x 3 reps
• Plyo Pushups: 3 sets x 3-5 reps @ bodyweight
• Overhead Barbell Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• Pull-up or Chin-up: 4 sets x 6-8 reps @ 1-2 RIR (super set with)
• Dumbbell Bench Press: 4 sets x 8-10 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• Barbell Curl: 3 sets x 6-8 reps @ 1-2 RIR (super set with)
• Lying EZ Bar Triceps Extension: 3 sets x 8-10 reps @ 1-2 RIR

Off-Season Wrestling Workout: Pre-Season [Weeks 21-28]

The pre-season is a transition between the off-season and the competition period. During this time, the priority shifts toward power development and conditioning. The workouts also become more specific to wrestling in exercise selection and time domain. In addition to lifting, athletes should start getting in the wrestling room a few times per week during the pre-season.

Preseason: Week 21

Monday:

*The first four exercises are done together.

• Back Squat: 3 sets x 4 reps @80%
• Single Leg Hurdle Jump: 3 sets x 5 reps @ bodyweight
• Trap Bar Jump: 3 sets x 5 reps @30-40%
• Band Assisted Jump: 3 sets x 5 reps
• Pull-ups or Chin-ups: 10 sets x 5-10 reps @ bodyweight (super set with)
• Push-ups: 10 sets x 10-15 reps @ bodyweight
• Farmer Carry: 3 sets x 60 seconds @ Heavy
• 30-45 minutes of zone 2 cardio.

Wednesday:

*The first four exercises are done together.

• Bench Press: 3 sets x 4 reps @80%
• Plyo Push-up: 3 sets x 5 reps @ bodyweight
• Dumbbell Push Press: 3 sets x 5 reps @ 5-6 RIR
• Band-Assisted Plyo Push-up: 3 sets x 5 reps
• Barbell Curl: 5 sets x 6-8 reps @ 1-2 RIR (tri-set with)
• Dips: 5 sets x Failure @ bodyweight (tri-set with)
• Dumbbell Shrug: 5 sets x 10-12 reps @ 1-2 RIR
• Sprint Intervals: 5-10 x 20-30 seconds of all-out effort. Rest 1-2 minutes between intervals.

Friday:

*The first four exercises are done together.

• Deadlift: 3 sets x 4 reps @ 80%
• Broad Jump: 3 sets x 3 reps
• Dumbbell Squat Jump: 3 sets x 5 reps
• Band Assisted Jump: 3 sets x 5 reps
• Dumbbell Lunge: 4 sets x 10-12 reps @ 1-2 RIR (tri-set with)
• Hanging Leg Raise: 4 sets x 10-20 reps @ bodyweight (tri-set with)
• Kettlebell Swing: 4 sets x 5-10 reps @ Heavy
• Finish as fast as possible. Run 1 mile. Rest for three minutes. Run 1 mile.

Performance Standards

I frequently get asked, “can you be too strong?”

The short answer is, no, strength is never a weakness. However, you can incorrectly divide your training time and resources. Having set performance standards makes it easier to determine strengths and weaknesses.

These performance standards are not meant to be impossible. The idea is to ensure you don’t have any holes in your game. A wrestler needs to be well-rounded.

Keep in mind that these standards are assuming strict form. Any technique breakdown during a rep doesn’t count.

Maximum Strength Goals:

Back Squat: 1.5x bodyweight

Bench Press: 1x bodyweight

Deadlift: 2x bodyweight

Power Goals:

Power Clean: 1x bodyweight

Broad Jump: 7ft

Relative Strength / Strength Endurance Goals:

Pull-ups: 10 full range of motion reps

Push-ups: 50 reps in 2 min

Sit-ups: 50 reps in 2 min

Conditioning Goal:

1 mile run in under 7 minutes

*Heavyweights get a little leeway here.

Off-Season Wrestling Workout FAQs

Q: What does RIR mean?

A: RIR refers to repetitions in reserve (RIR). RIR is just the number of repetitions shy of failure at the end of the set.

Here is the scale:

0 RIR = 0 reps shy of failure, could not do any more reps.

1 RIR = 1 rep shy of failure. Could do one more rep.

2 RIR = 2 reps shy of failure, could do two more reps.

3 RIR – 3 reps shy of failure, could do three more reps.

4 RIR – 4 reps shy of failure, could do four more reps.

With RPE and RIR, at the end of a set, ask yourself, “If I absolutely had to, how many more reps could I have gotten with good form?” That will help you come up with your rating.

For more info on percentages, RPE, and RIR read: How to Use Percentages, RPE, and RIR In Your Training.

Q: How long should you rest between sets?

A: My practical recommendations for rest periods are pretty simple. Rest long enough until you feel ready to perform at your best on the next set. For explosive and compound exercises, that is likely to be 2 to 5 minutes. On smaller, single-joint isolation exercises, 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes will suffice. On the supersets, rest after doing the two exercises back to back.

Get the Complete Off-Season Wrestling Workout 28-Week Program

Grab the full program you saw outlined in this article. It is a complete step-by-step off-season wrestling training workout.

Wrestling Podcasts

More Episodes:

1. Olympic Gold Medalist and 3x NCAA Champ Kyle Snyder
2. Troy Nickerson Head Wrestling Coach at the University of Northern Colorado
3. Chasing Olympic Gold in Women’s Wrestling with Victoria Anthony
4. Bryce Meredith 3x All American Wrestler from Wyoming
5. Dr. Mike Israetel on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, and MMA
6. 2x All American Wrestler and Pro MMA Fighter Kyle Crutchmer