The What it Takes Series

By Katie Downing

What it takes to excel in wrestling is a love of work, the will to expect more of oneself, and the drive to seek out new ways to push oneself above and beyond the workload that only gets a wrestler through the day.  This series is designed for wrestlers who desire a little extra training to reach that next level.  Some of these workouts are meant to be supplements to practices or team lifts.  They can be done by a group of wrestlers during the season.  Some of these stand on their own as workouts, and are meant to be almost the equal of team practices.  Wrestlers can use these as a way to keep up their training over the summer when practice schedules are relaxed, or when they are traveling.  All of these workouts are designed to require little or no equipment.

Workout #6

Dot Drills

This workout is a plyometric workout, designed to develop speed (how long it takes to finish an exercise/pace), agility (how long it takes to change from one exercise or direction to another), and quickness (how long it takes to go from stationary position to motion).  This is a good drill to add as a part of your regular routine a few times a week before a wrestling practice or lift, or before runs or cardio workouts.

Dot Drills-four outside dots make a 2 foot by 3 foot rectangle, and a 5^th dot is the center

-start with feet apart on the two bottom dots, hop both feet together to the middle dot, hop feet apart to the top two dots, then hop backwards both feet together to middle dot, then hop backwards feet apart to the bottom two dots-repeat as many as possible for 10 seconds, do 2 sets

-start with feet apart on bottom dots, hop together to middle dot, hop apart to top dots, hop and flip directions still on top two dots, hop together to middle dot, hop apart to bottom dots, hop and flip directions still on bottom dots-repeat as many as possible for 10 seconds, do 2 sets

-bow tie-keep feet together the whole time-start on the bottom left dot, hop diagonally to middle, diagonally to top right, over to top left, diagonally to middle, diagonally to bottom right, over to bottom left-repeat as fast as you can 6 times, then do 6 more starting on the bottom right dot

-X-keep feet together the whole time-start on the bottom left dot, hop up to top left, diagonally to middle, diagonally to bottom right, up to top right, diagonally to middle, diagonally to bottom left-repeat as fast as you can 6 times, then do 6 more starting on the bottom right dot

-start with feet together on middle dot, hop feet apart backward to the bottom 2 dots, hop with feet apart forward to top 2 dots, hop feet together backward to middle-repeat as many as possible for 10 seconds, do 2 sets