Game On

Gable Steveson is a three-time Minnesota state high school champion and a two-time Cadet World Champion. As much as Steveson likes wrestling, he keeps busy with other sports too. For instance, he likes playing handball to warm up for wrestling practice. He likes to play basketball and on weekends, he and his friends play ice hockey. For someone who spends so much time on the mat—practicing and competing almost year round—incorporating games into practice and training, and playing other sports, is refreshing and energizing.

"I like to do a lot of other things besides just wrestle," Steveson says. "Trying other sports helps with your overall athleticism and skill development, which is important."

That's the goal of incorporating games into training and practice. USA Wrestling has put together a comprehensive list of games coaches can incorporate into their training, as part of its National Coaches Education Program. Games such as power ball, knee tag, sharks and minnows, rescue mission, chicken and other non-traditional workouts are included in this list of wrestling drills, activities, and games.

Kip Connin, an elementary school wrestling coach with Team Jeff in Jeffersonville, Indiana, says in this video, which has examples of fun games youth wrestling programs can implement like sumo and ants, that he "likes to have kids play games in their practices because it helps them have fun and want to come back." It also teaches kids to be aggressive and develops the desire to win, Connin says.

"Wrestling is such a grind that it's hard to keep athletes from getting burnt out or over-trained by the end of the season," says Dustin Myers, strength and conditioning coach for The Ohio Regional Training Center at Ohio State. "One of the keys to keeping wrestlers fresh and wanting to work hard is to keep the atmosphere fun and competitive."

Myers, who also trains members of the Ohio State University wrestling team, says it's not uncommon for the Buckeyes to feature what they call “game days” where wrestlers play soccer, handball, or dodge ball, or incorporate strong-man style rope challenges and sled races before, during, or after practice. 

In the offseason, Myers, who works with senior-level wrestlers such as Reece Humphrey, Kyle Snyder, and Logan Stieber, works closely with high school wrestlers. A couple of times a month, they take a conditioning day and head to a local park to run hills, where they create team-focused races and competitions. They may also incorporate push-up contests or other unique team races using what Mother Nature has to offer as their training center. He also has wrestlers head to a nearby pool to compete in team-oriented lap relays or to practice hand-fighting in the water.

Brandon Paulson, a 1996 Olympic Silver Medalist and 2001 World Silver Medalist, is co-owner of PINnacle wrestling, a Shoreview, Minnesota-based wrestling training center. A total of 17 PINnacle wrestlers from Minnesota and Wisconsin won individual state championships in recent weeks, while 57 other wrestlers were state place-winners. At PINnacle, an integral part of the training philosophy revolves around implementing non-wrestling games and competition during both in-season and off-season training.

"Dodgeball is a favorite of wrestlers of all ages, and good for larger class sizes," Paulson says. "We prefer team dodgeball. The wrestlers look forward to it, and it is great for agility and body control."

In the summer, athletes will head outside to play soccer, which Paulson says is another great sport for conditioning and building agility.

In the past year, PINnacle added what they call a "ninja" course in the weight room. 

"It's basically a lot of arms and balance obstacles," says Paulson. "The kids can't get enough of it."

Paulson and PINnacle co-owner Jared Lawrence, a 2002 NCAA champion and four-time NCAA All-American at the University of Minnesota, also like to create other non-wrestling specific challenges. They focus on gymnastics-style exercises, such as challenging athletes to complete backflips. Some of the elite athletes can pull off backflips with twists.

"Gymnastics is a great cross-training sport for wrestling with balance, strength, and body control all important aspects of the sport that translate to wrestling," Paulson says.

Josh Nolan is an assistant coach at the Legends of Gold in Beresford, South Dakota, and head assistant coach at Northern State University. Incorporating games into wrestling practice is a good way to rejuvenate a stagnant group, he says.

"When the energy levels begin to dip, we make sure to incorporate different activities to pick up morale and bring back the fun for the athletes," Nolan says.

They focus on games like handball, lions and gazelles, and tails. The leg-lock game is another favorite, during which wrestlers get into teams and hold dual meets with the goal of locking hands around an opponent’s legs, Nolan says.

During offseason training and summer camps, Legends of Gold coaches incorporate games and competitions into the daily schedule to make sure campers have some fun while working on conditioning, building wrestling skills, and challenging each other outside the wrestling mat.

"Soccer, basketball, sand volleyball, ultimate disc, handball, football, and relay races are all mainstays in our camp system," Nolan says. "We have found that by utilizing games and other non-wrestling activities as a part of our camp schedule, the campers are more active and retentive during the technique and competition sessions."

Non-wrestling activities are crucial for an athlete’s training regimens because they allow them to take their mind off the rigors and pressure of competition, Nolan says.

"The more relaxed an athlete is, the better they will perform," he says.

Paulson agrees.

"All these activities increase your wrestlers’ athleticism, are mentally refreshing and different, and a lot of fun,” he says, “which is also a key to keeping your wrestlers enjoying the sport.”