Age Appropriate Strength and Conditioning Training

Being the strongest person in the weight room is pretty cool—for powerlifters.

But for wrestlers, especially those under 13, the focus should be on agility, balance, and coordination, and foundational and fundamental movements.

In fact, learning to move well with basic patterns—plank, squat, hinge, push, pull, and carry—is crucial to the overall development of any athlete, and should also be the focus of a young wrestler’s offseason strength conditioning program, says Mason Walters, strength and conditioning coach for Acrobat and Combat Sports (which includes USA Wrestling) for the United States Olympic Committee.

Want to lift heavy weights and prove how strong you are? That time will come, in the latter teens. First though, master the basics.

“Do not rush general physical development,” Walters says. “Better improvements can be realized with consistency in basic patterns. Then improvements in strength, power, and speed will come.”

Dan Black is the supervisor of Sports Performance at MedStar Health at Lafayette Centre in Washington, D.C. MedStar Health is the largest health care provider in the region. Black and staff work with athletes from all sports ranging from junior development athletes to senior/elite athletes and Masters level athletes. Black also served as a sports performance coach at the University of Maryland, where he worked with the Terrapins wrestling team, as well as The George Washington University, Georgetown University, and the University of Texas. 

When Black works with athletes in the junior development program, the focus is on horizontal and vertical progressions in strength, speed, endurance, and coordination over the course of childhood development.

What Black considers the best offseason workout for wrestlers under 13 might surprise you.

“At a young age—less than 13 years old—a lot of this physical development can and should be achieved through participation in other sports,” Black says. “By challenging the body through sports other than wrestling, athletes have the opportunity to develop more rounded strength, speed, endurance, and movement competencies.” 

In the article “Age Appropriate Strength Training,” Mike Clayton, Manager of the National Coaches Education Program for USA Wrestling, recommends younger athletes focus on perfecting form first.

“Rather than adding load (weight), start with a broomstick and teach proper mechanics for key lifts, Clayton says. “Once the athlete develops the form, we can start to gradually increase the training load.”

There are several offseason strength and conditioning options for wrestlers of all ages—including more advanced weightlifting strategies for those in their mid-teens—that can be completed inside and outside a weight room.

Here is a look at some ways to challenge yourself and develop overall strength and conditioning this offseason:

Start with body weight movements: Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of body weight movements, especially for athletes under 13. Think long-term.

“As a young athlete, bodyweight and low loads can provide a strong enough stimulus to develop strength and speed qualities,” Black says.

In fact, focusing on body weight movements at this age can also lead to less stress on the body and longer development opportunities as one gets older and physically develops, Black added.

Body weight exercises, particularly unilateral exercises (single leg squat for example) can be used to develop strength at an early age. Increasing or changing the speed of execution, number of reps/sets, and the tempo of movement can provide additional challenges.

Squat and pull: Develop access to sound movement capability while squatting and pulling (TRX row, chin up, pull-up). “The ability to brace and control your trunk in conjunction with movement will improve your athletic ability on the mat,” Walters says.

Age 13-14: At about 13 years old, more formalized strength training can commence, Black says. Strength development can begin as primarily bodyweight exercise with a focus on unilateral and contralateral exercises to challenge the athletes’ stability, balance and coordination. Speed training at this age should be multidirectional with an emphasis on short burst sprints. 

Age 15-16: As the athlete matures, intensification of load can increase (loads approximately 20 percent bodyweight), Black says. Some bilateral exercises can be introduced, primarily to refine technique for later training. Bilateral exercise examples include two-legged squat and deadlift variations, barbell bench press and barbell row. Speed development should be multidirectional and intensify steadily from earlier years. 

Age 16+: This is the time to start increasing load (weight) and progressing to maximum strength development, Black says. “By following a horizontal and vertical progression with training, an athlete can ensure that the minimum effective dose of training is applied, leading to well-rounded adaptation of strength, speed, and endurance while preventing overtraining, injury and burnout.”

Master technique first: Technique is crucial to wrestling success. The same holds true with strength and conditioning—if one is incorporating body weight movements, or starting to lift weights. “By starting with bodyweight and low load or submaximal loads, the athlete can focus on developing proper technique and skeletal musculature first before progressing to heavier loads,” Black says.

The bottom line? Follow these tips to focus on being the strongest and best-conditioned athlete where it matters most: On the wrestling mat.

Additional Resources

Wrestling Strength and Conditioning Basics (Video) (Adapted from USA Wrestling Silver College Certification Program)

Proper strength training for wrestlers

USA Wrestling Long Term Athlete Development Poster

USA Wrestling Drills, Activities and Games

Strength and Conditioning for Wrestling: Youth and Junior High Edition