The Warmup
This week Cary Kolat answers a question he got during his 19-day intensive, prospect, and technique wrestling camp at Campbell University. The question Kolat got from another coach was how Kolat structure practice and the reasons why he structures them in that fashion. Kolat says it depends on where you are in the season and get complicated but he breaks it down into a simple blueprint. The first thing Kolat's team does is they have things they do offensively, defensively, top, and bottom wrestling in their warmup. They do they're stretching as they start their drills. One thing Kolat and his coaching staff stress is not killing the body but being loose, fast, and light. They call it low impact drilling during warmup. Their warmup consists of common positions you'll find yourself in a match and drilling the proper ways to execute from those positions.
Technique Phase
When Kolat's running his practice at Campbell the day is focused upon one position or one area for that training session but he'll let them branch off and focus on different scrambles. For High School wrestlers Kolat recommends keeping them focused in one area. Show them 3-4 finishes max and get a lot of reps. Then the next practice you can reenforce that technique in the warmup. If it's the preseason Kolat is focused on getting his team conditioned and would move to a more combative drill to keep them active.
Conditioning Phase
After the technique phase, coaches can move to conditioning. Kolat recommends switching it up and not only running sprints. Overall Kolat wants to stress that many coaches waste valuable time during the warmup phase jogging and tumbling. Running for 5 min is good but then immediately getting into incorporating skill sets and getting in contact with each other. Not going hard or aggressive but lightly warming up while training.
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This is one of the most infuriating aspects of how coaches approach all sports (I am a former college wrestler, but have kids that have played half a dozen different sports). There is no thought about what you are trying to accomplish during the practice, and then reverse engineering the exercise to accomplish that goal. Coach Kolat has done that work, and shared some of his wisdom with us here. In point of fact, this isn't just a sports problem, it exists in classrooms, and training environments in all industries.
This year is my first year as a head coach for my high school. My kids are first year or second year wrestlers... the up hill battle for me is figuring out how to structure my practice and coach my kids that have never wrestled at a high school level! It’s hard for me, my kids are learning the very basics of wrestling when they should be learning how to chain and flow wrestle... how do I balance this...
Start with what you are trying to accomplish during the practice, and then reverse engineer the exercises to accomplish that goal. Coach Kolat has done that work, and shared some of his wisdom with us here, but this is largely within the context of a college wrestling environment. What are your goals for your team this year? Goals for individual wrestlers? Break that down into technical goals, cardio goals, mental goals, flexibility goals, strength goals, strategic goals, etc. What are your goals for individual practices (for the team and for individuals)? Now that you know what you are trying to accomplish, you have done 90% of the work you need to do to figure out how to run a practice, how to run the warmup, etc. For example, when I run HS or middle school practices, we warm up by hand-fighting because this is one of the most commonly deficient skills in HS wrestlers. Teaching them all of the various tie-ups one day at a time. Learning how to use those tie-ups to off balance and control their opponent, one day at a time. Learning how to keep head position, and learning how to use footwork to generate pressure, or snap down, or create an angle. But all at a high pace to get the lungs open and break a sweat. I usually take 30-90 seconds to give some brief technical instruction on the goals and techniques of control ties, then they alternate the "pressure drill" for 2-3 minutes (30 seconds each person) while I am offering some technical support through side-coaching, and then we will go 2 or 3 "live handfighting" goes for 30 seconds each. They "score points" if they can off balance an opponent, create an angle, get a "hard step" out of an opponent, or snap down to a hand on the mat. This 5-10 minute exercise does the following: 1) gets them warmed up 2) teaches them how to use various ties to move their opponents 3) teaches them the value of footwork and head position 4) helps them learn to generate "pressure" as a natural part of their wrestling. You can do this same kind of goal oriented exercise with any of your technical or strategic goals.
PS a key value in having clarity around your desired outcomes, is that it becomes easy to know when you need to change/tweak the drills you are using. If the drill isn't accomplishing the desired goal, modify it as needed.
@@schenksteven1: thank you Steve, our kids are learning during the offseason. Today they’ll incorporate snap downs into their training
@@sonoftroy8572this thread was really helpful. Appreciate the time you took outlining it 👍🏻
I am a HC at a HS where many freshman have no experience. Here is my recommendation. Do not waste any time on conditioning. Every minute should be on actual wrestling. (I am a rebel this way but I never condition as my drilling sessions just about kill my kids) do not do any live unstructured wrestling until the kids have an idea what to do. Live situational is fine after drilling a position. Have a very limited number of moves (1-2) at each position. Teach the proper counter for each move at a position at the same time. ie show a HC counter after teaching a HC. that way the kids will have the proper reaction. Day 1 teach how to be a good partner and to practice in their mind the proper response. Do not introduce a new move until this kids can remember how to do the old one for 2-3 days. Chain wrestling is great but realize that a lot of teaching must occur first to explain both sides of a position. In other words before you can drill a takedown to a breakdown to a stand up every move must be known.
Best series on the KZhead's. Keep them coming.
That light-contact drill warm-up is awesome. It gets you loose but also kind of pumps you up to have a good practice.
Love it, time management. Making the absolute most out of every second in that critical allotted practice time.
Great advice especially make it fun a bit not be to intense on the wrestlers
Gold Brother thanks!
Such a great structure, always felt if a guy can't do a forward roll probably should go out for basketball.
How many days and hours train for a begginer wrestler?
I’m absolutely nervous, I could be the assistant coach for high school wrestling. I haven’t exactly wrestled in high school but I’ve done Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for 4+ years. I know the basics of wrestling and what not and I’m very good with front headlocks. Any advice for me?
Stud
How much time do you lend to each drill or technique? How do you manage that time? (Do you hold a stop watch or play it by ear so to speak?)
I usually follow Nick Purler's format. Give each kid 2 minutes to drill then switch it up. repeat 3-4 times until the drilling looks clean. this gives enough time to go around and make corrections. It helps if 1 coach runs the clock while the other makes corections.
This will be my first year as a coach for the sport and I’ve never wrestled before. I had an interest in HS but was never able to now I want to allow scholars at my school to have a chance to. Do you have any programs or literature I can study in order to offer my scholars the best chance for success? Thank you for any help
Reading: Coaching Wrestling Successfully by Dan Gable. Find coaches clinics or conventions. Our state has a coaches' convention each fall that includes a technique clinic and plenty of opportunities to network. If your school/state allows it, practice with another school once or twice a year. Most coaches are eager to help other coaches. Take your kids to a camp. Keep watching good videos. If there is such a thing in your area as "Old Timer's Tournaments" (think kid's tournament for guys out of high school up to age 50), go wrestle in one. You will learn a ton from just a little competition.
100% I laugh at the kids circled up stretching. Ok lean to the left now lean to the right, down the center. 😂
50 down ups take it or leave it