Lifting Part 1

Here is the first part of a 3 part blog on lifting for wrestling.  The 3 parts will be split by the time of year, spring lifting, fall lifting, and in-season lifting.

Part 1 - Spring Lifting

To wrestle your best, you need to make a year-round commitment to the weight room.  If you stop lifting or take a break you will have to go back through the cycle.  21 days to form the habit.  2 to 6 months to hit your plateau.  It is not until then that you make major gains.  So if you lift for 3 months or so and then take a break you will never make any major gains.  Now I say major gains because some kids get stronger anyhow.  That is nature taking effect as you mature and participate in wrestling or other demanding sports.

The most important time of the year for lifting is spring.  This is when you can make your biggest strength gains.  Although you are trying to plan around some national tournaments and Disney Duals, you need to concern yourself with your weight class as LITTLE as possible and use this time of year to really build up your POWER.

POWER = Phase one of strength

So here are some rules I've developed based on kids I've coached that have made good strength gains.
If you are not following most of these you are probably waisting your time.

1. Lift with teammates or family members that will hold you accountable.
2. Lift at least 3 times a week, get to 5 times a week after your first 6 to 8 weeks of lifting.  You will be sore during the first 21 days, lift through it.
3. Keep your lifts to a 45 to 60 minute window.
4. Lift hard during that window and socialize before or after.
5. Never sit, lean, lay, or leave during your window.
6. Pick 4 main lifts to measure and get a good max for each lift prior to April 1st (I like squat, power clean, military press, and bench)
7. Set a percentage goal of 10 to 15%.  Max again after June 1st.  Divide your last max with your first max and multiply by 100. 
8. Do your 4 main lifts every other day.
9. After a 10 rep warm-up, follow a low rep pyramid pattern: 5-4-3-1 for example.  Your final rep should be 90-95% of your max.  Scale down from there so that you can get that final rep.  For example: if you max bench is 180.  Your final rep should be 170, then 155, 145, so you'd do 135 5 times.  If you follow a different pattern for military press, then adjust your percentages.  You know you are good if you can hit that final rep but it is really hard.
10. Add in auxilary lifts after you finish your main lifts or on days following a main lift day.  Any lift that is a pulling lift is a good one.
11. Your goal is to increase your POWER.  When your last rep is not as hard as it used to be in 3 or 4 of your 4 main lifts, then use a lifting day to get new maximum lifts.  Then adjust all of your reps based on your new max.  If your maximum lift is not increasing at all after your first 21 days, you are doing something wrong.  If you have been lifting consistently for 18 months or more and your max is not increasing every 3 months or so, then talk to one of your coaches or a CERTIFIED personal trainer about supplements.  DO NOT start on your own with trial and error.  You will probably just be wasting money and you could seriously hurt yourself.
12. Do not worry to much about managing weight or next year's weight class.  Focus on getting JACKED!