What Wrestling Coaches Must Do to Help their Best Wrestlers Get Better
Wrestling coaches are no strangers to the art of molding average athletes into good wrestlers. But what about the wrestlers who are already good, those who possess immense potential waiting to be unlocked? To propel them from “good” to “great,” coaches must embrace a new approach—one that involves deliberate practice, personalization, and clear objectives.
In this article, I provide an example of the four critical steps wrestling coaches can take to help their best athletes go from “good” to “great.”
Case Study: Wrestler A’s Journey to Mastery
1. Identify a Very Specific Area for Improvement
Wrestler A has shown immense potential but struggles with finishing single-leg takedowns. The wrestler can get to a single-leg, but only scores points 50% of the time. Coach X conducts a comprehensive assessment of Wrestler A’s matches and practice sessions. This involves reviewing match footage, analyzing takedown attempts, and gathering feedback from the athlete.
Through this thorough examination, Coach X pinpoints the specific issue: Wrestler A often loses control of the opponent’s leg mid-takedown, resulting in missed scoring opportunities.
2. Develop a Deliberate Practice Method
With the issue identified, Coach X formulates a deliberate practice plan for Wrestler A. This plan includes drills that focus on maintaining control of the opponent’s leg during takedowns. Coach X emphasizes the importance of proper head positioning, grip strength, and balance in achieving this goal.
He ensures that in every practice Wrestler A grabs a partner and assumes a single-leg takedown position, gripping the opponent’s leg while the partner defends. The goal is for Wrestler A to maintain proper grip, head positioning and balance as they methodically finish. The partner defends by trying to create space and break the head positioning and grip.
The wrestler’s practice sessions now revolve around deliberate practice drills like this, with Coach X providing immediate feedback to fine-tune technique. Wrestler A still attends regular team practices; however, the majority of the time is used for deliberate practice drills.
3. Implement a Solo-Practice Routine
To reinforce the newfound skills, Coach X designs a solo-practice routine for Wrestler A. This routine includes daily exercises that the wrestler can perform on their own. For instance, Wrestler A practices grip strength using a rope climbing routine, works on balance using a Bosu balance trainer, and practices executing single-leg shots with proper head position on a dummy. Each one of these drills must be done for 15 to 20 minutes 4 to 5 days a week.
This independent practice ensures that Wrestler A can continue refining the necessary skills even outside of regular team sessions.
4. Define Clear Milestones and Goals
In consultation with Wrestler A, Coach X sets clear milestones and goals. The primary goal is to increase takedown success rate from 50% to 80% in the upcoming wrestling season. To break this goal down further, Coach X establishes milestones for each month, focusing on gradual improvement. These monthly targets help Wrestler A stay motivated and track progress effectively.
Conclusion
Coaching great wrestlers requires a shift from general improvement to deliberate, personalized practice. By following these four steps—identifying areas for improvement, developing deliberate practice methods, implementing solo-practice routines, and defining clear milestones—coaches can nurture the excellence hidden within their best athletes. Wrestler A’s journey illustrates how this approach can turn struggling areas into strengths, propelling athletes from “good” to “great” and achieving new heights of skill and accomplishment in the sport of wrestling.