High School Wrestling: Cardio Options for Conditioning

Is wrestling a six-minute match similar to running a marathon? No. Is wrestling a six-minute match similar to running a 5K? No again. Sometimes wrestlers run a lot to prepare for wrestling only to find themselves “gassed” before the match is over. So what’s a fighter to do? I will discuss some cardio options with regards to wrestling conditioning.

First, wrestling is primarily an anaerobic sport. Anaerobic means “without oxygen”. The fight is mainly based on the ATP-PC and Glycolytic energy systems. The ATP-PC energy system supplies energy for up to approximately ten seconds of exercise. Imagine a track athlete running 100 meters. The Glycolytic Energy System supplies energy for exercise lasting approximately ten seconds to two minutes. Imagine a wrestling match where you control your opponent for a while and then explosively shoot them down. There are several explosive bursts in a wrestling match. Wrestling is practically 100%anaerobic exercise. By contrast, running a marathon is about 98%aerobics exercise. So why train like a marathon runner if you’re a wrestler?

Some trainers believe that LSD (long, slow runs) builds an aerobic base. Aerobic core training is believed to enhance the anaerobic work that will follow later in the conditioning program. Other trainers question this notion. Some trainers believe that regular cardiovascular exercise, such as jogging, can cleanse the body of waste products and speed recovery after intense strength training. Other trainers also question this notion. Trainers who don’t favor steady-state cardio often prefer some form of HIIT (high-intensity interval training). HIIT generally involves periods of high-intensity activity that alternate with periods of lower-intensity activity. For example, one could alternate running for thirty seconds and jogging for thirty seconds for a designated period of time.

Some potential benefits of steady-state cardio:

• Build an aerobic base that will improve your anaerobic exercise later on
• Increase your work capacity (i.e. build a bigger gas tank, as Matt Wiggins would say)
• Elimination of waste products from the body after intense strength training
• Recovery of speed after intense strength training

Some potential drawbacks of steady-state cardio:

• Steady-state cardio trains slow-twitch muscle fibers (as a wrestler, you want more fast-twitch muscle fibers that are responsible for strength, power, and speed)
• Increased cortisol production which can cause muscle loss
• Overuse injuries (for example, to the knees)
• It can take a long time

Some potential benefits of HIIT:

• Tends to develop fast-twitch muscle fibers
• Anaerobic training can develop aerobic exercisesY anaerobic capacities
• Shorter duration/less time consumption

Some potential disadvantages of HIIT:

• Can lead to CNS exhaustion (i.e. overtraining)
• It can lead to anaerobic overwork if you’re also strength training and doing a lot of wrestling (which again leads to overtraining)

Types of cardio to consider:

• Steady state or LSD (long slow distance)
• HIIT
• Tabatas (another form of HIIT that has become very popular)
• HOC (i.e. high-octane cardio, combining running with bodyweight or dumbbell exercises)
• sprints
• hill racing
• Circuit training (eg, Matt Wiggins’ Working Class Cardio, no running)

Points to consider:

• Trainer Ian King has had success with athletes where he has completely removed cardiovascular conditioning from their training.
• When Dr. Fred Hatfield was in charge of conditioning boxer Evander Holyfield prior to his fight with Buster Douglas in 1990, he eliminated all road work (long, slow runs) from Evander’s conditioning program.
• Wrestling is primarily an anaerobic sport (ie without oxygen).
• Steady-state cardio can be good for recovery
• Steady-state cardio can be good if you’re “out of shape”
• If you’re strength training and fighting hard in practice, then don’t overdo interval training.
• Steady state cardio can help increase your work capacity (i.e. build a bigger gas tank)

As you can see, cardio training for wrestling is tricky. You may want to run longer in the off-season and switch to interval training when the season starts. Learn about the different cardiovascular conditioning options available to you.

Let me leave you with a reminder: a wrestling match is not like running a marathon.