Using Bands to Create

Technique-Specific
Resistance Training for
Developing Explosive
Power in Wrestlers
Francis M. Kozub, PhD and Thomas Voorhis
Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies, and Physical Education, The College at Brockport, State University of
New York, Brockport, New York

SUMMARY
RESISTANCE BANDS ARE USED TO
IMPROVE EXPLOSIVE POWER IN
STRENGTH TRAINING ATHLETES.
FURTHER, THESE BANDS ARE
ADAPTABLE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE
RESISTANCE DURING DRILLS FOR
SPORT-SPECIFIC TRAINING IN
WRESTLING. THIS ARTICLE INTRODUCES THE USE OF RESISTANCE
BANDS TO IMPROVE EXPLOSIVE
POWER DURING THE INITIAL
PHASE OF THE TAKEDOWN AND
ESCAPES FROM THE BOTTOM
POSITION IN FOLKSTYLE WRESTLING. COACHES FROM OTHER
STYLES OF WRESTLING CAN
BENEFIT BY USING RESISTANCE
BANDS AND THE IDEAS FOUND IN
THIS ARTICLE TO DESIGN DRILLS
TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF
OTHER GRAPPLING SPORTS.

here are multiple goals to creating a successful wrestling training session, including planning
for a workout that is effective while
remaining time efficient, motivating,
and safe (5). Few sports have both the
level of risk coupled with the need for
explosive power over a short bout

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length than wrestling (4,5). The unique

nature of grappling sports includes the
need to score points with direct resistance from a live moving body. Athletes
are forced to move in an explosive manner and without regard for an opponent.
Sport-specific resistance training is vital
to success in grappling sports (4). Finding the correct match of appropriate
strength and conditioning activities that
parallel the motor demands of the sport
while also maintaining the health of
grappler is a challenging task (5).
The purpose of this article is to introduce the use of resistance bands and
other training equipment to improve
explosive power in key positions for
scoring in wrestling. These include the
use of a tethered resistance system to
improve the initial explosive movement
of the takedown from a standing position (Figure 1a and 1b). Further, this
article includes the use of resistance
bands as a means to improve explosive
power from the partier (bottom) position
and help folkstyle wrestlers score quickly
from the bottom and avoid giving
up points to wrestlers who have mastered the top position. The drills found
in this article are flexible enough to meet
the needs of young grapplers, lighter
weight classes, or heavier weights.

VOLUME 34 | NUMBER 5 | OCTOBER 2012

Resistance bands have been used in

therapy rooms and by power lifters
as a means to train muscles at their
strongest points for several decades.
Further, adding resistance using bands
is believed to be beneficial in the
development of explosive power during basic lifts, such as the squat (1,7).
This article proposes that these same
benefits can be achieved in a more
dynamic drill setting and with far more
specific skill development. The use of
sport-specific training techniques is not
new, and leading sources advocate for
use of sport-specific task constraints to
increase performance (6).
STANDING POSITION DRILLS

Drills that allow for the integration of

the desired muscle groups are ideal for
developing sport-specific skill. For
example, the use of tethered sleds to
help sprinters increase stride length is
a useful training drill (6). The same can
be true in other sports where the ability
to accelerate and cover more ground
in less time is desired. A wrestling
takedown is a very specific skill that
KEY WORDS:

wrestling; explosive power; resistance

bands

Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association

Figure 1. (a) Setup and (b) execution

using resistance bands and
a weighted sled to develop
the initial step in a blast
double-leg takedown.

requires the development of balance,

speed, and explosive power from the
standing position.
To assist wrestlers in the development of their initial step toward
a takedown, Figure 1 shows a setup
to create resistance for a blast doubleleg takedown. The sled is tethered to
the wrestler using a band of appropriate resistance. The band has to provide enough resistance to force the
athlete to use leg and hip drive to
overcome the initial band tension
while moving the sled after the penetration step is complete. The sled
moves after the band has been
stretched to afford completion of
the takedown and avoid pulling the
wrestler backward during the final
movements. A proper band weight
allows for an initial resistance that
impedes the wrestlers progress but
also allows for some movement during the level change of the takedown.
An ideal sled weight is one that challenges the wrestler to move at maximum speed and requires use of the
large muscles of the hips and legs. A
safety recommendation is to use a
safety sleeve to secure the sled to

the athlete in the event that the band

breaks. Further, all bands should be
inspected before use for tears or
cracks. Any band that is damaged
should be replaced to avoid potential
injury from a sudden release of band
tension. Although any band and sled
weight will resist the initial movement
in comparison with a wrestler doing
a takedown without resistance, increasing the weight with the proper
band tension will force the wrestler to
commit a full-body effort to overcome
the sleds mass. Further, it is critical to
identify a band resistance that does
not compromise the wrestlers ability
to execute the movements using
proper form. Too much band tension
will impede the early footwork and
potentially force the wrestler to adapt
using a movement pattern that will
not generalize to a competition setting. It is recommended that this drill
be done on a mat and with a long
enough tether so that the wrestler is
not at risk falling back into the sled.
With practice using the setup found in
Figure 1, the wrestler will learn to create force early in the penetration step
for the takedown rather than try
to pull the sled later after contact is
made with the dummy. Plate weight
depends on the explosive power of the
athlete and also the skill level in
relation to footwork. This drill is
intended for experienced wrestlers
who have mastered basic footwork
and need to develop the initial explosive power required at the higher levels of wrestling to get into scoring
position against an opponent. This is
particularly true at the heavier weight
classes where a slow attack results in
the wrestler winding up under an
opponent. Heavier wrestlers can use
as much as 50 kg of band tension
along with 80 kg of plate weight,
whereas lighter wrestlers may require
bands and plate weight of considerably less resistance. All wrestlers
should begin with lighter weights as
they experiment with the proper footwork and develop the confidence in
the apparatus. It is highly recommended to not forgo technique and

specifically focus on using resistance

that allows for acceleration through
the takedown (dummy) rather than
allowing wrestlers to determine maximum strength for the drill.
The set up found in Figure 1 should be
used with 3 to 5 repetitions and focus
on taxing the short-term energy systems (6). Another example of how to
use this exercise is to plan for the
use of the tethered sled during different times in a practice. For example, if
the desire is to facilitate a powerful
explosive takedown movement in an
overtime period or after multiple
matches (as is the case in a tournament), then using the 3 to 5 repetitions
at the end of practice or after planned
periods of aerobic activities is recommended. An important consideration
is the recovery time needed between
repetitions regardless of when the drill
is used in practice. For explosive
movements, some studies suggest that
at least 20 seconds are needed between repetitions in training sessions
to allow for the body to recover
enough to maintain power and force
output (3).
Once the initial blast double movements are mastered, a coach may
desire a more dynamic takedown drill
over the one depicted in Figure 1. By
replacing the sled with a partner, the
resistance bands can be used as the
wrestler moves in a more dynamic
manner. The specific goal of the person
holding the band is to follow and resist
any initial takedown movements
(Figure 2a and 2b). This more dynamic
set up also allows for some training of
aerobic systems while controlling for
the amount of resistance as the athlete
tires. The use of a partner over the sled
also allows the wrestler to vary the
technique and recover more quickly,
including the use of multiple attacks
and those that do not require the forward knee to touch the mat. Specifically, any initial takedown movements,
fakes, or attack combinations can be
practiced using the Figure 2 setup
and partner rather than the takedown
dummy. The partner can also move
more dynamically during the drill and

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Using Bands for Wrestling Training

wrestler to resist being pulled down

and off balance. This will further
develop the postural muscles to resist
being bent over in a position that is
susceptible to bigger throws in freestyle or Greco-Roman wrestling.
Again, care has to be taken to identify the appropriate band tension to
train the athlete while allowing for
good posture. If the athlete cannot
maintain posture without losing balance, the band tension is too heavy
and a lighter band should be used
until strength and endurance are
developed. The goals for drills can
be more aerobic in nature to help
develop technique related to footwork
and posture over the course of a match
or more anaerobic to create explosive
movements during specific tactical situations on the mat.
BOTTOM POSITION DRILLS

Figure 2. (a) Band resistance during

shadow wrestling.
(b) Band resistance with an
opponent (b).

create a more authentic takedown context. Further, initial footwork into various takedowns from grips, such as
under hooks or wrist grabs, is possible
using a partner to resist rather than the
tethered sled. The band tension should
be lighter than the earlier tethered drill
to ensure safe separation between the
wrestler and his partner holding the
resistance band. In this drill, time can
be used (rather than repetitions) such
as a 60-second overtime period to train
situational wrestling.
Another recommended variation for
conditioning purposes is to use resistance bands while shadow wrestling (without an opponent to
takedown) (Figure 2). This can be
done in a linear fashion or in different
directions while the band is placed in
different places on the wrestler to
simulate the desired resistance. For
example, the band can be placed
higher (shoulders and back of neck
while facing a partner) to allow the

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Escapes from the bottom require

power, and for some heavy weights,
it is very difficult to simulate enough
resistance to challenge the wrestler
during practice. The drill found in
Figure 3a and 3b demonstrates
a means to allow multiple partners
to challenge a wrestler attempting
to escape from the bottom position
in folk style wrestling. The ability to

move a wrestlers mass as quickly as

possible is vital to a successful stand
up and score from the bottom position in wrestling (5). Figure 3 shows
two 2 wrestlers holding the ends of
the same resistance band that is connected (using a vinyl lifting belt) to
a wrestler who then executes a stand
up on command. The effectiveness of
the drill is based on how well the
coach matches the band tension to
the athlete. Lighter wrestlers can
start with bands that provide 20 or
30 kg of resistance, whereas heaver
college wrestlers should be able to
stand up with a band that exceeds
100 kg. In this drill, bands can be
combined and the number of partners increased (to as many as 4) to
ensure that each wrestler is challenged during the stand up. Some
teaching points are to make sure that
the wrestlers hips come under
the shoulders and over the feet in
a solid stand up position. The wrestler in Figure 3 is demonstrating ideal
position and hand placement to
break an opponents grip to avoid
being returned to the mat in a match.
Once the initial movement is mastered, the partners holding the bands
can pull in different directions to
force the wrestler to maintain balance
during the stand up.
The use of resistance bands to constrain the bottom wrestler can be
modified as seen in Figure 4. In this
drill, the partners use 2 different
bands to simulate forward pressure
and create some resistance to the
hips. The green front band found in
Figure 4 is stiffer than the purple

Figure 3. (a) Start position of partners

and wrestler during stand up
drill using resistance bands.
(b) Wrestler executing
a stand up on command.

VOLUME 34 | NUMBER 5 | OCTOBER 2012

Figure 4. Use of bands to simulate

forward pressure to a wrestler on the bottom.

band held by the back wrestler. This

allows for the partners to provide resistance that is similar to a live wrestling match. The heavier band in the
front forces the bottom wrestler to
fight pressure that is pulling weight
to his hands. Most breakdowns and
fundamentals associated with the top
position are to keep the bottom persons weight on his hands, and for
this reason, the emphasis is for the
front partner to pull (with the heavier
band) and resist the wrestler from
getting to his feet. The back band is
used to force the bottom wrestler to
pay attention to his hips. By pulling
to one side or the other, the back
partner can help the band holder in
the front keep the pressure on the
wrestlers hands. Again, care has to
be taken to match band tension to
the strength and skill of the wrestler.
Too heavy a band will make it impossible for the bottom wrestler to get up
to his feet. The use of too heavy a band
in the rear provides an unrealistic task
constraint because a top wrestler will
not be able to pull his opponent in 2
directions with equal leverage.
The above drills take into account the
biomechanical and energy demands
of wrestling related to short-term energy and aerobic conditioning. Further, a coach can manipulate the
drills to take into account the 3-minute periods with intermittent bursts of
energy required for successful wrestling (5). Other factors such as the
order of drills or length of intervals
can be manipulated to suit various
workout goals and help wrestlers tolerate factors related to fatigue. Further, these drills can be used in
a circuit format where wrestlers are
working in groups of 3. Other activities, such as kettle bell swings, medicine ball activities, and core work, can
be used to help simulate the conditioning demands of wrestling along
with the drills found in this article (5).
BENEFITS OF USING BANDS

The use of resistance bands provides

multiple benefits. First, wrestlers have
to work in groups, which allows for
some rest of the sport-specific muscles

needed for the execution of the drill

while also allowing for partners to
engage physical activity while providing resistance. All wrestlers are active
at the same time during these drills,
which is not possible in many traditional strength training exercises. Further, the explosive nature of many
techniques requires a coach to find
suitable alternatives for the biggest
and most explosive wrestlers to avoid
injuring younger or less skilled teammates. The full effort required to take
an opponent down or get off the bottom is hard to drill safely when mismatches occur as a result of size and
experience. These drills are a safer
alternative that can help stimulate the
desired intensity without increasing
the risk to partners trying to create
the appropriate drill resistance. The
most important benefit of using resistance bands is that many techniques in
wrestling require a buildup of momentum and more specifically the ability
to finish a technique or as in the case
of a takedown, blast through your
opponent. Research has supported that
training with bands may have an
advantage over other types of resistance training in helping athletes
recruit a greater numbers of fast twitch
muscle fibers, resulting in more power
(1,2). These sport-specific examples
require all wrestlers to pay attention
to the specific techniques of the skill
while benefiting from the principles
associated with resistance training (6).
SUMMARY

Without a doubt, the use of resistance

and overload principles help athletes
improve. Conditioning and also motor learning aspects of training can
be facilitated using bands and simulating situations where explosive power
and force are needed. This article
offers a few suggestions for using resistance bands to help wrestlers in 2
key positions where power and force
are required to execute techniques.
Resistance bands offer an avenue for
wrestlers to train and continue to
improve without actual live wrestling.
Further strength and power gains are
possible using these functional activities

when coaches are unable to devote

time to the weight room.
Francis M.
Kozub is a USA
Wrestling
Bronzecertified
coach and an
associate professor
in the Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies,
and Physical Education at The College at Brockport State
University of New York.
Tomas Voorhis
is an undergraduate student athlete who has
wrestled for 4
years for The
College at
Brockport.
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