Developing Championship Wrestlers: Establishing Dominant Routines

Give your wrestlers a mental edge over their competition! The mental side of wrestling is an important component of wrestling that many coaches and athletes overlook. Four-time All American Joe LeBlanc addresses that omission with an effective approach to strengthening the mental side of the sport.

The Championship Taper
The wrestling season can be a grind leading to burnout. Coach LeBlanc shares strategies for transitioning athletes from preseason to regular season to peak performance at championship time. You'll learn the appropriate intensity and repetition ratios for each phase of the season and principles for keeping your wrestlers physically and mentally fresh during the championship run.

Match Routines and Strategies
Getting ready for a match can be one of the hardest things an athlete does. Coach LeBlanc shares his approach to preparing athletes for a match. He talks about pre- and post-match routines, and how they are specific to each athlete. He uses his background in kinesiology to address proper hydration and nutrition before competition. Gain insights on match strategy, scouting, match planning and motivation. Knowing how to approach an opponent, especially a top-tier wrestler, is an underused tactic.

Post-match
Post-match analysis is essential if your athletes are going to improve. Learn how to deal with an athlete after wins or losses and how to maintain their focus for their next match. Included is a segment on how a coach can use video to improve an athlete's performance.

Warm-up
Discover specific warm-ups for reducing injuries and preparing wrestlers to function at a high level in practice and in competitions.

Coach LeBlanc uses dynamic movement to begin a training session and static movements to complete a session. The progression shown will get every athlete ready to perform at an optimal level. The cool-down shown will get your athletes ready for the next match and increase their flexibility.

This presentation will benefit wrestlers, coaches and parents. These techniques help athletes recover quickly after a loss and keep them hungry when they are dominating the competition. Wrestling is not just about the physical nature of the sport. This presentation reinforces that often-overlooked mental training that can help wrestlers grow and improve.

33 minutes. 2014.