John Smith's 20 Championship Wrestling Drills

with John Smith,
Oklahoma State University Head Coach from 1991 to 2024;
5x NCAA Championship coach;
2x NWCA Coach of the Year;
20x Big 12 Conference Champions;
9x Big 12 Coach of the Year;
Member, NCAA 75th Anniversary Team (2005);
2004 U.S. Olympic Committee Titan Award;
2003 FILA Hall of Fame;
1997 National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee;
1997 Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame;
Named one of the 100 Greatest Olympians of All-Time (1996);
2x Olympic Gold Medalist;
6x World Champion;
2x NCAA Champion;
Amateur Athletic Foundation World Trophy (1992);
1991 FILA Outstanding Wrestler of the Year;
1990 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) James E, Sullivan Award (1st wrestler to win this award);
First-ever American to Earn FILA's Master of Technique Award (Best technical wrestler in the world, 1990);
1990 U.S. Olympic Committee Sportsman of the Year;
1989 USA Wrestling Athlete of the Year;
1988 Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year;
1987 NWCA College Wrestler of the Year

Quickly improve your wrestler's footwork. Sharpen penetration and level changing skills. Develop wrestling instincts in your athletes.

John Smith opens his drill catalog and delivers over 20 of his most effective practice drills. These are the same drills that have delivered five NCAA Championships to Oklahoma State.

Smith divides these demanding drills into eight areas.

• Stance, Motion and Level Change Drills
• Back Arch Drills
• Speed & Balance Drills
• Conditioning Drills
• Hip Heist Drills
• Stand Up Drill
• Hip Toss Drill
• Sit Out Drills

Using these drills repeatedly will develop the instincts in your athletes that they need to win matches.

Quickly improve the footwork that is critical to wrestling success. Develop the explosion your wrestlers need on their feet using Smith's back arch drills. Teach your wrestlers to pick up their feet, hit shots quicker, drop to a sprawl faster, and avoid a takedown. Improve balance, down wrestling technique and more!

These drills can be done individually or with a partner and will give your wrestlers a lot of work in a short amount of time.

John Smith as a coach and wrestler has won championships at nearly every level of wrestling: Olympics, Worlds, NCAA and more. These drills have been key factors in his success. You can do these same drills in your wrestling room today!

48 minutes 2009.