Being the strongest person in the weight room is pretty cool—for powerlifters.

But for wrestlers, especially those under 13, the focus should be on agility, balance, and coordination, and foundational and fundamental movements.

In fact, learning to move well with basic patterns—plank, squat, hinge, push, pull, and carry—is crucial to the overall development of any athlete, and should also be the focus of a young wrestler’s offseason strength conditioning program, says Mason Walters, strength and conditioning coach for Acrobat and Combat Sports (which includes USA Wrestling) for the United States Olympic Committee.

Want to lift heavy weights and prove how strong you are? That time will come, in the latter teens. First though, master the basics.

“Do not rush general physical development,” Walters says. “Better improvements can be realized with consistency in basic patterns. Then improvements in strength, power, and speed will come.”.........continue reading here......