Why Off-Season Wrestling Gives Athletes an Edge

The season may end, but development doesn’t have to.

One of the best things a young wrestler can do during the off-season is continue competing — and it doesn’t always have to look like traditional folkstyle wrestling.

Freestyle, Greco-Roman, beach wrestling, camps, clinics and other types of training challenge athletes in different ways. Each one can develop abilities that may not get as much attention during the regular season.

And when wrestling season comes back around, those experiences can give an athlete an edge.

Beach Wrestling Is More Than Wrestling in the Sand

Beach wrestling looks fun — and it absolutely is — but there is a lot happening beneath the surface.

The rules and environment force wrestlers to think differently.

Instead of relying on the edge of the mat for a reset, athletes have to be extremely aware of where they are in the wrestling area. A strong opponent may try to drive them out, which means athletes have to learn how to hold their ground, change direction and use their opponent's pressure against them.

Rather than always looking for a big throw or traditional takedown, sometimes the smartest move is simply controlling position and creating enough pressure to force an opponent out of bounds.

That develops a completely different kind of strength and awareness.

Different Wrestling Builds Different Skills

Beach wrestling can help develop:

Strength and pressure. Trying to move another wrestler through sand takes strength. Athletes learn how to create forward pressure, defend against it and stay strong when an opponent is driving into them.

Balance. Sand doesn't give you the stable surface of a wrestling mat. Every step requires adjustment. Wrestlers learn to maintain their base and recover quickly when they are pushed or pulled off balance.

Footwork. Moving efficiently in sand is difficult. Athletes have to become more intentional with every step, which can translate into better positioning and movement during the regular season.

Hand fighting. Without relying on the same setups they use during folkstyle season, wrestlers often have to become more comfortable controlling ties, fighting for position and creating openings.

Mat — or in this case, circle — awareness. Knowing where you are matters. An athlete who understands when to attack, when to circle and when an opponent is close to being pushed out develops valuable situational awareness.

Conditioning. Anyone who has tried running through sand knows it requires more effort. Wrestling in it is no different. Beach wrestling challenges an athlete's legs, lungs and overall endurance.

Adaptability. Perhaps most importantly, athletes learn how to adjust.

The surface is different. The rules are different. The strategy is different.

Great wrestlers learn how to solve problems while they are wrestling.

The Goal Isn't to Wrestle Year-Round the Same Way

Off-season training shouldn't simply be repeating the exact same routine twelve months a year.

Sometimes growth comes from doing something different.

Trying another style of wrestling can expose weaknesses, develop new strengths and — just as importantly — keep the sport exciting.

An athlete may discover better hand fighting through Greco.

Better movement through freestyle.

Better balance and pressure through beach wrestling.

More confidence through competing in unfamiliar situations.

Then regular season arrives and suddenly that athlete has more tools available.

Experience Adds Up

Every competition teaches something.

Sometimes you win.

Sometimes you lose.

Sometimes you discover a technique you need to work on.

Sometimes you learn that you're stronger than you thought.

But every time an athlete steps into a new environment and figures out how to compete, she adds another experience to draw from later.

That matters when the score is tied.

It matters when she's wrestling near the edge.

It matters when an opponent is stronger than expected.

And it matters when something happens that wasn't part of the game plan.

The athlete who has experienced more situations often has more answers.

Build the Athlete, Not Just the Wrestler

At B.A.B.E.Sports — Beautiful Athletes Boldly Embracing Sports — we believe developing female athletes is about more than preparing them for the next match.

It's about building strength, confidence, adaptability and a willingness to try something new.

So when the traditional season ends, don't be afraid to step onto a different mat — or off the mat completely and into the sand.

Because sometimes the skills that give you the biggest advantage during wrestling season are developed somewhere you never expected.

The season builds wrestlers. The off-season can build athletes.