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Wrestling – Scrimmage Drills
By: Antigone Oreopolous

These are the drills that coaches love because they feature head to head full speed wrestling with very few restrictions placed on the wrestlers. The drills are generally organized in such a manner as to allow the wrestlers freedom in wrestling the way they like and using the skills they like to defeat a single opponent or series of opponents. Often our coach would vary the actual wrestling time during scrimmage drills. Some would last 1 minute, while I think the longest scrimmage I ever did was 10 minutes. Obviously you would have to pace yourself for a 10-minute scrimmage drill while you go all out on a one-minute drill.

King of the Mat:

This was my favorite scrimmage drill. This is a takedown drill that features one wrestler facing a number of opponents. The wrestlers are grouped together in groups of about 4-8 all within a range of 1-2 weight classes. Any two wrestlers begin wrestling and a winner is declared when a takedown occurs and he or she stays in and wrestles the next person. This rotation continues with the winner staying in and always facing new opponents. Should he takedown everyone in the group, he retires as king and two other wrestlers begin. If no one defeats all others, then the king of the mat is the wrestler who defeats the most opponents.

Grand Master:

This drill is much the same as “king of the mat” in that it features takedowns with the winner staying in to face a new opponent. However, this drill involves either the whole team or half the team group. The group is assembled along the edge of the mat by weights and the lightest two wrestlers start with the coach acting as referee. The winner stays in and meets the next heavier person from the weight-line. This procedure continues through the heaviest opponent. The last winner is declared the Grand Master.

Round Robin:

The wrestlers are organized into groups of three, all approximately the same weight. The wrestlers in each group wrestle a round robin pattern with each other with 1 wrestling 2 while 3 referees, then 3 wrestling 1 while 2 referees, then 2 wrestling 3 while 1 referees and so on. The wrestlers can wrestle a single or double or triple or quadruple round robin with each other. The wrestling can be in the form of takedowns or one, two or three minute rounds.

Match Wrestling:

This drill involves simply the pairing of wrestlers and the wrestling of actual matches of 2-three minute go’s. The coach pairs the wrestlers as he wants to and has as many matches going on at the same time as space permits. It is a good idea to have wrestlers who are not wrestling, keeping score and refereeing.

Mini- Match Wrestling:

This is organized exactly the same as the Match Wrestling with the exception of the length of match time. In this drill the matches are either one or two minutes in length. It is common for the coaches to have each wrestlers wrestle as many as five matches against a variety of opponents.

Maxi-Match Wrestling:

This is organized just as the mini-match wrestling, but the matches here are longer than actual matches. It is common for the coach to have the wrestlers wrestle either three-four minute rounds or four-three minute rounds or longer. It is also good to have the wrestlers compete in several maxi-matches against various different opponents.

Interval Wrestling:

This drill is organized so that the wrestlers have opportunity to wrestle continuously for a length of time at varying levels of intensity. The wrestlers wrestle in pairs, following instructions from the coach as to the intensity and length of time they should wrestle. For example, the coach could start them wrestling 5 minutes at half speed, then 3 minutes full-speed then 2 minutes at 1/24 speed and then repeat the same as the level of condition improves the length of the full-speed intervals increase.

Here is one more I found.

Block Wrestling:

This is basically a free wrestling period or block of time in which the wrestlers get a partner and scrimmage with each other. The wrestlers begin the block wrestling by wrestling at about three-quarter resistance. After a few minutes or after they feel warm, the wrestlers should go full-speed emphasizing the use of a lot of technique a lot of effort and little talk. The coach controls this periods by continually watching the wrestling to make sure the intensity is high and technique is correct. He may also change the pairings of the wrestling so as to add variety of opposition. This period should be continued for 15 to 45 minutes or until the wrestlers are sufficiently exhausted.

I will write one more article providing some games that can be used during practice. Until then, happy training!

Author: Antigone Oreopolous

Date Posted: November 14th, 2007 

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