6 Exercises That Build Championship Wrestling Strength

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The best exercises for wrestling and combat sports athletes go far beyond the bench press and squat — they target the specific strength qualities that actually win matches. In this guide, THIRST Gym performance coach Brandon Smitley breaks down the six exercises he relies on most after a decade of training wrestlers and grappling-based athletes, covering everything from lateral power development and single leg strength to grip training and end-of-match conditioning. Whether you are a high school wrestler working toward college competition or a grappler looking to take your mat performance to the next level, these exercises will help you build the impulse, absolute strength, and power endurance your sport demands.

Band Resisted Hip Airplane

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The band resisted hip airplane uses a light to moderate resistance band to drive the hip into a deep posterior hip capsule stretch, helping athletes and lifters access greater range of motion than bodyweight alone allows. Learn how to set up and perform this hip mobility drill to improve glute activation, open up tight hips, and build a more effective warm-up before squats, deadlifts, and athletic training. This exercise is a staple in mobility and corrective programming at THIRST Gym for anyone looking to move and feel better in the gym and on the field.

Heels Elevated Hatfield Bulgarian Split Squat

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The heels elevated Hatfield Bulgarian split squat is a quad-dominant single-leg exercise that uses a safety squat bar and hand support to maximize lower body loading and eliminate balance as a limiting factor. Learn how to set up and perform this powerful Bulgarian split squat variation, including the muscles worked and the best programming strategies for strength and hypertrophy. Whether you’re training for powerlifting, athletics, or general lower body size and strength, this exercise is one of the most effective tools you can add to your leg day.

Hatfield Bulgarian Split Squat

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The Hatfield Bulgarian split squat combines the safety squat bar with a fixed support to remove balance from the equation and allow maximum lower body loading. Learn proper setup, technique, muscles worked, and how to program this powerful single-leg exercise for both strength and hypertrophy. Whether you’re an athlete or a lifter chasing bigger legs, this variation belongs in your training program.

Single Leg Hip Flexor Plank With Hamstring Feedback

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The single leg hip flexor plank with hamstring feedback is a powerful isometric exercise that simultaneously strengthens the hip flexors and hamstrings while correcting pelvic alignment and improving overall hip mobility. By leveraging the functional relationship between the hamstrings and pelvis, this movement addresses anterior pelvic tilt, builds deep hip stability, and integrates core activation in a single drill. Add it to your warm-up before squats or deadlifts, use it on recovery days, or plug it in as a filler between heavy sets to maximize hip health and athletic performance.

Alternating KB Swing

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The alternating kettlebell swing is a powerful variation of the traditional kettlebell swing that builds explosive hip extension, posterior chain strength, and conditioning using just a single kettlebell. Learn proper technique, hand-switch mechanics, and how to program this exercise for conditioning, power development, or glute and hamstring hypertrophy. Add this versatile movement to your training and take your kettlebell workouts to the next level.

Band Assisted Split Squat Jumps

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The band assisted split squat jump is a highly effective unilateral plyometric exercise for developing single-leg power, rate of force development, and reactive strength in athletes. Using a resistance band and pull-up bar, athletes can train two distinct power qualities — reactive bounding or dead stop explosiveness — with just three to five reps per side. Learn proper setup, execution, and programming recommendations for this tool from THIRST Gym’s exercise index.

Off-Set KB Lateral Lunge With Slider

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The offset kettlebell lateral lunge with slider is a powerful adductor strengthening exercise that trains the groin through a long range of motion while also developing glute and hamstring strength in the planted leg. Using an offset kettlebell load combined with a furniture slider, this frontal plane movement builds the lateral hip strength and groin resilience essential for athletes and general fitness clients alike. Learn proper setup, technique, and programming recommendations for this effective lower body exercise from Brandon Smitley at THIRST Gym.

The 5 Best Tricep Exercises for Size & Strength (Backed by Science)

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Discover the top five science-backed tricep exercises for building maximum strength and size, including the close grip bench press, JM press, overhead cable extension, rope push-down, and board press. Learn how to train all three heads of the tricep — long, lateral, and medial — with proper technique, programming recommendations, and progression strategies. Whether you’re a powerlifter looking to add plates to your bench press or an athlete chasing bigger arms, this complete tricep training guide from THIRST Gym covers everything you need.

Sandbag Ground To Shoulder

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The sandbag ground to shoulder is a full-body strength and conditioning exercise that builds hip extension power, grip strength, and core stability using nothing more than a sandbag. Learn proper technique for both the direct ground-to-shoulder variation and the lapping technique for heavier loads, plus programming recommendations for athletes and combat sports competitors. This exercise is a staple in the THIRST Gym training arsenal for wrestlers, fighters, and anyone looking to build practical, real-world strength.