The Box Squat Vertical Jump is my preferred exercise when looking to develop vertical speed.
Don’t get me wrong, wrestlers need to produce more force in a horizontal direction most often in a match.
However, being able to generate speed and power vertically is still an important quality. It’s going to help in throwing situations, mat returns, and high amplitude finishes.
I definitely don’t prioritize vertical exercises. But, I think they’re still worth cycling them in and out of a program. You will be a better overall athlete by devoting some time to vertical speed/power exercises.
Here’s a quick video of me demonstrating a Box Squat Vertical Jump.
It may seem that I’m putting an unnecessary amount of attention on the landing mechanics. Upon first thought, it probably seems as a minor detail. But I encourage you to have the same focus with this exercise, or other jumping exercises for that matter.
Placing an emphasis on landing properly is just like training your double leg technique. In both cases, when it comes time to perform, there will be less of a chance for a technical breakdown.
Why is this important?
Because your risk of injury is much higher when you land using bad technique.
Listen, landing technique and training won’t save you from knee damage from situations like the one below.
By the way, a wrestler sustains a nasty knee injury in this video. “Viewer discretion is advised.” -Cops.
However, it will help you to train your body to properly stabilize to minimize non-contact injuries to the knee and other lower body joints. By non-contact I mean injuring your knee while sprinting, landing, and moving explosively.
In addition to the Box Squat Vertical Jump, I also like Deadlift Jumps to increase vertical power production.
For a post on why this has taken over Power Cleans in my programs read- Maximizing Your Power Output (Without Power Cleans!).
Hi, I’m Dickie (the author of this blog). Here I am with my good buddy, Kyle Dake. While he doesn't have a nice coat like me, he is pretty good at wrestling. Here's what he said about my training system:
Before I began lifting using Dickie's system my wrestling skills were getting slightly better. I've now been lifting under his guidance for more than 5 months and I have begun to dominating ALL of my competition. At first I had little faith in Dickie and his program, but now I would run into a wall if he told me I would get stronger! I know it sounds insane, but I would. The bottom line is Dickie is an expert and knows what he is talking about. If you want to defeat those kids whom you've always lost to and reach a level you never thought possible, I suggest you start lifting using Dickie's system immediately.
-Kyle Dake, 4X NCAA Division 1 National Champion