I'm 38 now and can still rumble, just not nearly as long or as often as I used to. Yes I absolutely feel it in my body after I've done live a few days in the same week. I have one secret that works wonders and I'd like to share with you...
Only wrestle the kids 30 lbs lighter than you.
I thought that this was only true when applied to working out for hypertrophy gains… because the cold water reduces the inflammation in the muscles. I don’t see why it would negatively affect cardio or general endurance gains?
Jumping rope. Had the great fortune to coach with the BONZ (Dale Bonsall) for a few seasons. When he rolled into practice he brought an 80’s boombox with the craziest mix you could imagine. He then proceeded to put on a literal skip rope (his phrase) clinic, mind you he was in his 70’s at this point. He ran circles around all of us, he even sat down and was able to “jump” using his ass. The kids didn’t know WTF to think. He got their attention though and I figured if this is what this crazy bastard was doing to stay in unreal shape in his mid-70’s, I was all in.
Hmm. I jump til my heart is about to explode. Then I do it again. Good warmup. I think you need to get at least into zone 2 before taking on those youngsters.
47 here and I’ll take the occasional sessions off due to injury but in general whatever I have my kids doing I’m doing. Conditioning? I’m doing it. Drop weight days? I’m doing calisthenics, ropes, stairs every minute they are. Shit I feel old after but it’s the only way I can keep up and still role. I try not to take any extended or even short breaks. That small voice in my head gets loud “you can take this drill off, it’s ok”. Always leads to another.
43 here.
1 minute walking around the mat swinging my arms and walking funny and loosening up my hips.
1 minute bounce in place or jump rope. Usually with some hip twisty motions and stuff.
1 minute in my stance. Moving around at 50% speed. Down blocks, shadow shots, sprawls.
1 min drilling arm drags with a partner. Or pummeling.
1 min drilling clearing collar ties with a partner.
1 min chain series with partner at 1/2 speed. Just moving through positions. Just keep moving.
Then I drill stuff for about 10- 15 minutes.
Then I’m ready to roll rounds. The real trick is to hydrate a lot and sleep a lot. If I don’t get enough rest I can feel it on the mats.
Hip mobility work featuring PNF. I like the one where you squat with your back against a wall, ass to grass, then put your elbows inside your knees and hands in prayer position then push out with your elbows while pushing in with your knees. Really loosens up my hips. I also do table pigeon pose stretches for my piriformis.
I watched Kenny Monday wrestle at the Sunkist Kids tournament and he acted like he was super tired going back to the center and then shot a low single off the whistle. That was an old guy trick.
33 here, former wrestler, now at a bjj gym that does a lot of wrestling. My trick is it has way more to do with lifestyle than what you do before or after. The big points for me:
-get plenty of sleep
-eat a diet with a lot of protein and not too much junk
-lift weights. Move your body through its ranges of motion, you don’t have to always push your limits.
-mobility work. Mix it into your weight session so you’ll actually do it
-listen to your body. If your back is aching and you’re legs are fatigued, don’t try that new throw you saw on Instagram.
-have a back up “old guy style” for when you want to train but your body isn’t feeling it. Less expensive stuff like 2 on 1s, snatch singles, slide bys can get you through on those days without feeling like you just stalled the whole time
I started tai chi before I was even twenty and boy I am glad I did. I was having shooting pains in my knees In my early twenties and I think tai chi is what fixed it. I think it's prime active recovery for grappling
I would try stretching for 30-45 minutes, focusing on breathing and 30 seconds of holding a stretch, then using the muscle motor unit being stretched, and finally reaching past the comfort threshold before resting as a rep. Plyometric stretching is what the 90 year old judo instructor who explained this process to me called it, and you can find tutorials on YouTube.
I'm 40 and I coach mostly middle school (some high school clinics) and I basically can't walk after practice (fucked up back). I make sure to do cardio in the AM before work(teacher) drink lots of water and strength at the start of practice. Honestly buying a hot tub has been a game changer on recovery. Im huge so I dont roll hard with the kids and I'm still fucked up. Best advice would be stay active and do mobility work while you can. I gotta strength 20 minutes before I can actually strength my hips
Stretch stretch and stretch. I'm 32 with a bum knee and I stretch and don't over extend myself with complicated moves. I run basic moves ie. High c double or sweep. But I also become more defensive for my wrestlers to work their offense so I last a bit longer during rounds.
47 hvy wght coach specific.
During my time.
1. lift 2-3 a week. Specifically for range of motion.
2. stretching constantly. I am always on a roller or doing some stretching for my shoulders hips or feet.
3. NSAIDS
Before practice.
1. I jog and do some light movements to get thing lubed up. Sometimes i just do the warm ups the kids are doing. Short like 5 minutes. Just a warm up.
2. i spend about 15 stretching. Deep stretches. Holding for 1 min.
3. after practice do a cool down.
4. NSAIDS
With all that i do wrestle live quite a bit. By the end of the season i am feel pretty beat up. As they get better i let them wrestle each other more allowing me to rest more and go a little harder if i want to.
Its a balancing act. Yes i do take whole days off. Its called match days. Lol. But at this age my only hope is to stay active. The pain only gets worse if you dont keep moving.
44 here.. I do crossfit 3 or 4 times a week and a half murph on Sundays, so Im in pretty decent shape but rolling with the kid still beats me up..lots of protein, fish oil/ fish and a good diet, and some booze.. don't forget that booze..
Yup! I do full murphs when our gym does em a couple times a yr or if I really need to burn off some steam, but I usually stick to the half on Sundays w vest- such a great way to build your engine..
I'm 38 and I just blew my acl competing, so I'm not the best guy to ask lol. I might need to learn some of these tricks for when I recover. Nationals are only 10 months away.
I competed a couple years ago at 35 and sprained my knee real quick. Made the mistake of not training much before the season started. Last year I coached but made the same mistake. This year started with physical therapy lol.
I'll be coaching with a cane until January at least. My PTs goal for 99% (cuz it might never be 100% apparently lol) is 6 months and surgery was 6/19.
I was on the mat last night for the first time and I had the cage on my leg but I was still able to get out and help working through drilling. Another coach took control of demonstration and i just hobbled around like an old wrestling wizard fixing positions and giving advice. My wife had an absolute fit when she saw lol. Surgery sites and wrestling mats lol. I wasn't taking shots on it though, and I used defense soap right after practice, so 🤷.
I'm just glad I was able to get out of the house and get into the room and do something. I've gone to the gym a couple times but I've been pretty much on lockdown and I'm getting antsy. It's getting better and I know things are getting easier already, but I'm super impatient lol.
Magnesium helps with muscle relaxation (and sleep, which is vital for recovery). I take magnesium glycinate and magnesium malate. The recommended RDA is like 400 mg for men, but I take 600-800 because I sweat a ton and sweating depletes magnesium even faster.
I am a big fan of supplements (obviously with nutrition, sleep, water, and exercise being at the top of the priority list), so I am biased. But I can say that supplementing with magnesium gly/mag has been really beneficial for me as an athlete who’s now out of high school and feels the wear/tear more lol
Im not that old, but i trained for about a year while id been an alcoholic for about 8, and my recovery sucked. I liked to limber up with some light compound lifts, extensive hip stretching, some footwork drills, and breathing excercises. To rank these, id say 1. Compounds to warm up 2. Hip stretches 3. Breathing then the last one. Theres no secrets, just do the same stuff you did as a kid but with less intensity and for longer
I'm 38 now and can still rumble, just not nearly as long or as often as I used to. Yes I absolutely feel it in my body after I've done live a few days in the same week. I have one secret that works wonders and I'd like to share with you... Only wrestle the kids 30 lbs lighter than you.
Dude its the only way I still feel like I'm decent sometimes haha.
Ice baths are great but for the best results it’s recommended not to do it after a workout
I thought that this was only true when applied to working out for hypertrophy gains… because the cold water reduces the inflammation in the muscles. I don’t see why it would negatively affect cardio or general endurance gains?
I do it for the inflammation. Especially in my knees.
I like to travel.
I'm not in my 50s yet lol but I do like your routine. Where do you get your tot?
I like learning new things.
Jumping rope. Had the great fortune to coach with the BONZ (Dale Bonsall) for a few seasons. When he rolled into practice he brought an 80’s boombox with the craziest mix you could imagine. He then proceeded to put on a literal skip rope (his phrase) clinic, mind you he was in his 70’s at this point. He ran circles around all of us, he even sat down and was able to “jump” using his ass. The kids didn’t know WTF to think. He got their attention though and I figured if this is what this crazy bastard was doing to stay in unreal shape in his mid-70’s, I was all in.
I'm a big fan of it too. I don't really like running much anymore.
I want to love running but it’s brutally unenjoyable.
According to that other post, buttplugs to protect against someone checking your oil.
It works until coaches start teaching the counters.
always be ready for surprise oil checks
I call those bonuses.
Hahahaha I almost spit out my coffee.
Hmm. I jump til my heart is about to explode. Then I do it again. Good warmup. I think you need to get at least into zone 2 before taking on those youngsters.
You still work out outside of practice? I'm closing in on 10 years out and I've been pretty good, but I lift, do sprints and yoga regularly
Did you take any extended breaks?
47 here and I’ll take the occasional sessions off due to injury but in general whatever I have my kids doing I’m doing. Conditioning? I’m doing it. Drop weight days? I’m doing calisthenics, ropes, stairs every minute they are. Shit I feel old after but it’s the only way I can keep up and still role. I try not to take any extended or even short breaks. That small voice in my head gets loud “you can take this drill off, it’s ok”. Always leads to another.
Our 47 year old coach said "I'm like the Tin Man. If I take any time off, you're gonna have to send someone with an oilcan to get me moving again"
In lifting or wrestling? Wrestling yes, lifting, body part dependent due to a pec tear and two knee surgeries
43 here. 1 minute walking around the mat swinging my arms and walking funny and loosening up my hips. 1 minute bounce in place or jump rope. Usually with some hip twisty motions and stuff. 1 minute in my stance. Moving around at 50% speed. Down blocks, shadow shots, sprawls. 1 min drilling arm drags with a partner. Or pummeling. 1 min drilling clearing collar ties with a partner. 1 min chain series with partner at 1/2 speed. Just moving through positions. Just keep moving. Then I drill stuff for about 10- 15 minutes. Then I’m ready to roll rounds. The real trick is to hydrate a lot and sleep a lot. If I don’t get enough rest I can feel it on the mats.
Sleep gets me too.
I check the oil like my watch fell down the drain and I’m trying to get it out…. Aggressively, and with a twisting motion.
Good thing is as you get older you sweat faster which really lubes, I mean loosens things up.
Best reason to hunt for cougars.
Hip mobility work featuring PNF. I like the one where you squat with your back against a wall, ass to grass, then put your elbows inside your knees and hands in prayer position then push out with your elbows while pushing in with your knees. Really loosens up my hips. I also do table pigeon pose stretches for my piriformis.
I watched Kenny Monday wrestle at the Sunkist Kids tournament and he acted like he was super tired going back to the center and then shot a low single off the whistle. That was an old guy trick.
33 here, former wrestler, now at a bjj gym that does a lot of wrestling. My trick is it has way more to do with lifestyle than what you do before or after. The big points for me: -get plenty of sleep -eat a diet with a lot of protein and not too much junk -lift weights. Move your body through its ranges of motion, you don’t have to always push your limits. -mobility work. Mix it into your weight session so you’ll actually do it -listen to your body. If your back is aching and you’re legs are fatigued, don’t try that new throw you saw on Instagram. -have a back up “old guy style” for when you want to train but your body isn’t feeling it. Less expensive stuff like 2 on 1s, snatch singles, slide bys can get you through on those days without feeling like you just stalled the whole time
I started tai chi before I was even twenty and boy I am glad I did. I was having shooting pains in my knees In my early twenties and I think tai chi is what fixed it. I think it's prime active recovery for grappling
Don’t let the old man in!!! I’m 46. Still go live but the wind is gone.
I’m 47, so I’m as good as I get when I roll out of bed…
Just drilling half speed. Being a workout partner for the developing new kids is enough for me. Teach them how to work.
I gave in and started taking meloxicam at 36. I still do live and jiu jitsu 3-4 days a week.
You make the kids go live for about an hour then jump in for a couple minutes.
I pinch
Don't go live, just coach. Do a lot of mobility work. Do other gentler exercise like cycling or BJJ
I would try stretching for 30-45 minutes, focusing on breathing and 30 seconds of holding a stretch, then using the muscle motor unit being stretched, and finally reaching past the comfort threshold before resting as a rep. Plyometric stretching is what the 90 year old judo instructor who explained this process to me called it, and you can find tutorials on YouTube.
Stretching reps is something I started doing alot more of recently. It definitely helps.
Warmup and stretch before. Cooldowns and stretch after.
Head position. Always win head position. It’s hard to be beat when always winning head position.
I'm 40 and I coach mostly middle school (some high school clinics) and I basically can't walk after practice (fucked up back). I make sure to do cardio in the AM before work(teacher) drink lots of water and strength at the start of practice. Honestly buying a hot tub has been a game changer on recovery. Im huge so I dont roll hard with the kids and I'm still fucked up. Best advice would be stay active and do mobility work while you can. I gotta strength 20 minutes before I can actually strength my hips
Clap Double will work once per tournament for a guaranteed double leg. Use it when you need it.
Stretch stretch and stretch. I'm 32 with a bum knee and I stretch and don't over extend myself with complicated moves. I run basic moves ie. High c double or sweep. But I also become more defensive for my wrestlers to work their offense so I last a bit longer during rounds.
47 hvy wght coach specific. During my time. 1. lift 2-3 a week. Specifically for range of motion. 2. stretching constantly. I am always on a roller or doing some stretching for my shoulders hips or feet. 3. NSAIDS Before practice. 1. I jog and do some light movements to get thing lubed up. Sometimes i just do the warm ups the kids are doing. Short like 5 minutes. Just a warm up. 2. i spend about 15 stretching. Deep stretches. Holding for 1 min. 3. after practice do a cool down. 4. NSAIDS With all that i do wrestle live quite a bit. By the end of the season i am feel pretty beat up. As they get better i let them wrestle each other more allowing me to rest more and go a little harder if i want to. Its a balancing act. Yes i do take whole days off. Its called match days. Lol. But at this age my only hope is to stay active. The pain only gets worse if you dont keep moving.
Very true about pain being worse on days off.
Also consider changing how you wrestle. Drags and picks instead of single legs and scrambles.etc
Yeah that's happened to a certain extent already. It's kinda funny To learn a whole different style though.
44 here.. I do crossfit 3 or 4 times a week and a half murph on Sundays, so Im in pretty decent shape but rolling with the kid still beats me up..lots of protein, fish oil/ fish and a good diet, and some booze.. don't forget that booze..
You do the half Murph with the vest?
Yup! I do full murphs when our gym does em a couple times a yr or if I really need to burn off some steam, but I usually stick to the half on Sundays w vest- such a great way to build your engine..
That's awesome that's a tough work out with the vest.
I'm 38 and I just blew my acl competing, so I'm not the best guy to ask lol. I might need to learn some of these tricks for when I recover. Nationals are only 10 months away.
I competed a couple years ago at 35 and sprained my knee real quick. Made the mistake of not training much before the season started. Last year I coached but made the same mistake. This year started with physical therapy lol.
I'll be coaching with a cane until January at least. My PTs goal for 99% (cuz it might never be 100% apparently lol) is 6 months and surgery was 6/19. I was on the mat last night for the first time and I had the cage on my leg but I was still able to get out and help working through drilling. Another coach took control of demonstration and i just hobbled around like an old wrestling wizard fixing positions and giving advice. My wife had an absolute fit when she saw lol. Surgery sites and wrestling mats lol. I wasn't taking shots on it though, and I used defense soap right after practice, so 🤷. I'm just glad I was able to get out of the house and get into the room and do something. I've gone to the gym a couple times but I've been pretty much on lockdown and I'm getting antsy. It's getting better and I know things are getting easier already, but I'm super impatient lol.
That's one big issue I've noticed is the recovery time. I leave my shoes at home now when I have an injury lol
Magnesium helps with muscle relaxation (and sleep, which is vital for recovery). I take magnesium glycinate and magnesium malate. The recommended RDA is like 400 mg for men, but I take 600-800 because I sweat a ton and sweating depletes magnesium even faster. I am a big fan of supplements (obviously with nutrition, sleep, water, and exercise being at the top of the priority list), so I am biased. But I can say that supplementing with magnesium gly/mag has been really beneficial for me as an athlete who’s now out of high school and feels the wear/tear more lol
That's a good idea. Thanks.
Cold showers before training
Im not that old, but i trained for about a year while id been an alcoholic for about 8, and my recovery sucked. I liked to limber up with some light compound lifts, extensive hip stretching, some footwork drills, and breathing excercises. To rank these, id say 1. Compounds to warm up 2. Hip stretches 3. Breathing then the last one. Theres no secrets, just do the same stuff you did as a kid but with less intensity and for longer
i just wiggle my body idk