How to master wrestling and always win. Tips from Russian Champions

In RUSSIA, wrestling has always been the kind of sport in which our athletes have taken leading positions in competitions at all levels. How to start mastering wrestling and win - champions Sergey Semenov and Abasgadzhi Magomedov told RBC Sport about this.

Wrestling is one of the most ancient sports, its traditions were known even in ancient Sparta. No wonder that Greco-Roman wrestling became one of the competitive disciplines at the first Olympic Games in 1896. Eight years later, freestyle wrestling also became an Olympic sport. A hundred years later, in Athens, women's wrestling made its debut in the Olympic program, the first silver medal was won by the Russian woman Guzel Manyurova.

The traditions of wrestling have been strong in Rus' since ancient times, during the time of Tsarist Russia, the name of Ivan Poddubny was known all over the world. it was the traditions of wrestling that allowed Russian athletes to take a leading position in this sport. The greatest number of victories at the world championships in freestyle wrestling is on account of Alexander Medved, who won 10 gold medals. Greco-Roman wrestler Alexander Karelin (9) is only one medal behind him.

On the eve of the first tournament of the International Wrestling League of Poddubny, which will be held at the initiative of the Russian Wrestling Federation on May 19-20 in Moscow, RBC Sport spoke with two-time Olympic medalist and world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling Sergey Semenov and the current world champion and champion of Russia in freestyle wrestling Abasgadzhi Magomedov.

Sergey Semenov (Photo: Sergey Semenov)

Sergey Semenov, two-time Olympic medalist, world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling

Before leading the child to the martial arts section, parents should gradually introduce other types of physical activity into the child's daily routine. For the development of flexibility and agility, gymnastics and acrobatics are well suited, for endurance - running and swimming. Only after two or three years of regular sports, you can bring the child to the fight. I myself started training at the age of 8 and would recommend that you first attend trial classes in various clubs in order to closely monitor the attitude of the coach towards children. How intelligibly he explains exercises and techniques, how he gets along with the child, whether they are comfortable working together. It is on the relationship with the coach that the success of the future wrestler depends.

Training in wrestling necessarily begins with preparation. Age is also important: if you train from an early age, when the muscles are more flexible and elastic, the body quickly remembers the necessary techniques and options for avoiding an opponent's grip. Before starting wrestling training, you need to prepare the whole body: warm up the ligaments, and only then move on to simple techniques. Until you master them, I do not recommend going out on the mat with a partner.

There are several exercises that all young wrestlers start with. They are not aimed at practicing power techniques (grabs), but at developing stability, balance on the mat. For example, wrestling on one leg, when the task of the opponents is to maintain balance, or "tagging" - the wrestlers, facing each other, try to step on the opponent's foot and at the same time prevent them from stepping on their own.

Selection for the Olympic Games in Tokyo (Photo: Sergey Semenov)

The advice that I can give is not to rush to learn how to wrestle faster, but to master this sport gradually. I have noticed more than once how novice wrestlers really want to master all the tricks at once, they grab onto different styles and techniques, without having worked through each one hundred percent. As a result, they are the ones who make the most stupid mistakes. In developing yourself as a wrestler, this is fraught not only with offensive losses, but also with injuries, so it is very important to find a coach who will help you slowly, consciously and safely master wrestling techniques.

You can start training in a regular tracksuit, most importantly, do not forget about the warm-up - the main point in training. All joints and muscles need to be properly kneaded. It is advisable to do a little stretching of the muscles before training, as well as after it. This will help them “not to clog” - not to be filled with lactic acid from severe overexertion. Otherwise, the next day, aches and weakness in them will not allow you to continue training. Massages are also effective: if there are problem areas, it is better to use warming ointments during the kneading process.

Abasgadzhi Magomedov (Photo: Abasgadzhi Magomedov)

Abasgadzhi Magomedov, reigning world wrestling champion and Russian freestyle wrestling champion

Those young people who dream of wrestling should first devote a year or two to gymnastics, and at the age of 7-8 they should already start strength training. Since wrestling is a synergy of flexibility and strength, while gymnastics and acrobatics train body mobility, joint elasticity, and agility. Stretching and the ability to group are the main skills of wrestlers.

Before each workout, a warm-up is required - the muscles must be warmed up so that the athlete does not get injured. The lack of a thorough warm-up, forced preparation for entering the carpet can cause numerous injuries. These include damage to the internal meniscus, rupture of the ligaments of the knee joint, various dislocations - of the shoulder, hand, ankle. In addition, I do not recommend moving on to practicing a new technique without thoroughly studying all the subtleties of the previous one.

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In the process of training professional wrestlers, the main role is played by the coach. When choosing a person who will supervise an athlete throughout his formation, it is better to give preference to masters of sports, as well as former professional wrestlers. A coach who has not taken part in any fight may be able to cope with the explanation of the theory, but he must show the execution of practical techniques personally. Of course, it is better to entrust work with children to a specialist who loves his job and gets along well with little athletes. A trusting relationship with a coach is the key to a wrestler's success, because often many talented guys refuse to practice this sport precisely because of the lack of mutual understanding with a mentor.

Abasgadzhi Magomedov at the World Championships (Photo: Abasgadzhi Magomedov)

As equipment, a special wrestling leotard made of synthetic materials - lycra and elastane - is ideal. Thanks to their properties, the suit stretches well and will never tear during a fight. Shoes made of hard materials with hard soles are prohibited on wrestling mats, as they can harm the opponent and damage the tatami. Therefore, the best option is “wrestling shoes” made of natural fabrics, for example, cotton, which fit snugly around the ankle, protecting the athlete from dislocations.