Joe Nord is the newest addition to the Minnesota Gophers Wrestling Coaching Staff. Nord is also a J Robinson Intensive Camps counselor and former 28-Day Intensive Camper.

The Gophers are nearing their first competition of the 13’-14’ season. For many of them it will be their first time competing in over 5 months. These 5 months, referred to as the “off-season”, are really anything but time off. The off-season is when these athletes take advantage of their time to train and truly make strides that will separate them from their opponents. Throughout the summer many of the Gophers spend their days immersed in wrestling, it is common for them to have 2 workouts a day. One workout typically focuses on strength and conditioning activities such as weight lifting and running. The other workout typically is focused on wrestling activities like drilling, sparring or live wrestling.

During the off-season our guys know that they have no competition in the near future, which allows them to train very hard without need for tapering. This isn’t to say that they train without rest. Rest is essential even without upcoming competitions. We have found that training hard, very hard, for 2-3 days at a time followed by a day of complete rest is a great way to structure the training cycle. This time of year is great for only worrying about one thing, getting better at wrestling. It is important to know your weaknesses and spend time building them into weapons.

Once school starts in September you can feel the anticipation building for the upcoming season. A typical week of training from September through October would have our guys wrestling 3-4 days a week and running/lifting 2-4 days a week, depending on their needs and goals. This general schedule works well for the majority of guys. In addition to our team schedule most guys spend extra time focusing on the specific areas they need to improve in. Guys that need to get bigger and stronger get in extra lifts. Guys that have technical areas that they need help with will get extra drills in with a coach or partner.

Off-season and pre-season training are focused on two things. Number one is intensity; we want our guys to be the most intense wrestlers in the country. We reach this goal by making a point to stress intensity level in every practice. Another main focus during these times of the year is getting better at something specific. It is easy to fall into a groove of what you drill, how you wrestle, the things you work on and the way you train. Our goal is to be improving in the areas we need the most work; this becomes very individualized. Each wrestler needs work in a different area. The important part is to be mentally involved. Going through the motions will cause your progress to idle. Keep in mind that the areas you dislike working on the most may be your weakest areas.

As the high school wrestling season approaches you may be wondering what is the best way to prepare. In general, nothing gets you better at wrestling than wrestling. Every chance you get to spend time on the mat fixing problem positions and learning more wrestling, the faster you will improve. A lot of guys will spend time running, lifting and conditioning. These are great ways to train but they are merely supplements in aiding our progress.

Another mistake some guys make is that they spend too much time cutting weight. As the season approaches, choose a weight that works well for you; a weight that will allow your training to stay focused on getting better at wrestling. Cutting too much weight shifts the focus from improving your wrestling to just making weight.

So, keep your focus on what you love, wrestling. Seek out partners to wrestle with, find the time to put in extra work. When March comes around you will be happy you did.

- Joe Nord