Coaching for Wrestling vs. Coaching for Submission Wrestling / Jiu Jitsu
Amateur or folkstyle wrestling one of the most effective training bases for future Mixed Martial Arts training. The high intensity of the practices develops the mental toughness that will help all athletes greatly. The best part of amateur wrestling is that it is taught for free at most high schools or at a nominal cost in a recreation league.
Coaches in wrestling have focused so much on scramble ability, physical conditioning, and the other athletic aspects of the sport. The vast majority of wrestling practices are regimented affairs that focus on drilling and live wrestling in a very controlled environment. This approach obviously works and kids karate programs should definitely absorb some of the training discipline that wrestlers are famous for. For a different point of view, we can look to the burgeoning sports of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling.
Coaches in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu often take a more cerebral approach to the training. For example, at the Baltimore Mixed Martial Arts gym that I train at, the coaches will push the students to take notes in classes. At any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class, you will find notebooks and pens scattered across the room, ready for the students to jot down any technical pointers they pick up during the class. In addition, all students are pushed to study video and come in with questions about new techniques. MMA video instructionals are very popular and you will often find students borrowing each other's DVDs for home study.
Another interesting coaching aspect of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling is the writing of a gameplan. A gameplan is a plan of action for each individual and is personalized to the athlete's preferences. For example, some athletes might prefer to attack using footlocks while others focus on chokes. While all athletes have a gameplan in their heads, very few actually take the time to write one out and use it as a guide for training and competition.
Wrestling takes a far more physical approach, focusing on drilling and intensity. It would be interesting to see how much of a benefit, if any, amateur wrestlers would gain by adding some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu learning techniques to their arsenal.
Adam Delbrugge