The effect of a 4-week core strengthening program on determinants of wrestling performance in junior Greco-Roman wrestlers: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Core-strength is vital for Greco-Roman wrestling, although studies have yet to establish the effectives of core-specific training in this sport. To examine the effect of core-specific strength training on determinants of Greco-Roman wrestling performance in elite junior athletes. Twenty state-level, junior, Greco-Roman wrestlers were randomized into a core-specific training group (COR; n= 12) and a control group (CON; n= 8). The COR group undertook a 4-week, core-specific training program concurrently with their typical training program, whilst the CON group completed 4 weeks of typical training only. Both groups completed overhead medicine ball throw (OMBT), Suplexes, bridges and medicine ball chest throw (MBCT) prior to and following the intervention. The COR group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in bridges (p= 0.037; F= 5.046) and OMBT (p< 0.001; F= 26.43) than the CON group, with moderate to large between-group effect sizes (ES = 0.79-2.35). In addition, the effect size calculations were moderate-to-large (0.79-0.87) for Suplex and MBCT, with measures for the COR group greater than the CON group. Accordingly, core-specific training programs should be combined with wrestling-specific conditioning programs to improve back and hip extensor performance in junior Greco-Roman wrestlers.