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

BACKGROUND: Core-strength is vital for Greco-Roman wrestling, although studies have yet to establish the effectives of core-specific training in this sport. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of core-specific strength training on determinants of Greco-Roman wrestling performance in elite junior athletes. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.