Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia

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Summary: Skills and Principles of the sport. Biographies and pictures
Review: A must-have for any beginning wrestler. step by step guidelines to important principles of amateur wrestling. Basic skills and principles to the sport are taught. Lists many helpful body exercises to improve wrestling skills. Also contains brief biographies of pioneers in the sport here in America, such as Gotch, Hackenschmidt, and Gable. Has pictures of different variations of wrestling, such as NCAA tournaments and Indian wrestling to belt wrsetling and Greco-Roman meets.

Rating:
Summary: Timeless Resource
Review: I don't know when my parents bought the Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia, but it was long before I could ever understand it. I remember thinking that the pictures of the old-time wrestlers was cool but that it would be too much work to read. So, for at least 20 years it sat on a bookshelf collecting dust. Last year, while visting my parents I happened to look at it. I was amazed at the great information it contains. It has hundreds of ideas on getting into better condition. I kept thinking if I had only known this stuff when I wrestled in high school and college what a difference it would have made. I have incorporated a lot of the information it contains in my workouts and have had a lot of success with it. It really reconfirms the notion that "new" is not always better, and gave me a "fresh" perspective on conditioning that can help you too.

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Summary: There's a reason this book was so well received!
Review: I honestly don't know why this book is out of print. I suppose everyone bought a copy shortly after it was released--it HAS been out a while. The truth is, I bought two copies just before it was "phased out", and in short order resold the second copy on eBay (for profit, I believe.) Everyone I've come across in the wrestling community who has seen the book simply raves about it. I've even had friends of mine read it (not all were wrestlers) and not one didn't get anything out of it.

The book is thick, and full of info. Yes, it has old photos of wrestlers and styles from history and around the world. Yes, it has tips and recommendations on weight lifting. Yes, it addresses diet and nutrition. Yes, it delves into physiology and the basis behind much of its suggestions. (Key example: getting stronger increases your conditioning. You can wrestle a 150-lbs. opponent harder and longer than a 175-lbs. opponent. So if the 175-lbs. opponent *feels* like a 150-lbs. opponent, you've indirectly extended your conditioning.) If you don't feel you need all that the book offers, that's certainly no reason not to acquire it; simply save the unwanted portions for later (and if you're active in the sport, eventually you'll need most of what's in here.)

This book is a classic, and upon reading it you quickly understand why the training methods it teaches work. "They don't make them like they used to" certainly applies here.

Five stars for historical value, detail, sound methodology, and abundance of useful material on numerous aspects of training.