PM:Hey man hope you dont mind helping me with a quistion......
In my wrestling promotion im known for throwing alot of different ( especially overhead ) Suplex's
I was wondering if you know of any exercise's that would directly help my throwing ability??
Thanx in advance
Monty:I would focus a lot on shoulders.
The shoulders are complex joints that move in a plethora of different directions, and they are CRUCIAL overhead work.
Ken Patera had big POWERFUL delts, and he never needed “help” from his opponents to pick them up and then do whatever he pleased.
Other suplex masters who come to mind:
Steiner
Angle
Benoit
Dynamite Kid
All these guys had good shoulder development.
I would do a variety of shoulder training with heavy emphasis on presses since they build the most strength and size.
Try alternating between:
Seated dumbbell
Seated barbell
Standing dumbbell
Standing barbell
Arnold presses
Cuban presses
Smith Machine presses
And if your gym has different Hammer or Life Fitness machines, alternate those as well.
The idea is to work those shoulders from EVERY possible angle and position. Also include isolation work for each head, and don’t forget rotator cuff strengthening.
It is also advisable to pay special attention to abs, low back, and legs because your core is your foundation to work from when hoisting your opponent overhead. Train these parts directly as well as doing the popular “core-strengthening” exercises for maximum development.
You’ve mentioned lower back issues, which is why I would add even more ab work to help negate some of the deficiencies in the lumbar region.
Of course bi’s and tri’s are strong upper body ancillary muscles used for suplexes, so don’t neglect them either.
Basically, you’ll want to train your entire body, but for overhead throwing purposes, I would prioritize the shoulder work outlined above.
PM:Hey man thanx alot for the advice alternating alot of presses on top of regular shoulder work sounds good, I just wasn't exactly sure what muscle controlled the throwing motion the most but that sounds right.
I do train whole body and shoulders do seem to lag behind a little maybe i havent been training them hard enough.
But in your opinion as a natural would training shoulders twice a week to bring them upto par be too much???
Again thank you
Monty:I wouldn’t do a FULL shoulder workout more than once per week, though I don’t see a problem adding a couple of supplemental sets of presses at the end of another workout day.
If your wallet allows, consider investing in some proven OTC supplements that aid in recovery – BCAA’s, creatine, Vitamin B6, etc.