How to Give Effective Wrestling Feedback

Wrestling coaches: you're giving feedback constantly. Between rounds. After matches. During practice.

But is your feedback actually helping your wrestlers improve?

Here's what 15 years of coaching wrestling taught me about giving feedback that works.

The Problem with Most Feedback

"Good job."
"You need to work on your stance."
"Be more aggressive."

What's wrong with these?

They're too vague.

Your wrestler nods. But they don't know WHAT was good, WHERE their stance broke down, or HOW to be more aggressive.

Vague feedback creates confusion, not improvement.

The 5 Principles of Effective Wrestling Feedback

1. Be Specific

Bad: "Your takedown needs work."

Good: "At 0:47 in your match, your level change wasn't deep enough. Your hips stayed high. That's why your shot got stuffed."

See the difference?

Specific feedback tells your wrestler EXACTLY what happened and WHY it didn't work.

2. Make It Timely

The best feedback happens immediately after the action.

Between rounds at a tournament? That's the moment.

Right after practice? Perfect.

Three days later? They've already forgotten the feeling.

Video feedback solves the timing problem.

You can't always give feedback in the moment during a match. But you CAN film the match and add timestamped feedback within minutes.

Your wrestler watches. The match is still fresh. They remember. They learn.

3. Show, Don't Just Tell

"You're leaving your leg in on your shots."

Your wrestler hears you. But do they SEE it?

Use video.

"Watch at 0:34. See your leg? It stays in. That's why you got countered. Now watch this shot at 1:23 - see how you pull it back immediately? THAT is what I want."

Now they get it. Visual proof beats verbal explanation every time.

4. Balance Positive and Corrective

Don't just point out mistakes. Highlight what they're doing RIGHT.

"At 1:12, that re-attack was perfect. You chained your wrestling exactly like we practiced."

Positive feedback:
- Builds confidence
- Reinforces good technique
- Shows you're paying attention to their progress

Aim for a 2:1 ratio. Two positives for every corrective note.

5. Focus on What They Can Control

Bad: "You need to be stronger."

Good: "Your hand fighting at the start of the match - work on creating angles before you shoot."

Strength takes months to build. Hand fighting technique can improve this week.

Focus feedback on technique, positioning, and decision-making - things they can actually work on immediately.

How to Give Feedback at Different Moments

Between Rounds at Tournaments

You have 5-10 minutes. Make it count.

Pick 2-3 KEY teaching moments:

"That shot at 0:47 - your level change needs to be deeper. Feel how your hips stayed high? Drop them."

"Your re-attack at 1:23 was perfect. Do that EVERY time you get in on a leg."

Don't overload them. Two clear coaching points > five confusing ones.

After a Dual Meet Match

Your wrestler comes off the mat. Give immediate feedback:

"Great stance in the first period. I saw you keeping your hips low."

"At the end of the second, you started reaching. Stay compact. Hands to body."

Then film review that night or the next day for deeper analysis.

During Practice

Live wrestling is GOLD for coaching.

Stop the action when you see key teaching moments:

"Stop. Everyone watch this. See how he kept his hips under him during that scramble? THAT is what I'm looking for."

Then film those same situations. Athletes review at home. The lesson sticks.

Post-Tournament Film Review

Sunday night after a tournament. Your wrestler has 4-5 matches filmed.

Don't try to coach every second. Pick the key moments:

3-5 timestamps per match
Focus on patterns (if they're reaching on shots in multiple matches, that's a pattern)
Balance positives and corrections

15 minutes of targeted timestamps = a week of focused improvement.

Common Feedback Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Mistake #1: Overloading

Trying to fix 10 things at once overwhelms your wrestler.

Fix: Pick 1-2 key things per match. Master those first.

Mistake #2: Being Too Negative

Constant criticism destroys confidence.

Fix: 2:1 positive-to-corrective ratio. Celebrate the good stuff.

Mistake #3: Coaching What You Can't Change

"You need to be faster/stronger/taller."

Fix: Focus on technique, positioning, and tactics. Those CAN change.

Mistake #4: No Follow-Through

You give feedback. Then nothing. No reinforcement. No checking if they understood.

Fix: Ask them to explain it back. "What are we working on in your next match?"

Mistake #5: Forgetting the "Why"

"Keep your hands up."

Okay, but WHY?

Fix: "Keep your hands up so you can control the tie-up and create angles for your shots."

Now they understand the PURPOSE.

Using Video for Better Feedback

Here's what I learned coaching at Point Loma High School:

Athletes WANT to see their footage.

When I started using video feedback at tournaments, wrestlers were FIRED UP waiting to see their matches. They wanted to know what I saw. They wanted to improve.

Video makes feedback specific and undeniable.

"Your stance was too high."
"No it wasn't."

vs.

"Watch at 2:05. See your hips? They're at his chest level. Now watch this other clip at 0:34 - see how low you are? THAT is the difference."

Can't argue with video.

Video lets athletes study on their own time.

You can't be with them 24/7. But video feedback travels with them.

They watch before bed. Between classes. On the bus to the next tournament.

The coaching continues even when you're not there.

Real Example: Fixing a Shot Technique

The Problem:

My wrestler was getting his shots stuffed. He couldn't figure out why.

Bad Feedback:

"Your shots aren't working. You need to penetrate more."

He tried. Still got stuffed.

Good Feedback (With Video):

Filmed his live wrestling at practice. Added timestamps:

"At 0:23, watch your level change. See how your hips stay high? That's why your head comes up and you can't finish. Now watch this shot at 1:45 - see the difference? Hips drop first, THEN you step. That's the standard."

He watched it 10 times that night. Next practice? Immediate improvement.

The difference? He could SEE what he was doing wrong.

Tools for Better Feedback

You need THREE things:

A way to film (your phone)
A way to organize footage (not 1,000 random clips in your camera roll)
A way to add timestamped feedback (so athletes know exactly where to look)

Coach Feedback was built for exactly this.

Record on your phone. Add timestamps. Athletes get notified and watch.

Simple. Mobile. Effective.

Action Steps for Coaches

This Week:

Film your next practice or match
Pick ONE wrestler
Add 5 timestamps to their footage:
- 2 things they did well
- 2 things to improve
- 1 key focus for next session
Have them watch it before next practice

Watch what happens.

They'll show up more engaged. More focused. More ready to improve.

That's the power of specific, visual, timely feedback.

Conclusion

Wrestling is detail work.

Hand fighting. Level changes. Hip position. Re-attacks.

Your wrestlers need specific feedback on those details.

"Good job" doesn't cut it.

"Watch at 0:47 - see your hip position? That's why you got taken down" - THAT helps them improve.

Give feedback that wrestlers can actually use.

Be specific. Be timely. Show them. Balance positive and corrective. Focus on what they can control.

That's how wrestlers get better.

That's how programs get built.

Want to give better feedback?
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Athletes use it completely FREE. Coaches start at $14.99/month.

Record. Review. Improve.