Olympic wrestling champion Nikolai Balboshin details suplex technique development

Five-time world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist Nikolai Balboshin shared how he developed his signature suplex throw in Greco-Roman wrestling during the 1970s. Balboshin explained that a coach once called him a "pusher," which motivated him to perfect the technique rather than be labeled negatively. He trained extensively with spring-loaded equipment, performing 100 repetitions on each arm three times daily after morning, afternoon, and evening sessions. Balboshin described his grip technique as so powerful that training partners said they couldn't breathe and begged to be released. He emphasized the importance of the hip drive and practicing on both a mannequin and live opponents. Eventually, he mastered throwing to both left and right sides, making him unpredictable to opponents.