Genesis Shares Her Chest, Shoulder and Grip Workout for Wrestling Training

For WOW wrestler Genesis, upper-body training serves a purpose beyond building strength: she says grip work helps prepare her for the holds and awkward positions she encounters in the ring. Her chest and shoulder session combines four machine or cable exercises with wrist rotations at the end of each repetition. It’s a glimpse of one athlete’s training, not a tested program or a template that will suit every gym-goer.

Genesis, whose name is Selena O’Sullivan, is preparing for Season 5 of WOW—Women Of Wrestling. She made her debut with the promotion in 2019 after training in martial arts, acting and stunt performance. She says she grew up in Nhulunbuy, a small mining town in Australia’s Northern Territory, and began karate classes at the local town hall. Later, she studied Wing Chun and Muay Thai in Los Angeles and trained with weapons. Her wrestling character uses nunchucks.

Why wrestling asks for different skills

Martial arts and professional wrestling place different demands on the body, O’Sullivan says. In wrestling, performers learn to fall and land safely as part of a staged match. She recalls that landing on her back during early training felt like a shock. The skills involved go beyond striking or resisting an opponent: wrestlers must coordinate movement, timing and communication while performing for an audience.

She credits WOW creative director and wrestling veteran Selina Majors with helping her understand how to tell a story in the ring, rather than simply stringing together impressive moves. That distinction matters to Genesis because she continues to learn new techniques, including a twisting leg drop from the second turnbuckle. She says that difficult moves require preparation and care between performers. Training can reduce avoidable mistakes, but it can’t remove all risk from a physically demanding sport.

Her comments offer useful context for the workout: the aim she describes is functional preparation for wrestling, not a claim that a particular exercise prevents injury or guarantees better performance. The source doesn’t report a formal study, measured results, or a comparison with other training approaches. It describes one athlete’s routine and the reasons she gives for doing it.

The chest and shoulder session

Genesis says she warms up on an elliptical, then performs the following circuit for three rounds, completing 8–12 repetitions of each exercise:

• Standing cable flies
• Shoulder press machine
• Chest dips
• Standing cable crossovers

She says she works toward failure when lifting, but the source doesn’t specify the weight, pace, rest between exercises, or how close each set comes to failure. Those details can change how strenuous a session feels. The listed repetition range and three-round structure are the only programming details provided, so readers shouldn’t assume that copying the circuit will reproduce Genesis’s training or meet their own needs.

Her distinctive adjustment is a wrist rotation at the end of each repetition, which she describes as “wringing.” She says the movement is intended to challenge grip strength and forearm stability. In wrestling, she explains, performers need to be comfortable moving through unusual positions and dealing with holds. That makes grip work relevant to her sport, though the article provides no evidence that this specific technique improves grip more than other exercises.

Mobility and recovery are part of her approach

Genesis also says she stretches after training to maintain flexibility and enjoys long hikes outdoors to clear her mind. These are personal parts of her routine; the source doesn’t specify a stretching sequence, hiking schedule, or recovery plan. For readers, the practical point is that her gym session sits within a broader approach to movement rather than standing alone.

Any exercise can feel different depending on a person’s experience, mobility, health and equipment. Cable work, dips and overhead pressing may not be comfortable or suitable for everyone. Someone returning to exercise, managing an injury or unsure how to adjust a movement may find it helpful to discuss their plans with a qualified clinician or fitness professional. There’s no need to treat an athlete’s routine as a prescription.

What comes next for Genesis

Genesis is looking ahead to WOW’s fifth season and says she has her sights set on a championship match against Santana Garrett, the champion at the end of Season 4. She has also joked that she might add a bow staff to her character’s arsenal. Those plans frame the workout as part of her preparation for performance, where strength, movement and storytelling all have a role.

Her routine offers a concrete example of how one wrestler connects upper-body and grip training to the demands of her work. The available details are enough to describe the session, but not to judge its effects or recommend it broadly. For now, the useful takeaway is that Genesis’s training choices reflect her own sport-specific goals, and any adaptation should account for the individual doing the workout.

For more information on WOW—Women Of Wrestling—and announcements about Season 5, visit the WOW website. Genesis can be followed on Instagram.