Aim. The aim of this article is to improve a long-term preparation system of judokas. Materials and methods. To study the problem of a gradual formation of the competitive competence in wrestlers, we decided to conduct the experiment with the participation of the athletes of different age groups: I (11–12) – 726, II (13–14) – 553, III (15–17) – 637, IV (male group) – 557. The competitive competence of wrestlers was evaluated during competitions of different levels. Results. The results obtained allowed us to propose an innovative way for constructing a model of “ideal wrestler”, which contains 16 individual competencies developed on the basis of the official rules of judo competitions. The sum of individual competencies we identified as a “competitive competence”. Conclusion. We also conducted a stepwise comparison of individual competencies between the age groups (group I with II, II with III, III with IV), which proved their informativeness in assessing competitive activity.