New to Wrestlng? Here's a FAQ!
Everyone's favorite season is almost upon us, and with it comes a bunch of new faces to the worlds greatest sport. Everyone who starts really has no clue what they're getting in to, so we have decided to put together a little bit of an intro for y'all to read through!
FAQ:
**Q**:"Will I be good?"
A: Very very few people are their first season. I personally went 5-5 on JV my freshman year. However, it pissed me off and I was able to use that anger from my losses to train even harder that off season and during practice and well exceed my goals in each of my following seasons.
The point is, you probably won't be good. But it is only a bad thing if you don't learn from it and quit. Get pissed when you lose and use that anger to practice harder and pin the next kid who makes the mistake of stepping onto the mat with you.
**Q**: "I am x'x" and xxx pounds, will I be good?"
A: Height is an advantage... but so is being short and strong. I am 6'1" and 152 (well I was when I wrestled) and was very successful. My partner was our 160 who was 5'8" and jacked. My height helped me a lot but I could never build the amount of muscle mass someone shorter than I could. It is a give and take. Learn to wrestle with your body. It all comes back to needing to practice as much as possible.
**Nobody has an inherent advantage over you.** You're both the same weight. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to put up a fight and pin him.
**Q**: "How do I cut weight?"
A: Eating smart and practicing hard. Running on your own. Avoid snacking and eating any time close to going to bed. Small enough breakfast to give you energy for the day. Different diets work for different people, but one thing is common between everything that works, and that is eating smart while working hard. It is as simple as that.
During the season I would have a bar for breakfast then an apple for lunch and also something before practice to power through. Then, depending if we had a match the next day and what my weight was, I would eat some salad or egg whites with chicken for dinner. If you're smart with it all, you can even pig out a little after tournaments or matches. My squad would always go to Moe's and Sonic after a good match or tournament as a reward... but we were also smart enough to never miss weight! It is a give and take
Hydration is key! Drinking water is so important, but it is also something to be careful of. Drinking a bottle of water an hour before weighing in is like adding a pound for no real reason. There is a lot of suffering that goes into this sport, but passing out from dehydration shouldn't be a part of it. Be smart about when you drink and this won't be a problem.
Find what works for you, but eating smart and working hard works for everyone.
Plus, remember that most people lost between .25-1.5 pounds just by sleeping at night. Learn how much this is for you and use it to your advantage!
**Q**: "Is it really that hard?"
A: Yes. Embrace the suck and kick someone in the teeth (metaphorically of course).
**Q**: "What should I expect the first few practices?"
A: Stance, stance in motion, stance with a partner, stance, running, conditioning, some more stance, penetration steps, more conditioning and then some more of it all.
Wrestling is the world's greatest sport. Don't be like everyone who joins late and wishes they joined earlier. Especially don't be the person who "almost" joined the wrestling team or the person who quit after the first week because it was too hard.
For the vets: Something I pass on to all of the wrestlers that I see come through: your goal shouldn't be to make it to states. It shouldn't be to get on the podium. It should be to win states. Get as high on the podium as possible. If you make it to the semi-finals of a tournament that has six spots, then you're on the podium. You achieved your goal. The next two matches are just extra, right? No. Your goal should be as high on the podium as possible so you have even more to work for.
Make some noise this season and upset some ranks! Seeding means nothing. 16 seeds have pinned 1 seeds, why not you?