With the summer ending so is the wrestling off-season. Everyone is back in school and we are now full speed into the wrestling pre-season. This is the time of the season where you need to start setting your goals and working towards those goals. There is only five weeks until the 1st day of season. That is not a lot of time, but a lot can be accomplished in that short time. This is the time of the season where you should be excited and very motivated to get better. The pre-season is for getting into shape, getting into the weight room and getting back on the mat.
Every wrestler knows that there is a huge difference between wrestling shape and running shape, but we need to start running to get our lungs prepared for some very difficult mat time. wrestling is all about pushing your body to the limits and then pushing some more. We need to spend the 1st couple weeks of season working on becoming better wrestlers. If you enter the season out of shape you will be focusing your energy trying to get your wind instead of focusing on wrestling skills.
Just as important as conditioning is lifting weights. I can't count how many times I have had a wrestler walk of the mat after losing and talk about how strong their opponent was, but yet when we are in the weight room they are no where to be found. You don't have to have special skills, or be naturally gifted to be a strong athlete. You just have to be willing to dedicate yourself to working at it. When you have two wrestlers that are equal, the wrestler who is in better shape and is stronger will always win the match. These are two advantages that only you can gain for yourself. No one can give it you, these are parts of the sport that you earn, but once they are earned they will take you a long way.
The 3rd and final stage of pre-season is mat time. This is the time where you have to go to open mats, open tournament and hit those last minute camps. lacing up the wrestling shoes now and getting your body's timing back will allow you to hit your moves more naturally once season starts, instead of having to think about them be for you attempt it. That split second difference is the difference between hitting the move successfully and being stopped.
Now many of you might hit the mats and lift, but leave out the conditioning. Some of you might lift and run, but find an excuse not to go to open mats or to miss a pre-season tournament. The one that you sacrifice now will be very obvious come regular season. The best part of wrestling is that you don't have anyone to rely on during the match. Win or lose it is on your, and how much you have prepared. Wrestling is not a sport you do because it is fun. Wrestling is a sport that you do because it challenges you every day, and after 6 minutes when your hand gets raised you realize all of that hard work, dedication, and extra time spent was all worth it. Everyone goes to practice, to be a champion you have to do the extra. The pre-season is here, and now is the time to put in the extra time.
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