Wrestling, like any sport, has certain rules. However, in this article I want to discuss some “unwritten” rules that can help you on your quest to become a champion.
If wrestling is your sport, these are the rules.
1. You will receive a certain amount of innate talent given by God.
Some fighters have a tremendous amount of natural talent. Some have less. I had my fair share of wrestling talent in my competitive days. Wrestling came naturally to me. I understood the rules, the movements, the timing, the leverage needed in different situations and other aspects of wrestling. However, I can’t play the piano. I don’t have the talent of Mozart. I can’t play basketball. I don’t have the talent of Michael Jordan. But, wrestling always seemed right to me. Guess what, though? I could get better at playing the piano and playing basketball. It would never be great, but it could definitely get better. A person can always improve their skills. That is why practicing and training is so important in wrestling. Even if you don’t have a lot of natural talent, you can always improve your skills. Also, I have seen less talented wrestlers beat more “talented” wrestlers on a number of occasions. Practice your skills a lot, make sure you’re in excellent physical condition, practice mental toughness, and don’t worry too much about how much talent you have.
2. You will learn movements.
Fighting is considered to have seven basic abilities. These abilities are Stance, Movement, Level Change, Penetration, Lift, Step Back, and Back Bow. However, wrestling has thousands of moves and techniques. You must learn as many moves as possible. You will learn a lot in practice. You can also learn a lot from books and videos. By watching videos, you can access the knowledge of phenomenal fighters like Dan Gable and John Smith. The Granby School of Wrestling has a lot of great videos available. There’s no reason not to learn various moves, counters, and techniques. Technique is number one in a wrestling match. No matter how strong you are physically and mentally, if you don’t have good technical skills, you will be defeated. Learn each move and then practice your moves religiously. You won’t be using all of them, but you need to learn various moves and counter those moves if you hope to be a great fighter.
3. You will receive feedback.
Your coach will of course give you feedback. Your teammates will give you feedback. Your family and community members can even give you feedback. Make sure you listen to them. They may be wrong, but have an open mind and at least listen to them. You’ll also get feedback just by watching how well you do in practice and in games. Whether you win or lose, you are receiving feedback. Tony Robbins likes to say, “There is no such thing as failure. There is only feedback.” In other words, you can learn from every experience, even from losing a wrestling match. Inventor Thomas Edison once said, “I haven’t failed. I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” He also said, “Results! Wow, man, I’ve gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won’t work.” Eventually, Edison would find ways that would work. you will too. Take advantage of the feedback you receive while participating in the sport of wrestling and in life in general.
4. Drilling is important.
Drilling involves performing a skill repeatedly so that you learn it thoroughly. You want to hone your skills. You need to immerse yourself in punching moves and techniques, so they become second nature. A fighter’s goal should be for his skills to become deeply ingrained through intense practice. It pierces intensely. If your coach gives you two minutes to practice a double leg takedown with your partner, how many repetitions can you do in that time? Piercing is common in sports, the military, and many other areas of life. General George Patton had this to say during a speech to his troops in 1944: “Throughout your careers in the Army, you have had (expletive) about what you call ‘chicken shit instruction.’ That, like everything else in this Army, it has a definite purpose. That purpose is alertness. Alertness must be instilled in every soldier. I don’t give a damn about a man who isn’t always alert. You guys are veterans or you wouldn’t be here. You’re ready to what will come”. You also have to be ready for what is to come in every match. Be sure to train.
5. You can always improve and learn more.
As I mentioned earlier, you can always improve your skills. You can often improve your level of conditioning as well. There must be hundreds of ways to set up a single leg takedown. You can always learn new moves and new ways to set up moves. In addition to your coach, you can learn from camps, clinics, books, and videos. Golf champion Seve Ballesteros said: “To give yourself the best possible chance of playing to your potential, you have to prepare for every eventuality. That means practicing.” Practice is incredibly important. Always strive to improve and learn more.
6. You must be mentally strong.
Being physically strong is only part of the equation for success. You have to be mentally strong too. You need to focus on winning your match and nothing else. Do you get nervous, intimidated or distracted? You can train your mind just like you train your body. Practice visualization and positive self-talk before a game. Have a plan before you step on the mat. What moves do you plan to use? What is your strategy? If your opponent is good in top position, then you don’t want to get caught in bottom position. Make sure you can stand up and escape. If your opponent likes to rock fighters, you should prepare for that. Believe in yourself and your abilities and you will be fine.
7. Show respect and be respected.
Show honor, dignity, integrity and good sportsmanship. Confidence is good, but arrogance is not. Overconfidence can also be a danger. I had a teammate who was in a game and he just stood there. He was not aggressive. He had no respect for his opponent and thought he could just stand there and see what his opponent did. I’ll tell you what his opponent did. His opponent knocked him down repeatedly and soundly defeated him. Respect your coaches, your teammates, opponents, and rival schools. If you give respect, you will often receive respect. Some great wrestlers have lost matches and yet have maintained their dignity by shaking hands with their opponents and then working hard to improve for the next match. Respect is important in sport and in life.
8. Success is your responsibility.
Be an entrepreneur and a role model. No one can make you work hard. No one can instill in you the desire to win. You have to put effort into practice. You have to want success. Do you need your coach to constantly push you? If your coach didn’t show up for practice, would you take the initiative to start practice on your own? Or would you just go away and forget the practice? Do they complain or complain in practice? Whose. You have to be a good role model for your teammates. No one will just hand you a gold medal. No one can practice, drill and work out for you. Success is your responsibility.
9. Learn from others.
Like I said before, you can learn from trainers, camps, clinics, books, and videos. Maybe you have a teammate who is exceptional at a certain move. Look closely. Ask him to show you how he does it. You can also learn a lot from non-fighters. I have learned new conditioning ideas from powerlifters, boxers, and mixed martial artists. I have learned about mental toughness from different types of athletes, as well as from sports psychology books. I have learned about psychology, philosophy, literature and other areas of study. I have learned things from military personnel and motivation experts. There are a wide variety of people and places that can teach you a lot.
10. The spirit and the heart are crucial for success.
Having “heart” implies showing perseverance even in the face of difficulties or challenges. The wrestling matches are intense. Wrestling matches can be physically and mentally demanding. Do you have courage, determination and desire? When your legs are tired and your lungs are on fire in an overtime game, can you dig in and push yourself to win? Have you ever just given up in a match? Is fatigue crushing your motivation and preventing you from pushing yourself in practice? Do you want to win no matter what obstacles you may face? Do you love wrestling or is it just an activity to pass the time? Are you motivated? Are you enthusiastic? Are you ready to work hard to become a champion? The great boxer Evander Holyfield said: “It is not the size of a man but the size of his heart that matters.”
I hope these ten “rules” can help you on your quest for success.