Beginner Wrestlers: Don't Get Stuck on the Technique
As a beginner wrestler, how do you become effective in competition without obsessing over learning every technique? When we focus solely on the need to perfect technique, it can often prevent you from seeing the big picture. What is sport, but accepting the challenge from another competitor to compete to your best abilities? By simplifying the idea of sport, we can focus on being a fierce competitor, and focus on where to position yourself for the best advantage. I've seen many great wrestlers who learned how to be tough competitors without high level technique. In good time, the technique will come with work and repetition.
Technique is overwhelming
If you feel like what you are learning at wrestling practice is overwhelming and there is too much information, choose one or two techniques to focus on. When technique, live, and conditioning are moving quickly at practice, it may not provide enough time to commit a something new to memory. Repetition is key to muscle memory, so get extra help from a coach and grab a partner to keep practicing the new technique. Your body and your subconscious will pick up on the technique and positioning long before your active consciousness will. So be patient and let your body commit it to memory for good.
Winning with What You Have
While it’s crucial to develop sound techniques, it’s equally important to learn how to win with the skills you currently possess. In the early stages of your wrestling journey, you may not have mastered every move or hold, and that’s okay. What matters is your ability to recognize what’s working for you in a match and to capitalize on it. Repeating effective movements or attacks allows you to stay in control, even when your technical repertoire is limited.
Winning isn't just about flawless technique; it's about being adaptable and resourceful on the mat. Technique takes years to perfect, but the ability to find a way to win is a skill you can develop right now. This mindset will serve you well throughout your wrestling career because no match is the same, and the ability to strategize and adapt to different opponents is what separates good wrestlers from great ones. Remember, every match is an opportunity to refine not just your technique, but also your ability to outthink and outmaneuver your opponent.
Create your athletic base
Wrestling requires a combination of strength, endurance, balance, and agility. To develop these essential attributes, it's important to incorporate a variety of training techniques into your routine. This includes footwork and mat drills to improve your movement, balance and stability exercises to enhance control, flow wrestling drills to build fluidity, cardiovascular conditioning to boost stamina, and reaction drills to sharpen your agility and responsiveness.
These elements are crucial, especially when you may not yet have as much technical experience as your opponent. Wrestling is a sport where tiny advantages can make all the difference. By focusing on these areas, you can create those advantages, allowing you to compete effectively even as you continue to develop your technical skills. Remember, while mastering technique takes time, building physical and mental attributes can give you the edge you need to succeed on the mat right now.
Create better body positioning, not perfect technique
When we break down the concept of technique, its important to remember that the ultimate goal is to create enough movement and leverage to get a takedown or a pin. Using this as a guide, let the technique you are learning be a reminder that you must do what it takes to secure points for a win. By focusing so much on technique, we sometimes forget that the point is to have fun and score a takedown, whatever that may look like. I spent years focusing on making my technique perfect, and then had to re-train myself to focus on positioning and stance. When you watch top level wrestlers, you don’t see only flashy moves. They use basics and focus on positioning to create the best advantages for themselves.
Embrace being a beginner
Remember, its okay to look like a beginner. Enjoy the journey. It's perfectly fine that you don't know the language, the superstars, or every every minor detail on the rules of the sport. Be excited about learning something new, and that will propel you towards years of joy in an amazing sport. Don't let the fear and insecurity of looking like a beginner drive you away from something you enjoy doing.
