Wrestling Tips

1 . Get yourself in perfect physical condition. Work hard to build up your body, eating right, and get the proper rest. Get to bed early the night before a match.

2. Pay attention if one of the coaches talks about one of your opponents. The coach may see something, or have some insight that may help you beat the opponent.

3. Know your opponent’s style and his strong and weak points, Do not allow his past record or build to destroy your confidence. Study him carefully before weigh-in and remain impersonal toward him until after the match.

4. Specialize in at least one series of moves from each position (top, bottom, standing) and learn at least one other series. Have a desperation takedown move (preferably a throw) available if you need it.

5. Practice these moves hundreds of times to perfect them. Practice them correctly as well, because if you practice the moves wrong, you will also do the moves wrong in a match.

6. Know and learn the current wrestling rules.

7. Never let your opponent know if you have been injured or sick. It may give him the added confidence that he needs to defeat you.

8. For general preparation, do more than what is required by the coaching staff, as well as working hard to do what is required correctly. Do push-ups and sit-ups at home, and make a personal commitment to become the best that you are capable of becoming.

General Match Strategy

1. Don’t be afraid to lose, but wrestle to win. Have an offensive game-plan going in, and try to attack your opponent at all times.

2. Make your opponent wrestle your style. Force the match and keep him off balance by attacking first and not letting up.

3. If you have a reach, speed or balance advantage on an opponent, use these to your advantage. Mix them up in your attack, the odds favor you.

4. If you are stronger, overpower him. If you are weaker, don’t fight his strength but instead concentrate on perfect technique. Technique will win over strength nearly every time.

5. If you are in better shape, set a pace he can’t stand. (but don’t do all the work.) Make him lift your weight every time possible.

6. Be a “chain wrestler”. Always performing a second move if the first doesn’t work. Use holds which blend together, either as a fake to set-up, or as a follow-up.

7. Never stop wrestling until the referee stops you. The tournaments that we go to have 8-10 matches going at once, so there are a lot of whistles blowing. So do not stop until you are told to do so by the referee. (This includes not giving up a defensive move until the referee calls the points. Remember that creating a stalemate is better then giving up a point.)

8. Do not do anything in a match that you don’t feel comfortable with, or haven’t worked hard to perfect in practice.

9. Never let your opponent know that you are tired or hurt. He may be able to use these against you.

10. Keep a cool head and remain poised and confident. Never allow calls by the referees or actions by your opponent or the fans upset your wrestling attitude or technique, and try to never make the referee mad at you.

11. Always video record your wrestler’s matches, and review them later. It is easier to show someone on tape what happened, and then work to promote the positive aspects and preventing the same mistakes in later matches.

Start of Match Strategy

1. Concentrate on your opponent’s hands and hips instead of looking at his face.

2. Keep a good stance. Don’t stand straight up or with your hands by your sides. Your hands should be out front to help protect your legs.

3. Never shoot for a leg from farther out than your arms length.

4. Never shoot a takedown without first destroying your opponent’s stance. Set up all takedowns!

5. When moving side to side, never cross your feet.

6. When shooting, concentrate on getting the deepest penetration possible when you shoot. Aim a few feet behind your opponent.

7. Never allow your head to get lower than your hips (This is called being overextended), even while you are in motion.

8. Never allow both of your knees to touch the mat at the same time. Always keep a trailing foot behind for support.

9. When attacking the legs, never stay on one knee any longer than necessary. Either follow-through with the takedown, or withdraw IMMEDIATELY!

10. Look for the half nelson, or another move, as soon as you take your opponent down. The move will be there much of the time.

11. If you are taken down by your opponent, try to land on your stomach, with your base wide and extended outward. Again, your hips should be parallel to the mat and lower than your head. Takedowns are not awarded until control has been firmly established, so don’t give up too early!

12. When countering takedowns, stay off of your knees and use your weight to stop your opponent’s motion and destroy his body position.

Strategy on Top

1. Do not take the offensive starting position until the referee tells you to do so. If you take the offensive starting position before the defensive wrestler is ready, you may get a caution.

2. Be the one to move first on the whistle to make your opponent counter you rather than attack you.

3. Learn how to ride from both sides on top. This can throw off an opponent who is used to people only riding on one side.

4. Stay behind your opponent’s arm pits, unless you are attacking his head, or “running” an arm-bar or half nelson. If you stay behind his armpits, you are much less likely to be reversed.

5. Make your opponent carry your weight as often as possible.

6. Ride on your toes in order to have maximum mobility and produce maximum pressure. This also makes it much harder for your opponent to grab your legs.

7. Remember that you have to protect your own arms and legs, even when on top. Try to stay behind your opponent’s arm-pits, and don’t allow your leg to be grabbed when working a move. This is much easier when you keep your hips parallel with the ground.

8. Use a good breakdown to break your opponent’s base. Once to the mat, you will have much better leverage for turning your opponent.

9. After your opponent is broken down, Keep your weight on your opponent’s hips and start your next move immediately.

10. You will usually try to get perpendicular to opponent when working for a pin. It is much harder to get reversed or to loose your control in this position.

Strategy on Bottom

1. Move first and keep the top man reacting to you.

2. Get good hand control! It is impossible for your opponent to work moves if you have control of his hands.

3. Always keep your head off the mat! It is much harder for someone to put in a half nelson if your head is up.

4. Get good at a series of moves that flow together. Doing so will make it extra hard for someone to control or even follow you on top.

5. Practice your moves with your practice partner lining up on both sides.

6. Always keep a good base and try return to it quickly if you get broken down. It is much harder to turn someone onto their back when he/she is up on all fours, and in a good base.

7. Be alert for all half nelsons. When an opponent tries to apply a half nelson, turn the head away from the half and pull the hand off immediately with the same side hand. Do not hesitate!

8. Adapt your referees position to the move which you intend to do.

Strategy on Bottom

1. Move first and keep the top man reacting to you.

2. Get good hand control! It is impossible for your opponent to work moves if you have control of his hands.

3. Always keep your head off the mat! It is much harder for someone to put in a half nelson if your head is up.

4. Get good at a series of moves that flow together. Doing so will make it extra hard for someone to control or even follow you on top.

5. Practice your moves with your practice partner lining up on both sides.

6. Always keep a good base and try return to it quickly if you get broken down. It is much harder to turn someone onto their back when he/she is up on all fours, and in a good base.

7. Be alert for all half nelsons. When an opponent tries to apply a half nelson, turn the head away from the half and pull the hand off immediately with the same side hand. Do not hesitate!

8. Adapt your referees position to the move which you intend to do.

After Match

1. Shake your opponents hand graciously. (Don’t slap your opponent’s hand.)

2. After shaking your opponents hand, shake your opposing coach’s hand before walking off the mat (if allowed).

3. After shaking the opponent’s coaches hand, always come back to your coach that was at your mat. He/she may have some feedback about your match to give you. He will usually tell you what you did right and also what you need to work on.

4. Analyze the mechanical errors you made and make note of where you need more work.

5. We expect anyone who cares how they do in wrestling to be mad or disappointed after a defeat, but we still expect everyone to practice good sportsmanship in all situations.

6. ALWAYS show respect to your opponent, coaches, and referees!

7. If you video recorded the matches, watch them and re-review the good points and the mistakes.

Nutrition Tips

To keep your speed and power throughout a match, you need to keep your fuel reserves high. Drinking a carbohydrate fluid-replacement drink after workouts, and eating consistent meals will help you achieve this goal.

Breakfast: Don’t skip breakfast, or you’ll start your day off on the wrong foot. You will feel sluggish most of the day, which may affect your practice, or match performance. Breakfast will boost your metabolism and fuel you throughout the day.

Pre-competition: For pre-competition snacks and meals, choose primarily carbohydrates. A little fat and protein are fine, but high-fat meals do not digest quickly or easily and can leave you feeling sluggish. If you are eating a carbohydrate meal, allow three to five hours for a large meal to digest and two to three hours for a smaller meal to digest. Try to eat three to four servings of foods that each containing approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates. Eat foods that will digest easily. Nerves may make it more difficult to digest pre-competition meals. Try these foods before practice before eating them prior to competition.

Competition: Drink a carbohydrate fluid-replacement drink between matches to keep your energy levels up. In an all-day tournament, try to have snacks or small meals around to keep yourself fueled for the entire day. Try to eat within two hours after competition. This will allow you to refuel your energy sources quickly.

Post-competition and practice: To recover from practice every day, you need to refuel your reserves. Eating high-carbohydrate foods within two hours after practice is the best refueling tactic. Try to eat 0.3 to 0.5 grams of carbohydrates for each pound of your body weight. This will keep you fueled and ready to go on competition days.