By: Adan Sanchez
March 6, 2024
In the world of Hamilton boys wrestling where grit and skill join on the mat, a couple of teenagers are wrestling for the metal. Where they show their strength and strategy in a period filled with both physical and mental toughness. Each match and practice is a checkpoint in their life where they take down not only their opponents but also their restraints, to come out victorious in the end.
A big challenge the wrestlers face today and probably a big enemy to lots is the alpha test. A big part of wrestling is gaining weight and maintaining it and going down or up for better help for the team. The last thing that is also crucial to wrestlers is how they train on and off the mat. Their training not only is for gaining weight but for how it affects them on the mat and in everyday life.
The Alpha Test is a big thing for a lot of wrestlers because it can decide their whole season and what it’s going to look like. It measures if wrestlers can gain or lose weight and still be able to function at the same rate as they would in their everyday lives with no side effects. To examine if they are healthy wrestlers urinate in a cup to then be tested and check their body fat percentage to make sure they are eligible but it must stay above 7 percent.
Jacob Chase is a junior wrestler for the Hamilton Boys team and he took the alpha test and passed with a 9 percent body fat so is eligible to lose weight if needed. Jacob was planning on cutting 12-14 pounds for this past wrestling season. But ended up gaining about 15 pounds instead and this made a huge impact on the overall team.
Another Hamilton boys wrestler who wrestles at the weight class 120 pounds made a massive change in his weight throughout a couple of weeks. But this was suitable for him because he was healthy and successfully passed the test as well with a body fat percentage of 8.5.
The Alpha test is just a part of seeing whether you can gain or lose weight. But maintaining it and staying healthy is the biggest part. Bryce Morrison 15 year 15-year-old sophomore wrestler at Hamilton High School follows a strict diet to not only cut but to keep the weight he is at. Bryce said, “ I ate a lot of eggs, and protein bars and drank water.” For this past wrestling season, Bryce lost 15 pounds to help the team with the lower weights. But ended his season at state with losing a whopping 18 pounds over the whole wrestling season.
Now gaining weight and maintaining it is a little easier but not for the 165-pounder. It is hard for wrestlers to gain weight by trying to eat enough and not losing it all within one practice. He gained 17 pounds throughout the season. While making sure it’s all coming in as muscle instead of bad fats. The diet to help him achieve the goal consisted of 5k calories, red meat, white meat, and a ton of protein.
All these wrestlers go through when it comes to their diet or passing the Alpha Test, the major thing is how they train. Wrestling training is a whole different atmosphere, where they fight through pain, sweat and so much more. Tyler Block is a wrestler who is hard-working and who never gives up in practice even when it’s tough
The Hamilton Boys Varsity Wrestling coach Trent Holyfield said “I have a lot of respect for Tyler. His commitment and maturity as an athlete is unquestioned, He is knowledgeable about all the positions we drill in practice.” A big part of your improvement when it comes to the training is how much rest you get he said “ I always need my 8 hours of sleep, It crucial.”
Overall there are many key parts to being a wrestler and keeping up. There are many challenges they face on and off the mat. These are just a couple of things that wrestlers have to keep up with but at Hamilton, it’s no problem.