By: Avery DeVries
March 6, 2024
Everyone always talks about each wrestler’s stats, their weight class, how the team is overall, and where the team ranks. But no one ever talks about life as a wrestler off the mat.
No one talks about how they have to watch their weight, watch what they eat, or how mentally draining wrestling is. These are the things that need to be talked about. These wrestlers work just as hard off the mat as they do on the mat.
Wrestling is more of a mental sport than anything. If you do not have the wrestling mentality you will not succeed. If you go to a wrestling meet you will notice how the attitude of each wrestler changes as they are preparing for their upcoming match. As this generation says “Locked in.”
The hardest part of wrestling off the mat is dieting and weight management. According to the University Interscholastic League (UIL), “93% of wrestlers use one or more of the measures to lose or gain weight rapidly.” One Hamilton wrestler stated he cut thirteen pounds in the short span of two weeks.
Having to constantly manage your weight and watch what you eat is mentally draining and physically exhausting. Cutting weight at a rapid rate also has side effects. For example; “Forms of dehydration, loss of electrolytes, drains energy, hard to focus, lack of sleep, muscle weakness, muscle cramping, a decrease in mental alertness, and an increase of anxiety and depression”, according to Premier Health.
In addition, wrestling is really hard on an individual’s mental health. Wrestling forces you into a zone in your head that creates an incredibly uncomfortable feeling. A varsity wrestler stated, “It’s all about the wrestling mentality.” This started a deeper conversation due to a simple question asked: “What about your own personal mentality?” One small mistake could cause you to lose a match. That alone is so frustrating and can ruin your self-confidence.
Even with all that said wrestling still brings positives. A senior on the varsity team says “Wrestling has been a getaway through struggles and hardships. I have enjoyed building connections with friends and coaches. I work hard to push myself through the hard practices. Wrestling has helped me become stronger and more mentally ready for my future.”
With everything talked about, I hope that you understand how hard these wrestlers are working off the mat.