The crowd is roaring, but I don’t hear them. I look my opponent square in the eye, both of us tense with anticipation. We both know that the next six minutes are going to be an all out brawl and one of us will come out victorious. It will be a physical test of every muscle in the body, just as much as it will be a mental battle. The referee’s whistle blows, and the hours spent training, conditioning, and pushing my body past its limits, all propel me forward into the match.

Some people say wrestling is easy. They have obviously never tried it. The dedication it takes to be a wrestler surpasses that of many other activities. You must train every part of your body to be successful, and if one flaw is overlooked, it could be your downfall. Although wrestling is physically demanding, you have to train your mind as well. You need to be able to push past that voice that tells you to stop when you’re tired. You also need to be able to anticipate your opponent’s next move, and quickly plan yours without hesitation. This comes from the hours upon hours spent working just technique. Practicing moves hundreds upon hundreds of times before even contemplating using them in a match. This can cause you to be able to react without thought, which separates the good from the great. Wrestlers also must lift weights for the months prior to the season to build the muscles and gain the strength needed to execute the moves. Outside the wrestling room it is also necessary to run and condition your body so that in the third period of a match you can run circles around your opponent, who will most likely be dragging their feet.

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