Hey MAP, So i started wrestling again (3x a week so far), and since I'm going to have a tonne of questions and thoughts I thought I'd make one thread for them rather than starting a billion new ones - if anyone has any questions on their own training feel free to post them here! The first query I want to throw out there pertains to age. I'm not old - im almost 30 - but I ain't 21 anymore. Andaybe it's just me, but I don't think I recover the way I used to. So last week I got to the point where I was just too sore to go back, and I skipped my Saturday session. Then something came up at work and I had to miss my Monday session. So I got back there on the Thursday - body back to normal - and damn if I wasn't ON FIRE. Relative to my own meager skill level, but still on fire. And it made me wonder if it was because I'd had the weeks rest. At 30 onward, how important is managing recovery time? Is the occasional week off the ticket, or do I just need to build my staminate a little more? For reference, I was reasonably fit when I started training again, so I wasn't going in from a position of having not exercised in a long time. Related to this experience was the fact that I ate a small, "secondies" lunch a few hours before I went to training, where, if you'll recall, I was ON FIRE (relative to my skill). I usually eat pretty leanly - am I right in thinking that Gavin some extra calories to burn that night contributed to the fire? I have literally never thought about nutrition or recovery - I've only ever trained for fun and to stay in a reasonable shape. This time, however, I want to take it more seriously and reach as much of my potential as I can, hence all the nooby questions! Finally, I want to say this - I love this sport. I love that making it through a single class feels like surmounting a great challenge, I love the therapeutic release of engaging in the the worlds oldest form of sport, and I love the camaraderie that comes with hurling other people into the ground. I'm super glad I started it again. God bless all you wrestlers out there!
Wrestling is the hardest martial art there is from an athletic perspective. You have to be so fit that you don't get tired. You're not even thirty yet which means you're only two years older thn me. I'd say just suck it up. Eat better after training and it will help recovery and perhaps a cold shower for 3 minutes will help too.
Nice one, thanks Chadderz. Maybe I'm just feeling bummed because I train with people I think are my age and then it it turns out they're 15 or something lol
I was studying at 25 and although I felt kind of isolated I was super glad I was doing it then, and not at 19 when I barely knew who I was let alone what I wanted to do with my life. Just got back from training - went with a fresh attitude, told myself there was nothing to it but to keep turning up and get fitter. Went really well, feeling good again! Even hit a gut wrench which literally never happens
I have a few questions about wrestling. 1. Why is wrestling so much harder to find training for (at least, I can find a ton of jiu jitsu places near me, but basically no wrestling places)? Is it a PR (public relations) issue? (I think Jiu Jitsu really pushed in terms of PR?) 2. How would you explain the differences between wrestling & jiu jitsu to a layman? I often have trouble articulating this... it doesn't help that I haven't wrestled in ~20 years. 3. Anyone have tips on finding wrestling training for adults?
1) it's mostly a college and school sports and being Olympic funded the few adults in the programmes are usually world class. Being school and Olympic funded means most coaches are in colleges or other facilities. Same as judo really. 2) wrestling is about the take down and control/pinning for the large part. Bjj is about submitting your opponent. It has takedowns but they don't score big, the ground and particular the submission is where the win is. Best bet to find adult classes is an mma gym, or somewhere with a large east European population if you are in the UK
Yep, to elaborate on that, they have different goals, and hence the sport versions have different rules. The goal in wrestling is to hold the other guy on the ground, on his back for a certain number of seconds. The goal in BJJ is to make the other guy tap out from a choke or joint lock, and whether he's on his back, stomach, or side is irrelevant.
I think if you hold a USA wrestling card you are allowed to join in at colleges but I dunno what it's like to apply for them. Think it's akin to a judo license. I think that it's hard to find outside of schools because it's so ridiculously hard on the body. Particularly American styles with their heavy emphasis on conditioning and power doubles. It's just not fun to train in 3 times a week. That's why BJJ is so popular. A lot of the carry over from wrestling such as sparring 100% and good techniques, but without the inherent neck injuries and back injuries to accompany it. It also allows for a slower pe for older guys and girls to train. And they emphasis technique over strength which is a very effective marketing tool.
1) Definitely what the others said, but it's also admittedly low on the coolness hierarchy. No one's out their making millions in prize money from wrestling. Most people I speak to know what Ju Jutsu is, but they thinknwrestling is people in Mexican masks hitting each other with chairs - so isn't say PR is a small part of it. But mainly, it's just super, super physical. Getting people back after their first session is very difficult. 2) what the other guys said. In wrestling you get points for exposing your opponents shoulders to the mat, which gives rise to rolling them around like an alligator and some delightfully wacky pins. 3) Most big mma clubs will run wrestling classes. As well as areas with large Eastern European populations, as ice field said, put your ear to the ground around Iranians as well...they're big on their wrestling too!
