How Is The College Wrestling Atmosphere?

J

JStn

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I'd really like to do wrestling, and it looks like the best opportunity for me to learn it would be in College next year. I'm not even sure if the college I haven't selected offers it yet, but I'm curious.

How is the atmosphere/attitude to new joiners? My build really isn't suited well for wrestling, 150lbs, 6'1, but I'd really like to train it.

I'm also in Canada, which I figure may matter as wrestling seems much bigger in the states.
 
I never wrestled in university, but I did train with the university team when I was in high school. And I'm in Canada FWIW.

You will face a steep learning curve - and you will be out of shape. I mean, some guys are nice and some guys are dicks. Everything in life is like that. But guys in university will be in wrestling shape and have years and years of experience on you.

It will be tough. Not impossible. Just hard. And that is the real lesson of wrestling anyways.

Where are you going to school?

Maybe there is a good club nearby - might be a better place to start.
 
Was there a wrestling program at your high school? I don't know of many in Canada. Best advice is to start weight training/conditioning heavily.
 
If you hadn't wrestled in HS, then you're climbing up a steep hill. Better off taking jiu jitsu or something.

You'll be competing against guy who have been wrestling since 2nd grade. If you're in it for fun then definitely check it out.
 
Bro, you'll get owned. Like, for real. That's like trying to learn to play football by practicing with a college team. I think you'ld be ,uch better of finding a wrestling club ot some no gi BJJ or some such.
 
They don't cater to beginners in college, I can guarantee you that much.
 
Thanks for the feedback, that's generally what I thought.

My highschool has no wrestling program what-so-ever. We once had 2 amateur MMA fighters come in and put us through the kind of stuff you would do if you wanted to have a party at an MMA gym.

Unfortunately there are no wrestling gyms in my area. There is a MMA place up the street, though I think it's credibility is questionable, and there is a Karate place which also advertises Gracie Jujitsu. The problem is I don't have the money to take classes at either, so I was wondering about College programs. I'm not exactly sure which College I'm going to at this point. You could say I'm not a top student, as well as almost all schools offer the business program I want to take, so it doesn't really matter to me. Maybe I should choose a place local to a good jujitsu gym ;)

As for the weight training - I'm on it. I've been working on my diet, now I just need to stick to it. I bought a squat rack + bench with plenty weight a while ago, and I'm starting Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
just go for it. who cares. go out for the team even. fuck it...

go out there, get your ass kicked (you will, definitely), ragdolled, tossed, worked, whatever you want to call it, but even as a zero string practice wrestler who never competes or get murked when he does, you will learn sooooo much if you get through it. study it like it was a class you just absolutely had to get a passing grade in. research, take notes, study and practice. you will never be the same again.
 
College is not the place to start wrestling. I started when I was 5, and collegiate wrestling was still tough as balls.
 
xcydal said:
College is not the place to start wrestling. I started when I was 5, and collegiate wrestling was still tough as balls.
Click to expand...

if the choice is being a practice wrestler or nothing at all, I say go for it.
 
fourfif said:
if the choice is being a practice wrestler or nothing at all, I say go for it.
Click to expand...

I don't know what type of programs you have, but we didn't just let guys walk in on off the street to be practice dummies. It was a college wrestling team, not a club anyone could sign up for.
 
we didn't have any walk-ons trying to make the team, no of course not, but we did have a newb or two to take the wrestling class. none of them stuck around for the "real" practice, but I'm assuming they learned a thing or two about a thing or two.
 
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206warrior said:
I disagree. Go train at a BJJ gym and get treated with respect.
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Eh? The wrestling classes are generally open to everyone, and we treated people with respect thank you very much mr bjj teh rulez. Some came to freestyle in the offseason and there was and still remains a strong womens wrestling program with my old coach who is now at menlo bc his classes were so cool. He's had national champs out of his camp. You think people are running around giving newbs power bombs and disrespecting people? Where do u get this stuff?
 
Theres an astronomical difference between a wrestling club or wrestling classes and a collegiate wrestling team. The idea of walking into a university wrestling room with no experience is almost disrespectful. Schools don't just let you come in and try to learn the sport. You'd be wasting the time of the coaching staff and the serious wrestlers there. Join a wrestling club or if your school offers wrestling as PE classes, do that.
 
Oshime2 said:
Theres an astronomical difference between a wrestling club or wrestling classes and a collegiate wrestling team. The idea of walking into a university wrestling room with no experience is almost disrespectful. Schools don't just let you come in and try to learn the sport. You'd be wasting the time of the coaching staff and the serious wrestlers there. Join a wrestling club or if your school offers wrestling as PE classes, do that.
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I love that schools are not the place to learn
 
I wrestled in college for 2 years before BJJ officially ruined my life. We had a lot of guys try to walk on every year and none succeeded. You need a firm basis at the HS level before stepping foot on a mat in college. Probably not a great idea. Can't hurt to try though. You might surprise yourself and others. The worst they say is "sorry this just isn't going to work."
 
For all the Americans responding - things are maybe a little less intense North of the border.

Not that training is any easier, but a lot of the University teams also run clubs and such for non-competitive and younger wrestlers.

That's why I keep asking which University. I may be able to point TS in the right direction.
 
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