joining wrestling

[Touchedbythejab]

Hi. I am considering training with the wrestling team at my college and I have a few questions before I make the step. My school Div II. I don't know that makes a difference.

1. Are college wrestlers and coaches accepting of people training with them? I never wrestled before so highly doubt I would make the team.

2. I read in another thread that coaches and athletes won't really care about "outsiders" because they're too busy doing their own thing. Would I learn anything? I don't wanna do it if I'm gonna learn anything. I think this is the most important to me.

3. How hard is the training? I heard its hard but if its way too hard I'm not sure I can do it since I need the energy to train in BJJ and boxing as well.

4. How are wrestling sessions set up? is it like judo or BJJ where you warm up, the coach shows you a few techniques, you drill them with others, and then spar?

I'm gonna email the coach this week. Thanks

 

[Deioces]

im starting college wrestling this monday and i have never wrestled before, i think its gonna be hilarious, but im planning on devoting my entire life to it.

 

[armtriangle]

cool, ive never played football before, but im joining my college football team today. i think i'll play quarterback.

 

[kidrobot]

Not to be an ass but I find it fucking incredible that many of you people on here take wrestling as some simple aid to your MMA dreams. Wrestling is LIFE to a lot of people and you guys just want to step in an learn a couple moves in hopes of learning 10 years of wrestling in 1 month. I take it as an insult when I read these threads. What were you too cool to wrestle in High School? Didn't want to look gay? And if wrestling wasn't offered at your school find some club and stop trying to join a dam COLLEGE wrestling team with NO or little experience. I've finished my rant, fucking ridiculous man...

PS: Trust me your newbieness won't be taking kindly by your "teammates" and please don't tell them why you're really there.

 

[Tim Goodwin]

I'd love to sit and in watch some of the practices if these guys actually get to train with the team. It would be pure comedic gold.

 

[Jimmy Cerra]

Not to be an ass but I find it fucking incredible that many of you people on here take wrestling as some simple aid to your MMA dreams. Wrestling is LIFE to a lot of people and you guys just want to step in an learn a couple moves in hopes of learning 10 years of wrestling in 1 month. I take it as an insult when I read these threads. What were you too cool to wrestle in High School? Didn't want to look gay? And if wrestling wasn't offered at your school find some club and stop trying to join a dam COLLEGE wrestling team with NO or little experience. I've finished my rant, fucking ridiculous man...

PS: Trust me your newbieness won't be taking kindly by your "teammates" and please don't tell them why you're really there.

Ya you are being an ass. Not everyone wants to be a Mundials or ADCC or an Olympic judoka. They are still welcomed at most clubs. Why should it be different with wrestling? Not everyone knows about wrestling - I really didn't even know wrestling existed as a sport until I was in high school for instance. Even then, I was a little out-of-shape geek who was often picked on. Nobody encouraged me to join the team. I had to do that on my own. Not everyone has either the opportunity or the encouragement to wrestle before college.

That said, you can't join a college wrestling team with no experience. At college, most coaches that I talk to aren't interested in teaching fundamentals to new guys during the varsity practices. That's the main reason why they can't participate at that level. College sports are not about teaching sports to beginners - they are about raising money and prestige for the school.

 

[aznkane87]

is joining a wrestling club okay? My school doesn't have a wrestling team, but there's a wrestling club that I just found out about, and i'm thinking of joining that and doing judo at the same time until I get a car so I can go off campus and join an MMA gym. What are wrestling clubs usually like and is it worth it? I've heard that for ppl who are just interested in learning some wrestling and practicing it part-time, joining a wrestling club is the way to go.

 

[Mr Bosco]

If you wish to learn wrestling, then learn wrestling. It's that simple.

Be it at your school team or an outside club. The moves you find in wrestling are nothing complicated. They are fairly straightforward. College level wrestlers can do it better simply because they have been doing it for alot longer.

 

[FunToWatch]

Keep in mind that you may be in there to learn, but you may also be slowing down someone who has goals, and who is there as a means to pay for their education.

Don't be a dick and pull armbars, or get pissed and throw punches. You are going to get the hell beaten out of you, and (to an extent) you are going to be a throw dummy. Call it paying your dues. Some of those guys have probably been wrestling since you could walk.

if you work hard, learn how to be a good partner, and are genuine and humble, I can guarantee you'll learn quite a bit.

and make no mistake about it, be IN SHAPE and ready to work your ass off. they will absolutely not keep you around if you can't handle it physically.

Good Luck.

 

[Jimmy Cerra]

is joining a wrestling club okay? My school doesn't have a wrestling team, but there's a wrestling club that I just found out about, and i'm thinking of joining that and doing judo at the same time until I get a car so I can go off campus and join an MMA gym. What are wrestling clubs usually like and is it worth it? I've heard that for ppl who are just interested in learning some wrestling and practicing it part-time, joining a wrestling club is the way to go.

Wrestling clubs are definitely worth it (as long as they aren't just a bunch of former wrestlers getting together just to wrestle and not to drill or review stuff - but its the same as in bad BJJ or judo clubs too).

 

[UrbanSavage**]

I'm doing the same thing, but it's a community college and it's not a big team or anything. Talked to the coach and he seemed excited to have another guy that wanted to learn. I've been doing BJJ for a year and a half, though.

But, unlike the TS, I plan on devoting a lot to it and while I'm in it, BJJ is secondary and only when I can. I understand that wrestling practice/training is among the hardest out there and I'm ready to take it seriously and train my ass off.

 

[LegRider505]

1. Totally depends on the coach. It is always important to have bodies for the varsity team to work with, and often times there may be a few guys contesting for a single weight class, but I'm not sure if he will be open to letting someone in with absolutely no experience.

2. Many of the practices are going to be run with the assumption that those participating in it have a high understanding of the fundamentals of wrestling.

3. This is the question that irked me. Of course it is going to be hard. Do you think you can succeed in such an intense sport by nancying around? It almost seems like you assume that this is going to be leisurely. On top of it all, you will be expected to do conditioning on your own time as well.

4. Depends on the coach.

 

[DaRuckus337]

Ya you are being an ass. Not everyone wants to be a Mundials or ADCC or an Olympic judoka. They are still welcomed at most clubs. Why should it be different with wrestling? Not everyone knows about wrestling - I really didn't even know wrestling existed as a sport until I was in high school for instance. Even then, I was a little out-of-shape geek who was often picked on. Nobody encouraged me to join the team. I had to do that on my own. Not everyone has either the opportunity or the encouragement to wrestle before college.

That said, you can't join a college wrestling team with no experience. At college, most coaches that I talk to aren't interested in teaching fundamentals to new guys during the varsity practices. That's the main reason why they can't participate at that level. College sports are not about teaching sports to beginners - they are about raising money and prestige for the school.

He may be coming down a little harsh, but he's pretty much right, and you even acknowledge as much in your second paragraph. A lot of these posters these days seem to be under the impression that a college wrestling team exists for the enhancement of their mma pipedreams, and as a former college wrestler, I also find it pretty fucking irritating.

College wrestling IS for people who at least on some level, aspire to be competitors at the very highest levels of the sport. So when some mma wannabe walks into the room during the competitive season asking to join in on practice 3 times a week when it fits their 'boxing and jiu jisu' schedule, well, it is going to rub a lot of the athletes the wrong way. Especially when this wannabe brings nothing to the table in terms of knowledge or skill, and will undoubtedly end up slowing practice down with their inability to be a proper drilling partner, their sub-par cardio, and with a slew of foolish beginner questions. This is not even to mention the fact that kicking the piss out of some gassed know-nothing for a while only serves to reinforce bad habits for the guys who actually are training for matches in the near future.

Basically, join a wrestling club or ask your mma/jj club to incorporate some wrestling classes into the schedule. There are plenty of wrestlers in this country, I'm sure there is somebody at your gym with enough experience to put on some decent once or twice a week classes in wrestling to add an extra dimension to everyone's grappling game. The wrestling room at your college simply is not the place to start the sport. Pursue other avenues first, and only resort to intruding on the serious athletes at your university if there is no other option. And if you do end up in your school's wrestling room, you better bring some serious toughness and dedication with you, or you won't last a week.

 

[Touchedbythejab]

Ya you are being an ass. Not everyone wants to be a Mundials or ADCC or an Olympic judoka. They are still welcomed at most clubs. Why should it be different with wrestling? Not everyone knows about wrestling - I really didn't even know wrestling existed as a sport until I was in high school for instance. Even then, I was a little out-of-shape geek who was often picked on. Nobody encouraged me to join the team. I had to do that on my own. Not everyone has either the opportunity or the encouragement to wrestle before college.

That said, you can't join a college wrestling team with no experience. At college, most coaches that I talk to aren't interested in teaching fundamentals to new guys during the varsity practices. That's the main reason why they can't participate at that level. College sports are not about teaching sports to beginners - they are about raising money and prestige for the school.

Ok thats what I wanted to know. Thanks.

I was wondering if they're like other clubs where you can join and learn. I guess not. Some people suggested this when I said I wanted to learn how to wrestle. Too bad, since there aren't any wrestling clubs around as far as I know.

 

[DaRuckus337]

^ where is your school, because most people who say that haven't tried looking yet...

 

[stalker07]

If you wish to learn wrestling, then learn wrestling. It's that simple.

Be it at your school team or an outside club. The moves you find in wrestling are nothing complicated. They are fairly straightforward. College level wrestlers can do it better simply because they have been doing it for alot longer.

YOU SIR have obviously never wrestled. I have wrestled my entire life. Wrestling is NOT like jj where the more you practice the better you can master it. It is a brutal intense kind of exhaustion. I've done judo, karate, and dabbled in a couple submission grappling tourneys and done pretty well. In highschool i placed at one of the nations toughest tourneys (5 Counties in Fountain Valley Ranked on the top ten hardest tourneys) So i know what i'm talking about when i tell you that you saying wrestling moves aren't complicated is a full load of crap. I'm not trying to flame you.....only enlighten you. College wrestling is for others such as myself who have LIVED wrestling. In highschool kids would try to join there senior year and the only reason our coach let them is cuz he was too cheap to buy us a throwing dummy. I'm not trying to scare the poster i think if he's a grappler he could pick it up easy cuz i picked up BJJ pretty easy after highschool just know that it will be a different kind of tired then bjj. I would like for the poster to post after his first day to see if his experience will be like i expected.

 

[Touchedbythejab]

^ where is your school, because most people who say that haven't tried looking yet...

Kirksville, MO. I'm looking but all can find is some youth wrestling club. I don't think they'll let a 21 year old wrestle with a bunch of little kids. Maybe I can contact the HS and ask them. High school where most kids learn how to wrestle right?

 

[DaRuckus337]

Damn, you are in the middle of nowhere.

But still, this one seems interesting, no?

KIRKSVILLE WRESTLING CLUB
21861 HACKBERRY TERR
KIRKSVILLE, MO 63501
Club Leader: MICHAEL GEORGE
Phone: 660-216-2862
Email: [email protected]

Here is a list of about 100 other wrestling clubs in Missouri. One of these has got to work for you....

http://www.themat.com/clubs.php?page=display_clubs&ClubState=mo


And if not, what about asking around your mma/jj club to see if anyone would be up for holding some wrestling seminars? You are in central Missouri near the Iowa border, there HAS to be a wrestler nearby of some quality who can put on some wrestling clinics for the other grapplers at your club.

 

[kidrobot]

If you wish to learn wrestling, then learn wrestling. It's that simple.

Be it at your school team or an outside club. The moves you find in wrestling are nothing complicated. They are fairly straightforward. College level wrestlers can do it better simply because they have been doing it for alot longer.

dummest thing i've ever read on this forum to date.

 

[Jimmy Cerra]

He may be coming down a little harsh, but he's pretty much right, and you even acknowledge as much in your second paragraph. A lot of these posters these days seem to be under the impression that a college wrestling team exists for the enhancement of their mma pipedreams, and as a former college wrestler, I also find it pretty fucking irritating.

I didn't say he was wrong. I don't disagree that the wrestling room at college simply is not the place to start the sport. Wrestling itself isn't different from BJJ or Judo or MMA. Like anything, it is about what you put into it. College teams are serious about training, so if you can't train like them then you shouldn't be there. It doesn't matter what the sport it, and it doesn't even have to be just at college.

But it shouldn't make anyone irritated. We have people aspiring to be on the Olympic team at our judo club, but we don't turn away the noobs either. There's room for both. I don't get angry at people for ignorance. After all, they are novices and can't be expected to know better. I may be frustrated, but never angry or insulted. I do get angry when people put others down. That's why he was an ass (and he knew it).