Wrestling Coach Has a Cruel Sense of Humor

[TrackStar]

Today at practice I got paired with heavyweights as usual even though I wrestle 160s and during a takedown tournament one of the heavyweights said it wasn't fair for him to wrestle me because I could move so much faster. Of course, I responded that its a small price to pay for weighing 50 pounds less than him. After a short argument about whether or not bigger wrestlers have the advantage, I was finally told I could not walk a mile in a heavyweight's shoes.

My coach, a former All-American heavyweight wrestler, overheard and said, "I doubt you could walk a 1/4 mile in a heavyweights shoes. Pick up two 100 lb dumbbells and walk around the track. We'll see who's right when you can't even make it 100m before dropping them."

Whether he's terrible at math or wanted to challenge me... I don't know.

Of course I was motivated to prove everyone wrong and I was absolutely booking it around the track because I knew 400m of slow walking with 100 lbs in each hand would tire the forearms too quickly. Despite my failing grip on the last 100m I managed to complete the full lap around the track without setting down the weights.

I looked to my coach and said, "See. I didn't even need to put the weights down once."

To this he responded, "Actually I was counting on it. Now take this clipboard and pencil and write 'I don't have what it takes to be a heavyweight' 200 times."

[avilezj]

Kill and destroy!

[BlackBeltMedic]

Perhaps I'm missing something but it almost sounds as if you're coach has some kind of "big-guy" syndrome. What it takes to be a HW? Besides some extra poundage I don't get it. Different attributes seem to accompany different sizes and it's always been that way from what I've always seen - not just wrestling, either. Smaller guys are usually quicker and wiry with crisper technique and as you get to the "big boys" the speed and finesse is replaced by strength and power. I know that's a generalization but that's typically the case. Personally, though, I like the idea of your coach matching up the different sizes. The HW you were paired with learns to move and think faster (too bad he can't see that and instead cries about it) while you get used to dealing with a larger opponent which could make your normal weight class opponents seem much lighter. Again, maybe I'm missing something but it sounds like your coach has some kind of misplaced ego. He may very well be a good coach but being a strong competitor and a good coach don't always go hand in hand. As far as that farmer's walk around the track I'd say carrying 200 pounds total for a quarter mile is... well... badass.

[TrackStar]

The reason my coach matches me up with the bigger guys is because I was strong before I was a wrestler (I've only been doing it about a year). It gives coaches absolute fits when a case like this happens because people will get success they don't deserve initially because of their sheer power and will unfortunately lack in technique later on. It isn't until athletic types get to late regional or state competition where they get whooped and learn the lessons they should've learned the first month... the hard way. To avoid having me be "the guy who could've been good had he started earlier", my coach wears me out first and then has me wrestle the big guys so I literally won't be able to get anything done unless I do it right. Sometimes thats just what you got to do when the upper echelons of competition in your weight class aren't available.

He doesn't actually have a heavyweight bias or anything. He's just always looking for excuses to push me hence the farmers walk and as anyone whos done hard grip training before, nothing requires more concentration than writing something legible afterwards.

[eltriplesix]

But 2 hundred pound dumb *bells would make you too heavy? hahaha
That's a great story. Much respect for walking the track....A little egotistical but I would have done the same thing for my coach

[BlackBeltMedic]

Originally Posted by TrackStar

The reason my coach matches me up with the bigger guys is because I was strong before I was a wrestler (I've only been doing it about a year). It gives coaches absolute fits when a case like this happens because people will get success they don't deserve initially because of their sheer power and will unfortunately lack in technique later on. It isn't until athletic types get to late regional or state competition where they get whooped and learn the lessons they should've learned the first month... the hard way. To avoid having me be "the guy who could've been good had he started earlier", my coach wears me out first and then has me wrestle the big guys so I literally won't be able to get anything done unless I do it right. Sometimes thats just what you got to do when the upper echelons of competition in your weight class aren't available.

Point taken. However, this ties in to a previous thread regarding training volume vs quality when it comes to coaching. If someone alreadly has the natural physical gift why not spend a little more refining the technical aspects instead beating the dogsh** out of them in order to reinforce the same principles? "... success they don't deserve... "? Unless you're blantanly cheating then I'd say you earned by being better than your opponent. Oh well, the quantity vs quality debate is in another thread. If it's working for you, though, then great. Just keep in mind that there are other routes to success.

He doesn't actually have a heavyweight bias or anything. He's just always looking for excuses to push me hence the farmers walk and as anyone whos done hard grip training before, nothing requires more concentration than writing something legible afterwards.

Yeah, I cringed when I read that part originally. I may have just opted for a second lap instead.

[specialk]

I'm curious, does this coach wear parachute pants with Old Glory emblazoned on them? Does he often scream "BOW TO YOUR SENSEI"?

[fttfbass]

I'm guessing that your wrestling coach has no math skills whatsoever. You're 160lbs. wrestling somebody who weighs 210lbs. I would have told the coach, if I (at a weight of 160lbs) has to carry a pair of 100lb dumbells, then I want to see the 210lber carry a pair of 75lb dumbells.................and have a little race. That way the playing field is equal, since you're both carrying around 360lbs on your frame.

[Chiflado]

Not to mention the fact that walking at bodyweight of 360 is a whole lot different than carrying two hundred pound dumbells in your hands. Wearing a backpack with a two hundred pounds would have been more realistic and easier... (I think...) Great job.

[comanighttrain]

Wrestling bigger opponents caused me a ton of problems, the techniques i use on bigger opponents (i go for low fast pickups and ankle picks)vhave resulted in me gettting tanked by guys my own size...cause they are just as fast as me and i end up getting O-soto Gari'd (thats inside leg hook) or sprawled.