Wrestling

[motoxmom641]

Does anyone have any kids involved in wrestling? I have a 14 and an 8 year old who wrestle.

[TTWWBB]

My son is 11 and has been wrestling since he was 4.  He also started freestyle when he was 7.

I love the sport.  My husband and brothers all wrestled as well, and I was certified as an ATC for youth and high school tournaments in my area.

[Tigerflounder]

My son doesn't wrestle but he does take karate and they have extra classes where they grapple.  He loves it and has asked about getting involved with wrestling.  I just haven't found any place around me that does it.

[TTWWBB]

Quoting Tigerflounder:

My son doesn't wrestle but he does take karate and they have extra classes where they grapple.  He loves it and has asked about getting involved with wrestling.  I just haven't found any place around me that does it.

Check with some local high school wrestling coaches...lot's of times the youth programs are run through them.

[jezsgranny]

My ds just started wrestling when he was in middle school..My first meet, I wondered WHY on earth we signed him up for the sport..(DH was a wrestling joc in school and wanted him to follow suit) OMGosh, How many ways can you twist ones arm before it brakes? I've gotten used to it now..and can sit threw the whole meet and actually follow along..(I'm still not saying I like it though) Well, ds made varsity last year as a freshman (103#) struggled to maintain the 103#, and this year the season has just started..well, will at the end of November. DS wanted to wrestle 103# again, but gosh, watching what you eat every meal is NOT going to happen again this year, so he'll be trying for the 112# spot. They've had conditioning most of the summer and since school started, they've had practice from 3 to 5:30 every night. Any other Mom's out there with ideas on what to feed them? He's weighing in right now, at 111#  and at 15..he has a mind of his own! I'd like to fix him healthy but filling foods. Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated..and if you want to chat...I'd love that too!

[TTWWBB]

Quoting jezsgranny:

My ds just started wrestling when he was in middle school..My first meet, I wondered WHY on earth we signed him up for the sport..(DH was a wrestling joc in school and wanted him to follow suit) OMGosh, How many ways can you twist ones arm before it brakes? I've gotten used to it now..and can sit threw the whole meet and actually follow along..(I'm still not saying I like it though) Well, ds made varsity last year as a freshman (103#) struggled to maintain the 103#, and this year the season has just started..well, will at the end of November. DS wanted to wrestle 103# again, but gosh, watching what you eat every meal is NOT going to happen again this year, so he'll be trying for the 112# spot. They've had conditioning most of the summer and since school started, they've had practice from 3 to 5:30 every night. Any other Mom's out there with ideas on what to feed them? He's weighing in right now, at 111#  and at 15..he has a mind of his own! I'd like to fix him healthy but filling foods. Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated..and if you want to chat...I'd love that too!

I know exactly how you feel sometimes when watching these kids.  My son is double jointed and was extremely flexible...so much so his pediatrician was concerned about injury.  He actually suggested we get my son into wrestling, he wanted him to have full-range of motion strength or he would continue to dislocate his joints.  His flexibility has actually freaked out some opponents...they think his leg is broken or they dislocated his shoulder just because my son bends them so strange.  The only thing I will not tolerate though is a choke hold.  We have a team here who is notorious for digging their little fingers into the kids throat...and yea...that's not happening.  Most clubs won't even wrestle them anymore, so I think the coaches are learning.

As for cutting weight...your son is doing the right thing by going up a weight class.  Cutting weight has got to be my biggest pet peeves about this sport.  And there are so many old school coaches out there who still insist it's the way to go.  Never mind that it cuts into their performance as an athlete by 50%...and a majority of the kids I treat at tournaments are dehydrated from cutting.  All it does is break down muscle...not fat,  causing the wrestler to lose strength and muscle mass.  It throws the body into starvation mode, making it even more difficult to lose the weight.  The body is saying to itself that it's hungry...so it's going to store as much energy (fat) as it can.

I've been working with our coaches, both high school and youth teams on a year-round program.  Off-season it's a reasonable 4-5 day workout...and a realistic and livable diet, especially for a growing kid.  When the season starts, and the workouts become more intense we adjust the diet accordingly...meaning they actually get to eat more during the season.  With this program the kids maintain a healthy weight, healthy strength level and are not starving.  The weight is where their body tells them they should be, not the coach.

If a kid comes in with some extra weight they need to lose...when they are actually overweight...then we can adjust the diet to fit them as well.  After a football injury my then 10 year old son gained 20lbs.  I had a friend who is a dietitian design a program for him in which she reversed his meals.  He would eat dinner at breakfast, having the larger, higher protein and carb meal in the morning...even veggies and salad.  Lunch was a sandwich on whole wheat, low fat protein, fruit...just typical really and dinner was light.  A bowl of soup...or even cereal.  We also added two healthy snacks during the day.  The kid was actually eating more than he did before his "diet".  He was able to drop the 20lbs with in about a month and a half.  Even more amazing now, he was recently diagnosed with Hashimotos Disease, a thyroid disease which causes a person to gain weight easily.

[harleymom3]

Hey there! My boys are 6 and 7  and last year was their first year of wrestling and they loved it.(me, too). They can't wait for practice to start back up.

[fabermax]

My son is 9 and has been wrestling since he was 4. I personally think he is awesome! My husband and I are both active in his wrestling club, we are board members and my husband, who wrestled in HS, is the head coach of my son's age group. I was extremely nervous when he started wrestling, it is intimidating, but now I couldn't imagine our lives without it...practice 3 days a week, duals on Sat., tournaments on Sun., traveling out of state for big National Tournaments...
Wrestling has also made my son an outstanding all around athelete. He has been doing tackle football in a competetive league since he was 7. He has to earn his spot on the roster and wrestling has helped with the conditioning. Also if you have a mean double-leg you can tackle anybody even if they are twice your size!

[CavalierMom]

Hi
My oldest (7 yrs old) is on his third year of wresting and he loves it. My daughter (5 yrs old)  thinks practice and tournements are just social events and my youngest child (3 yr old) worships his brother and wants to get headgear for christmas.

[fabermax]

Quoting CavalierMom:

Hi
My oldest (7 yrs old) is on his third year of wresting and he loves it. My daughter (5 yrs old) thinks practice and tournements are just social events and my youngest child (3 yr old) worships his brother and wants to get headgear for christmas.

LOL..My 2 year old adores his older brother too! And when we are at tournaments he has to wear an extra pair of his brothers headgear. He refuses to take them off!

[itseaya]

Hi,

I have two boys 15 and 9 that are wrestling.  This is the first year for both but they just love it.  My 15 y/o made Varsity his fresman year and my 9 y/o just looks up to his brother so he is really soaking it all in.