Embracing the grind

[jackwebster 296]

The "Youth Wrestling" thread got me thinking about a couple of Flo interviews that I watched this week. Both Burroughs and Snyder commented that they have changed their training to reduce wear and tear on their bodies and extend their careers.

I guess it's pretty common for veterans to let up and "listen to their bodies." Dake, Askren, and even Terry Brands have made these claims. But Snyder is still young. So, maybe training "smarter" rather than "harder" is something all should consider.

I know this isn't an either or situation. You can train smart and part of the smarts is knowing when to train hard. But, I wonder if "embracing the grind" is ever a good idea. What is gained by training the way most DI programs do, i.e. high volume, high intesity combat on the daily with a room full of hammers? 

I guess it might teach life lessons, but is it the best way to get better at winning wrestling matches? 

 

 

[cjc007 774]

The "Youth Wrestling" thread got me thinking about a couple of Flo interviews that I watched this week. Both Burroughs and Snyder commented that they have changed their training to reduce wear and tear on their bodies and extend their careers.
I guess it's pretty common for veterans to let up and "listen to their bodies." Dake, Askren, and even Terry Brands have made these claims. But Snyder is still young. So, maybe training "smarter" rather than "harder" is something all should consider.
I know this isn't an either or situation. You can train smart and part of the smarts is knowing when to train hard. But, I wonder if "embracing the grind" is ever a good idea. What is gained by training the way most DI programs do, i.e. high volume, high intesity combat on the daily with a room full of hammers? 
I guess it might teach life lessons, but is it the best way to get better at winning wrestling matches? 
 
 

Embrace high level technique.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

[IronChef 1,097]

I think there’s a big difference in the competition schedules between someone like Burroughs and a college wrestler. Burroughs and Snyder do not compete very often. Two or three international events, the worlds, Final X, and Beat the Streets spread out over a whole year. There’s no reason to train like a collegian who competes every week for a relatively short period of time.

[AHamilton 1,026]

But Snyder almost seemed better when he was wrestling a partial NCAA schedule and doing freestyle as well.  

 

I thought that he would have better freestyle results after his NCAA career was over, but I do not think that has been the case.

[Boompa 203]

I've always thought the origins of "embracing the grind" started with Gable and his high level of success at Iowa because of the mis-conception that the Russians were "tough" and trained harder and longer than American wrestlers which is not true.  Even today, Russians believe we are more conditioned and go harder in matches.

But we have those who still believe in the 2+ hour practices everyday, constant weight cutiing combined with over competing and that technique and smart wrestling will beat brawn most times.

Want to save wrestling in this country from the HS level down?  Un-embrace the grind.

[powershouse 106]

Some of the biggest recent advances in training science have been on the importance of rest and recovery. Training staffs are monitoring heart rates and sleep cycles.
Coaches are in a tough spot balancing rest and recovery against active training. College athletes already have limitations on when and how much they can train and now training staffs are telling coaches the athletes need more rest and recovery.
Top level wrestlers are probably considering both modern science and reducing wear and tear from live goes.

[fadzaev2 545]

In 1989, during the World Cup of Wrestling weekend, I took John Smith fishing on my boat, and we discussed his training then.  At that moment, he had won one Olympics, one World Championship and one Goodwill Games.  He already said to me......I listen to my body when I train......he still had one more Olympic Games, one more Goodwill Games and 3 more World Champiomnships to win, while listening to his body when he trained.