Worst Habits to avoid for HS wrestlers

being to high in your stance and having your elbow out and make sure you maintain your wieght

1. being out of shape.
2. not properly using legs.

i think the worst habit is letting there weight bounce up and down during the week or after a match. instead of eating all the right things to keep there weight down but still get all the vitamins they just lost losing weight they eat crap and are paying for it during the match and the upcoming practices

Those who think the movie "Vision Quest" is inspirational...

water is for basketball players

let the lovers love, let the haters hate, let me do me ( if i look like a space cadet on the all american stand thats fine with me :p)

not acting first on bottom, shots from far away, staying ear to ear, and reaching back

i agree completlety also when kids wrestle a few freestyle matches and think they r going to kick ass in folkstyle

agreed---unwritten wrestling rule is that a wrestler can only get a usawrestling tattoo after they win a nat'l title.

i think that kids in high school are focusing to much on fancy moves that will impress thier friends and not spending enough time on the basics that are essentail to winning though matches. high schools should focus on thier basic moves and work to perfect them.

In my room I try to stress drilling the full range of motion. The whole move all the way through to the finish, either the take down or to the back and hopefully the fall. If you drill half ass, you will wrestle half ass. I find that the kids that are usually going through the motions and not drilling fully, they are the ones that have a short season. Thanks!

Not finishing your shot or getting in on a shot and trying to finish going the wrong direction.

Laziness in the wrestling room, DO NOT allow it. that causes even more bad habits. Hard work ethic is very important, specially in a sport like this.

Not setting up shots.

Not taking care of your body...

1. take showers after practice
2. have your coach look at funny sores and infections
3. and eat your wheaties!!!

Not practicing things you aren't good at yet or not trying them in drill matches in practice.

Yea, agreed.. and to HS wrestlers just starting off.. let it be known; there is a difference between CONFIDENCE and YNESS.. know when you have to improve, adapt, and evolve.

Yea, agreed.. and to HS wrestlers should starting off.. let it be known; there is a difference between CONFIDENCE and YNESS.. know when you have to improve, adapt, and evolve.

You don't stall when you're confident in your ability, you commit to shots when you you're confident in you ability, you wrestle harder than your opponent when you're more confident in your ability. It's harder to develope confidence than a it is to develope a good shot. We all know the physical part of this sport is easy compared to the mental. That is what you must spend just as much effort to master.

HS wrestlers should avoid thinking about the opponent and concentrate on being the best they can be against anyone who may step in front of them.
Bad habit adoped in youth (understandably) but can be broken in HS years. Search deep within for the CONFIDENCE that will make you the best you can be. You can't even train to be the best you can be without it.

STALLING!!!

Not commiting to shots, they shoot halfway then pause. If you're gonna shoot, shoot deep and commit, look for the finish!

I also agree about the whole gf thing, or wrestlers who think their dedicated but they don't even pratice offseason, summer, or pre season.
sigh.. kids these days.

when kids that think they are badass.... anyone really jump around and stand straight during the match, bouncing up and down i guess tryin to be y

1. making designs on your headgear with tape
2. wrapping your shoes in tape
3. wearing affliction tees to matches

to many good wrestlers care more about there girlfriends
then wrestling. so when it comes time to wrestle there head isnt in the match

riding too high on top

getting arms too deep on a front headlock and getting stalemated.

lol, "getting a usa wrestling tattoo when your bad at wrestling''. I am from IA, and you see that all the time. Its just funny you had mentioned it.

taking advantage of weight cutting, getting into bad habits of cutting weight right before a meet sucks the energy out of you weight loss should be gradual, like losing ten lbs over four days is better then ten lbs in two days. it leaves you feeling better for your match

Head and Arm. I see them reach and step for it. It works which is the worst part.

Constantly getting into an ear to ear tie-up. Also not staying in a good stance with their hands up. Reaching back also. Last but not least on bottom laying face down with their head on the mat not trying to do anything at all.

From a former Reg Champ ... Lack of hand control, not staying behind the hips, not anticipating opponent

getting a usa wrestling tattoo when your bad at wrestling

pooing

i agree with tim 100%

umm...... i won counties and lost in the all state round so stfu wat did u do without big head phones....

losing

1. Poor nutrition. There's tons of literature out there on proper wrestling nutrition. Wrestlers should read it and coaches should enforce it.
2. Not knowing when to rest. Practicing and competing five (sometimes six) days a week wears on even the best athletes out there. Pick one day out of the week (Sunday is common) where you don't wrestle, lift, work out, or even break a sweat. I've known wrestlers who went seven days a week all season, and their performance always suffered towards the end of the season--right when it matters most.
3. Similar to #2, not getting enough sleep every night. Seven to eight hours a night is best. Anything less and you're asking for performance problems on the mat and in the classroom.
4. Thinking they don't need to lift weights. Everyone can benefit from lifting weights, even during the season, so do it. It's especially important for the inexperienced/JV guys where physical strength is more likely to decide a match.
5. Not picking a good practice partner. You don't get better by constantly wrestling someone that doesn't challenge you. While pairing up a seasoned guy with an inexperienced one can have educational benefits for the latter, you should almost always wrestle someone at your skill level. Coaches should re-pair guys that aren't evenly matched.
6. Not being a good practice partner. I watch some guys drill moves with a partner that gives no resistance. No one gets better that way. As your partner improves on the move's he's drilling, compensate by giving more resistance and showing different looks and counters.
7. Not doing anything during the off-season. I've seen guys bust their ass during the season to get leaner, stronger, and quicker only to lose a lot of what they gained by being sedentary afterward. During the off-season, stay in good physical- and wrestling-shape. Lift weights, run, go to open mat, and grab some friends to hit a few tournaments. I've seen some guys who get pounded their entire freshman year come back the next and be competitive just by going to open mat for an hour a week during the off-season.

Not getting extremely fit before the start of season especially cardio. To allow for better concentration on wrestling moves and speed right from the beginning.

Lifting weights 7 days a week and having the max-out days be on the mornings of the days of wrestling matches.

Anthony who.. this sounds like a kid from my school cause my coach says the same stuff all the time haha

Letting someone control my head. It's so simple, but so simple to fall into.

Talking to your opponent in a friendly fashion prior to your match, thus giving them a confidence boost.

talking to your opponent before your match and letting them get under your skin

1- Poor nutrition, this killed me for the first half of last season. I would always be burning out at the end of a workout, and I knew it was because I wasn't eating properly.
2- Not challenging yourself during practice, and this includes practicing with improper form, not perfecting that form, not trying new moves, and getting complacent with your partner.

Cutting too much weight before a match drains all your energy :/

never eat right before ur match :)

I had developed plenty of bad habits when I started wrestling two years ago. Some of my habits included riding too high with legs, not putting weight on my opponents when I was on top, rushing the match to try to get the pin early, leaving my trail leg too far out, trying fancy moves because no one else did them, and missing the leg on my shots.

Some advice my coach gave me my sopre year was "Don't get too high", "Wrestle smart, slow down the pace", "Set up your shots", and my favorite: "Pick an ankle, not a nose!"

the pause be4 you finish your shot..created due to bad drilling

relying on cutting weight via water weight. aka sweat suits, saunas etc. although i do both of these myself so i shouldn't be talking.

"wearing giant head phones while warming up for super concentration (this could possibly just be a long island thing aka dylan palacio and entire long beach highschool team)"

lol those things are ridiculous he looks like a freakin space cadet

that's 100% correct refs in OH call stalling WAY too fast, there's never a chance to really work on top

toughen up ,thats it. no questions asked

wearing to different color socks
wearing to different types of shoes
putting tape on your finghers when your fingers have no problems
going tss ahh or any intense growling noises. unless your metcalf of course. (this also applys to sprints as well)

shaving a mohawk in before the match

"5. Getting a USA Wrestling tattoo - Those are so stupid" - YES!!! I couldn't agree more!

-Not going hard in practice
-Not keeping priorities straight
-Accepting mediocrity

Some stuff that effected my team last year, giving us our worst season of the decade
1. Lack of Work Ethic
2. Learning 1 easy move and ignoring eveything else
3. Not going hard the entire match
4. Both extremes of weight cutting, cutting too much and eating constantly
5. Not setting up shots
6. Skipping practice to "Hit the gym"
7. Focusing on beating your partner instead of learning
8. Constant bickering and insults amongst the team

1. Drugs
2. Turning to your parents for everything
3. Letting your parents hover and not starting to take responsibility for your actions
4. Smoking, Chewing, Drinking... You wont think these are as cool in 10 years
5. Getting a USA Wrestling tattoo - Those are so stupid
6. Not getting your priorities in order. You can chase girls, play video games, and hang out with your friends for the rest of your life... Most people only get 4 years of high school wrestling. A lucky few get 4 more in college. That is only 8 years at the most... Get your priorities right and enjoy it.

losing weight by throwin up

not staying hungry for a win at the end of the season

not to lose weight before a match that makes you tired

not setting up thier shots or going at what they give them wrestlers get comfortable in the mat room witha single move and try to do that all the time so they lose the match

a prblem i have is when i get extremly tired i start nto shut dowwn and lose the match

#27 ! I like to stress NEVER showing negative emotion!! so true If your beating someone and during the match they never show negativity it weighs on your mind!! it gets in your head...and even if you beat them you wonder "why didnt that guy get mad...didnt he realize I kicked his butt...what the..." Never show negative emotion.

Drinkin beer during the season

drinking, too many wrestlers nd other athletes drinking, during the regular or the offseason, it gives u a bad attitude and inflicts upon workouts

chewing tobbaco

1. DON'T... get complacent in the weight room and wrestling room and just go through the motions to get by.
2. DO..Wrestle freestyle & Greco after high school season.
3. DO..Train in the off-season.
4. DO..Eat healthy. Mickey Dees won't cut it.
5. DO..Get your sleep. As un cool as it may sound.
6. DO..SET GOALS! Surround yourself with those that will help you and share in your success.
7. DO..Work just as hard in the classroom.

HS habits to avoid:
1 - Cutting weight. Eat healthy, like any serious athlete. Your fighting weight should put you at about 7% BFA.
2 - Training to beat specific individuals instead of training to beat the top 5% of wrestlers.
3 - Positioning: Hanging out in their opponent's tie-up, not knowing what tie-up they are going for.
4 - Not having a plan: know what your best 2 or 3 tie-ups are, and how you are going to score from there.
5 - Letting guys out from par-terre. A lot of college freshmen have to learn top wrestling when it becomes important due to the intro of riding time. Get good at top now.
6 - Not endurance training hard enough. High-school is not too early to put in plenty of long-distance running. Remember that in college your match will be longer, with a THREE minute first period!
7 - Getting discouraged. HS years are formative and changes can happen rapidly. In 2 years i went from being eliminated from the state-qualifying regional (went 0-2), to winning PA states (and the OW). This works in reverse, too- a lot of powerhouses started tapering off and had disappointing senior years, and did nothing in college.
8 - not working a gripper. Having a strong grip helps from absolutely every position in virtually every move. Work a gripper now and you'll have a strong grip for a long time.
9 - Getting broken down from an initial standup and not having a 2nd move. A standup from the whistle should be stopped by most good wrestlers. Do a 2nd standup or a granby immediately upon being returned to the mat.
10 - Arguing calls (passively, complaining) You can't change a call that has already happened and it is your responsibility to win any match regardless of officiating. If you don't convince the ref that you've won, you haven't won.

GOOD LUCK! WORK HARD AND KEEP YOUR CHIN UP!

REVISED - IT SHOULD BE "BEAT THEIR PRACTICE PARTNER"
1. Cutting too much weight.
2. Tying up ear to ear.
3. Not trying new techniques in the wrestling room and simply just trying to beat their practice partner.
4. Not setting up shots properly.
5. Not working the bottom position enough.
6. Not working out enough on their own.
7. Not being MEAN ENOUGH.

I will say that I was guilty of 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 in high school. As a college kid who know longer wrestles I have so many regrets about what I did in high school. My biggest regret is that I was not mean enough. I was always aggressive in high school but not mean. My coach always used to tell us that a big difference between college wrestling and high school wrestling is that college kids are MEAN. I didn't really know what he was talking about until I had the privilege of wrestling a couple college kids.

1. Cutting too much weight.
2. Tying up ear to ear.
3. Not trying new techniques in the wrestling room and simply just trying to be the practice partner.
4. Not setting up shots properly.
5. Not working the bottom position enough.
6. Not working out enough on their own.
7. Not being MEAN ENOUGH.

I will say that I was guilty of 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 in high school. As a college kid who know longer wrestles I have so many regrets about what I did in high school. My biggest regret is that I was not mean enough. I was always aggressive in high school but not mean. My coach always used to tell us that a big difference between college wrestling and high school wrestling is that college kids are MEAN. I didn't really know what he was talking about until I had the privilege of wrestling a couple college kids.

Letting the opponent know you are hurting. Do this by groaning, grunting, making noise.

How about, Not shooting or the infamous headlock being used at the wrong time.

shooting just for the sake of shooting and shooting with your head down. I did this all through my high school career and won most of the time because of my superior physical attributes. However I never placed in NJ states because of poor technique. I finally learned to shoot with my head up after a couple years of college wrestling lol and ever since I have been enjoying some good success at the Division I level. Shoot with your head up!!!

i used to hiss every time i would move haha

Where do I start? Stance/motion, wrestling with their heads down, wrestling the duration. I like Mike's post...Call them out!

Agreed.

Acting like they're above doing a stance and motion drill intensely. To avoid you call them out and dare them to get better RIGHT NOW! Lets see some D1 movement!!! pick it up.

Trying to get ahold of Zeb Miller. Please email me at when you get a chance.

A very high percentage of Ohio kids have below average mat wrestling skills (with a high level of actual ability). It is driven by take down tournaments, refs who call stalling too quickly when wrestlers are working on top, and coaches always practicing on their feet. It is why PA guys are better than OH guys in college.

These are all good examples of bad habits!

In my room, the biggest bad habit that I deal with year in and year out is wasting time in the collar tie(ear to ear). The kids just subconsciously look for it, and I have no idea why. They wind up wasting minutes on the clock, and usually get scored on because the other teams are using elbow and wrist set-ups. I teach elbow and wrist set-ups, but there is some kind of obsession going on...

Wanting to win all the time in PRACTICE. They grab the JV kid at their weight and hammer him all day long. I grabbed the Varsity guy at the weight above me (who was better than me and thus forced me down a class), and we hammered each other every day. I lost more than I won in practice, but it made me a lot better when team points were on the line. Coaches need to do a better job of "policing practice partners". If you see one of your varsity guys hammering a jv kid, switch them up. Yeah, the JV kid might be learning something, but more than likely, hes just getting frustrated that whatever he tries gets stopped. And the Varsity kid isn't learning a thing by continuously short dragging out of front headlocks all day long. When we see one kid having a tough time we need to switch em up, get them with a partner more on his level. Not someone who is just killing him with high level technique and not learning anything. We had a 112 lb state champ who came back after 4 years in the Navy weighing closer to 160. He got his jollies hammering the 19 and 25 pounders with moves so quick we had no idea what was coming. After hitting it, he wouldnt explain how he did it, he just wanted to gloat. We quit learning anything from him and just wanted him to leave. But we had some guys come in and hit high level moves, then explain how he set it up, WHY he set it up (what we did to open it up), and how to finish it. I learned a lot from him.

Stepping away from your opponent. (stepping back)

probably more for big guys but don't stop wrestling. you can't try and get one move and if that fails thats it you have to move form one move to the next etc.

wrestling with their head down...
I have some stud kid wrestlers on the way up but they constantly are finishing with their heads down. i try to let them know when they get against people that they can't overpower they will need to have their head up.

during my first year I always forgot to keep my hips up while riding and while being on top in general. Also, I got in the habit of stepping back during matches instead of circling, which was a bit easier to fix.

Some young wrestlers think that cutting weight is the key to success. They don't know how to manage their weight, and they often get burned out on wrestling because they are always sucking weight. Sometimes it's better to wrestle up at a more natural weight class because it makes the wrestlers healthier and stronger, which trumps the size advantage of a sucked up wrestler.

Ignoring the fact that their wrist is tied up on the bottom.

Ignoring the fact that the opponent has their chin controlled from neutral (fron headlock with cement job coming.)
Mindless aggression without enough experience to know what happens to you if you wrestle that way against good guys.
Letting kids go from bottom too easily
Hanging on to a leg with both hands and getting extended instead of letting go with one hand, posting, and circling to the side.
Wrestling in practice like its a match....meaning not taking any risk, or trying any new technique for fear your practice partner will score.

trying to be slick. when they are not.

I notice a lot of HS wrestlers who believe they are "great", and become close minded, they stop wanting to learn more of the sport. The worst habit!

Poor Nutrition.

Not preparing for practice. Wrestlers have to step into their practice rooms every day ready to bang. Just being in the room and drilling and wrestling isn't enough. You have to prepare everyday for war. That way when things get tough in the room you are ready to overcome them. Then that will follow you into your matches

stopping when they get to a leg.

cutting tons of weight.

Getting too comfortable with using chump moves on kids in the practice room. Make sure your kids are challenged enough so that they can't just use their chump moves when they're tired. Even if the practice partners aren't up to scratch challenge the wrestler with tasks like getting 2 tilts or 3 double legs.

i generally think complacency and routine are bad habits. intensity of purpose and intention are important aspects to be intentional and mindful about each day. building good habits and continuing to do that are important. keeping good position comes to mind- especially when you are tired and exhausted. this is not to say that we burn out our kids- but we need to keep a sharp eye on building consistency throughout. it's easy to do the right things when things are going our way- but much different when we are tired and beat up.