Become a Better Competitor

To become a better competitor, one must practice competitiveness. The Best Powerlifting Gym in the World (Westside Barbell) on Mental Toughness: “At Westside, we have many in-house contests…They can happen without notice, and most often, that’s the case…If someone refuses to engage in a spontaneous contest, we will throw challenges at him when he least…

Mental Toughness – How to Get it

Mental Toughness is plain and simple- never giving up no matter what. In my Personality Psychology class, we learned that Character is revealed during difficult times, not easy times. This may make intuitive sense to many people, but there is also a good amount of scientific research to support this idea. You just can’t ever…

Destroy your “Fan Mentality”

Stop approaching your sport as a spectator! Players play, coaches coach, administrators administrate, and there can be no overlap in between. When we competed at the National Duals in college, Coach Zeke Jones reminded us, “We are here to compete, not as spectators.” In between rounds we didn’t stick around to watch Iowa vs Oklahoma…

FLOW every time you Wrestle

Some athletes call it “the Zone” others call it “Flow,” scholars call it “the Ideal Peak Performance State (IPPS).” The feeling that you cannot miss, where time and accuracy seem to be moving and acting at your command. All good athletes and performers know this feeling. When you compete, the idea is to be in…

What to Focus on When you Compete

In competition, focus is best spent on the present moment- on actions. Thinking about past successes or failures will distract you from your mission. Your mission is whatever you have to do right now, not a few moments ago, not a few seconds from now, much less the end of the competition- but right NOW.…

Without Limits – Expand your Threshold

Imagine yourself as a dot in the center of a circle. The circle represents your comfort zone. The walls of the circle represents your personal threshold- your personal limit. In the middle, you are well within your comfort zone. This is where most people choose to remain- never pushing the envelop or risking failure or…

5 Signs its a Mindset Problem

Coaches and parents must recognize if the wrestler is struggling mentally, then consult a mindset expert to fix the problem. Here’s the eyeball test: The 5 Signs its a Mindset Problem 1. Looks like a different wrestler in practice and a match 2. Not attempting many moves in a match 3. Difficulty sleeping the night before a…

4 Mandatory Mindsets for Wrestlers

Pre-Competition 1. I don’t care who I go against, I want everyone. I go after the tougher opponent. I live for the challenge. The best defense is a good offense right? Same thing with your mindset. If you seek the challenge and look for tougher opponents, you’re not worried about competing against someone good. You…

Driving with the Emergency Brake?

Imagine driving a high performance car, say a Lamborghini, on a race track. You start the car and you begin to drive. You give it more gas,You shift the gears, Your speed climbs. You feel your car moving faster and faster until all of a sudden…you hit a plateau. Your speed remains constant well below…