1. Throw out the word Perfection. Good enough is good enough. There is no perfect match or perfect opportunity for a takedown or turn. When it looks good go for it! If you wait for the “perfect opportunity” you are going to miss a ton of scoring opportunities and leave things to chance. Gene completed his thesis on Perfectionism and Anxiety. The research indicated that the more perfectionistic wrestlers were the more anxious they were before a match. Perfect doesn’t exist, Pull the Trigger every match!
2. Recharge your battery during the day and in between rounds. Think of your cell phone. You wake up after a full charge at 100%. As the day moves along your battery starts to lose juice if it isn’t charged. A human is no different. We have limited energy. When you think about wrestling the entire day, talk about it, worry about the outcome, think about your opponent, etc. you wear out your battery faster than any physical training. You need to create a plan to recharge your battery during the week and in between rounds at a tournament.
3. Develop clarity in your technique and common positions. Know exactly what you want to do when the whistle blows. Where are you putting your hands? What is your go to takedown? What positions do you want to be in? What positions do you want to avoid? Have a plan. We want to be able to Flow out there but having a plan will help us impose our will from start to finish. Hone in on your strengths and find ways to get there during your matches.