Third period, state semi-finals, down by one point with seven seconds left. This is the predicament Liam Gil-Swiger found himself in this past February. His father David Swiger recounts the story on a recent Wrestling Mindset podcast episode. He recalls his son freaking out but then all of a sudden calming down and refocusing. He noticed that Liam used his “Reset Button” that he learned from his mindset training. After resetting, Liam stepped on the line cool and collected. He scored on a beautiful inside trip takedown, won the match and followed it up winning a State Championship.
So how was Liam able to stay calm and focused during the biggest moment of his wrestling career?
Watch Here: Liam Swiger hits “Reset Button” at Huge Moment
Unlocking the “Reset Button”
A reset button is a physical gesture that helps a wrestler clear their mind and focus on the present moment. In other words, block out all the noise and distractions, so that the wrestler can put all their effort and focus on the next position. This helps wrestlers to regain composure and move forward with confidence during adversity and difficult situations on the mat.
A reset button should be paired with a short phrase or mantra. For example, “just keep going”, “get the next takedown”, “score the next point”, “just wrestle”.
Some examples of good reset buttons are taking a deep breath, shaking out your hands, kicking your legs loose, tapping your headgear or clapping your hands. After hitting your reset button, a wrestler should repeat their phrase or mantra.
There are many common situations where a wrestler benefits from a good reset button. These include referee making a bad call, crowd is distracting, wrestler makes a mistake, opponent wrestles dirty, wrestler is competing poorly, opponent is stalling, or any moments of frustration or anger.
Repetition of the reset button is important for success. A wrestler should utilize the reset button and mantra as frequently as possible in matches, practices and training. Many wrestlers have also found success utilizing their reset button while taking tests, dealing with uncomfortable conversations, in the weight room and during conditioning.
The “Reset Button” has been one of the most immediately impactful mental exercises in the Wrestling Mindset program. It has quickly led to elevated focus, mental resilience and success on the wrestling mat.