WrestlingGear.Com - Wrestling Your Perfect Match Continued May 10, 2003
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This week there is a lot of wrestling going on. The US Nationals are currently being held in Las Vegas. Most of the top wrestlers in the country attend this Freestyle and Greco Wrestling tournament.
Most of the top wrestlers from this tournament will participate in the World Team Trials in Indianapolis in June. We will be there in June to shoot web photos for you. Be sure to check out http://www.illinoiswrestling.com to see the photos we took at USA Wrestling Middle School National Duals, and the Cadet and University National Finals in both Greco and Freestyle. If you or any of your friends are featured in these photos, let us know and we can send you the images for free. They will be photo quality that will make 8 by 10 prints.
We need your help, visit wrestlinggear.com's home page to vote for the Asic's Wrestling Shoes you would like us to add to the site. Asic's shoes are new to us and we are thinking about adding them to the site if we are able. Visit our home page and vote. We will use this next week's poll to determine the interest level.
ASICS WRESTLING SHOES - DO YOU WANT THEM?
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We are thinking about adding Asics wrestling shoes to our site - assuming we are able to do so. We have a meeting with an Asics rep next week and would like to be able to discuss the different lines of shoes you would like to see added to the site.
We have created a poll on the home page to capture your thoughts. Let us know if we have missed a major line of their shoes. We believe we have done enough research to include all the major shoes. If you simply prefer Adidas, there is a choice for that in the poll.
We will take into consideration your thoughts and wishes when deciding which product lines to add to the site. Let us know what you think. Please take the time to vote, it should only take about a minute if that. The poll is located on the right hand side of the home page.
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2003 US SENIOR NATIONALS ON TELEVISION
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It is important that any wrestling on television receives high ratings? Why? A strong showing will only justify more wrestling on television. With all the different "sports" I see on television now...why can't more wrestling make it to television. I suspect one of the major problems is there are not many major advertisers that see the benefits to advertising to the wrestling community. However, this is incorrect. Most of the wrestlers I know would love to see more wrestling on television. Part of the problem is, the television coverage is usually on at odd times of the day.
Plus there are not regular times that wrestling will be on. You can't turn on a television in the afternoon every Saturday afternoon during the season and watch wrestling like you could baseball or football. I suspect wrestlers spend just as much money on products as your typical consumer, however, wrestling fans probably need to be studied more to see what their demographics are to sell to advertising firms once there is a commitment to show more wrestling on television.
BE SURE TO WATCH FOX SPORTS TELEVISION SATURDAY MAY 24. VISIT THE MAT.COM TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN THIS COVERAGE WILL AIR.
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"Wrestle To Win" by Beasey Hendrix
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Today we are going to give an excerpt that Beasey wrote on controlling stress. This article is titled "Identifying and Controlling Stress."
Focus: What are the different types of stress? Are there different ways of controlling them? Is all stress bad? How does stress affect our thinking?
You are standing behind the team bench, awaiting your match. Your body is tense. You notice that thoughts of doom are beginning to run through your mind, so you start to get a little nervous. You don't like the feeling. It causes you to have some uneasiness. What can you do?
There are several things that sports psychologists recommend for controlling stress and anxiety. Some methods are long range attempts at restructuring thinking patterns. These take organized practice and a large investment of time. Other methods focus on quick relief that enables an athlete to just get through the competition. These methods are often referred to as "band-aid" approaches because they only mask or cover the real problem.
Unfortunately, the time restraints of a season can put restrictions on the amount of time that an athlete can devote to learning a mental skill. Most athletes wants to know the quickest and best ways to handle any anxieties that might pop into a dual match or tournament setting. They really don't have the time to worry about the underlying cause of their stress; they need help and they need it at the moment. With respect to that thought, let's look into some quick and effective methods for putting a band-aid on that mental sore!
Effects of Stress
Stress affects wrestlers in different ways. Some sense a nervous feeling in their body. Others begin to notice negative talk floating into their thinking.
The bad news is that both of these types of stress can affect your performances. Each type can eat at you and cause a shift in focus, from completing the task to focusing on the obstacle or problem. But there is some good news. There are methods we can employ that will help to calm or control both types.
1. Somatic (body) stress is when you react physically to a situation. The body becomes tense in reaction to a perceived danger. A diagram of this type of stress would show the body reacting first, then triggering anxiety and poor performances.
2. Cognitive Stress (negative thinking) the wrestler builds anxiety by thinking negatively about an event or task. These thoughts cause physical symptoms that may interfere with an athlete's performance. The key to stopping this type of nervousness is to stop the negative thoughts, then move on to positive or neutral thinking. It sounds easy, but it can be hard to train yourself to stop, then refoucus. A diagram of this type of stress would show negative thoughts occurring first, then bodily stress forming that could interfere with performance.
Somatic Stress
If your body shows signs of somatic stress first, try to control your physical symptoms by relaxing. The easiest method is to take control of your breathing. Take a deep breath and slow down. If that doesn't work, a short version of a relaxation script may be all you need.
Some programs suggest that you use this relaxation system before you enter any type of situation that you feel will be stressful. They suggest that you calm yourself down before you begin to feel tense. Train yourself to go through a quick edition of your favorite relaxation script anytime you foresee an upcoming tense situation. Use the relaxation to prepare yourself to enter the setting. This will stop the tension from beginning.
This sounds good. If you have the awareness or discipline to incorporate this approach into your system, it is a good strategy. Just beware the habit of becoming too calm. Make sure you can control your activation.
How would you use these techniques?
It is easy. When you think or feel that you are entering a stressful situation, recognize the fact, then take a moment to gain control by starting your stress reduction techniques. Stress comes from within, so you are the one who is in control. Just learn to assert yourself and take control of your body's reactions. If you can develop a short personal script that you can use, it will probably be best. You might want to say something like "Okay, I'm starting to feel a little tense. I need to get control. Slow down. Take a breath. Relax. Think about (something you think is relaxing). That's better."
Negative Thoughts
Negative thinkers--wrestlers whose thoughts tend to wander towards negative ideas or concerns, can apply a negative thought-stopping strategy to help control the problem. This will help stop the stress from taking the next step and affecting your body. You do this by first identifying the negative thoughts, then redirecting your thinking to what you want to be doing now. Learn to get into the present and do what you need to do, instead of focusing on worries or negative concerns.
Most athletes tell me that they feel stressed-out when their minds begin to focus on negative thoughts or ideas. "I can't." "I'll never." "I don't think", "But what if?" These are NEGATIVE SELF- TALK STATEMENTS, and they will work against you in your pursuit of good performances and fun. Basically, any thinking or talking that causes you to move away from your goal is "bad" and you must correct or redirect this thinking by following three steps.
1) Realize. We must identify negative self-talk. Remember, it is any thinking that focuses on worry, doubt, or failure. Recognize any negative thoughts that enter your thinking. Then, admit that you are negative talking-that you are negging out, and starting to defeat yourself. Once you identify the negative thoughts, you can start to take corrective measure.
2) Stop It! Stop the negative! Make yourself stop. Say, "I am being negative I've got to stop. It will not help. It will only hurt if I keep thinking this way." It sounds easy, but it takes an effort to stop this process. Some folks suggest that you say "STOP!" aloud to trigger or cue yourself to change the behavior. This action or word will give you a moment to collect yourself.
3) Redirect your thoughts. This is a skill that you must work on to become effective. If you just say "stop!," chances are that you will return right back to your previous line of thinking, and your tension will continue to build. You must learn to self-talk yourself into positive or neutral thinking. Think, "What should I be focusing on right now? What can I be doing that will help me?" If you are able to come up with an answer, then shift to that task and get back into the groove. If you can't think of anything, then just shift your thoughts to your task and get going.
Closing
So, decide which type of stress affects you the most, then begin to practice one of the controlling methods. It won't be hard; it will just take a little time and patience. After you begin to feel confident in your knowledge and skill with the methods, you will be able to apply them in real life situations. The key is to recognize the stress before it builds, decide what type of stress it is, then shift into your control strategy. That sounds pretty easy, and it actually is.
Read more of "Wrestle To Win" click here to order:
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Pre-Order Combat Speeds Today!!!
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Back for the 2003-2004 season are the wildly popular Combat Speed shoes! These will sell out by next season so pre-order them today and we will give you a free shipping upgrade!! Visit WrestlingGear.com now for details!!!!!
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INTERESTED IN WINNING STATE?
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Well read on. . . we will be adding brief chapter summaries from the book Winning State. Look for the first chapter summary to be added to the site shortly. We already have the book available to purchase on the site and we should have it in stock on Monday or Tuesday of this week to ship to you.
We have received a preliminary copy, and it has a lot of information on achieving your goal of winning a state title. Looking to do the right things? Well for $19.95 Steve Knight will lead you in the right direction.
Two other books that have been featured regularly in our newsletters include Beasey Hendrix's books. Their links are featured below the chapter summaries of this newsletter. Do not forget the mental side of preparing for your matches. Your goal to win a State Championship has to begin now - if it has not already. State Champions are not made during the season. They are made during the Spring, Summer and Fall before wrestling season...
VISIT WRESTLINGGEAR.COM - WINNING STATE - CLICK HERE:
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"Wrestle Your Perfect Match" by Beasey Hendrix
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Here is an excerpt from Beasey Hendrix's "Wrestle Your Perfect Match" where Beasey discusses competition and preparing for competition.
There are many things an athlete can think about when it comes to preparing for a match. If not handled properly, any of these topics could cause problems with a performance. The key is to organize a system that is optimum. Consider what you need, what you like, and what is best for you, and then follow through on the plan. Stay away from negative influences. Focus on completing activities that are beneficial to you.
Three Phases of Preparation.
I like to divide preparation into three phases:
1) Build Up
2) Point of Performance
3) Competitive Phase.
Each phase has a specific place in the mental skills program, and each phase can affect performance.
1) Build up - - The build-up phase is the foundation for a good competition. It includes activities the day or two before your event. It is like setting the table. Narrow your focus from general life events to the competition. Begin to plan activities around your schedule for performing. Control as much as possible. Aspects of this phase include: last work-outs before the meet, eating, sleep or rest, your social activities, your focus, equipment or uniforms, and any other concerns that may affect your preparation.
2) Point of performance - -When athletes reach the gym they have different needs. Time management becomes a major concern. When do you perform? How much warmup do you need? Water? What is your focus? What are your game plans? Do you have your 'stuff' ready? Is your support group working? As you move closer to competition, activation, and stress control become more important. Even things that appear to be minor can affect your performance if they are not taken care of.
3) Competition--When your name is called, it is SHOWTIME. Your thinking needs to shift from focusing on preparation to performing. Strategies and self-talk become important. Training and mental skills blend together. You compete, and then you receive feedback.
Now you should be ready to take a look into your system of preparation. Fill in the blanks, apply your needs to the following outline, and customize it to fit your personality. Then use the results to help prepare you for the big meets or tournaments that are headed your way!
How to Prepare
So, how do you organize this total package of preparation? There are several things you can do to prepare.
1) You can't control environment, but you can control your approach to performance. The greater the number of things you have organized, the closer you are to removing uncertainties which may cause stress.
2) Set a schedule. By knowing what you want to do and when, you remove questions that can affect your anxiety level.
3) Plan how to keep your schedule. Make alternate plans that can be used if a problem arises. Look at a worst case scenario and make a list of possible events. Be ready to handle each situation much like you practice to counter certain moves.
4) Ritualize. Develop a system or routine that is comfortable to you. Repeat it so much that it becomes automatic. Dress in the same order. Have a set prematch meal. Listen to the same music. Go to bed at the same time. Get a routine that is yours.
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IN CLOSING
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Good luck - remember to set your goals and work hard to achieve them...
-Jeff Pape
Owner/President - WrestlingGear.Com, LTD
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