The Wrestling Mindset

• By Isabel Rodriguez

Wrestling is a physical and demanding sport that requires athletes to have a strong and determined mindset. People often overlook the mental aspects of the sport which can be one of the biggest factors in deciding the outcome of a match. Whether it's being confident in your own capabilities or being relaxed to face your opponents, having that mental edge truly matters. This article will go over the mental game of the wrestler themselves and how the right mindset can provide the right results.  

Staying Positive 

As simple as it sounds, having a positive mindset truly makes a difference. Time and time again, wrestlers get in their own way. Positivity is a big factor especially when losses and setbacks arise. Keeping your head up is hard when you lose a match you worked so hard to prepare for. Losing after endlessly training for competition can almost feel like a slap in the face.  

Setbacks don’t always come in the form of match losses. Injuries that take a wrestler out for weeks or even months can make it hard to fight a negative mindset. Even when everything feels like it’s going right, injuries can happen at any practice or workout. With so many chances for things to go wrong, you need to focus on the things that can go right. Finding a positive outlook will help get you out of the stuck place wrestlers often find themselves in. If the only thing looked at is the bad, then things will never actually improve. 

 Having that positivity will reduce any anxiety or anger, as well as keep one's mind open and clear. Dwelling on past mistakes is pointless when focusing on future steps and opportunities actually changes things. It’s easier said than done, but here are some tips on things a wrestler or any athlete can do to practice having a positive mindset,  

1. Positive Self Talk 

2. Goal Setting 

3. Visualization 

By choosing positivity even when things get rough, wrestlers can turn setbacks into stepping stones for their future.  

Confidence 

It's widely known that having confidence is a useful tool when dealing with the ups and downs of wrestling. However, there’s a fine line between being confident and conceited.  

The big question that wrestlers have when trying to be confident whether it’s before a match or just during practice is, “Am I good enough?” There’s an internal debate that athletes have about being good enough or when facing a tough opponent. Having confidence is helpful in times of doubt. Having that doubt makes athletes second guess themselves which leads to simple mistakes and increased anxiety. 

Now to gain and keep that confidence, keep in mind these points:

1. Being focused on the present 

2. Visualizing what you will do within the match 

3. Understand that a loss doesn’t diminish your efforts 

While similar to steps for positivity, practicing the above-mentioned points will calm the wrestler's mind while also focusing on the match ahead in a more efficient way. Confidence is mostly about knowing that all the hard work has been done; all that’s left is to execute it.

A strong mental mindset can be missed when being heavily involved in a sport, but understanding the steps to take will only help. For a more in-depth look into the mind of a wrestler, there are many videos like Wrestling Mindset Leadership Clinic and Mental Toughness: Programming Mental Skills into Your Wrestling Training.