Category Archives: Wrestling Tips

It’s Here!

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Finally! This is one of those times we feel like yelling Finally!! It’s here!! YEEESSS! at the top of our lungs. This has been something that we’ve been looking and hoping to do for two years. We know that the off season is a very important time for wrestlers. It really is what makes the good wrestlers stand out from the rest. They’ll be going to camps, eating healthy and maintaining weight, they continue to work out. We are very excited to announce the very beginning of wrestlefattie.com’s entrance into the off season. And just in time, we might add. You might have seen us talk about it on Twitter or in previous posts. If not, here’s the deal.

Matt Krumrie, author of The Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps

Matt Krumrie, author of The Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps

We’ve partnered with Matt Krumrie, author of The Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps, a brand new book talking about how to select a good wrestling camp. Matt Krumrie is the former editor of TheWrestlingMall.com and has contributed to W.I.N Magazine, The Guillotine and IntermatWrestle.com. He has been a guest on TakedownRadio.com and covered numerous NCAA Division I wrestling championships. As a sports writer, Krumrie has had articles published in over 50 newspapers, magazines and web sites. He knows wrestling and what make s a good camp.

The books 120 pages go over everything from how camps can effect coaches and influence wrestlers for life to how the camps were changed forever by the J Robinson Intensive Camps. He’s spent countless hours interviewing not only High School coaches, but college coaches as well. He’s talked to the top individual wrestlers, including Ben Askren and Kevin Bracken, both of whom are Olympic Wrestlers. He’s talked with NCAA champions and amateur wrestlers and has even crossed the fence to talk with MMA fighters. Quoting InterMat:

The book delivers a true “insider perspective” on wrestling camps, bringing together interviews, comments, quotes and information from over 40 of the most informed and educated people involved in the sport of wrestling — high school and college coaches, all-time great wrestlers, and individuals who run camps, as well as youth and high school wrestlers and their parents. In other words, people who have experienced wrestling camps from just about every angle possible.

The Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps  is a one of a kind. It doesn’t endorse a single camp, yet at the same time it teaches. All other books that are close to being like it endorse a certain camp. “Sure, there are all the ads for wrestling camps at websites and in magazines, and all those slick brochures,” said Krumrie. “But they’re trying to sell you something. How do you separate hype from reality?”

“There needs to be a resource, to help folks decipher all this information.”

“Parents spend so much money for their wrestlers for things like wrestling camps,” Krumrie continued. “Camps can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars each. When a family sends multiple kids to camp, or multiple camps over the course of a summer, it really adds up.” Matt Krumrie shared an example from his personal experience of just how challenging it can be to make the right decisions. “I have a friend from college who never wrestled, but has three young sons who do. He was asking me, ‘Do I send all of them to the same camp? Or do I want them to join a year ’round wrestling club?’

WrestleFattie’s Goal

So what’s different about WrestleFattie’s partnership with Matt? Well, two years ago, we had the idea to make a list of all the camps in the nation. We didn’t know how or where to begin. Well, we heard about The Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps through Twitter. We instantly thought of that idea we had two years ago. Matt gave us the kick in the butt/inspiration that we needed. We realized that there is a real need for help selecting wrestling camps to find schools near you. Our solution: check out our brand new Wrestling Camps page. This page, combined with the book, really will become the Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps. You’re able to buy the book directly off the site, but at the same time, we’re putting together a list of all the wrestling camps IN THE NATION for you to look at. Our goal? We want you to be able to find a good, quality wrestling camp within 5 hours of your own home. We figure that 5 hours is the limit of any parent to drive their high school wrestler to a wrestling camp.

So take a look at the Wrestling Camps page. Check out the book. You’ll thank Matt for spending a few years to write the book.

Just a Couple Tips for Buying That New Pair of Wrestling Shoes

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Asics Ultratek Wrestling Shoes

Asics Ultratek Wrestling Shoes

It’s that time of the season again when wrestlers start looking for a new pair of shoes. We wanted to put something together to help people out to find the right pair of shoes for their feet, without spending a fortune. Let us know what you think and if you have any questions.

Finding The Correct Size

The first thing you should do is measure your foot to determine your normal shoe size. A typical pair of wrestling shoes will generally run one half to one full size larger than your normal shoes, depending on the brand that you choose. Check out our wrestling shoes sizing charts for more brand specific info. Keep in mind that your new wrestling shoes will probably stretch somewhat after a few practices and that they should fit fairly snugly.

Brand Selection

When shopping for wrestling shoes, you can put your trust in “battle tested brands” such as Asics, Adidas, Infinity, and Brute. A good quality-wrestling shoe will normally last a year or two; it all depends on how much you wrestle. Keep in mind that comfort is extremely important. Look for a shoe that features a good rubber sole and high ankle support. The higher quality wrestling shoes are made out of a lightweight material that breathes well. It is recommended that you try on several different brands to find the one best suited for you. Don’t hesitate to ask the salesperson for help. If you are still not sure which shoe to purchase, try to get a recommendation from your coach or your teammates.

If you are buying your wrestling shoes online, go to the store first to try them on. Once you know what kind you want, shop around to get an idea of pricing. Many times you can find a better deal (and selection) online than what you can find at your local sporting goods store.

Color and Style

Many manufacturers offer a wide selection of colors to choose from. Select a color that agrees with you and goes well with your other equipment.

Choose either a split sole or a non-split sole shoe. Split sole shoes have two pieces of rubber on the sole of the shoe, which tend to be a little more comfortable and provide better traction.  It also makes the shoe more flexible as it is able to bend in the middle more. Non-split sole shoes have a single piece of rubber as the sole of the shoe, which provides for better stability and some will actually argue it has better traction.

Price

Wrestling shoes generally range in price from $30.00 up to $125.00. It is recommended that you purchase a more affordable style if you are new to the sport. If you are operating on a really tight budget, you may want to consider purchasing a used pair. You might even try to strike a deal on a used pair of shoes with one of your teammates.

A note to parents: if your child is new to the sport, we recommend that you save your money the first couple seasons before you go all out and get the best shoes on the market. Yes, shoes are some of the most important pieces of weapons in a wrestlers arsenal, but if they’re good, they’ll be able to function no matter what’s on their feet.

Some Key Points To Remember…

Your wrestling shoes must have a nice snug fit to them. Make sure that you have selected a pair that conforms to local rules and regulations. Many areas now say that the laces of shoes must be covered. It is easy to find a pair of shoes that covers the laces, or by a cover for them; or you can simply wrap athletic tape around them. Be aware of what the regulations are in your area before you make the purchase.

The Greatest Wrestling Move of all Time – The GUILLOTINE (how to)

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This was probably my favorite move of all time when I was in high school. Thanks to the people over at thewrestlingtalk.com for putting this together. Hope it helps!

First off, you have to get the leg in:

PUTTING THE LEG IN

From referee’s position:
 Get opponent’s weight on his hands so that he can’t catch your leg as it comes in.
 Jam opponent’s near triceps with forearm – put leg in on near side.
 Spiral ride to get his weight on his hands – put leg in on far side.

From opponent’s sit out:

  • Get your hips in tight to his.
  • Pull his back tight into your chest and put in a leg.
  • To upright yourself, hook your other foot under his ankle, elevate it and roll to a belly-down position.

GUILLOTINE

  • Reach down with your near hand and hook the far arm from the inside.
  • Grab the wrist with your other hand, pull it up, and scarf it (duck your head under it). Keep your back arched and your head up. (Pictured)
Guillotine

Guillotine

  • Keeping your hips in tight to his, drop to your hip and reach behind his head. Now you can let go of the wrist.
  • When the referee starts counting for back points, lock your hands around his head at the level of the temple (where his eyeglasses would be), or wrap your arms around his head and hug it.
  • Keep your free leg back for support, pull his head toward you, arch your back into him, and extend your grapevine leg.

Here’s the final product:

Finished Product

Finished Product

Anthony Robles: Is he Really That Good or do Others Not Take Advantage of his Leg?

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In case you have never seen Anthony Robles wrestle, I’ve put a video from YouTube here so that you can see him. You can also do a YouTube search for him or check out Anthony’s bio on ASU’s site.

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGiQodgxFg0 /]

Now, before I begin this post, I don’t want to take away from any of his stats or what he’s been able to do for the sport of wrestling. I think back to when I wrestled and I know without a doubt that if I were in his shoes, I would NOT be on the mat. Having said that, I want to take a look at a wrestling match with Robles from the eyes of the dude wrestling him.

Anthony Robles upends Stanford's Tanner Gardner (photo from DailyLife.com)

Anthony Robles upends Stanford's Tanner Gardner (photo from DailyLife.com)

First off, the most obvious. He’s missing a leg. That brings us to the second thing: just because he’s missing a leg doesn’t mean he’s disabled. Robles has the upper body strength of AT LEAST a 150 or 157 lb wrestler. He can bench – repping the bar – around 300 lbs. That’s a grip I do NOT want to tango with! So him not having a leg is his benefit at this point: he weighs 125 lbs but can grapple with Metcalf. Scary thought if your toe is on the line with him. He’s got the grip of an ox, and like the commentator said on the video, once he has it, he doesn’t let go.

Another thing that he has to his advantage is that he stays low to the mat. This makes it very hard, nearly impossible to shoot on him. As any coach knows, the first step to shooting in is setting up. The next thing is to change levels by dropping your hips to get under the dude’s hip. But how can you change level to get under when the dude is almost laying on the mat?

The other – very obvious thing – is you can’t do a double very well. You would just have to pick him up and turn the corner. Assuming of course that you solved to problem of changing levels. And how about a single? I think it would be better just to tackle the dude, or spear him. If you do that, though, be sure to bring him to the mat safely and to get your two points.

But how can someone use a one legged wrestler to their advantage. Well first off, Robles does a very good job at using it to HIS advantage. The first thing he does in all the matches I’ve seen is he drops to one knee. Now, if his opponent were to somehow draw Robles to him, and make him stand up, that would create two things. First, he would be a little off balance. Keep in mind, the kid played football, so he knows how to get around with just one leg. The other thing is something not so obvious but the commentator on the video brings out.

Anthony Robles escapes from a hold by Columbia's Brandon Kinney (photo from DailyLife.com)

Anthony Robles escapes from a hold by Columbia's Brandon Kinney (photo from DailyLife.com)

When Robles is on the ground, he’s coiled up like a snake, using his back leg to spring forward. When his opponent gets within “striking range” he reaches out and grabs him, just like a snake. Only this snake isn’t going to let go. So if you get Robles to stand up, it takes away his ability to coil himself up on his leg like that.

So what sayest thou? Am I full of crap on all of this or are there really some things that puts Robles at a disadvantage because of his missing leg?

Again, I don’t want to take away from anything that Robles has done; he’s an All American wrestler and rightfully so. He deserves it. But if I had to go up against him, these are the things that I would try and do to have some sort of chance against him… Let me know what you think!

What in the WORLD?! Caldwell Beats Metcalf! Can it seriously be true?

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MetcalfYou know when you have those moments when you just say “Seriously? Really? Are you SERIOUS?” That’s about the reaction I had when I got back from California this weekend – a trip I had where I deliberatly didn’t have internet – and found out that Darrion Caldwell upset Brent Metcalf. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention to college wrestling in the past couple years, Metcalf, who wrestles for University of Iowa’s 149 lb spot, is not only the top ranked in the nation in 149, but is heralded as the second best wrestler in collegiate history, right behind Cael Sanderson. “Seriously?” One of the biggest upsets in college history. “Really?” Metcalf had a 69 win streak going into the match. The last time that he lost a match was actually to Caldwell back in early 2007. That’s right. Two years without a loss. “Are you SERIOUS?!” Yes, I’m serious.

So having not watched the match live and only being able to find a couple clips of it online, it looks like Caldwell was actually ahead by 6 points at one point. (Please correct me if I’m wrong on that one). Yes both wrestlers have grown since that point, but going into the match, no one gave Caldwell a second thought. Virtually all thoughts were that Metcalf would pull ahead as the winner. So what are your thoughts? Is Caldwell the better wrestler or was it a fluke? “He’s human,” Caldwell said. “It was a wrestling match. It was not like he had a gun and me a knife.” This was very obviously a well-matched fight. Metcalf knew it and didn’t make any excuses: “I looked at it as I had to go in and take it away from him, not just go in there and expect things to happen because I’m Brent Metcalf, because I wrestle hard. That is not enough,” Metcalf said.

So what say you? Who’s the better wrestler? Or smarter wrestler? Everyone, including myself, has been building up Metcalf like none other. Is he still the best? Here’s the best video I could find. Let me know what you think!

I just found the other video and I’m updating this post. Here it is!

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNY4VW6Bi3U /]

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI2j0fZOpIQ /]

How to Buy a Wrestling Mat

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Buying a wrestling mat is probably one of the most important – and most costly things – that your wrestling team or club is going to buy. They can range from $4.50 a square foot down to $1.50 per square foot. Because it is measured by square foot, it is easy to see how you can get very pricey very fast. Think floor space, then wall space and if you have any support columns, you’ll want to cover those as well. An average high school wrestling mat is between 32′ x 32′ and 40′ x 40′. Plug in the cost for the smaller, cheaper, mat and your running $1,500. For the larger, new wrestling mat, it would be $7,200. That’s just for the floor. At those prices, you better know what you’re doing when you buy a new wrestling mat. To help out, we’ve written this up. Hope it helps!

Continue reading →

State 2009 Vaith vs Ness — Nice Little Scramble Analysis

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I found these pictures on The Guillotine‘s photo album in Google. Pretty sweet shots of a nice scramble. First off, I’ll spoil it and say that the dude in the Blue and Gold striped singlet looks like he won. (There’s a shot of him hugging his coach with a huge smile across the coaches face – I’m putting two and two together and guessing here…) A lot of people will take a look at these shots and wonder how is it that he won? Isn’t he the one with his back towards the mat most of the time? Well, you have something called riding time and another thing called back exposure. If a wrestler is in control and exposes his back to the mat, the ref will reward him back points. Also, if the wrestler is in control for an amount of time, he is awarded points (riding time). So lets take a look at the pictures. If you click on them they’ll go to their normal size and you’ll be able to scroll through them in the pop up.

State 2009 Vaith vs Ness

Class AAA 140 pound quarterfinals action. Luke Vaith, Hastings dec. Dylan Ness, Bloomington Kennedy 7-6.

Continue reading →

Here are some Basic Wrestling Terms

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OK, so I’ve found that a lot of people don’t know some of the basic wrestling terms and they are searching frantically online for them. If you don’t know what a double leg take down is, this is the post for you! These are just some wrestling terms that are more common; they aren’t all inclusive or anything, just something that I thought might be helpful.

  • Takedown: one wrestler takes control, or gains the advantage, over the other
  • Reversal: the wrestler reverses control from defense to offense
  • Exposure or the Danger Position: A wrestler exposing the other’s back to the mat for several seconds; also given if the back is to the mat but is not pinned.
  • Penalty: Different infractions (such as hitting the other wrestler, acting angrily or trying to hurt, using illegal holds, etc.).
  • Escape: A wrestler going from a defensive position to a neutral position.
  • Lifting: A wrestler successfully lifting an opponent in the defensive position without exposing his back. Prior to this rule change a wrestler could score 1 point simply by lifting his opponent off the mat into the air. Continue reading →

Herpes can Affect Wrestlers

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I learned how to wrestle in a tiny portable that our school had. It was so small that we had to curl the mat up on two sides of the wall in fact. It had such a low ceiling that after practice was done and the door was opened to the winter weather, clouds would sometimes form. Don’t worry, it never rained, though. But we had just spent the last two hours practicing hard: grinding each others body into the mat, taking off noses with crossfaces, slamming each other into the mat from a double leg. These are just some of the things that every wrestling practice will have around the country. Sweat will puddle all over the mat and many times will mix with blood as wrestlers contort their bodies and their opponent’s into new shapes.

Wrestling is the most contact sport that man “plays.” It’s constant skin on skin contact. Because of the conditions, such as blood, sweat and contact, contracting skin viruses, fungi and bacteria is very common. But what happens when you contract a virus that affects you for the rest of your life? And what would you say if your coach new about an infected wrestler on the team and not only let him wrestle, but required him to? This is what happened at York College in Pennsylvania.

Andrew Bradley (left) and James Harris claim they contracted Type-1 herpes at wrestling practice after coaches failed to warn them that a teammate was having an outbreak or bench the infected wrestler. Below: Andrew Bradley, back in his wrestling days.

Andrew Bradley (left) and James Harris (right)

Two wrestlers are suing the college for at least $50,000 each because their coach allegedly permitted other wrestlers to be on the mat and practicing with active outbreaks of herpes gladiatorum – herpes simplex virus Type 1. At one point, the two wrestlers, James Harris and Andrew Bradley, claim that about 70% of the team, or 25 wrestlers, had contracted the virus.

So what’s the deal? Aren’t there rules forbidding such things? ABSOLUTLY! In fact, the NCAA has specific rules just for herpes. They say that a wrestler with a herpes outbreak cannot practice or compete until after a 5 day anti-virul treatmeant it completed.

I don’t know about you, but I remember some kids having an outbreak of ringworm – a much, MUCH less sever fungus. Those kids sat out, no matter how small the outbreak. Our coach was constantly checking us and having us check ourselves to prevent an outbreak. My sophmore year, I threw my back out but still showed up to practice unable to do much except for the clean the mat every single day while the team ran.

Preventative measures are key when you are dealing with any kind of skin outbreak. Shower before and after practice, along with in the morning. In fact, I was so paranoid my senior year that I showered 5 times a day! In the morning, before practice, after practice at school, when I got home and again before I got into bed. Not once did I have any kind of outbreak, except for an allergic reaction to lobster that we thought was something for a couple days. But that doesn’t count.

So bottom line: wrestlers – don’t wrestle and get your entire team benched from competition or worse, or even one other person, for that matter and coaches – if your wrestlers have an outbreak of any kind, don’t let them in the wrestling room, let alone touching the mat. You don’t need to deal with a sick team.

Need Some Motivation to Lose Weight?

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Weight loss is always one of those topics that comes to the top of stereotypes with wrestlers. Because of that, before I start this article, we encourage you to loose weight as safely as possible. Know your limits; don’t max out your body and don’t do anything stupid. If you’re six foot tall, don’t try to reach for the 125 lb weight class – it’s not going to happen; if it does, you’ll probably be so week that they’ll kick your trash. Our advise here at WrestleFattie is BE SMART. Having said that, sometimes you do need to cut weight as a wrestler, and many times you need motivation to loose weight. Thankfully, I hardly had to struggle with it myself. I was limited to spitting in a bottle a couple hours before matches started to loose no more than a pound.

So anyways, into the meat of the article…

As I was thinking of what I could do this weeks post on, I realized that we get a lot of emails about motivation to lose weight. As I was thinking about a good way to blog about this, I had what I considered to be a brilliant idea. Top 5 things that will give you motivation to lose weight. Let’s take a look at these, starting with number 5…

#5 Motivation to Lose Weight

Big Buddha Belly

Big Buddha Belly

This guy is big and might be able to sit on you, but he’s not going to be able to catch you. His belly alone should be enough motivation to lose weight. You could literally run laps around the mat and tire him out then lay on him while he’s resting and he wouldn’t be able to do anything. Don’t get a gut like this guy; it’ll ruin your match and your heart.

#4 Motivation to Lose Weight

Sumo

Sumo

Yeah, you want to be big so you can dominate the match. Heavyweights want to be big so that they can throw the other guy around. And this is a good thing. Get too big, though, and you’ll have to quit your high school or college team and wrestle this guy. Yet another thing to give you motivation to lose weight.

#3 Motivation to Lose Weight

That ain't Muscle

That ain't Muscle

Wrestling is a hard sport. Anyone who has done it will have to agree. Anyone who has watched a match can do nothing except agree. So if it’s a tough sport, how can you expect to look like this and do well, let alone excel? If you want to do well, even if you are a heavyweight, your body has to be able to do it. If your muscles are covered with a flab of fat, it’s only hurting you. Remember that your body not only needs to carry your own weight, but it also needs to be able to carry your opponents weight.

#2 Motivation to Lose Weight

Know this kid? Probbly not...

Know this kid? Probbly not...

Meet Dzhambulat Khotokhov. He’s four years old and stands at 3 feet 11 inches. Weight? 123 pounds!! That’s how much I weighed in at as a Freshman in High School!! While this kid is easily able to dominate in his brackets (with obvious reason) as he gets older, as he gets older, he’ll get bigger and slower. Meaning he’ll be able to lift a lot more and much easier, but he won’t be able to move fast enough to grab it unless it’s under his feet.

And the #1 motivation to lose weight?

Health. Now be careful with this one: losing weight, cutting weight and having an un-healthy low weight are all different things. Like we said at the beginning, know your limits and don’t max out your body. You want to be the lightest you can while at the same time being the strongest you can. If you get too low, you start cutting into your maximum strength. For some, the danger point starts there, for some it might begin before that point and for some it is well after. Find the weight class where you are able to balance your weight and your strength on the balance scale, letting you dominate in both. Above all, stay safe and be healthy!!