At face value, wrestling can seem strictly physical. But wrestling goes beyond the mats and into the minds of its competitors, it’s a very mental sport that is most times overseen as strictly forceful.
Sarah Stark is a sophomore wrestler who started wrestling this year and is already seeing success going 32-5 this season. Although most wrestlers do not start in wrestling they will usually do other martial arts to get into fighting.
“I did jiu jitsu,” Stark said. “So that kind of helped me learn about it and get into it.”
Most wrestlers have a gateway into wrestling, like jiu jitsu or judo. Wrestlers at the top of their game start at an early age and don’t know life without it.
“I think my parents signed me up for it, but then [I] met a lot of really nice people in it,” Stark said. “It’s just really fun.”
Most matches take place in tournaments – having wrestlers have to compete multiple times a day. Getting ready mentally and physically takes more time due to the extended amount of time they have to perform for.
“I like start preparing 20 minutes before each match usually,” Stark said. “I always pray before my matches [to get in the right headspace].”
In assembly for a match there is a large amount of physical preparation. Stark believes that this is necessary to perform at the highest level.
“If I need to cut my weight, then I’ll focus on my diet and exercise,” Stark said.
A fighter cannot go into a match with preformed ideas that they are going to win or lose, they have to show up and do their best. It is a crucial mindset for a good performance no matter the opponent. If a fighter goes into a match thinking they know the outcome they set themselves up for failure.
“Once you start a match you can’t just immediately be like ‘Oh yeah I’m gonna win’,” Stark said. “[You must have] A clear headspace, not distracted by anything [other than your match].”
When getting in a match a fighter has to be ready because it does come down to getting in a fight where they are putting themselves in harm’s way. This requires an incredibly strong mental state.
“You definitely have to be like mentally strong enough to do it,” Stark said. “I’m gonna get into a fight so yeah I need to be ready.”
Getting into a match a fighter has to make sure they don’t over anticipate a match because any fighter can be better or worse than their opponent thinks. Over anticipating can be the difference between a win or loss.
“The hand shake is really important because it can show you their strength and [just] how aggressive they are,” Stark said.
Win or lose, a fighter must keep a clear head. They must understand that no matter the outcome of a match it is necessary for improvement.
“If you lose, just focus on what you can improve on for next time,” Stark said.
