Wrestler

Question
Hey I'm in the 8th grade.  Today was the first day of wrestling tryouts.  I weigh in at 137lbs. and I'm 5'3.  I want to know what I can do to be better.  I really want to make the team and I want to beat people.  Today we just did sumo wrestling (pushing out of the ring) And wrestling on our knees.  I would like to know some moves and other things that will help me out.  Thanks much.

-Monford Davis.

Answer
Hey Monford, well this is relaly a general question. I can give you some pointers but the most important thing to realize is that you can not get good instantly. First off, you need to condition. Run 3 miles and do lots of push ups and sit ups. Indurence is important in wrestling because you have to endure a lot of pain in this game. Also, see if you can join a summer camp for wrestling or see if you can get some extra practice time with the coaches or try to wrestle with your friends. Just somehow try to get more experience on the mat. And if possible, see if you can join a wrestling club. They will teach you one on one and bring you to tournaments. That's also my final suggestion, go to tournaments. Even though you'll loose, you'll gain lots of experience and you can watch the other matches and learn from the best. This might not be the kind of letter you were expecting but this is how it is, I can't give you a list of moves to master because everyone has a different style and just telling you won't do you any good. So to sum up, 1. Condition (push ups, sit ups, run) 2. More experience (summer camp, wrestle friends, ask coach for help) 3. Wrestling Club (Get one on one help, tournaments) 4. Tournaments (analyze techniques, see what people do, see what works for you). Those are the best tips i can give you. Good luck and feel free to write back.