A state wrestling match can be the pinnacle in a high school wrestling career, and the wrestler must be fully prepared for the rigors of a state tournament. At the tournament, a wrestler can expect a challenging match in each round to which he advances, as the best competitors in the state try to build their wrestling profile nationally. Success at the state level requires not only physical prowess, but mental fortitude.
Nutrition
Keeping your body properly fueled with good nutrition before a state wrestling tournament is a critical component to wrestling your best matches possible. Some wrestlers desperately attempt to make weight for their matches by making drastic cuts to the food and fluid they consume, but the American Diabetic Association warns that this is dangerous and will actually decrease the quality of your performance. A wrestler needs to eat between 1,700 and 2,500 calories per day, with an extra 1,000 calories added on intense training days. Roughly 60 percent of the daily calories should come from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and the final 10 percent from fat.
Prepare an Offensive Strategy
If you know who your likely opponents will be at the state wrestling tournament based upon your ranking, you can prepare your offensive strategy according to your opponent's style. Southern Maryland Wrestling Club coach Bruce Gabrielson says that your training should focus on perfecting basic technique, as well as using wrestling moves that other wrestlers have used successfully against your opponents. Having your moves practiced and knowing what combinations of moves you need to chain together in a match will reduce your stress during the heat of the competition.
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Extra weight training before a state wrestling tournament is unlikely to give you a strength edge over your opponents, but additional cardiovascular endurance could make the difference between winning and losing. By running extra time in your practices leading up to the tournament, you will ensure you have ample energy even if the match is long or goes into overtime. It will also help you learn to look calm and refreshed when you are very tired. This could help you gain a psychological edge over your opponent if he thinks you are not exhausted and he is.
Mental Attitude
National Wrestling Hall of Fame wrestler and coach Dan Gable states in his book, "Coaching Wrestling Successfully," that you must have a positive mental attitude if you expect to be a champion-level wrestler. You must envision yourself training harder and successfully defeating opponents, even if they have a better win record than you. Conversely, Commonwealth Games gold medalist Nick Ugoalah advises that you take each opponent you face seriously, even if they do not have a record that is as impressive as yours. Prepare for each match as if it is a championship match that requires all of your focus for victory.
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