Wrestling is hard. It hurts. It requires you to fling yourself face-first at a trained opponent. It's natural to be afraid or intimidated when anticipating a wrestling match. This doesn't mean you can't enjoy success at the sport. You can overcome the fear by addressing the various emotional, instinctual and intellectual factors that contribute to your fear.
Step 1
Read and understand the rules for competition in the style of wrestling you're going to enter. Pay special attention to the long sections of rules dedicated to athlete safety. This won't help with the visceral fear but can help you intellectually understand how safe competition actually is.
Step 2
Watch wrestling matches live at local competitions and on television if you can find them. Don't watch "professional" entertainment wrestling. Count how many hundreds of matches get finished every week without any injured athletes.
Step 3
Learn the breakfalls that are part of your particular wrestling style. The majority of wrestling injuries happen when an athlete falls or is thrown to the ground. For this reason, each style of wrestling includes techniques to land safely. As you master these basic skills, you'll be less likely to get hurt. The mild impact of breakfalls can help inure you to the "bangs and dings" you can get from wrestling practice and competition.
Step 4
Drill on takedowns. Takedowns require you to shoot in at your opponent's legs, a technique that tends to intimidate wrestlers more than other moves. As you practice takedowns, you directly address that fear in a way that turns the motion into a reflex. Eventually, you'll get to the point where your body throws the takedown with no interference from your mind. Fear won't enter into the equation.
Step 5
Compete at your level. Most wrestling teams are organized to make this happen, but if you find you're wrestling out of your class, ask to step down. Getting into evenly matched bouts can build your skill and confidence. Consistently getting tossed around the mat by clearly superior opponents will not help you with your fear.
References
- "The Art of Expressing the Human Body"; Bruce Lee; 1998
- "Coaching Wrestling Successfully"; Dan Gable; 1999
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