Training Tip #12 – Tapering for Competiton

The Vaughn/ Asics Cadet and Junior Nationals is by far the biggest and best high school tournament across the nation. With well over a thousand wrestlers competing over the course of 8 grueling days and champions having 10 plus matches. Slowly, but surely kids in the area are starting to understand that becoming an All-American will impact their ability to get recruited and earn scholarship money.

When preparing for big tournaments at state, regional, national and beyond the need to prepare correctly can have critical affects. 5-10 days out you need to realize that the work has either been put in or hasn’t. Your endurance will not be getting better; you won’t be learning any new moves that you will hit on top-level competition. Get comfortable with your game plan and what you do well, focus on that and you will perform as well as you can.  Like cramming for test you haven’t prepared for training hard 5-10 days out will have adverse affects with minimal return. Accepting that we are as prepared as possible allows our mental energy to help hone our technique and tactics. Fine-tune your mental faculties. Let your body heal. Then when it’s time to wrestle put it all on the line. There is nothing to lose. If you don’t win you can always reset and prepare more the next time around.