I haven't always "Lived Right". I wasted my first 3 years of college because I didn't Live Right. I didn't drink too much, or do drugs. I didn't get enough sleep because I was up late drinking mountain dew and playing video games. I then would have a bad weight lifting/conditioning workout at 6:30 in the morning because I only had 4 hours of sleep. So I was a tiny 120 pound freshman would hated morning workouts because of something as stupid as video games, mountain dew, and not managing my time. I also was involved with the wrong girl. She was demanding of my time. Whenever I was at practice, or away at a meet, she complained that I didn't spend enough time with her. She didn't understand the importance that wrestling played in my life. She drained the energy from me. In contrast, my current wife, the "right girl", encouraged me to do whatever it takes to become the best wrestler/person that I could be. If that meant leaving out of town for 2 weeks, then she would want me to do it. She actually encouraged me to continue wrestling as long as I was able(she even told me to come back for 2008, which I told her she was crazy).
Living Right;
1. Don't Smoke- If you smoke cigarettes, you are a moron(to put it bluntly, sorry parent smokers). Not only does it kill you, but it also fills your lungs with something other than oxygen. This is not good for the third period.
2. Don't drink alcohol- Not just because it is illegal when you are underage. Not only because if you get caught you will be suspended for 2 weeks. Alcohol WILL NOT help your wrestling or your personal life(no matter how much your peers say it will). Alcohol WILL hurt your wrestling, lessen your conditioning, make it harder to work out the next day, change your mental state, and cause you to do stupid things and make bad decisions. DRINKING ALCOHOL WILL HURT YOUR WRESTLING, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. What if you lose the state finals, or NCAA finals, and you think back about that practice that you couldn't push yourself because you were too sick. Is it worth it?
3. Don't Do Drugs - Read #2 over again. The same things goes for drugs. I have heard people say that "marijuana isn't as bad for you" to which I say, "That is because you smoke marijuana and have lost all your common sense". Smoking dope not only affects your conditioning, but will also make you LAZY. Marijuana and other drugs take control of your mind, not just while you are on them, but through-out your life as well.
4. Sleep right -SO EASY, You can lose matches because you didn't get enough sleep. I know I have. You can also ruin your training as I explained earlier. An Athlete should be getting 8 hours of sleep(I need 10 because I am hyper active). Your body can break down without it, and you can get sick, tired, etc.. Manage your time so that you get enough sleep.
5. Eat Right- Eating right not only means losing weight in the correct manor, but also eating right before your matches and practices. Losing weight happens in wrestling, there is no denying it. My advice is; Kids under 14 shouldn't be cutting any weight. I don't see a problem with skipping breakfast the day of weigh-ins, or getting an extra 2 workouts during the week. But, having a kid cut weight is the easiest way to make him hate wrestling, and eventually have him quit or mentally break. Now, if he has some fat to lose, then get the fat off. For the high school kids- you must be disclipined throughout the year. There should be no yo-yo affect. Eat right - Every day. What you eat today will affect your weigh-in two weeks from now. Don't give in to the "Dark Side". You must also eat correctly so you have enough energy to workout. If you starve yourself, your workouts suffer, you can't get better if you are cutting weight all the time. I could go on for days about this subject. I have seen hundreds of wrestlers lose matches because they don't eat/drink right.
6. Surround yourself with the right people- Girls and Guys - A good indicator for the girls- If your Girlfriend ever tells you that you don't need to work out- she is not right for you. Find somebody that understands athletics and isn't in need of your constant attention. As far as your buddies- find people that support what you are doing, not that try to get you to do the wrong things. Again- if you have a buddy that wants you to go to a party, or says you don't need to be working out(or studying, etc..)- He is not really your buddy and find a different group of people to hang out with. In your heart and mind, you can tell who are the right people to be with. Be with the people that have similar goals, and values, as your own.
7. Live by the 10 commandements- Don't lie, cheat, steal, adulter, swear, etc......LIVE RIGHT and you will be blessed
I GUARANTEE that you will be a more successful wrestler, and person, if you follow these 7 things. These are EASY compared to wrestling. Do everything you can to better yourself and you will succeed. I am a sinner and have not always lived right, to this day. But, I have realized that when I LIVE RIGHT I am more successful at what I am doing. I wish I could have my first 3 years of college back, but that is impossible. Hopefully, I can reach some of you so you don't waste years of your life by not "Living Right"
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