A Day in the Life of a Wrestler- Jay’s Story

In case you didn’t already know I wrestle for my high school. I also play football and run track. Throughout my life I’ve played football, soccer, baseball and a few other sports. I can tell you from personal experience that no sport requires the willpower, endurance and self deprivation that wrestling requires. Conditioning for wrestling is far more strenuous than any other high school sport. I’ve seen wrestlers accomplish extraordinary feats that many people believe to be impossible for a healthy person. Today I’ll describe for you what it can take to be wrestler.

So I have this friend on my wrestling team and for anonymity’s sake we’ll call him Jay. Jay wrestles in the 140lb weight class. This means Jay has to weigh exactly 140.0 lbs or less come weigh ins. Well right now it is 10:00PM on the night before a match. He weighs 147.0 lbs. Hungry. He goes to sleep knowing tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day.

6:00AM (146.2 lbs) - Jay wakes from his slumber. He strips off both pairs of sweats, his wool socks and his soaking wet sweat belt. His shower water is hot and he is careful not to swallow any water. He isn’t sure but he thinks the steam might help him sweat. He thinks. When he’s done he shaves close and brushes his teeth.

6:30AM (146.1 lbs) – Jay takes a step into his closet and looks around. “First things first.” he says. Compression shorts, long johns, sweat belt and long sleeve heat gear. Then two pairs of sweat pants and a hoody. Finally he throws on a second hoody with his school name on it. He runs a miles and a half to his school.

7:06AM (145.3 lbs) – Jay arrives at his school. He knows what he has to do. He runs directly to the locker room to check his weight. He runs until homeroom starts.
“Don’t forget to call mom for food” He thinks.

7:30AM (144.9 lbs) – 1st hour begins. Jay pays no attention to the professor. He only sits and occasionally spits into his bottle. He bugs his teacher to let him go run but no dice.
“Algebra teachers are weak” He thinks.

9:00AM (144.6lbs) – Jay runs to his second period class. More sitting and spitting. His mouth is dry. Someone hands him a stick of gum.
“Cottonmouth salvation” He thinks.

10:30AM (144.4 lbs) – Finally LUNCH! For Jay, lunch does not mean eat. For Jay, lunch means run. He runs almost three miles during lunch. But he is weak. No food for more than 18 hours.

11:00AM (143.0 lbs) – Beginning of 3rd period. Science. Jay walks up to Mr. Johnson with pleading eyes. Please.
“Sorry son, test today. No skipping today” Mr. Johnson’s words break Jay’s heart. No more spit. No more gum.
12:30PM (142.9 lbs) – Beginning of last period. 2.9 lbs over weight. 3.5 hours until weigh-ins. 24 hours without food. 18 hours without water. No energy left.

2:00PM (142.8 lbs) – Dismissal. Jay sprints out. Weigh-ins are at 4:00. He has no time to waste. Jay runs and runs without ever stopping to check his weight. He doesn’t even help set up the mats. He just runs and runs.

4:00PM (?) – The moment of truth. His mom gave a bagged lunch to his coach for after weigh-ins. He waits in line for the scale. He is still bouncing and spitting whatever he can. Finally he gets up the scale. He removes everything he’s wearing and uses a towel to wipe off the sweat.
“Deep breath” he thinks “Hot air rises”.
The meter flips around for a moment before settling on 139.9 lbs. He doesn’t even breathe until he leaves the room.

4:05PM (139.9 lbs) – Finally he can eat.

5:02PM (142 lbs) – Jay has sat and waited for his comrades to battle. His turn is finally here. He walks onto the mat like a champion. His concentration is epic. He tunes out everything. The thunderous applause is nothing compared to the sheer might of his focus. He stares his opponent in the eyes. He shakes his opponent’s hand. He waits.

The whistle blows. Jay takes a step back and watches his opponent quick hands and fancy footwork. Wasted energy. The opponent tries to shoot but Jay’s reflexes are like lightening. He immediately brings the guy into a tie. Jay battles for the inside tie.

He gets it. The trap was set and now it’s sprung.

Jay forces in the under hook with his left and slides his right in over the head for a cement mixer. His signatures move. SLAM. The opponent hits the mat. WHISTLE. The ref whistles for the pin. Jay wins.

It lasted 47 seconds.

47 Seconds