Is wrestling harder than cross country?

xc runner and current wrestler wrote:

First off, let me say that I was extremely successful in both sports. I won state titles in Division 1 (big schools) wrestling and D1 xc in Michigan. I'm now currently a collegiate wrestler for a Big Ten (the powerhouse wrestling conference) school. I love xc, and I love wrestling. But this debate is ridiculous.

You comparing different weight classes to guys that run different times is completely inaccurate. Different weight classes would be like comparing a sprinter to a distance runner. Lightweight wrestlers wrestle entirely different than heavyweights. Middleweights have to succeed where lightweights and heavyweights are experts.

How about the fact that there are 14 weight classes for high school wrestling, and just one race for xc runners? Well keep in mind that as you guy up in the ranks in wrestling, the weight classes get larger. Two years ago I competed in a tournament that had over 160 wrestlers in ONE weight class.

In wrestling, there is no rest time (apart from break in the periods, or going out of bounds). In xc, you can let up for half a second to regain your composure before making the final push.

I have an ex-teammate who is a current navy seal. He has told me that their training is nothing compared to our high school practices. High school practices. Imagine what college is like. Wrestling tests you mentally like no other sport can. There is something about going toe to toe with another guy, who is trying inflict pain on you, and knowing that no matter what the result, it's all on you. And the entire crowd can see that. You have to own your losses in front of family and friends, just like you own your wins. Winning and losing is something that people universally understand, where as few people know the significance of 5 seconds of dropped time from your previous personal record in a race.

XC runners don't have to deal with the weight loss issue. Many of you have said that you know "plenty of elite wrestlers who don't cut weight." That is a flat out lie. As a collegiate wrestler, who has taken trips to the Olympic Training Center, I know for a FACT that elite wrestlers on all levels cut weight. Henry Cejudo, a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, was notorious for having issues with his weight. The kid was huge. And by huge, I mean muscular. He is in tremendous shape, with very little fat on his body. Sure, there are wrestlers that can have some success without cutting weight. But when you get to the upper echelons of the sport that is impossible to do. Nutrition is vital throughout the year.

Which brings me to my final point, there is no off season. Some of you have claimed that wrestlers are monsters during the season, but then let off in the off-season. On my team, we workout MORE in the off season since we don't have to worry so much about preserving our bodies for competition. Staying at a healthy weight year round is required as well. Yes, wrestlers "balloon up" in weight right after the season. But that weight becomes muscle in the off season, with many wrestlers entering the season 15 pounds over, with 6% body fat. Still think they are out of shape?

xc runner and current wrestler wrote:

First off, let me say that I was extremely successful in both sports. I won state titles in Division 1 (big schools) wrestling and D1 xc in Michigan. I'm now currently a collegiate wrestler for a Big Ten (the powerhouse wrestling conference) school. I love xc, and I love wrestling. But this debate is ridiculous.

You comparing different weight classes to guys that run different times is completely inaccurate. Different weight classes would be like comparing a sprinter to a distance runner. Lightweight wrestlers wrestle entirely different than heavyweights. Middleweights have to succeed where lightweights and heavyweights are experts.

How about the fact that there are 14 weight classes for high school wrestling, and just one race for xc runners? Well keep in mind that as you guy up in the ranks in wrestling, the weight classes get larger. Two years ago I competed in a tournament that had over 160 wrestlers in ONE weight class.

In wrestling, there is no rest time (apart from break in the periods, or going out of bounds). In xc, you can let up for half a second to regain your composure before making the final push.

I have an ex-teammate who is a current navy seal. He has told me that their training is nothing compared to our high school practices. High school practices. Imagine what college is like. Wrestling tests you mentally like no other sport can. There is something about going toe to toe with another guy, who is trying inflict pain on you, and knowing that no matter what the result, it's all on you. And the entire crowd can see that. You have to own your losses in front of family and friends, just like you own your wins. Winning and losing is something that people universally understand, where as few people know the significance of 5 seconds of dropped time from your previous personal record in a race.

XC runners don't have to deal with the weight loss issue. Many of you have said that you know "plenty of elite wrestlers who don't cut weight." That is a flat out lie. As a collegiate wrestler, who has taken trips to the Olympic Training Center, I know for a FACT that elite wrestlers on all levels cut weight. Henry Cejudo, a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, was notorious for having issues with his weight. The kid was huge. And by huge, I mean muscular. He is in tremendous shape, with very little fat on his body. Sure, there are wrestlers that can have some success without cutting weight. But when you get to the upper echelons of the sport that is impossible to do. Nutrition is vital throughout the year.

Which brings me to my final point, there is no off season. Some of you have claimed that wrestlers are monsters during the season, but then let off in the off-season. On my team, we workout MORE in the off season since we don't have to worry so much about preserving our bodies for competition. Staying at a healthy weight year round is required as well. Yes, wrestlers "balloon up" in weight right after the season. But that weight becomes muscle in the off season, with many wrestlers entering the season 15 pounds over, with 6% body fat. Still think they are out of shape?

162430 wrote:

xc runner and current wrestler wrote:

First off, let me say that I was extremely successful in both sports. I won state titles in Division 1 (big schools) wrestling and D1 xc in Michigan. I'm now currently a collegiate wrestler for a Big Ten (the powerhouse wrestling conference) school. I love xc, and I love wrestling. But this debate is ridiculous.

You comparing different weight classes to guys that run different times is completely inaccurate. Different weight classes would be like comparing a sprinter to a distance runner. Lightweight wrestlers wrestle entirely different than heavyweights. Middleweights have to succeed where lightweights and heavyweights are experts.

How about the fact that there are 14 weight classes for high school wrestling, and just one race for xc runners? Well keep in mind that as you guy up in the ranks in wrestling, the weight classes get larger. Two years ago I competed in a tournament that had over 160 wrestlers in ONE weight class.

In wrestling, there is no rest time (apart from break in the periods, or going out of bounds). In xc, you can let up for half a second to regain your composure before making the final push.

I have an ex-teammate who is a current navy seal. He has told me that their training is nothing compared to our high school practices. High school practices. Imagine what college is like. Wrestling tests you mentally like no other sport can. There is something about going toe to toe with another guy, who is trying inflict pain on you, and knowing that no matter what the result, it's all on you. And the entire crowd can see that. You have to own your losses in front of family and friends, just like you own your wins. Winning and losing is something that people universally understand, where as few people know the significance of 5 seconds of dropped time from your previous personal record in a race.

XC runners don't have to deal with the weight loss issue. Many of you have said that you know "plenty of elite wrestlers who don't cut weight." That is a flat out lie. As a collegiate wrestler, who has taken trips to the Olympic Training Center, I know for a FACT that elite wrestlers on all levels cut weight. Henry Cejudo, a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, was notorious for having issues with his weight. The kid was huge. And by huge, I mean muscular. He is in tremendous shape, with very little fat on his body. Sure, there are wrestlers that can have some success without cutting weight. But when you get to the upper echelons of the sport that is impossible to do. Nutrition is vital throughout the year.

Which brings me to my final point, there is no off season. Some of you have claimed that wrestlers are monsters during the season, but then let off in the off-season. On my team, we workout MORE in the off season since we don't have to worry so much about preserving our bodies for competition. Staying at a healthy weight year round is required as well. Yes, wrestlers "balloon up" in weight right after the season. But that weight becomes muscle in the off season, with many wrestlers entering the season 15 pounds over, with 6% body fat. Still think they are out of shape?

I know that this post is 4 years old, but I would like to point out that Michigan has never had a kid win D1 state titles in both wrestling and XC.

xc runner and current wrestler wrote:

First off, let me say that I was extremely successful in both sports. I won state titles in Division 1 (big schools) wrestling and D1 xc in Michigan. I'm now currently a collegiate wrestler for a Big Ten (the powerhouse wrestling conference) school. I love xc, and I love wrestling. But this debate is ridiculous.

You comparing different weight classes to guys that run different times is completely inaccurate. Different weight classes would be like comparing a sprinter to a distance runner. Lightweight wrestlers wrestle entirely different than heavyweights. Middleweights have to succeed where lightweights and heavyweights are experts.

How about the fact that there are 14 weight classes for high school wrestling, and just one race for xc runners? Well keep in mind that as you guy up in the ranks in wrestling, the weight classes get larger. Two years ago I competed in a tournament that had over 160 wrestlers in ONE weight class.

In wrestling, there is no rest time (apart from break in the periods, or going out of bounds). In xc, you can let up for half a second to regain your composure before making the final push.

I have an ex-teammate who is a current navy seal. He has told me that their training is nothing compared to our high school practices. High school practices. Imagine what college is like. Wrestling tests you mentally like no other sport can. There is something about going toe to toe with another guy, who is trying inflict pain on you, and knowing that no matter what the result, it's all on you. And the entire crowd can see that. You have to own your losses in front of family and friends, just like you own your wins. Winning and losing is something that people universally understand, where as few people know the significance of 5 seconds of dropped time from your previous personal record in a race.

XC runners don't have to deal with the weight loss issue. Many of you have said that you know "plenty of elite wrestlers who don't cut weight." That is a flat out lie. As a collegiate wrestler, who has taken trips to the Olympic Training Center, I know for a FACT that elite wrestlers on all levels cut weight. Henry Cejudo, a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, was notorious for having issues with his weight. The kid was huge. And by huge, I mean muscular. He is in tremendous shape, with very little fat on his body. Sure, there are wrestlers that can have some success without cutting weight. But when you get to the upper echelons of the sport that is impossible to do. Nutrition is vital throughout the year.

Which brings me to my final point, there is no off season. Some of you have claimed that wrestlers are monsters during the season, but then let off in the off-season. On my team, we workout MORE in the off season since we don't have to worry so much about preserving our bodies for competition. Staying at a healthy weight year round is required as well. Yes, wrestlers "balloon up" in weight right after the season. But that weight becomes muscle in the off season, with many wrestlers entering the season 15 pounds over, with 6% body fat. Still think they are out of shape?

xc runner and current wrestler wrote:

First off, let me say that I was extremely successful in both sports. I won state titles in Division 1 (big schools) wrestling and D1 xc in Michigan. I'm now currently a collegiate wrestler for a Big Ten (the powerhouse wrestling conference) school. I love xc, and I love wrestling. But this debate is ridiculous.

You comparing different weight classes to guys that run different times is completely inaccurate. Different weight classes would be like comparing a sprinter to a distance runner. Lightweight wrestlers wrestle entirely different than heavyweights. Middleweights have to succeed where lightweights and heavyweights are experts.

How about the fact that there are 14 weight classes for high school wrestling, and just one race for xc runners? Well keep in mind that as you guy up in the ranks in wrestling, the weight classes get larger. Two years ago I competed in a tournament that had over 160 wrestlers in ONE weight class.

In wrestling, there is no rest time (apart from break in the periods, or going out of bounds). In xc, you can let up for half a second to regain your composure before making the final push.

I have an ex-teammate who is a current navy seal. He has told me that their training is nothing compared to our high school practices. High school practices. Imagine what college is like. Wrestling tests you mentally like no other sport can. There is something about going toe to toe with another guy, who is trying inflict pain on you, and knowing that no matter what the result, it's all on you. And the entire crowd can see that. You have to own your losses in front of family and friends, just like you own your wins. Winning and losing is something that people universally understand, where as few people know the significance of 5 seconds of dropped time from your previous personal record in a race.

XC runners don't have to deal with the weight loss issue. Many of you have said that you know "plenty of elite wrestlers who don't cut weight." That is a flat out lie. As a collegiate wrestler, who has taken trips to the Olympic Training Center, I know for a FACT that elite wrestlers on all levels cut weight. Henry Cejudo, a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, was notorious for having issues with his weight. The kid was huge. And by huge, I mean muscular. He is in tremendous shape, with very little fat on his body. Sure, there are wrestlers that can have some success without cutting weight. But when you get to the upper echelons of the sport that is impossible to do. Nutrition is vital throughout the year.

Which brings me to my final point, there is no off season. Some of you have claimed that wrestlers are monsters during the season, but then let off in the off-season. On my team, we workout MORE in the off season since we don't have to worry so much about preserving our bodies for competition. Staying at a healthy weight year round is required as well. Yes, wrestlers "balloon up" in weight right after the season. But that weight becomes muscle in the off season, with many wrestlers entering the season 15 pounds over, with 6% body fat. Still think they are out of shape?