Strengths - Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Turning weaknesses into strengths is a common theme in sports.  However, that is a very difficult thing to do.  A more realistic goal would be to neutralize our weaknesses.  The best game plan in a competition is to spend as much time in your areas of strength as possible.  You also minimize time spent in your weaker areas and also minimize or eliminate time spent in your opponent’s areas of strength.  That seems like common sense but it takes discipline and determination.

The point I want to hit in this blog is one that I think can gets overlooked.  That is, relying too much on a strength.  Recognizing weaknesses is an easy thing to do, especially from the outside looking in.  As a coach we get all kinds of advice from people, media, and critics telling us what a wrestler on our team is doing wrong.  Anybody can see what’s wrong, what makes a good coach is not someone who can point out a weakness but someone who can help an athlete actually make a change.   That’s the challenge.  Critics are as common as dandelions, and are about as valuable.   Being positive and bringing solutions instead of criticism to the table is the key.

When we focus too much on our strength(s) and neglect other areas of our game we leave ourselves vulnerable.  We not only leave chinks in our armor but we are also more predictable and easier to scout, neutralize and beat.    

We all have strengths and weaknesses, and it’s the strengths that make up our foundation to success.  It’s your strengths that separate you from the competition.  However, it is easy to want to only work on your strength and to rely too much on that one strength. 

That is the problem.  Some common examples would be physical strength, flexibility, one great takedown, great technician and quickness.  Those are excellent strengths to have but no single quality alone is going to get you to your full potential.  If you rely too much on one of those qualities it can be a weakness.   That leads to neglect of other areas that should be worked on and mastered. 

This seems like a no-brainer but is a common mistake that limits the potential of many athletes.  People are stubborn and can easily rationalize and skew reality. 

If an athlete is flexible they can overlook the importance of fundamentals and that catches up to them in the critical matches.  It is real common for wrestlers gifted with physical strength to think that lifting weights is more important than getting better with technique.  When they lose a match they think they need to be spending more time in the weight room.  That usually isn’t true.  Physical strength will only take you so far.  Good technique combined with physical strength is the answer.  

Another example would be that some wrestlers think having great technique alone is the answer.  However, a  great technician without fight and determination will only beat the weaker competition.  The same can be said about determination without technique.  Nothing is given in wrestling; great technique or not you still have to fight for it. There is no unstoppable move.  The chicken casserole is close but still not unstoppable.  What makes great technique work is the fight.  Everything is seldom perfect.  You are going to get crossfaced, poked in the eye, and have to fight through whatever defense your opponent throws at you. 

Those are a few examples.  

Build your strengths but realize that to reach your greatest potential you must also develop other aspects of your game. 

I originally wanted to write a blog on how strengths in some areas of our lives can be weaknesses in other areas.  I think that is very interesting and true.  I can see it several times in my own career.  I’ll save that one for a later time.  Bottom-line is we must keep on learning and keep making progress.  Never be satisfied.

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