Carolyn Wester, a national wrestling coach, will impart the technique of body leveraging to wrestlers at Weekend Wars at the Sterrett Wrestling Complex on Saturday, June 7.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate and head coach of Wrestling Prep, a national collegiate training program for wrestlers based in San Jose, Calif., will be demonstrating a series of movements cross-referenced to 95 percent of all wrestling, as Wester defines the technique, for free from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at 321 W. Apache Trail.
“So if you perfect those movements, it’s going to exponentially increase your effectiveness in wrestling,” she said. “A lot of Arizona state champions have trained with me, so I’m familiar with how they wrestle. I’ll have them go live for a few minutes and see how they are.”
Camp Verde High School assistant wrestling coach Mario Chagolla hopes that not only his Cowboys but all wrestlers June 7 can apply those lessons immediately in matches the rest of the morning through noon.
“A certain kid may not be able to do a flip or a hip breakdown piece-by-piece-by-piece,” he said. “I’ve got one kid I call ‘Crazy Legs’ because his body can’t catch up to what his brain wants him to do. He’s basically going to take the system she’s been able to develop and mimic it in actual wrestling.”
Wester will not only teach basic movements and positioning that help wrestlers use their body better, she said, but moreover teach them how to think about such leveraging.
“Most programs come in and teach you a series of techniques that works for them,” she said. “Most kids, they learn the technique and get frustrated: Their muscles aren’t always mature enough. Or, they don’t know which set of muscles to use: Is it the lead leg? Where am I putting my foot? Do I need to use my heel first?”
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, June 4, issue of the Camp Verde Journal.
