Fashion in wrestling

I always wear a collared shirt when I play golf. My high school wrestling coach told me, "to be good, you have to look good." He said it tongue-and-cheek, of course, but it has stayed with me. He explained that if you're a good golfer, but carry a junky bag and wear raggedy clothes, when you have a nice shot, people think you're lucky. On the flip-side, if you have a nice set of clubs and look like a golfer, but you're actually horrible, when you have a bad shot, people will think that you're probably really good, but just had an isolated bad shot.

On a similar note, I recall a teacher encouraging me to "dress-up" on big test days. He said, "If you look good, you feel good and if you feel good, you perform better."

I don't know if there's merit to these philosophies, however, many people seem to believe in them. Either way, the sports world has as much of a fashion culture as Hollywood does. The style of uniforms, workout gear, etc. change as rapidly as the preferred fit of jeans. It's difficult to say if sports style is related more to social acceptance/popularity or to performance.

This blog is about wrestling-specific sports fashion. The idea is a request from one of the most stylistically interesting athletes that I've coached (imagine 3-inch Rocky Balboa shorts and a turquoise sweatshirt). His style was definitely his own and outside of the trends. So, what are a few trends that I've seen?

When I was in high school, it was a trademark for wrestlers to tuck their sweatshirts into their pants. From a performance standpoint, the idea was to keep your body heat from escaping and to eliminate baggy clothing during practice (fingers break in baggy clothing). It was also a way for wrestlers to clearly distinguish themselves from others. I wore sweatpants with elastic ankles and tucked everything in - t-shirts, warm-up jackets, sweatshirts, etc. If I had an elastic waist band, it was a license to jam something down those pants. Very few wrestlers do this today.

In 1998, there was a significant shift in how coaches, athletes and others approached wrestling because of four weight cutting tragedies. People evaluated what was actually best for athletes instead of following "old school" stereotypes. Hydration became a major part of the sport and it affected fashion, too. Bulky clothes were out and tight fitting clothes were in. Wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts "drained" too much energy and the loss of excessive water weight during practice was counter-productive. Wearing light clothes and staying hydrated during practice allowed for individuals to train at a much higher level. I was a college freshman and spandex shorts were "it." Once you go spandex, you never go back. Tight fitting shorts made so much more sense in a wrestling practice room. College athletes aren't insecure about their bodies, so everyone wore them during practice. My brother was a senior in high school and it wasn't socially acceptable to bring the spandex into the high school room, but he did it anyways.

This all coincided with the emergence of sports super company Under Armour. Not only did they make compression shorts, they rolled out a line of "Heat Gear" compression shirts in nearly every team color. By 2001, wrestlers across the US were covered in spandex. It wasn't uncommon to see an elite wrestler practicing in a long sleeve Under Armour shirt and long spandex pants. Under Armour took hold of other sports, too, so tight fitting practice clothing trickled down to high school wrestling rooms because athletes could wear a $50 shirt under their football pads and then wear it during wrestling season and whatever he/she did in the spring.

Currently, it's not uncommon to see high school athletes wearing singlets during practice. Little kids wear their singlets to practice and until recently, it was unheard of to see an elite wrestler practice in a singlet. I think the emergence of female wrestling has made it culturally acceptable to wear singlets during practice. Most females wear singlets because it's one piece. It has led males to understand that it is comfortable practice attire. Senior-level Greco-Roman wrestlers have practiced in singlets for as long as I've been involved and many international athletes wear competition singlets during practice. It's not the norm and, in most rooms, the guy who chooses to wear a singlet is usually the "coolest" guy in the room and isn't peer-pressured out of it. Fight shorts have emerged, but it's basically mesh shorts and cotton t-shirts that is worn during practice by most wrestlers today.

The fashion within wrestling stretches across many categories. Practice attire mildly affects competition attire. Hair styles, head gear, socks, singlets, warm-ups, head phones and bags have all gone through various kinds of style transformations. I was in sixth grade when a few high school athletes stayed at my house during an event. I immediately began rolling my socks over my shoes. Rolled socks, tall socks, short socks, no socks, wool socks, double socks, bunched socks, flamboyant socks, basketball socks, name brand socks, black socks and the list goes on. All have found their place as the "it" way for sock protocol in the past 20 years. Long hair, short hair, dyed hair, bleached hair, designed hair, big hair, bangs, mohawks, tails, stripes and mullets have already started to recycle within 20 years.

I could go on and on about this subject. I'm actually quite passionate about it. I see styles and trends change across the coaching world, too. Going to a wrestling tournament today, nearly every coach seems to have a shaved head. Under Armour rules the coaching world, which makes sense since the spandex wearing athletes in 2001 are now coaches. Mustaches, goatees, sideburns, clean shaven...so many decisions for coaches, too.

The demise of Lance

When Lance Armstrong made the announcement that he would stop fighting allegations regarding doping during his cycling career on August 23rd, I thought he had either evaluated his priorities and realized his Tour victories didn't define him and was ready to move on OR he knew that a mountain of undeniable evidence was just around the corner and he was trying to save face and take the high road before he was pegged a cheater.

There comes a time in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today - finished with this nonsense. - Lance Armstrong, August 23, 2012

That's it. Armstrong quit. The poster child for never give up did exactly that. I'm angry because I believed him and believed in him for so long. "Everyone wants to know what I'm on," he said during memorable commercial. "I'm on my bike busting my ass 6 hours a day. What are you?" The answer his teammates and every other cyclist interviewed gave was, "the same thing as Lance...and our bikes for 6 hours a day, too." His actions over the past two months have been nothing short of an admission of guilt. Quitting the fight says he's guilty of cheating.

The Lance Armstrong that I admired was not a quitter. He was a cancer survivor and became the most dominant athlete in professional sports. People like that don't quit, but this one did. His 'enough is enough' statement came only a few weeks before a gigantic, 202-page compilation of eye-witness accounts of him taking performance enhancing drugs on several occasions. He never failed a drug test (at least what we know), but quitting the fight this way is worth more than 1,000 failed drug tests. The man who didn't quit, who wouldn't quit, when death was knocking on his door quit when allegations pilled so high they couldn't be denied any more. If the allegations were false, he would have fought them forever.

What message do these past few months give to people who looked to Armstrong for inspiration? Cancer patients, cancer survivors and so many others now see a hypocrisy in a man who overcame death only to quit when his personal reputation was on the line. Certainly, Lance Armstrong, the inspirational cancer survivor, and Lance Armstrong, the disgraced cyclist, will be put into two separate categories for some time. His foundation has raised over $500 million for cancer research. Regardless of how he earned his platform, that is commendable. Livestrong will continue to do great things in medical research, but will forever be followed by a cloud of suspicion and scandal. It's hard to imagine that it will be as effective as it was before Armstrong's reputation was permanently damaged.

"You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." - Abraham Lincoln

Leaders are Lifters

While watching NFL Sunday Countdown, a quote about Eli Manning caught my attention. One of his wide receivers said of the Super Bowl MVP, "leaders are lifters. He picks us up and carries us on his back." I liked the little phrase so I searched the internet for similar quotes regarding leaders are lifters. The only thing that turned up was Manning's head coach Tom Coughlin saying the same thing about him. Leaders are lifters.

Digging deeper, it's clear that Manning has a great rapport with his teammates. They describe his as being very positive and encouraging. He speaks to the potential of each athlete instead of dwelling on the things he cannot control (dropped passes, injuries, etc.). He also demonstrates genuine care for other players. He talks to them, walks off the practice field with them and continues to give people chances. He's easy for players to follow.

It's evident in professional sports that the best leaders are lifters. Aaron Rodgers is another great example of a Super Bowl MVP who lifted his teammates to higher levels in spite of injuries and setbacks to achieve the ultimate goal in professional football.

Here are nine leadership principles that lead to leaders becoming lifters:

1. They believe in others. Leaders who actively empower others to showcase their abilities are able to pull the potential out of those around them.

2. They're passionate. It's easy to follow a leader who cares deeply about the vision and mission. It's just as easy to not follow someone when they're not as interested in the plan as others.

3. They take personal responsibility for the bad and quickly give credit to others for the good. The trick to this principle is it must be sincere. Great leaders credit others because they sincerely believe they deserve the credit. Followers will sniff the fraud who credits others only because they believe it will benefit their bottom line. Additionally, they shoulder the blame when it doesn't go well. They look at themselves first and recognize how they can become better while realizing they cannot do it alone.

4. They control the controlables. Staying focused is a key ingredient to success in all facets of life. When a leader begins to focus on things out of his/her control, the pieces will fall apart. Attitude and effort is always within your control. Start there.

5. They open their mouth only when needed. When words are carefully selected and used only when needed, people listen eagerly. When words are used too much, they become noise and are quickly blocked out. Great leaders lead by example first and with words second.

6. They remain upbeat. Being optimistic allows for a leader to be a positive encouragement instead of a "Debbie Downer." People want to follow individuals who are upbeat, can keep things light and have a healthy perspective. Optimistic leaders believe the best is possible.

7. They choose greatness. You don't need permission to make yourself better. The best leaders set a higher standard for themselves than what they expect of others. They simply demand that what gets done today is more excellent than what was done yesterday. The standard doesn't have to be your standard. Your can set standards higher than the rest. It's your choice.

8. They lead with their heart, not their ego. When maintaining status as a leader takes precedence over winning as a team, success becomes difficult. The best leaders are also humble - they have a proper understanding of who they are and how they relate to the world and others around them. Leading with your heart forces you to care for others.

9. They don't miss the opportunity to publicly praise others. Similarly, they never take the opportunity to publicly ridicule or demean others. Public praise allows for private criticism because trust is established.

How can this type of leadership be applied to our lives? Everyone has access to becoming a leader that lifts others. If you're a husband or wife, parent, friend, coach, athletes, etc., these principles can be used to have a positive impact on others. Make it a goal to assure that others are better for having come into contact with you.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

I'm fascinated by individuals who strive to become the best in the world. I study the mannerisms and nuances that help make them great. Whether if it's the best athlete in the world, the best coach, or...the best sushi chef, there are striking similarities between those who are the best.

I recently watched a documentary about the world renown sushi chef Jiro Ono. His skill and technique is unmatched in the culinary world. His small, 10-seat restaurant requires reservations almost one year in advance and demands $300 per plate. His reviews are impeccable and people travel across the world to sit before the great Jiro.

His presence and preparation makes nearly every one of his customers nervous. They all explain that their experience is worth whatever it took to be a part of the greatness.

In the case of Jiro Ono, one journalist described that a great chef has the following five attributes:

1. They take their work very seriously and consistently perform at the highest level.

2. They aspire to improve their skills.

3. Cleanliness. If the restaurant doesn't feel clean, the food isn't going to taste good.

4. Impatience. They're better leaders than collaborators. They're stubborn and insist on having it their way.

5. They're passionate.

Jiro sets the standard for discipline. He’s always looking ahead. He’s never satisfied with his work. He’s always trying to make the sushi better, or improve his skills. Even now, that’s all he thinks about, all day, every day. He's 85 years old and considered the best sushi chef ever, however he still strives to improve.

All I want to do is make better sushi. I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I’ll continue to climb, trying to reach the top, but no one knows where the top is.

He's obsessed with sushi. It's his passion. It's the only thing he's ever wanted to do and he has always pushed the envelope to be original. He said, "I would make sushi in my dreams. In the middle of the night, I’d jump out of bed with new ideas."

The qualities that Jiro Ono exudes are similar to those of the greatest of all-time in other categories. Individuals like Michael Jordan, Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein, to name a few, will go down in history as being the best in the world at what they did. They demonstrated a passion, character traits and standards similar to best sushi chef in the world.

In the wrestling world, Dan Gable studied other greats like Mickey Mantle and Secretariat. Dave Schultz was fascinated by the great Miyamoto Musashi. The greats study the greats. I wonder if it's because they're the only people they really understand. They cannot identify with someone who doesn't posses the same attributes they do. They might be in a different field or profession, but greatest is often manufactured in the same way.

Burn the Plows

Steven Furtick recently released his second book, entitled Greater. In it, he uses the story of Elisha to describe how God desires our life become greater. The book was released congruent to a sermon series of the same title. It’s profound in wisdom, yet simple in application.

In 1 Kings 19:19-21, Elisha is called to follow Elijah. Elisha was in the field with his oxen and plow when Elijah arrived to bring him on board. Immediately, Elisha knew that there was something greater for him and he burned his plow and had an enormous barbecue for the people serving oxen.

Elisha had a career that was respectable and safe. He knew that pushing a plow supported his family. So when he decided to burn the plows, he left himself with no way out. He was “all in.” He didn’t give himself a back door in case things didn’t work out. He didn’t store his plow for when things became difficult in ministry.

I shared this story with our athletes after practice this weekend because many of us have plows we’re storing in the shed (metaphorically speaking). We hesitate to go all in because the results are not guaranteed. It’s scary to fully commit to something knowing the risks and that it might not work out the way you would like. We naturally hold on to those things that are less than best because it’s safe. We settle for good enough at the expense of greater.

What does it look like in your life to go “all in”? It’s different for everyone. A plow could be something like a change of attitude towards a certain situation, a relationship that might need to end or need boundaries, something physical like a habit to stop, or anything holding you back from what is BEST.

Elisha’s plow symbolized something good. The worst enemy of what’s BEST for you is what’s GOOD for you. Settling for good enough keeps us from being the men and women that God created us to be. You can’t move into greater things until you burn good enough.


Most of us are not in danger of ruining our lives. We are in danger of wasting our lives.