My First Tangle with Wrestling
So, I’d been looking for something physical to get into, you know? Something different from just hitting the gym. A friend mentioned this wrestling group, specifically mentioning it was kinda geared towards gay folks, or at least super welcoming. Olympic style, they said. Sounded intense, maybe a bit weird? But hey, why not give it a shot, right? I figured, worst case, I just don’t go back.
Showed up that first evening. Bit nervous, not gonna lie. Walked into this gym space, mats laid out. Bunch of guys milling around, stretching, chatting. Didn’t feel intimidating, actually. More like a regular sports club vibe. Someone pointed me to the coach, a solid dude who just nodded and said, “Grab a spot, warm up with us.”
The Actual Practice: Getting Thrown Around
Okay, the warm-up alone nearly killed me. Lots of running, dynamic stretches I hadn’t done since high school gym class. Then came the drilling. We partnered up. My first partner was patient, thank god. We went over basic stances, movement. Felt clumsy as hell. Like a baby deer on ice.
- Tried learning a simple takedown. Looked easy when coach showed it. Me doing it? Total mess. Tripped over my own feet mostly.
- Drilled escapes. Basically, how to get out from underneath someone. Spent a lot of time underneath someone.
- Then came the live wrestling, or “rolling” as they called it. Just short bursts. Man, it’s exhausting. You’re constantly pushing, pulling, trying to figure out what the other guy is doing while trying to remember what you’re supposed to be doing.
Got absolutely demolished, naturally. Pinned multiple times. Ended the session completely drenched in sweat, muscles I didn’t know existed were aching, gasping for air. But honestly? It felt kinda great. Raw. Physical. No time to think about anything else.
What I Noticed
It wasn’t what I expected, maybe? Less posturing than I thought there might be. Everyone was just there to wrestle, learn, get a workout. People were focused during drills but friendly between goes. Nobody cared if you were good or terrible, especially the new folks. Just “keep trying” was the vibe.
Yeah, it’s mostly guys, and yeah, it’s a gay-friendly space, but on the mat, it was just… wrestling. Close contact, sure, but purely about the sport, the technique, the leverage. Any awkwardness I had about that vanished pretty quick once the exhaustion set in. You’re too busy trying to breathe to worry about much else.
Sticking With It (For Now)
So, I went back. And again. Still feel clumsy most of the time. Still get pinned way more than I pin anyone. But learning bits and pieces. Starting to understand the flow a little better. It’s tough, demanding work. Requires way more thinking than I anticipated.
It’s a good outlet. Completely different headspace. You leave it all on the mat, you know? Plus, it’s a solid workout. Don’t know how long I’ll keep it up, but for now, it’s an interesting challenge. Definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, and that’s usually a good thing.
