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Moderator
I noticed that when I started high school my physical conditioning was better than when I was studying karate & judo in grade school. I had basically taken the summer off before HS started & didn't do any conditioning whatsoever until wrestling season started in fall. The only thing I did that summer was caddie at the country club & that wasn't much because I didn't get to go out very much due to my lack of seniority. I found right from the start that I could run further, faster & lift more weight. Coach said it was because now that my body had matured & was closer to manhood my testosterone level had increased. Since I first started getting whiskers in 8th grade & started shaving almost everyday as a freshman that seemed to prove it. It took a lot less work to gain muscle whereas as a grade school kid I didn't put too much muscle on regardless how much lifting I did. I was strong but you really couldn't see it on my body. I went up 2 weight classes almost right after wrestling training started. It turned out that was a good thing because I was able to wrestle varsity due to the varsity wrestler in my weight class, a junior, wasn't all that good & my judo saw me through. Coach would have wrestle-offs with the upper class man when a freshman or sophomore wanted to wrestle in a varsity match & I would beat him soundly. Maybe I couldn't pin him but those two point takedowns & my avoidance of a pin or takedown always got me more points than he did. He finally wound up getting a job & dropping out of wrestling. Not because of me but he really didn't like all the training because he was a bit lazy. We remained good friends & he always supported me. I heard he got killed in Vietnam. Not sure if that's true & not just a rumor but I never heard from him since.
Proud Dad of a US Army Airborne Ranger SFC
Retired US Army 1SG/MSG, Airborne Infantry, G-3, Instructor
Former USN - Submarines, USS Chopper (SS 342) & Navy Diver, UDT 21
I was a Soldier. I am a Soldier. I will always be a Soldier.
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02-04-2016 02:26 PM
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