Wrestlers grapple with exhausting routine

Michigan wrestling coach Joe McFarland, along with his wrestlers, take practice very seriously, to the extent that nothing changed when observers drop by for a typical practice.

Even when onlookers step through the Michigan wrestling room's door, the team just glances and then returns to their training.

Clad in gray t-shirts and black shorts, yesterday the Wolverines held their first preseason practice since their successful weekend at Michigan State.

Dedication is everything to them, and to get through practice, they'll need that dedication.

The Wolverines consistently drill, and practice doesn't get any easier as it goes along. The team begins with a series of stretches, then it moves on to drills, where their partner gives no resistance. Then the partner gets a chance to put up a figh

DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily Grueling practices day after day prepare the Michigan wrestling team for matches like this one last season against Michigan State.

t against the opposing wrestler's drills.

As the squad practices single-leg and double-leg takedowns in teams of two, McFarland made his way around the mat, critiquing the form of his team.

Once he spots a flaw in performance, he claps his hands and all eyes focus on him. Attention instantly leaves the drills and moves toward the center of the mat.

He then proceeds to demonstrate a specific technique to the Wolverines. They have little time for rest. The wrestlers listen intently, and then they go back to work.

Finally, the Wolverines try to replicate their skills in all-out matches, two minutes at a time in length, with just seconds to rest in between.

And seconds are often all the wrestlers have to rest during a period of a match.

It is this constant drilling that McFarland hopes will pay off during matches. The more a move is practiced, the more it is ingrained into the wrestler.

To be successful in the sport, it is necessary for moves to be instantaneous. This formulaic approach will try to bring the Wolverines success this season.

Conditioning is another vital factor to Michigan's success, which is a necessity due to the exhausting nature of wrestling.

Wrestlers endure three periods, when they throw everything they have toward pinning their opponent. The last period, especially, can often determine the outcome of a match, as a better conditioned wrestler can gain a point-advantage or a pin over his opponent.

"You're lucky if you ever see two state champions in the same room in high school, but here you have many state champions and All-Americans," senior Frank Lodeserto said. "Sloppiness sure won't cut it here."

It is integral that a wrestler has enough stamina throughout the whole match to ensure victory. But the Wolverines don't only condition every afternoon - they wake up early to practice when the sun rises.

Early morning workouts develop the discipline to keep the team in top shape. Lengthy runs uphill and through traffic push the wrestlers, while Michigan students travel to class with their mochachinos. Sometimes the Wolverines carry each other on their backs and run up stairs.

The sport is often defined by conditioning and as a result, practice can't be taken lightly.

"The first thing that freshmen tell me is that they can't believe how hard we work," McFarland said.

11-18-99