I wrestled in both high school and college. The intense endurance workouts were brutal.
The matches in HS were 3-two minute periods. College had 3-three minute periods. I think those have change since I was in college to one-3 minute period followed by two-2 minute periods.
Doesn't sound like a long time but the energy expended in those few minutes can completely exhaust you, even if you are in great shape.
At university level we also ran 5-10 miles a day before our 2 hour mat workouts in a hot gym.
Conditioning is everything the coach used to tell us.
If you've ever wrestled a whole match, it is not hard to understand why. You could hardly move at the end of some matches, let alone look like you knew what you were doing.
“You could hardly move at the end of some matches”
One that stands out of all the rest, an opening two weight class above me, our guy was injured.
If it is a forfeit or pin, they get 5 points, if we lose, they are awarded 3 points.
The guy was solid muscle, but not very flexible.
He would take me down and let me up just the fun and point advantage. Like going against a machine!
I did get him in a figure-four when I had the up position, that made him mad!
End of the third, he had me in a cradle, I grabbed his balls!! the ref was watching for the pin and didn’t see it!
He jumped yelling, but he was wearing a mouth guard and no one but I understood, he was yelling “watch the crotch”!!
Made it for two points and an atta boy!
Totally spent and sore for a week.
I’ve completed a couple of marathons including one out of Leadville Co.
They took longer, but recovery was decidedly easier.