Okay, so today I decided to dive into the world of freestyle wrestling, specifically focusing on Japanese techniques. I’ve always been fascinated by the sport, and Japan has a strong wrestling tradition, so I figured it was a good place to start. I mean, who hasn’t watched some Olympic wrestling and thought, “I wanna try that!” (Spoiler: It’s harder than it looks.)
Getting Started: Finding Resources
First things first, I needed to find some decent instructional material. I’m not about to just walk into a gym and start throwing people around. I value my spine, thank you very much. So, I spent a good chunk of the morning scouring the internet for videos, articles, anything I could find about Japanese freestyle wrestling.
I quickly learned the term, and that is “Jiyūgata Resuringu”. That is the word of freestyle wrestling in Japan.
The Practice: My Living Room Becomes a Wrestling Mat
Armed with my newfound knowledge (and a very confused cat), I cleared a space in my living room. This was it. Time to put theory into practice. I started with some basic stances and movements, trying to mimic what I’d seen in the videos. Let me tell you, it’s a lot harder to stay low and balanced than those wrestlers make it look. I nearly took out a lampshade a couple of times.
- Stance: Kept my feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, back straight. Felt like I was squatting for an eternity.
- Movement: Tried to practice circling, level changes, and penetration steps. My cat was not impressed. He kept batting at my feet.
- Takedowns (Attempted): This is where things got… interesting. I tried practicing a few single-leg and double-leg takedowns on a very large, very uncooperative pillow. The pillow won most of the rounds.
The Aftermath: Sore Muscles and a Newfound Respect
After about an hour of this, I was exhausted. My legs were burning, my back was aching, and I was pretty sure I’d pulled something in my shoulder. But, I also felt a strange sense of accomplishment. I’d taken on a new challenge, pushed myself physically, and learned something new. Even if that something new was just how to fall down a lot.
I definitely have a newfound respect for wrestlers, especially those in Japan who have honed these skills over years of dedicated training. It’s a demanding sport that requires strength, agility, and a whole lot of mental toughness. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be Olympic-level (or even pillow-fighting level), but I’m definitely going to keep practicing. Maybe one day I’ll even find a real wrestling partner, instead of just battling my furniture.
