Ryan G. Lancaster
  • Home
  • History
    • Learning Modules >
      • HST 201 >
        • HST 201 Module 1
        • HST 201 Module 2
        • HST 201 Module 3
        • HST 201 Module 4
        • HST 201 Module 5
        • HST 201 Module 6
        • HST 201 Module 7
        • HST 201 Module 8
        • HST 201 Module 9
        • HST 201 Module 10
        • HST 201 Module 11
        • HST 201 Module 12
        • HST 201 Module 13
        • HST 201 Module 14
        • HST 201 Module 15
      • HST 202 >
        • HST 202 Module 1
        • HST 202 Module 2
        • HST 202 Module 3
        • HST 202 Module 4
        • HST 202 Module 5
        • HST 202 Module 6
        • HST 202 Module 7
        • HST 202 Module 8
        • HST 202 Module 9
        • HST 202 Module 10
        • HST 202 Module 11
        • HST 202 Module 12
        • HST 202 Module 13
        • HST 202 Module 14
        • HST 202 Module 15
      • HST 150 >
        • HST 150 Module 1
        • HST 150 Module 2
        • HST 150 Module 3
        • HST 150 Module 4
        • HST 150 Module 5
        • HST 150 Module 6
        • HST 150 Module 7
        • HST 150 Module 8
        • HST 150 Module 9
        • HST 150 Module 10
        • HST 150 Module 11
        • HST 150 Module 12
        • HST 150 Module 13
        • HST 150 Module 14
        • HST 150 Module 15
    • Articles
    • Podcast
  • Wrestling
  • Bio
  • Contact
  • Store
  • Home
  • History
    • Learning Modules >
      • HST 201 >
        • HST 201 Module 1
        • HST 201 Module 2
        • HST 201 Module 3
        • HST 201 Module 4
        • HST 201 Module 5
        • HST 201 Module 6
        • HST 201 Module 7
        • HST 201 Module 8
        • HST 201 Module 9
        • HST 201 Module 10
        • HST 201 Module 11
        • HST 201 Module 12
        • HST 201 Module 13
        • HST 201 Module 14
        • HST 201 Module 15
      • HST 202 >
        • HST 202 Module 1
        • HST 202 Module 2
        • HST 202 Module 3
        • HST 202 Module 4
        • HST 202 Module 5
        • HST 202 Module 6
        • HST 202 Module 7
        • HST 202 Module 8
        • HST 202 Module 9
        • HST 202 Module 10
        • HST 202 Module 11
        • HST 202 Module 12
        • HST 202 Module 13
        • HST 202 Module 14
        • HST 202 Module 15
      • HST 150 >
        • HST 150 Module 1
        • HST 150 Module 2
        • HST 150 Module 3
        • HST 150 Module 4
        • HST 150 Module 5
        • HST 150 Module 6
        • HST 150 Module 7
        • HST 150 Module 8
        • HST 150 Module 9
        • HST 150 Module 10
        • HST 150 Module 11
        • HST 150 Module 12
        • HST 150 Module 13
        • HST 150 Module 14
        • HST 150 Module 15
    • Articles
    • Podcast
  • Wrestling
  • Bio
  • Contact
  • Store

The Art of Shadow Wrestling

6/16/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
In Jungian psychology, the "shadow", "Id", or "shadow aspect/archetype" may refer to an unconscious aspect of the personality which the conscious ego does not identify, or the entirety of the unconscious. In short, the shadow is the unknown side. Because one tends to reject or remain ignorant of the least desirable aspects of one's personality, the shadow is largely negative. There are, however, positive aspects that may also remain hidden in one's shadow.

Shadow wrestling itself plays with these concepts. Many of us go out untested in our mind’s eye. There is a side to our wrestling that we rarely embrace and that is the matching in the subconscious. Spending time visualizing potential matches prepares us as to how we would normally react in a match, and that can be a good thing or a bad thing.
 
Usually coaching high schoolers gives us a prime example. Before every match, I shake my wrestler’s hand and ask him “What is your plan?” 9 times out of 10 his answer is “I don’t know” or “we will wait and see what he (his opponent) does.” No where else in life is this acceptable. Should you wing it when picking out a career or life partner? These very same wrestler embrace this all off season planning what weight class to wrestle at, or what shoes will look the coolest.
 
So in the waning days of quarantined America, I looked to create not just a program that would be congruent with the Governor’s stay at home order, but one that would endure for future wrestling seasons. My charge was to answer the question: What kind of wrestling workout can you have without making physical contact?
 
Turns out the best and most important kind.
Picture
Traditional Kushti Drills
Philosophy
The 3 core elements are Kushti Hindu training, traditional shadow wrestling, and visualization techniques. The words pehlwani and kushti derive from the Persian terms pahlavani (heroic) and koshti (wrestling) respectively, meaning “Heroic wrestling.” Although wrestling in the Indian subcontinent saw changes in the Mughal era and the colonial period, the training regimen has remained the same for over 150 years. Fledgling wrestlers may start as early as 6, but most begin formal training in their teens. They are sent to an akhara or traditional wrestling school where they are put under the apprenticeship of the local guru. Their only training attire is a loincloth (we will forgo that for this session). Exercises employ the wrestler's own bodyweight,  
or another person's body weight to add resistance.  Many of these Kushti training facilities are mere pits of dirt, overcrowded with young men hoping to fulfill their shot with destiny.  There wrestlers use very little space, which is perfect for social distancing.

Much of the American philosophy that I borrowed were from world class athletes and the regiment they employed to get them to the zenith of their respective careers. Wrestlers like Kerry McCoy, who preaches moving your feet to become a harder target. David Taylor, who uses shadow wrestling to shore up his technique and retain better practices against his world class athletes. And Doug Schwab, who has his men at Northern Iowa visualize stopping their opponents dead in their tracks and then attack immediately, or as he calls it, “Stop then Sting.”

Speaking of visualization, that is the key ingredient. Mental imagery works out the most important comment of the elite athlete: the mind.  An athlete can use this technique to 'intend' an outcome of a race or training session, or simply to rest in a relaxed feeling of calm and well-being. By imagining a scene, complete with images of a previous best performance or a future desired outcome, the athlete can simply step into that feeling. While imagining these scenarios, wrestlers can imagine the detail and the way it feels to perform in the desired way.
​
​Several other elements I added was mediation and yoga. Meditation works to attain clarity and release you from the emotional weight of fear, doubt, and other unconscious obstructions which develops physically as slow reactions or even early fatigue. You can learn to control your mind and control your emotions through your own inner discipline. Without this discipline, you are controlled within by anxiety and uncertainty and controlled outwardly by your opponent. A great program which I borrowed heavily from was Zen Warriors, a mediation program set up to work with wrestlers in mind.
 
The following is the core program that I created and utilized at our shadow wrestling clinics. Feel free to peruse the curriculum and the links attached to them:
Picture
SHADOW WRESTLING CURRICULUM
“Move Your Feet, Tough To Beat."
WARM-UP
  • Jog in Place
  • Teepee/Canoe
  • High Knees
  • Burpees
  • Cartwheels
  • Cartwheels/Pushups
  • Cross Arm Pushups 
  • Somersaults/Pushups

DRILLS
Neutral 
• Staggered Hop
• Hop to Down Block
• Hop Around Speed Cone (Down Block to Change Directions
• Staggered Level Change
• Staggered Level Change to Down Block
• Lateral Sidestep to Level Change
• Downblock Drill (NATO)

Bottom
• Bridge
• Front Bridge (CSW)
• Sit out (CSW)
• Hip Heist (CSW)
• Granby Roll (CSW)
• High Box (CSW)
• Low Box (CSW)
• Referee Position to Escape

TECHNIQUE
Stance Directions (Kolat)
  • Left/Right, Back/Forth
  • Forward/Back
  • Pivot/Circle
  • Sprawl/Shot
  • Hand Fight/Arm Drag
4 Points of Stance (Ty Eustice)
  • Butt Down
  • Knees Bent
  • Elbows In
  • Head Up
5 Skills (Pair Together)
  • Downblock
  • Full Sprawl
  • Snapdown
  • Fake Shot
  • Full Shot
Dake
  • Don't Slouch
  • Don't Reach
  • Watch the Hip
  • Be Disciplined (Don't Break Stance)
  • Lead With the Head
The Wrestling Coach
  • Kulczycki Sidestep to Elbow Pass
  • Burroughs Scissor Step
CONDITIONING
  • 180 Turn to Attack (Chertow)
  • Sprawl/Spin Drill (Chertow)
  • Breakdance>Hip-Heist>Escape (Chertow)
  • Rapid Fire (John Smith)
  • Squared Stance and Motion
  • Staggered Stance and Motion
  •  Downblock to Score
  • 50 Attacks in 3 minutes
  • Stop then Sting (Doug Schwab)
  • 3:00 matches
  • Duck Walk
VISUALIZATION EXERCISES
  • Visualization Match
  • Live in the Now
CORE PHILOSOPHY
  • Move Your feet, Tough To Beat
  • Stop and Sting
  • Repetition Makes Us Better
  • Use What You Have
  • Become comfortable with the uncomfortable 
  • Get In the Zone​

SHADOW WRESTLING WORK CITED
  • Cary Kolat
  • David Taylor
  • Eric Paulson 
  • Doug Schwab
  • Jeff Marsh
  • John Smith
  • Zeke Jones
  • Ken Chertow
  • Ty Eustice
  • Kyle Dake
Picture
(Disclaimer: This is not professional or legal advice. If it were, the article would be followed with an invoice. Do not expect to win any social media arguments by hyperlinking my articles. Chances are, we are both wrong).
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Ryan Lancaster wears many hats. Dive into his website to learn about history, sports, and more!

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020

    Categories

    All
    Coaching
    History
    Podcast
    Security
    Wrestling

    RSS Feed

    Tweets by MayorMcSweet
Proudly powered by Weebly