Indomitable Cerebral Resilient: JW Masters Wrestler - CAN

This might seem a bit self-indulgent, but after Wednesday night’s practice, I made it home and decided to look in the mirror. We had a big one at the club but I intentionally did not look in it as I was worried about what I’d see. But at home, I decided to look.

What I saw was pretty remarkable. The colour red and I seldom get along. It’s always amplified how big I was and I always felt like a blimp. It’s why I wear darker colours most of the time; it blends more and I’m able to sink into them. But not last night.

I gotta say, I’m pretty darned proud of my progress. It’s not done, not by a long shot, but it’s well on its way. I look like I belong and will only get better as time moves forward. The big goal is to “make the weight”, but to not just make it, but do it in a way where it’s sustained, where my health gets better, and that when the day comes where I no longer need or allowed to take the injections I do to help move the weight loss along, I don’t become a statistic and put it back on.

I refuse to regress again.

Some might say I’m out of my mind doing this. Some might say just participate in open weight events. And for some, I’d argue that’s the right call and I’ll continue to advocate for a return to open weights at the upper end for men & women. But for me, I gotta do this work. I know I can. And I will succeed.

A few years ago, a man I admire, 2000 Olympian Rulon Gardner, was unable to participate at the US Open because he couldn’t make the weight. I want to say I can do it, and I hope Rulon makes another attempt at it. I’d love very much an opportunity to roll with the best. And if not, then I’d still like a chance to roll with the best and meet him on the mat all the same. I’d do for him what my buddy Mike McCrary did for me in 2024. Gotta pay it forward.

🙂

Finally to anybody seeing this who thinks they can’t achieve their own goals, I want to tell you that you can and you will. Believe in yourself. Put in a full effort and you got this. I believe in you.

Sleep well, you awesome humans.

Looking forward to resharing and uploading my work from the past few years, this time with better tools and a better understanding on how generative AI works to enhance content, and not replace it. For now: a sampling from 2024 with myself & Brian Jones.

Stay tuned. While this is my wrestling page, I’m also going to use it to share wrestling memories I’ve accumulated over the years as a fan, an official, and competitor. All of it tells the story.

From a year ago to today….I’m happy to say that I have officially lost 65 pounds in this first year. I’m happy with the effort and work I’ve done. I wish it had gone a bit faster, but as many have said, I got to trust the process and I’ll get to where I need to be. There’s been a lot that’s happened over this past year, some great, some not so great, but I’m still here, still standing, and going to make the next year even better.

Let’s get it done. Cannot wait for competition season.

12 WAYS TO BREAK YOUR OPPONENT

by Steve Fraser, Olympic Champion, Wrestling

1. Out-Pummel him: ..Physically you will move faster with a lot of change of direction…push and pull him keeping him off balance and forcing him to move in a manner that he is not intending to move in…should include many tie-up changes i.e. collar tie left, then right, then two-on-one, then under hook, then shot, then arm drag attempt, then shot, then two-on-one, then collar his left, right, push, pull, under hook, circle him, snap, foot sweep. This is what I call your "dance"…You must create your own personal "dance" that in time becomes your natural method of attacking your opponent.

2. In matches when you do go out of bounds, you always hustle back to the center…

3. When you both go into the wall in the practice room, you spin him around and keep wrestling or you can use the wall to help you get hold and continue to wrestle (if your walls are padded). No stopping or walking back to the center of the mat…

4. When you take him down you turn him right away (no stopping to let him up). When you take him down you always go immediately into a turning attempt. Most wrestlers will pause/relax after they get taken down…

5. ...Gently or forcibly push him up from behind and as he stands up you spin him around, getting right back into his face...

6. ...If you go to push him up and he doesn't stand up, then you circle out to the front of him and pull him back up to his feet by cupping your hand under his chin and pulling him up…Or, if you go to push him up and he doesn't stand up, you circle out to the front but instead of pulling him up, you just push down on his head with one of your hands, then with the other hand. You continue to push his head down two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight times alternating hands until he gets the picture that you will not just let up on him...

7. If he takes you down and stops wrestling, you continue to wrestle, jumping at the chance to reverse him or take him down when he pauses.

8. If you ever get put on your back you always fight off no matter what * YOU NEVER STOP WRESTLING.

9. If you turn him to his back and he stops wrestling, you don't. You either hold him for a time (loosely or tightly) or you tell him "Come on, keep fighting!”

10. When you go out of bounds you continue to wrestle for 2 seconds after you hear the whistle…-whenever your opponent stops wrestling and you don't, it will break him a bit more.

11. When he stops in the middle of your goes (in practice) to tie his shoe, adjust his shorts, fix his t-shirt *you continue to wrestle in his face. If you are kind enough to let him actually do this then at a minimum you hover over him, just inches away from his body, eagerly anticipating continued engagement. The moment he finishes tying, adjusting or fixing you immediately engage again…Always in his face, always attacking, always pulling him up, pushing him down, or spinning him around…No pauses, no breaks, no rests.

12. If the battle ever gets heated where your opponent punches you, you don't let it faze you one bit. You continue to attack him like you hardly even noticed him punching you…stay under control, never punching him back.

The inner details of the battle between 🟥 & 🟦

📸 Steve Fraser making history winning the US’s first ever Greco Roman Olympic Gold Medal against Frank Andersson of Sweden at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Grappling Heroes

The bestowing of the title of Resilient belongs to many, but the first use belongs to a man of faith, in this case, my friend Kevin M. James. He’s known me now for close to 20 years. We met when I joined his congregation a day after moving to the small bedroom community of Okotoks, Alberta. We’ve been friends since. He’s had my back, seen me through good and bad, and keeps me going when I need a bit of a spiritual pick-me-up. Thank you, Kev. I appreciate it, and appreciate you. 🙂

Yes, one of these guys photos is AI generated, but here is myself and the man who, six years ago, gave me the title of “cerebral”: Erik Hinckley. I cannot say enough about how awesome this man is and what he’s done for the sport, for his country, family, and the amazing example he’s been for me. Watching him succeed, wrestling both at both a Veterans and Senior level until recently, this man doesn’t quit. It’s not in his vocabulary. I hope to become at least half the man that Erik is now. Thank you, my awesome friend. 🙂

This is what Brian Jones suggests I’m going to look like once I transition from just weight loss to weight loss & consistent strength training. He is also the one who gave me the title of “indomitable”, so I’m really not going to go disagree. 🙂

He’s a former Greco Veterans World Champion, so do as the best do, right?

*Photo modified using Meta AI*