Iowa State has reason to be proud when the topic of wrestling comes up because ISU's own Cael Sanderson took home the 2004 Olympic gold medal! Being the only undefeated (159-0) four-time champion in NCAA history, Sanderson is not only the best in college history, but is now the best in the world.
Sanderson would agree that wrestling is a great way to keep in shape. However, it is a dangerous sport that can cause serious injury if the right techniques are not used. Wrestling is the oldest sport known to man and was originally meant for wars and battles to injure opponents. So it is no wonder why it is considered to be so dangerous. If you have a child interested in wrestling, encourage them to try wrestling as an organized sport rather than wrestling their little brother or sister. Many junior high, high schools, and local gyms offer wrestling as an organized sport, ensuring that they learn the basic skills needed for wrestling.
Wrestling improves flexibility, strength, speed, balance, endurance, and agility. Competitive wrestling at 150 pounds can burn approximately 120 calories in only nine minutes (wrestling 3 periods each lasting 3 minutes).
Remember that we are not encouraging wrestling at home; wrestling should be supervised by a professional.