book

Being Physical and Keeping Myself Healthy

21 Pages 2879 Words 1557 Views

As I think about on where I've been and where I am in my short life, I'm only nineteen , I find that my main focus has been to take care of myself physically. I find it hard to believe that I actually competed in a physic building competition, especially a coed one. Out on a stage with a couple dozen chiseled chested men in board shorts, and sculpted bikini clad women. All essentially strangers to me. There I was taking a step here, a twist there, flexing my abs and biceps. Doing this somewhat strange dance of vanity with a smile on my face and eye contact with the 10 peeping eyes of the judges peering up at me. I think the reason I got into a physique competition was because of bodily injuries playing contact sports It was about 3 years ago, during my high school days that I woke up with a startle, as a bathroom door that was pulled closed to hard. As I peered around my darkened room, I was unsure of exactly where I was. Then I heard my Mom yelling, "get up Mitchell, you have a wrestling match this morning!" I sighed, rolled deep under my blankets into a cocoon of warmth, and remembered the cold rough surface of the wrestling match that I hoped to avoid having the back of my shoulders come into contact with. Being a wrestler wasn't a dream for me, but a way to keep fit in the off-football season, so out of my cocoon I flew on my way to the shower. After a guilt free breakfast since I had my weigh -in the night before, we hit the road. We pulled into the parking lot of Nebraska City High School, the morning snow crunching beneath the buss’s tires as we came to a stop. We piled out of the car, carrying armfuls of the necessary items to bring inside a gym for most of the day. Things like food, beverages, reading material and of course phone chargers. My parents wished me luck and I marched my way through the echoing chamber of the gym. The announcer sounding like a McDonalds drive-thru order taker,where you only understand about half of what was said. My team claimed an area on the bleachers and then we hit the mats to warm-up, I soon began stretching myself into a pretzel. Amongst the organized madness of coaches yelling, whistles blowing and people flailing about in every which direction, my teammates and I figured out our matches. Soon after the announcer calls out “weight class 132 Mitchell, mat 4”. I shake my opponents hand and the referee blew the whistle, it was on then. As I am accessing my opponent he quickly moved in on me, taking the first shot. I sprawled. I cross faced him delivering pain and also a message to not shoot on me. After I broke him down, I worked a cradle on him to put him into a pinning position. I held it as tightly as I could, and shortly after, the referee’s hands slapped the mat to signal that the match was over. I went back and shook hands with him again. It was an awesome feeling to win my first match of the day in less than a minute. I hear applause and loud screeching screams from friends and family I decided that I really liked wrestling and would work on excelling in it. I was pumped up for my remaining match’s. The following two took a much greater effort, but I was able to win those matches as well. After those victories I was moving on to compete for the first place medal. I was mentally psyched and feeling pretty macho. Again, my name was called out, with seemingly more emphasis by the announcer. Quickly moving into position I felt like a predator readying myself for an easy meal as I sized up my prey. The whistle shrilled and off we went. Circling each other, looking for an opening I faked a move to the left and quickly pounced on his right leg. Pulling him out and down from behind his knee I landed on top of him and worked my arms into position to pull his legs up with his back and shoulders going against the stale smelling mat. My hand slipped off him and suddenly he arched up, freed himself and spun to his left while getting back to his feet. I sprang back up and we were once again facing each other. How quickly my ego shrunk away from me as we once again circled each other. He leapt at me pulling my right arm down and quickly came behind, encircling both arms to slam me down. I pushed down on his hands breaking free of his grasp. As I was striding forward his arms slid down my thigh and he grabbed hold of my knee, twisting my leg to pull me down. At that moment I felt a wrenching pain and heard a popping type sound and in a split second I was down. With my role suddenly reversed as the injured prey, I struggled physically and emotionally to this sad turn of events. Within seconds I was pinned. Feeling utterly useless I was able t

Read Full Essay