With Kaito Morikawa
Three Mindset Adjustments
I have won a National Champion at every level in Japan: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and College. Everyone has different strengths, skills, and physical abilities. It can be hard to give one universal technique or strategy that will work for every wrestler. What I want to share is the mindset I’ve held close throughout my career.
Be The Hardest Worker in the Room
When you truly believe this, you stop being satisfied with doing the same amount of work as everyone else around you. You show up before practice to review technique. You stay after practice to get one more rep and one more sprint. Everyone has their own path, but the mindset of doing more than the standard is something I value deeply.
Value Your Tools
The wrestling shoes and gear I wore, especially when I was younger, were bought for me by people who were working hard to support my dreams. None of that is guaranteed. As athletes, we have a responsibility to honor that support and value the equipment we use. The tools we use every day play a part in supporting us, too.
Practice Gratitude
You cannot become great in wrestling on your own. You need training partners who show up for you, coaches who guide you, and a place to train. None of these are automatic. We owe it to all of them, and to ourselves, to give everything we have in return. That’s our job as athletes.
