Behind the Iron Curtain

“Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.” - The Eagles, Take it easy

I’ve been watching a lot of film of Saitiev lately, and I dig his style. Buvaisar Saitiev is a Russian wrestler who is arguably one of the best and most dominant wrestlers of all time. His résumé reads like an inventory list of Fort Knox. Nine-time world champion, including three Olympic gold medals.

I tried finding a specific match that best captures his style, but couldn’t decisively pick one. Here is a man who won the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta at age 21 and is still going strong in 2008. He’s been around the block and stood the test of time. What can we learn from his battle-tested methods?

Take it easy

When Saitiev steps out on the mat, his head is clear. Beneath the Iron Curtain of his scruffy beard and rough exterior, he is calm and ready to go. You can see it in his style, his shoulders are relaxed and he breathes easy. His arms dangle casually by his side and his feet are light as a feather. In matches—Olympic finals included—he appears ghostly tranquil, as if composing a symphony.

I have a friend, Sean Harrington, who calls this “The Freedom”. He argues that many wrestlers get tense and nervous before matches, and lose their Freedom. Have you ever had that match where you are completely in the zone, on point, at the top of your game? You feel loose and open, and get lost in the moment. Afterward, it’s almost incomprehensible—as if you were possessed by some wrestling demon. And you dominate. That is wrestling at its best, that is The Freedom, and Saitiev has It.

Dominate your world

Part of being a champion is never being satisfied—it is not enough to just win. Saitiev has an insatiable appetite for victory and dominance, and he shows this trait in two ways:

-Unlike most people, he wasn’t happy with just one Olympic gold medal. He competes for the love of competition, not fame, money, or glory. Well, maybe glory.

-He doesn’t aim to edge opponents out narrowly. In an infamous preliminary match at the 2003 World Championships, he wrestled Jean Diatta of Senegal. Diatta takes him down in the beginning of the match, and Saitiev wastes no time in punishing him for this misdemeanor. Back then, if you got a technical fall you could opt to continue wrestling, and he does just that. The final score was 34-2.

There are no easy matches at the World Championships, and most coaches would advocate finishing preliminary matches quickly to conserve energy. Not this Russian.

Satiev vs. Diatta, 2003 World Championship, 74 kg

Develop a comfortable routine

According to Wikipedia, Saitiev recites the following poem before every match:

“I don’t think being famous is very attractive. That is not what lifts you up. You don’t have to build an archive. You don’t have to panic over your number of volumes. The object of a masterpiece is giving yourself away.” -Boris Pasternak, My Sister – Life

I’m not saying everyone should recite a poem, in fact, I find that excessive. But the prematch routine is a deeply personal matter—everyone does it his or her own way. Make sure you have a comfortable routine so you are calm and ready when you step to the line. Come game day, all the training you’ve done is past, and all you can control is the present. Warm-up and stay focused.

Poise is being comfortable and confident in a routine you’ve done many times before. When he steps on the mat, Buvaisar Saitiev knows he is ready.

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Noted wrestling reporter, Jason Bryant, has brought to my attention an error.  He points out that Diatta only scores 1 point on the first takedown, and that Saitiev in fact scored 39 points.  Apparently the folks at FILA messed up the score because it clearly says 34-2 on the scoreboard at the end.  I do not care enough to go through the video and tally the correct score.  Bottom line: it was A LOT to a little.