I started at 7 and loved it. I had two older brothers that beat the crap out of me daily, so by the time practice rolled around I couldn't wait to dish it out..l

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I have a 7 year old that started when he was 4 but he is very aggressive. At our wrestling club there was a child that was 4 also and on their own they started rolling around and doing what the big kids were doing on the mat.

Granted their attention span was not that great and they played alot, but they were learning the basics. We started to enter them in some of the tournaments their brothers were going to and they did well and even placed at a national tournament in the 401b 6- under division their first year.

Every year they learned more and more, both of them had very successful seasons this year. I see what they have learned already and can't wait to see where they will be in a few years. Some argue that they will get burned out and not want to wrestle later on in life, I know this has happened and probably will continue to happen. Go to Senior Nationals and listen to the interviews they all started when they were 4-6 years old and most of them were going to college. Bottom Line it all depends on the Kid and how the parents and club nurtures them.

It all depends on the maturity and aggressiveness of the kid. Some kids just don't have it mentally to be able to wrestle and handle all that comes with it.

Some argue that they will get burned out and not want to wrestle later on in life

This can happen, but I think as long as you keep it fun and let it be their decission they will not burn out. Also please do not have kids cut weight until High school. I see kids in grades 3-6 cutting upwards of 10-12% of their body weight. I know it is not a 10 year olds choice to be cutting weight, it is the parents. Those kids are the ones who will be burned out.

Remeber to keep it fun and a youth and Jr. highs record doesn't matter, It is when you get into High school is when it starts to count.

Of course you can start your kids at whatever age you want if the clubs allow it. What I am saying is that in my opinion they will not be any better in high school, college, or beyond because they started at 4 rather than 10. No leg up or more benefit whatsoever. JMO. Mo Lawal started at 16 I believe.

Of course you can start your kids at whatever age you want if the clubs allow it. What I am saying is that in my opinion they will not be any better in high school, college, or beyond because they started at 4 rather than 10. No leg up or more benefit whatsoever. JMO.

Have to disagree with you on this one. If a wrestler can get a solid basics down at an early age and a strong work ethic they will have a leg up. With some of your examples of older wrestler starting late there are alway exceptions to the rule.

Think about a 10 yr old first year wrestler taking on a 10 yr old 5th yr wrestler they will get destroyed. now think if he wrestles 20+ matches that year and faces 15+ experienced wrestlers. How is his confidence going to be? Confidence is huge in wreslting and all sports. So with the way sports are today, you need to start young.

With that being said, Make sure you keep it very fun for the young wrestlers. If they are 9 and below let them practice as they want to.

I have a four year old son and zero plans on signing him up to wrestle (that is if he ever wants to) for quite some time. Right now, he prefers digging holes in my back yard with his shovels, playing basketball with a football, playing with his "best friend" and other stuff to be bothered with it and that is fine by me and my wife because right now he loves doing those things most of all.

I spoke with Israel Martinez about this a few months back and he said that he sees no need to start a kid wrestling before the age of 9, unless he was really athletic, then 10 years old. He felt that there were plenty of other sports and activities to enjoy before involving them in a sport like wrestling.

In the end, though my kids are around the sport all the time, it will be their decisions to partake in the wrestling at all. If not, we'll find other constructive things for them to love and be great at.