Nick Feldman wins his matchup during the match against Iowa on February 6.
Credit: Dominic Ferraro | Lantern Photographer
Most wrestlers at Ohio State spend the season focusing on cutting weight, but for Nick Feldman, a heavyweight wrestler, the challenge is different.
Extra meals, heavier lifts and adjusted training methods create a unique set of demands as competing at the top weight class requires him to build size rather than lose it.Feldman’s role as Ohio State’s heavyweight requires more than just size, highlighting the discipline and distinct expectations that set heavyweights apart from their lighter teammates.?
Feldman said his path to heavyweight wrestling was inspired by his father, Josh Feldman, a former college heavyweight who finished seventh in the nation at Virginia Tech in 1994. But Nick Feldman said he didn’t always compete at that size.
“My freshman year of high school I wrestled at 152 but then I hit a big growth spurt and was like 200 pounds the next year,” Feldman said. “I just kept getting bigger and felt that heavyweight was the way to go.”
Feldman said a usual day while in-season consists of a lot of hard training, lifting and eating.?
“I’ll wake up and come in and do some technique stuff with a lift to finish,” he said. “I’ll eat good, have another hard practice to put on some muscle and then go to bed.”
Nutrition is one of the key factors that separates heavyweights from wrestlers in lighter weight classes.
Feldman said on a daily basis he strives to eat 5,000 calories.?
“My biggest focus is eating my body weight in protein, around 240 grams, and then getting good carbs and fats, truly making sure I’m eating the right stuff,” he said.
Nancy Siegel, assistant performance dietitian, said one of the biggest struggles heavyweights face is eating enough food each day.
“The amount of time they spend in training and the classroom can make it really difficult to get enough fuel that their body needs,” Siegel said. “Prioritizing certain eating windows is really important,”
Heavyweights often face the misconception that they can eat whatever they want, which Siegel emphasized is far from the truth.
“Nick sometimes jokes that it’s harder to keep this weight on than it is to cut it,” Siegel said. “We really focus on diet quality and he does a super good job prioritizing good foods.”
Feldman’s training must also be adjusted in order to meet the physical demands that come with competing as a heavyweight.
Assistant coach Bo Jordan said one of the biggest differences in lifting schedules for Feldman in comparison to a lighter weight is how often he is able to train each week.
Jordan said Feldman’s ability to lift more consistently during the season sets him apart, noting that some wrestlers who cut a lot of weight might only lift once a week, which in turn contributes to Feldman’s speed compared to other heavyweights.
“He’s probably one of the fastest heavyweights in the country,” Jordan said. “We try to play it to our advantage a lot and cater his wrestling style and matches that way.”
In order to sustain that speed and stay healthy, recovery plays just as crucial a role as training does.
“Sauna, cold tub just to get your body feeling right,” Feldman said. “I like to say a recovery day is just as good as a training day, so I work really hard on off days.”
Siegel added that sleep in combination with Feldman’s nutrition is extremely important when recovering from matches.?
“We want to make sure he’s staying asleep at night and he’s not having restlessness,” she said. “If he’s getting in a good source of protein and carbohydrates before bed, that can help with muscle recovery overnight.”
Every part of Feldman’s lifestyle, from diet to training, builds to the moment he steps on the mat.
As the anchor on the lineup, Feldman said he embraces the role and expectations that come with finishing out the match.?
“I’m the big guy, I’m the final act you can say,” Feldman said. “I gotta finish strong for my team and for the people that support us.”
