Traditional Championship Wrestling EP#22

"Training for Life" by Eric Wayne

When most people nowadays break into the sport of pro wrestling it seems that not very many have the heart and passion to make it worth everyones time. But on that same note, just as many have more heart and passion than some companies entire locker rooms. These qualities don't just appear during in ring training but also outside of the ring. Most of the people I talk to scoff at the idea of pro wrestling. Reasons vary but if they've ever been to anything local, chances are they weren't impressed.
Case in point, TFW's event at the New Daisy. For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about...it was the perfect example of a lack of heart, passion, and most importantly training. Not only was the in ring execution weak but the physical appearance of 95% of the 40+ guys booked was atrocious. Perfect example of not caring about anything. (as I write this I'm currently on an elliptical and have been for over 10 mins, which is longer than most guys can last during a match) I offer no apologies to the people I offend by saying this- training is important if for no other reason than to not injure yourself. Not to mention the aesthetic reasons. No one wants to watch a out of shape individual having playtime in a man's sport. What does this mean?

Quite simply, it means doing more than running a mile twice a week. It means looking like an athlete. With the days of MMA that look has become subjective but when it comes to this business...looking like someone out of the crowd doesnt cut it. If no one can tell you take care of yourself, why would they care to watch you wrestle? They wouldn't. This does not mean you have to live in a gym and diet so strict that you're miserable, just because you can't eat taco bell and drink miller light. But it does mean you need to look like a threat. I can reference almost anyone from the 80s and you'd see the difference in them versus today's common "wrestler". Even Eric Embry looked like a threat. When the bell rang he could GO.

What I'm getting at is this- the Ultimate Warrior wasn't as technically sound as Dynamite Kid but he looked like an athlete. Barry Windham didn't look like Warrior but he had an athletic appearance and his in ring skills made up for it. Find a combination that makes you believable and then step in the ring.
One thing I've learned from wrestling is that being in good physical condition can also affect your mental being as well. A lot of the lessons I've learned from this sometimes wild lifestyle can also be applied to everyday life. It takes a strong person to realize that and combine the two. You tend to grow up quick when you become involved with wrestling. I know I did and at the same time, this environment can keep you feeling young forever. If you take care of yourself outside of the ring, then once you step inside it makes everything easy. Mentally you're prepared for anything because you never stop thinking about the next time you'll be in the ring. You learn to read people from being around so many different personalities. You learn to take care of what really matters and let everything else go. Maybe you can learn that elsewhere but I thank Gotch everyday for giving me an escape and another reason to train, both mind and body.