So you wanna be a wrestler…

[Montague]

Over the last 8 months or so, I’ve received some PM’s from people curious about getting into (and being in) pro-wrestling.
I know there are some posters who used to or currently wrestle/train pro.
Additionally, I know that some of you know people who do/have done it.

This thread is for anyone wishing to discuss anything to do with personal involvement in the business.

You can discuss your own experiences,
Post your questions,
Or weigh in with your thoughts.
Even if you have no aspirations to break into the biz, but are merely curious about it - this is the place for you...

[Montague]

To get the ball rolling, I’ll post my responses to several PM’s I received a while back:


PM:

Hey,
Didn't want this on the general board, you know how it is on here sometimes. I've had a guy I've known thru the gym trying to get me to give wrestling a go. I have always wanted to try it and have no delusions on being a star or anything. Just think the experience would be cool. Any advice or things to offer?

Monty:
I can’t tell you if it’s right for you or not.
Only you can decide that.
I will tell you some observations that I made (in no particular order).

1.) It’s easy to get hurt. You’ll want some kind of health insurance plan, as medical bills will pile up quick. Usually this involves working a “9 to 5” job. I wouldn't have done it without health coverage.

2.) As with anywhere, expect to eat shit as a rookie. I was 24 when I trained, and I was a bit bigger than the other “kids,” so I didn’t get stuck doing much initiation type stuff other than setting up the ring and picking up a few “celebrity” wrestlers from airports, etc. Most newbie’s, though, are messed with by the boys.

3.) It’s gonna cost you some $$. Most promotions/people charge for the training. Even once you start working matches you’ll probably spend more on gas, boarding, ring gear, etc. than you’ll make from the shows. However, if you start claiming this shit on your taxes, then those things – and others, like supplements – can be a write-off.

4.) You’ll lose most of your free time. I like my weekends, and prefer to spend them with friends and family rather than a gymnasium with the "whitest" of trash and the "reddest" of necks (and then there’s the fans.)

You have to really like it to justify doing it. There’s a lot working against you, but then there’s also always a chance you’ll get discovered. My buddy got into OVW after being offered a tryout for a dark match.

You may not know for sure if it is or isn’t for you until you actually try it.
Many places will require full payment for training whether you stick with it or not. So learn about any and all catches before you sign any kind of agreement.
That’s about all I can offer.
Good luck.

[Montague]

PM:

Hey man hope you dont mind helping me with a quistion......
In my wrestling promotion im known for throwing alot of different ( especially overhead ) Suplex's
I was wondering if you know of any exercise's that would directly help my throwing ability??
Thanx in advance

Monty:
I would focus a lot on shoulders.
The shoulders are complex joints that move in a plethora of different directions, and they are CRUCIAL overhead work.

Ken Patera had big POWERFUL delts, and he never needed “help” from his opponents to pick them up and then do whatever he pleased.
Other suplex masters who come to mind:
Steiner
Angle
Benoit
Dynamite Kid
All these guys had good shoulder development.

I would do a variety of shoulder training with heavy emphasis on presses since they build the most strength and size.
Try alternating between:
Seated dumbbell
Seated barbell
Standing dumbbell
Standing barbell
Arnold presses
Cuban presses
Smith Machine presses
And if your gym has different Hammer or Life Fitness machines, alternate those as well.

The idea is to work those shoulders from EVERY possible angle and position. Also include isolation work for each head, and don’t forget rotator cuff strengthening.

It is also advisable to pay special attention to abs, low back, and legs because your core is your foundation to work from when hoisting your opponent overhead. Train these parts directly as well as doing the popular “core-strengthening” exercises for maximum development.
You’ve mentioned lower back issues, which is why I would add even more ab work to help negate some of the deficiencies in the lumbar region.

Of course bi’s and tri’s are strong upper body ancillary muscles used for suplexes, so don’t neglect them either.
Basically, you’ll want to train your entire body, but for overhead throwing purposes, I would prioritize the shoulder work outlined above.


PM:

Hey man thanx alot for the advice alternating alot of presses on top of regular shoulder work sounds good, I just wasn't exactly sure what muscle controlled the throwing motion the most but that sounds right.
I do train whole body and shoulders do seem to lag behind a little maybe i havent been training them hard enough.
But in your opinion as a natural would training shoulders twice a week to bring them upto par be too much???
Again thank you

Monty:
I wouldn’t do a FULL shoulder workout more than once per week, though I don’t see a problem adding a couple of supplemental sets of presses at the end of another workout day.

If your wallet allows, consider investing in some proven OTC supplements that aid in recovery – BCAA’s, creatine, Vitamin B6, etc.

[leonp1981]

Paying for training is a big hit, I was surprised how expensive it was.  And they didn't pay you for the shows until you had been there for a good length of time.  Even then it was only the equivalent of a weeks training!

The other big thing for me was the injuries.  Just taking the bumps at first caused days of neck pain, and once you got used to that, there'd be the other niggling little things.  A dodgy landing from a hip toss put my shoulder out for a couple of weeks, a suplex into the ropes twanged my knee, and then I broke my foot being thrown out of the ring.  This was all in the space of 3 months!  I have no idea how the pro's manage to keep going, night after night, when their bodies must be in pieces.

For the guy asking about Suplex training, I'd make sure to incorporate some type of power clean and/or clean and press into his training to build that explosive power he needs.

[Montague]

It's always interesting to hear feedback from people who've actually worked inside of a ring.
I truly believe that is the only way you can fully grasp what it's like - to get in there and actually do what these guys do.

Even those who critics consider lousy workers posses some skill and absorb some abuse when working.
You can’t "NOT!"
If the average person subjected themselves to a few intermediate ring drills, I don’t think they’d be so quick to criticize and/or dismiss the business.

[The Showstoppa]

It's always interesting to hear feedback from people who've actually worked inside of a ring.
I truly believe that is the only way you can fully grasp what it's like - to get in there and actually do what these guys do.

Even those who critics consider lousy workers posses some skill and absorb some abuse when working.
You can’t "NOT!"
If the average person subjected themselves to a few intermediate ring drills, I don’t think they’d be so quick to criticize and/or dismiss the business.

Great thread Monty.  I think anybody who has watched wrestling for any length of time has wondered "what if?"

[Playboy]

Great thread Monty.  I think anybody who has watched wrestling for any length of time has wondered "what if?"

I agree. For me, watching "Wrestling with Shadows" is the closest i've seen to guys training to make it big and the stuff that goes on behind the curtain.

[The Showstoppa]

I agree. For me, watching "Wrestling with Shadows" is the closest i've seen to guys training to make it big and the stuff that goes on behind the curtain.

That was an excellent movie.  Had kind of forgot about it.....and yeah, it opened a lot of eyes to the "stretching" that goes on.

[Montague]

Shadows & Beyond the Mat were - in my opinion - the two best pro-wrestling documentaries ever produced.
The ironic part is that both projects took unexpected turns that made each a much bigger success than planned.

Bret, himself, had doubts about his doc.
The producer assured him after filming wrapped that the footage caught at the end with Vince would seal the deal.
Even the critics loved it.

As for BTM, Barry Blaustein chose to follow Foley as the broken down, indy-wrestler winding things down at the end of his hard career.
Shortly after filming began, Foley shot to super-stardom and became one of the highest paid workers in WWF at the peak of its popularity.

[The Showstoppa]

Shadows & Beyond the Mat were - in my opinion - the two best pro-wrestling documentaries ever produced.
The ironic part is that both projects took unexpected turns that made each a much bigger success than planned.

Bret, himself, had doubts about his doc.
The producer assured him after filming wrapped that the footage caught at the end with Vince would seal the deal.
Even the critics loved it.

As for BTM, Barry Blaustein chose to follow Foley as the broken down, indy-wrestler winding things down at the end of his hard career.
Shortly after filming began, Foley shot to super-stardom and became one of the highest paid workers in WWF at the peak of its popularity.

The Jake Roberts stuff was tough to watch...kinda like a car wreck in slow motion.

[Montague]

Yeah.
He apparently addressed that and the WWE DVD in another shoot interview he did about a year ago.

I was going to order it, but he’ll just use the money to buy more drugs.
 

[The Showstoppa]

Yeah.
He apparently addressed that and the WWE DVD in another shoot interview he did about a year ago.

I was going to order it, but he’ll just use the money to buy more drugs.
 

haha, plus it will be on youtube at some point.....

[Playboy]

Yeah.
He apparently addressed that and the WWE DVD in another shoot interview he did about a year ago.

I was going to order it, but he’ll just use the money to buy more drugs.
 

       

[Montague]

 

[The Showstoppa]

Monty, did you ever juice?  If so, was it hard way or blading?

[Montague]

During my VERY short stint, no – I never did.
IMO - you're asking for trouble.
Besides, at least in the 3 indy promotions near me, you were essentially looking at ECW rip-offs.
(That’s about the only thing that draws anymore, so that’s what the promoters, um... promote!)

Blood was usually reserved for the more brutal matches, and - for the most part - came naturally.
Occasionally, somebody would fix up a blade in the locker room in case they needed it.
Usually, though, somebody like New Jack got the job done with his fukking fork!

One very interesting method I’d heard of (but never seen) is to cut your forehead ahead of time. Patch the wound with Nu-skin (that liquid band-aid stuff), and go out.
When the time is right, it’s a simple matter to use your hand or wrist to brush open the cut and start the color flowing.
I suppose if you’re going for it early, or only doing a promo, this would work well.

Cutting yourself during a match is always dangerous. It’s very easy for something to go wrong – cutting too deep, or infection (there’s a lot of gross shit on ring ropes & mats).

I don’t think blading/juicing is as common as many people think.
You might be surprised how many big names have never done it.
Prior to his WM XIII match, Austin had never got color – and that was after a stint in ECW!
When the time came, he actually got Bret to do the slicing.
Bret may have been among the last workers who could skillfully carry out that art.

[Playboy]

During my VERY short stint, no – I never did.
IMO - you're asking for trouble.
Besides, at least in the 3 indy promotions near me, you were essentially looking at ECW rip-offs.
(That’s about the only thing that draws anymore, so that’s what the promoters, um... promote!)

Blood was usually reserved for the more brutal matches, and - for the most part - came naturally.
Occasionally, somebody would fix up a blade in the locker room in case they needed it.
Usually, though, somebody like New Jack got the job done with his fukking fork!

One very interesting method I’d heard of (but never seen) is to cut your forehead ahead of time. Patch the wound with Nu-skin (that liquid band-aid stuff), and go out.
When the time is right, it’s a simple matter to use your hand or wrist to brush open the cut and start the color flowing.
I suppose if you’re going for it early, or only doing a promo, this would work well.

Cutting yourself during a match is always dangerous. It’s very easy for something to go wrong – cutting too deep, or infection (there’s a lot of gross shit on ring ropes & mats).

I don’t think blading/juicing is as common as many people think.
You might be surprised how many big names have never done it.
Prior to his WM XIII match, Austin had never got color – and that was after a stint in ECW!
When the time came, he actually got Bret to do the slicing.
Bret may have been among the last workers who could skillfully carry out that art.

That's very interesting to know, Mont. Just curious, have you ever seen anyone get seriously hurt in the ring?

[The Showstoppa]

Excellent feedback Monty.  Was that the match where Austin was bleeding like a stuck pig?  That was insane.

[Montague]

That's very interesting to know, Mont. Just curious, have you ever seen anyone get seriously hurt in the ring?

I remember a guy having a steel cage door slammed head into his head as he was about to exit.
There was a bolt projecting about a half-inch through the frame on the side that hit him.
The bolt punctured his forehead and the threads grabbed & ripped off a good hunk of his skin with it.

As we broke down the ring at the end of the night, you could see the flap of scalp (complete with hair follicles) stuck on the end of the bolt.

Excellent feedback Monty.  Was that the match where Austin was bleeding like a stuck pig?  That was insane.

Yes.
It was their submission match from that year’s Mania.
They used to play the clip of him all bloodied (right before “passing out”) during the RAW intro.

[Thin Lizzy]

Here's a match with Bruno Sammartino blading.

At about 6:15 Zbyszko leaves the ring to get a chair. Bruno, still in the ring, goes into his tights and pulls out a blade. When Zbyszko hits him with the chair, Bruno rakes the blade across his own forehead.

It seems really dangerous to keep the blade in the bottom of your tights as Bruno does here. If something goes awry and the blade cuts your femoral artery, it's game over.

[Playboy]

Here's a match with Bruno Sammartino blading.

At about 6:15 Zbyszko leaves the ring to get a chair. Bruno, still in the ring, goes into his tights and pulls out a blade. When Zbyszko hits him with the chair, Bruno rakes the blade across his own forehead.

It seems really dangerous to keep the blade in the bottom of your tights as Bruno does here. If something goes awry and the blade cuts your femoral artery, it's game over.

Nice clip! And I agree with you on keeping the blade in the tights. If he took a bump the wrong way, he could slice his dick. Ouch!!

[Montague]

You can’t tell for sure from the clip, but some guys would have pockets sewn inside their trunks to retrieve and/or ditch the blade.
Others would just toss it in.

Have seen matches where the guy deposits it into his opponent’s kneepad or waistband. I remember Sabu stuffing one into the turnbuckle while selling.
In one of his matches with Foley, HHH cut himself, and instead of ditching the blade, simply retained it in his fist for the last several minutes of the match. That’s why his hand was clenched the entire time.

The worst televised blade job had to have been Hennig’s AWA title match with Bockwinkle.
Nick couldn’t have been more blatant & obvious about it if he’d tried.

It looked like he had it hidden in his wrist tape because he unraveled a good 2-inch length of it just before whacking.
Curt clobbered him, and as Nick was selling on all fours, the whole arm of his cutting hand was rigid and could be seen to make a cutting action.
This was back in the Kayfabe days.

The icing on the cake was a fan in the same camera shot excitedly miming cutting his own head while pointing at Bockwinkle & shouting to his buddies – pointing out what was happening.

Curt could later be seen on the arena floor tossing a blade under the ring apron after slicing himself.
Sometimes it pays to smarten up the camera people so they can avoid focussing on shit like that.

[Playboy]

I remember a guy having a steel cage door slammed head into his head as he was about to exit.
There was a bolt projecting about a half-inch through the frame on the side that hit him.
The bolt punctured his forehead and the threads grabbed & ripped off a good hunk of his skin with it.

As we broke down the ring at the end of the night, you could see the flap of scalp (complete with hair follicles) stuck on the end of the bolt.



Yes.
It was their submission match from that year’s Mania.
They used to play the clip of him all bloodied (right before “passing out”) during the RAW intro.

That's f****d. Imagine how painful that must have been. A bolt being dug into your forehead. Ouch....and they say wrestling is "fake". Ya sure...tell that to Foley. 

[Montague]

Firstly, the owner of the cage should have inspected it for hazards like that.
So, I lay the primary blame with him.

Secondly, it’s up to the guys in the match to do a safety inspection for spots such as that one.
However, that match’s finish was changed at the last minute, and unfortunately, that’s the alternative they’d come up with on the fly.
There was no time for inspection.

Imagine the ER Dr. asking how in the hell that happened.
Almost any lie you concoct would probably sound more believable than telling him it happened while you were pretending to fight – which is exactly what the majority of the public dismisses it as.  

[UPINTHEMGUTS]

Remember being a kid and watching WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event. Late 1986 or early 1987. Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff in a steel cage. That was the one were both Orndorff and Hogan were both exiting the cage and landed on the floor at the same time. They restarted the match and Hogan ended up winning.

Anyway....during the match you could easily tell Orndorff was blading. You could clearly see him taking the blade out of his wrist tape and cutting his forehead. Hogan was actually walking toward him and paused for a second because he noticed last minute that Orndorff was blading. Then he threw Paul against 3 sides of the steel cage and then that's when the blood started flowing.