Wrestling Training: Part 2

My professional wrestling training begins in less than four days.

About a month ago I attended a show put on by Hard Knock Wrestling. (The same organization that runs the gym where I will be training.) I wanted to see what their talent and production were like, so I could give myself an idea of what to expect. It was interesting, to say the least. We walked in to a room about ½ the size of a high school gymnasium. A small section of the room was curtained off for the “locker room” area. The ring was set up about 15 feet from the “locker room” while the other three sides were lined with 2 to 3 rows of chairs. There were about 50 folding chairs set up all together. Make no mistake, this was low budget.

A few of the wrestlers stood out skill wise; some stood out gimmick wise. The atmosphere was fun and definitely family friendly. That was a must before I would even consider working with this promotion. No blood, no beer, no swearing, and nothing sexual. Perfect. That lets me know they try to sell their wrestling, and not sell all that extra garbage with a little wrestling on the side. The thing that struck me the most about this was the crowd.

 By the end of the show, there was not an empty seat in the house. More chairs had been brought out, and still, people were forced to stand along the walls to make room. Not only was it packed, (maybe 100 people), but this was the most diverse group I had ever been a part of. Young, old, black, white, Hispanic, middle class, lower class, people by themselves, whole families out together… that was the American melting pot. People came together from an infinite number of backgrounds all for the sake of professional wrestling. It gave me a strange sense of pride.

I also realized that Insanity training will not prepare me for this. There is no substitute for actual in-ring training and practice. I’m sure when I start the training that I will know of other ways I can improve myself outside of the ring. But nothing will help more than in-ring experience. So I signed up, despite not finishing my 60-day workout. So what happened to all the reasons I gave before about being the best me I possibly can be prior to this training? While that’s not untrue, I need to remember that this is training; NOT a tryout. This is to see where I am, and figure out if I want to continue training.

So here we are… four days away from starting my professional wrestling training. Psicosis, Ultimo Dragon, La Parka, Rey Mysterio Jr., and even lesser known luchadors such as Sydistiko, el Generico, the Osirian Portal and many others have all inspired me. Even American pro wrestlers like Bret Hart, Sting, Randy Savage, the Road Warriors, and C.M. Punk have shaped the way I view wrestling, and ultimately shaped the wrestler I wish to become. I will step in to a wrestling ring for the first time ever this Saturday, with my ultimate goal to become a professional luchador.