Training over and over....

Let me set the record straight----PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING IS NOT FAKE!

Training twice a week at the WCWO training facility was the toughest thing that I have ever attempted to do in my life. The aches and pains I experienced were a lot because of not a lot of physical workouts in years, but the bruises and scrapes and burns that covered my body meant that I was nuts.

Many people today watch wrestling and make reference to the flips and tosses as gymnastics and those in the ring don't feel a thing. THINK AGAIN! In training, you practice moves over and over and over again until it's done properly.

My first training session was in a little room off of where the ring was located with one of the guys that wrestled for WCWO, Ronnie Owens that wrestled under the name of Indiana Kidd Jr. His first question to me was--What I knew about wrestling? LOL ok, I am a fan. My wrestling experience was a little in high school gym class plus watching it on TV. That meant I couldn't tell you the difference between a wrist watch and a wrist lock.

The first day was extreme basics....collar and elbow tie up, side headlock, hammerlock, overhand wristlock, plus the reversals. It went over and over and over until I was able to do it with no problems. Head up and lighten up. I just pictured me pissing this pro wrestler off since I was invading his profession and just absolutely going ape crap on me. Thankfully Ronnie Joe is one of my closest friends in the business today.

I wasn't allowed to get into the ring for the first couple of training sessions. All of my work was done outside of the ring. Don Basher was the head trainer but several of the regular wrestlers from WCWO would stop by to help out including Billy Bart, T.J.Powers, Johnnie Walker and The Notorious Convict.

One thing I did learn about the December show that week was the fact that I was going to be in the main event tag team match teaming with Indiana Kidd Jr to take on "Dangerous Bull" Don Basher and The Convict. Suddenly reality is setting in that this was really going to happen.

All that meant was getting serious about training and learning as much as I can because I have less than 90 days before the show was to take place.

A new training class for Basher meant I had guys to work with that were on my level--green. It also meant the first opportunity to get inside a wrestling ring.

Let me give you a description of the ring for those of you that don't know. The training ring is 16 foot by 16 foot. The ring ropes are airplane wire inside of foam with usually duct tape covering the foam. The corner turnbuckles are covered with padding-not enough to be considered a pillow. The ring floor is made up of steel cross bars, covered by plywood, covered by two layers of quarter inch carpet padding with a canvas top. Every ring is built differently and comes in a variety of sizes. The WWE uses a 24 x 24 ring for instance.

So if you ever have a thought that a wrestling ring is a big soft trampoline think again. This thing hurts your back, your legs, your head, your arms......everything attached to your body.

And we have yet to make any real contact with another person!!!!!