It's been a while since I've conducted an interview in the category of 'Important Aspects of British Wrestling'. In the past, I have looked at the referee and the MC (Master of Ceremonies). Lately, it has dawned on me that, what could be, the most important aspect of them all should be addressed - training.
The reason that this needs focus is because over the course of the last year, my travels might not have taken me far (yet), but I have seen various wrestlers on various shows in the South of England. I have also heard some worrying stories with regards to the quality of training in British wrestling. I decided to get in touch with some guys that I have been lucky enough to meet, and chat with, over the course of that year - Iestyn Rees, Gilligan Gordon and The UK Dominator - and pick their brains about the importance of good, reputable training before starting off on the journey to becoming a wrestler.
Jimmo's Angle: Gents, thank you very much for your time! Let's start at the beginning: How long have you been wrestling for? Who
trained you? How did you find the training?
Gilligan: I have been wrestling for eight years in
May of this year. I started training at 4FW under Dave Sharp, James
Dunn (JD Knight) and The Saint. I moved to SAS under Rockstar Spud,
Charming Don Charles and Dave Mastiff (the latter has had the most
input over the training in my career). In addition to these, I spent
time travelling around with Al Snow, Nick Dinsmore (Eugene), Doug
Basham and Vito (amongst others). I used to find training quite
natural, being in a lot better shape than I am now. It was easy to
get into as a result of having previous sporting experience playing
rugby.
Dom: I have been wrestling for about twenty years
and I was trained by Bully Boy Briggs. I found the training one of
the hardest things in my life. It's not like the training they do
today, it was much harder back then; you had to show that you can be
a wrestler, not like today do.
Training back in the day was like this: After a
four-hour drive to Doncaster, I had to start with a warm-up of
running around the ring 100 times, touching each post. Then
one-hundred press ups, four-hundred squats, and two-hundred sit ups -
that was just the warm up! Then a three hour session on different
things; sometimes you might do a session on just punching strikes so
you could master it. If you got it wrong then you'd have to do more
press ups but that was the norm. Then I had to wrestle for three
years before I even got paid! On the way to venues I would get kicked
out of the van a mile away from the venue and given a time to get
there; if I didn't make it in the time given then it was another
fifty press ups but that's the way it was if you wanted to be a
wrestler. If he [the trainer] said carry the bags then you would
carry the bags; if he said jump your reply would be 'how high'! You
wouldn't moan about it or you'd get kicked out - it's not like now;
if you don't like something, you just move to another wrestling
trainer. Back then there wasn't many around so you had to do anything
to get in the game. Also, if you walked into a venue it was up to you
to walk around the room, introduce yourself, and shake the hand of
everyone in there - to not do this was showing disrespect! Respect
nowadays doesn't even seem to come into it. Respect for other
wrestlers etc just isn't there. That's what I miss about the old
times - the respect and crack.
Iestyn: I started wrestling training in July 2005
and had my first match in November 2005. I trained at the 4FW Academy
under Dave Sharp, James Dunn (JD Knight) and The Saint. The training
initially took place all day on Sundays 10am-5pm, in Swindon. I
learnt the basics; break falls, chain wrestling, takedown and the
simple moves. Once you could master those effectively we worked on
match structure and working towards getting ready to perform on
shows. The training was hard but I was lucky that there were a group
of trainees that had either started just before me or just after, so
we progressed well as a group. All of the group progressed on to 4FW
shows around the same sort of time, I was then lucky enough to get to
work with some of the best up-and-coming talent at the time - Dave
Mastiff, Martin Stone, The Kartel (Terry Frazier and Sha Samuels).
Working with these more experienced wrestlers really allowed me to
progress at a quicker rate.
I then began to get bookings in a few companies
and continued to work with more experienced guys and progress
further, this included wrestling for Allstar Promotions across the
country, IPWUK in Kent and the short-lived South Wales Championship
Wrestling. It was the travelling to and from the shows with what
became a regular car team of myself, Gilligan Gordon, Dave Mastiff,
Joel Redman, Referee Chris Roberts plus many others that allowed us
to discuss the show and our matches. This dissection of the matches
really helped me improve. The match dissection continues to this day
and is a great tool in helping me continue to refine and improve my
wrestling.
 |
| Gilligan Gordon |
Looking back, how essential do you feel that
training was?
Gilligan: Imperative! Not just for the physical
aspect but because that was how I made my connections. It was how I
found my way into some of the places I did in the early years.
Meeting people, networking, socialising – all the aspects of the
business that get taken for granted and people don’t understand. I
learned more of what not to do by observing others in training than I
did anywhere else. So I did the opposite.
Dom: It was what made you what you were, it was
hard. What more can you say? Most, if not all, the trainees of today
would walk out and never come back.
Iestyn: The training I received, and still do
receive from more experienced guys, is paramount to the continued
improvement and evolution of my wrestling. There is always more to
learn and ways to improve.
What do you feel are important factors when
starting out to be a wrestler? What advice would you give to wannabe
students?
Gilligan: Ask someone in the know first if they
are reputable. Pro EVW (Gloucester), House of Pain (Nottingham),
AllStar, Brookside’s (Leicester), Fight Club/AWE (Midlands) and 4FW
(Swindon) to name a few around the country (not an exhaustive list!).
Then when you get there: study, work hard and commit. Engulf yourself
in it. Don’t be afraid to switch off from time to time but if you
want this you have to commit 110%. Watch as much as you can but make
sure you are absorbing it. Train as much as you can, but don’t burn
yourself out. Speak to as many people as possible, but never out of
turn. Be nice and make friends. Ask for advice. Take everyone’s
advice but don’t necessarily listen to it all. And stay in shape.
When you get on shows – KEEP IT F*CKING SIMPLE!! Learn how to work
every match on the card 1st, 2nd, Main… wherever. Then do that
match when you are booked there.
Dom: Give everything, never give up, don't expect
anyone to give you anything. Go out and get it for yourself; you will
get lots of promises that will not be delivered.
 |
| UK Dominator; 20+ years wrestling |
Iestyn: Do some research into the schools you
could attend. When I was starting I went on the internet found the
three most viable schools that were possible to attend. I looked at
their websites and I chose the school with most professional looking
set-up and wrestlers they produced. At the time I had little-to-no
knowledge of British wrestling as it was then. Nowadays there are
more schools - good and bad - but the product is much more visible
(Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc) therefore I would suggest to all
potential trainees to research the schools; find out who the trainer
is; has he been working a long time for respected companies? Have any
of his trainees also progressed to work for well-known companies? Are
the facilities of a good standard?
The advice I'd give to potential trainees is get
yourself to a basic level of physical fitness so you are able to
perform basic body weight exercises squats, push ups etc for fifty
reps at least as a minimum. Secondly, be prepared to get things wrong
and be criticised; the skills you need to wrestle are very different
that of most activities you will have undertaken. Therefore, you will
make mistakes. Expect constructive criticism and take this on board -
your trainer/coach is trying to help you.
Do you think there is a problem with youngsters
going to the wrong places/people to get trained? Are there any
measures that can be taken to stop this from happening?
Gilligan: Yes, there is a problem. It’s like germs
– if you don’t clean up they spread. I have had a fair few
accusations thrown my way and I maybe a hypocrite in some of the
things I say about staying in shape but when it comes to training I
have a grounding that means I can say people need to get the proper
advice. Measures? Not unless the whole thing becomes Governed and
regulated by a proper authority.
Dom: Trainees will train then think they can be
trainers; you will always get this, it will never stop until the top
promoters get together to stop it, or a governing body is set up.
Iestyn: There is a huge problem with poorly
trained people that start their own schools who don't give the
correct training for young adults attending their schools. The only
way to stop this would be to have an independent governing body which
would advise on the necessary skills and requirements needed to be a
Professional Wrestler and then a Professional Wrestling Trainer.
Unfortunately, I can never see this happening.
Basically, how important is it to get the right
training?
Gilligan: Essential. In all aspects of the
business. A lot of it people can’t teach you, you have to learn as
you go. But that comes with experience and you won’t get the
experience without the training. Sunrise/sunset.
Dom: Look around you and have a look at the shit
that's going around. You can tell the ones that have had good, decent
training and the ones that have had bad training.
Iestyn: As I've eluded to above, the right
training is essential. If you are taught the basic fundamentals
poorly you won't be able to progress to the more complicated aspects
successfully. Therefore, you become a danger to yourself and, more
importantly, your opponent. Furthermore, you will leave a bad
impression of wrestling in the minds of paying customers of the shows
you work on. Therefore, those customers are less likely to support
British wrestling in the future.
Do you have any success stories of people that
you have trained and if so could you share them?
Gilligan: Justin (The Hammer) Sysum. His story
will write itself. (The Monstrosity Known As) Richtor went on to end
his run at a higher quality level than anyone ever anticipated.
However, I would say I have “helped out” more people than I would
dare claim to have trained. A group of us travelled the road
together; helped each other out in so many ways. We affectionately
called ourselves “Car Team” – me, Dave Mastiff, Iestyn Rees,
Sam Beech (at various times in the past also Chris Roberts, Mark
Haskins, Spud (TNA), Joel Redman (WWE/NXT's Oliver Grey), Derice
Coffie, T-Bone and Mad Man Manson). I was a couple of years behind
some of them but we progressed together. Look at that list of names;
that’s a top quality card anywhere in the country.
Dom: I never trained but did help out Drew
McIntyre (WWE) with some words of wisdom; how to show-out and improve
showmanship. I can also say the same with regards to Joel Redman.
 |
| Joel Redman has found success in America |
Iestyn: I have had a small hand in helping out
some up-and-coming wrestlers who I feel have the potential to go as
far as anyone in the business. Two of those would be Justin Sysum and
Charlie Garrett. The physical abilities of these two athletes are
comparable to another wrestler who I have spent a lot of time with
and that is Joel Redman. He was the epitome of hard work and
determination and you can see where those traits have gotten him.
Finally, how rewarding is it to see someone
succeed and progress?
Gilligan: My legacy will likely be the successes
of others. I like to think I have had a positive impact, despite my
indiscretions and disagreements, and that I have been part of a group
that really helped to remind people that the wheel is round.
Dom: It's an amazing feeling to see people further
their career in wrestling. There's also a bit of jealousy!
 |
| Iestyn (right) with up-and-comer Charlie Garrett |
Jimmo's Angle: You can see from these answers that with the correct training you have a much better chance of progressing in your wrestling career. Dom, Gilligan and Iestyn have all pointed out at various times how hard it is to get anywhere - quite simply, you have to want it, work for it and have no excuses.
I really hope that the right eyes see this article and take the advice of these guys. Between them they have around forty-years worth of experience - there is an enormous amount of useful information that they could give you; and they're not the only ones. As they have said, search for the reputable companies (as they have listed some above), ask about their experience and choose a training facility and trainers that will train you in the appropriate way.
Facebook pages for the above companies/potential trainers:
Above everything, ensure that you get the right training from credible trainers. As Iestyn pointed out in the interview: with the wrong training '...you become a danger to yourself and, more
importantly, your opponent.'
Support British Wrestling
@jimmosangle
