One of my favorite wrestlers of all time, William Regal, dropped this pearl of wisdom on Twitter. Follow him @realkingregal to enjoy his dark humor and great advice. I decided I couldn't write anything better than this today. It might be the best thing that has ever been said to those who wish to lace up the boots and make a living in the squared circle. Listen up knuckleheads:
"Updated tips on being a Pro Wrestler/Sports Entertainer for those who've asked.It takes a lot more work to being a WWE superstar than an few Pro Wrestling holds and throws. You must develop all your skills and that usually comes from help from more experienced pro's. I never had to be told to ask for help and guidance and never to this day stop working on my skills. Sitting round texting, playing games and whining will get you know where. No one owes you a living.
So that I don't come across like a miserable old git (insert joke), I will happily give some free advice to up and coming Pro Wrestlers:
Find a school with a good rep and a trainer who has a great pedigree. Learn the basics properly.Get and stay in good condition,there's a big difference from looking in condition to actually being in condition.I'm a believer in Hindu squats, Hindu push ups and most importantly proper bridging (nose on mat,feet flat on mat).Work hard and have respect for the job.Good manners go a long way.Treat people the way you would like to be treated.Enjoy it.
Now once you are training:
- Make everything you do mean something or don't bother doing it.
- Study the greats and the people who the great ones admire.Very important.
- Get a good base of basics and perfect them. Don't take this for granted.
- Work at perfecting your skills but be honest with yourself. If there are things you don't do well then avoid doing them.
- Try to find someone who will give you an honest answer about your skills. Most people's ego won't allow them to think they do things badly.
- Practice your talking skills. Use a mirror and film yourself and work on every detail, facials, eyes and mannerisms.Learn a one minute promo and when you've got that perfect then do the same promo, the exact same words, in a many different emotions that you can think of(happy,sad,mad,indifferent,verge of a break down etc). Once you get good a this you can start inter changing them in one promo and your skill level will increase greatly.
- Look to the world to find things that you can use to develop your character. Films, TV shows and anything else that grabs your attention.
- Learn how to read people's emotions. This tip is invaluable. People don't just boo or cheer. You have to learn how to make them.
Only one in a million has the Elvis factor( old reference but I can't think of a better one). If you truly have that quality then you can get away with anything but the majority of us don't so don't take your skills for granted. I believe that that the more time you put into learning the details the better and longer your career will be.
Watch this match and really study everything they do.You should aim for this standard if you are interested in technical wrestling
I know I'm the last person you want to listen to about physique training but it's very important these days.From seeing how the smart people train now it seems as though compound movements like squats, deadlifts etc build better, more functional, resilient bodies for our business. Bodybuilding movements don't.Like I said, this is just what I see and hear .
Learn from the mistakes of the people who have come before you (including me) and try not to make them.
To make it in the WWE you have to be very adaptable and willing to make any character or opportunity work. Heres some very good advise.Make a list of the worst possible situations and character traits you be asked to do. Now make up a character and promos involving those traits and work on perfecting that character and promo (on your own otherwise you'll get locked up).Make those things second nature. Now you've taken away some of your fears so whatever you are asked to do should be easier. Dont skip this task. Very few people who come to the WWE end up being the character they envisioned.
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The most important things you have to make you connect with an audience are your eyes. If you believe in yourself and your persona it will be evident in your eyes.You cannot show any real emotion without your eyes. So,if you're interested in being taken seriously then never wear anything to cover them. This will offend a lot of people but you don't look cool wearing sunglasses indoors.You look a divvy. There are many big stars who have worn them but you'll find most will take them off when they're making a serious point or they just have that special magic that only 1 in a million have.
If you are a normal person like myself and you don't have that one in a million Elvis quality (a lot of people are delusional about this) then to make yourself valuable I suggest you study as many different styles of our business as possible. You never know how the industry will change and if you can only wrestle one way you may be left behind.It goes back to the being adaptable tip from before.
A great tip from Roddy Piper "always wrestle from your heart". This sounds simple but it's not.Don't play at pro wrestling,feel it and you will be a better pro.
One more tip. Everyone takes ideas from others but make them your own. Try to be original. Be a one off.
That's enough for today. Sounds simple enough but very few put those ideas into practice. Use common sense. Everything is in those tweets. Figure them out. In other words don't be a div. I can't hold your hand."
How awesome was that? Yeah I got goosebumps!
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