Wayne's World is back and even though none of this is really groundbreaking, I wrote it for my website. Also, all the Wayne's World columns will start appearing on www.ericwaynewrestling.com as well as here.
Life of a wrestler
From the everyday aches and pains, to the sacrifices that are made..the life of a wrestler is definitely an adventure til the end. Not much of it makes sense at times but not everything has to make sense. It all adds up over time and in the end, all that matters is being inside the ring. Its an incredible sensation to make the fans scream, cheer, boo, cry, or go completely and eerily silent, watching people throw whatever is available or physically being held back by security. What's equally as important as that is the challenge of making a living in a business that has gone downhill tremendously when compared to what it once was. For those with the heart and dedication to become the best, its a long road but the final destination is worth the trip. The normal person never seems to quite understand why anyone would put themselves through so much for what seems like so little. Its always hard to explain because the answer changes all the time, for me at least.
The aches and pains that we feel everyday are what people in their 40s and 50s are supposed to feel, not someone in their mid-20s. Its not much different than what any other athlete feels on any given day, but the injuries seem to happen more often. Its rarely anything major but whether its jumping from 10feet in the air or being hit with chairs..or something as simple as a bodyslam or clothesline, it all adds up over time.
The sacrifices made aren't always physical either. It doesn't make sense to normal people that we would drive 3 hours for a 5 second match, which I did for several weeks. But the fact that we sometimes have to be gone all day for a 20 minute match at night can be confusing. Missing birthdays, funerals, weddings and countless other events are all just part of the life of a wrestler. When it comes to a wrestling family, you can count on a few of us being late or not there at all because of previous obligations. Making it home at 2 in the morning only to have to wake up at 7am is a normal occurrence for us as well.
The only thing people ever see is the final product. What happens in the ring is only 10% of what happens in the life of a wrestler. Long hours on the road, dealing with nagging injuries, missing time with family and friends, training to stay well conditioned...its all a normal day for us. Its not much different than what any other athlete goes through but the life of a wrestler can be just as strenuous as the life of any other athlete. Most of the time though, we face conditions that normal athletes don't. A lot of the time we deal with other wrestlers with a serious lack of training, poor building conditions, low pay and lots of bumps, bruises and soreness. But most of us have the same dream: a full time job wrestling. Once we fulfill our dream, nothing else matters.
