The Fantasy Camp

    I have received several emails from people wanting to get into wrestling and one thing seemed common they where unsure if it was for them. Or maybe they just want to see if they like it as much after getting into it. There is a low cost and quick way to find out. If you get the chance, attend a Fantasy Camp. These takes place in one day and are relatively inexpensive. It gives you training in very basic skills and lets you experience what its like to step in the ring. It can be a very intense experience as you get a lot thrown at you in the 4 to 6 hours of the camp but it is a wealth of knowledge and an opportunity of a lifetime. If you only take away, pictures and a few memories it is still something to talk about and gives you bragging rights. This is how I got my start back in 1999. In this article, I will go into detail about what to expect and try to answer some of the questions asked by those who have wanted information. It is not my desire to expose or discredit anyone running a camp or school. I am trying to present my experiences so others can learn from me. I am not calling anyone out nor am I trying to lose him or her customers. It is my desire to educate and hopefully pass the torch to the next great star. As I said in other articles I want my legacy to be as a mentor now and provide others with the information to make the decision if this is for them or not.

The first step is to find a Camp. This can be done via the internet by doing a Google or yahoo search. Or in my case, I asked the promoter of the independent group in my town how to get in and he referred me to his trainer. His trainer has done several fantasy camps and when I talked to others in the business they said his camps where the best in the area. So I chose to sign up after all what could I lose. The next step was to fill out a one-page application it asked very basic questions like age, height, weight, sports experience and what interested me in wrestling. There also was a place for parents to sign and a separate section for them. I was 28 so I did not have to worry about it but I talked to a few young pups that where younger. What impressed me was the trainer and promoter would sit down and go over what was going to happen and only accepted them if the parents and the potential student agreed to and understood what this was. It is important to know the expectations and risks involved. Following turning in the application there was a $50 deposit to hold your spot then on the day of the camp the balance of $75 was due. Now I am not sure what Today’s prices are but remember this was in 1999. I also normally do not include financial information out of respect but chose to put this in as an illustration of the fact that this might be more affordable then paying $1,500 or more and finding out you can’t make it or don’t like it. Remember there is no refund at least I have never heard of one.

    Leading up to the fantasy camp, you need to exercise as much as you can. Thinking back, I wish I had trained more. I took for granted that I was in relatively good shape but I really could have used more endurance and better conditioning. A good rule of thumb is 1 hour of exercise a day.

    On the day of the camp, you will want to arrive in comfortable clothing. Do not worry about dressing in your dream gimmick or like your favorite superstar. This is about education at this point your not even ready so focus on learning. The first thing you will do is stretching and exercises like jumping jacks, pushups, sit-ups and other things that you have done in physical education class. This will most likely take up an hour or so. That is why I stress to be in great shape. For me it felt like forever. Plan to do 25 to 50 of each exercise now you may be given a break for water but not very long. The goal of this is to get your body loose and to get your heart rate up. Your average match as a beginner is generally 6 to 20 minutes and you defiantly do not want to run out of gas. That is why it is important to have a good endurance.

    At this time you will be ready to step into the ring and begin the in ring training. Before they turn you loose or get started, they will give you some instruction. It is very critical to listen and pay attention to this as it can mean the difference in getting yourself or someone else hurt or worse. The trainer and his tag team partner ran this part of the camp and had over 10yrs of experience in the business and done countless shows. The first thing you’ll get taught is the building block of wrestling “The Bump” Virtually every move either starts or end with this move. It is single most used move in the business. It can also be a very difficult and painful move to learn. Falling backwards and hitting the ground while keeping your chin tucked, butt up and arms positioned correctly is a lot to remember but believe me it makes all the difference in the world. Soon you will master it and be able to do several in a row and get up almost instantly. You will feel a rush of excitement as you get better and better at it. Do not get discouraged as it took me a while to get it down and I still today have an occasional problem. Following the mastery of the bump you’ll learns other moves for me it was the clothesline, body slam, Forearm smash, hip toss and Irish whip. Not always does the Irish whip involve a bump but does often lead into setting up one. It is good to know how to work a combination of moves to be able to put together a good match. That is why you are taught these moves, as they are easy to combine. Remember this teaches only basics you will learn more in formal long-term training.

    Following this series, you will break for lunch. We where treated to sub sandwiches and water. A memorable event happened during this time. I was lying down in the ring and the trainer came by. He was a big guy weighing about 320lbs and very stocky. Without warning, he dropped an elbow into my chest. He replied, “Always be aware of your surrounding in the ring.” Believe me I always constantly look around now. It was shortly after that, we received our evaluations. It consisted of how we did and if he felt we had what it takes to be a good wrestler. At the bottom of my evaluation was a personalize note saying that if I was interested he was willing to take me on as a student and formally train me. Getting back to earlier what I said about conditioning he told me to get in the gym or exercise as much as I could. It made a huge difference when I started training with him.

    We concluded the Camp with a question and answer session. We got to ask about what we did and about something’s that did not get covered. Then we received certificates and t-shirts. A news reporter took pictures and did an article in the newspaper. It was my first taste of stardom as my pictures showed up in the article in the paper.

In the end, it was enough for me to decide this was what I wanted to do and signed up for his formal training. The next day was not very much fun though I was so sore and tired. I felt like I had been beat up. The second day I was ready to hit the gym and was determined to be in even better shape when I attended my first official training session as so my career began. Hopefully this will inspire someone who is thinking about being a wrestler and this information will be used as a stepping-stone. I did not have this convenience and had to do the research by myself. I wish I had this as it would have made the process easier but then again easier is not necessarily better as not everyone can win a championship but its fun to try. For some just going, the distance is satisfaction enough. A good wrestling buddy of mine says “When it’s not fun then its time to give it up.”

Comments

1. Comment #1

   Last week's article missed a lot, but fantasy camp is a very good way for people to decide if wrestling is for them. MOST of them will be cheap......$100-$250, depending on who runs it. 20 years ago we didn't really have a "fantasy camp".....when I worked for Chris Adams, guys would pay for training, come in for the first day out of shape or just expecting something else. Halfway thru the day a quarter of the new guys would be gone and never seen or heard from again. And there is NO refunds........you pay for a spot in camp that could have gone to someone else so if you change your mind you're screwed.
   In a turnaround from last week, this was a GOOD article.

   Posted by Master of Puppets on Friday, February 13, 2009

2. Comment #2

   This is definately some good info to know! Thank you so much for sharing this stuff with us! I doubt I'll have any more of a chance getting my parents on board with this, but I could try :)

   Posted by Stefan Escayg on Friday, February 13, 2009

3. Comment #3

   I'm being trained every week, sadly not a camp, but yeah, the "bump" as you call it, is good, and damn necassary

   Posted by Crazy Steve on Friday, February 13, 2009

4. Comment #4

   ...that's even more reason why you shouldn't be saying anything about his article if you aren't even attempting to write any of your own. you're even worse then your namesake.

   Posted by daveyboy on Friday, February 13, 2009

5. Comment #5

   hahaha...how much would you be willing to wager on that bet kid? you come to the czech republic, i swear on my life, i will break your fat pigneck in one motion so fast that you won't even be able to think "i wish i hadn't been such an idiot all my life." before you hit the ground.
   
   like i say, stick with the game. :)
   
   CZWAE Interspeed Champion
   Davio Fazino

   Posted by Mr. D Davio Fazino on Friday, February 13, 2009

6. Comment #6

   Thank you Master of Puppets for clearing up the mess this cretin thought up. George, this is a good article, and daveyboy, you probably havent even read my articles, and now that I said that, I'm sure you'll make a stupid comment in my article just because...Anyway, thanks Master of Puppets

   Posted by THE I repeat THE Master of Puppets on Friday, February 13, 2009

7. Comment #7

   Davey.......you know nothing of my "namesake" if you think I'm named after someone else in this game. As far as me writing articles, I would and they'd be great, but I have no time for that. Besides......maybe your little brain can't grasp the idea, but every writer here WANTS to know what his readers think of his articles, whether good or bad. So, I obviously DO have the right to state my OPINION on his article as much as you have the right to do whatever it is you do. And as I said to begin with, this was a GOOD article.
   THE Master of Puppets.......no problem dude. Keep up the awesome articles.
   Davio........you should try your hand at comedy. All you do is make me laugh. Wrestling isn't about killing people or breaking necks. I know you're supposedly a "champion" in a third world country, but chill out. No one outside of you has ever heard of you, so threaten all the suplexes and broken necks you want......you and your words don't matter.

   Posted by Master of Puppets on Saturday, February 14, 2009

8. Comment #8

   Agreed, I have been wrestling professionally for about 2-3years now and the bump was easier to take for me in some situations than others. i recovered faster from a suplex than a clothesline. But it most depends on how much time you have to get ready to do it.
   Nice article, very true

   Posted by Jason Callahan on Friday, February 13, 2009

9. Comment #9

   You want to take a bump? Hahahaha...you kids couldn't take a bump if your life depended on it. You want a bump? Come here, to the Czech Republic, and the moment I see you, DRAGON SUPLEX! Then I pick you back up, HALF NELSON SUPLEX!
   Give it up kid. stick with your game.
   
   CZWAE Interspeed Champion
   Davio Fazino

   Posted by Mr. D Davio Fazino on Friday, February 13, 2009

10. Comment #10

    give it up master of puppets...who are you to judge this guy's article. trust me dude, your's ain't so great, and certainly not as good as this. get over yourself man.
    
    awesome as article dude. :)i love hearing these stories even if i've been going for a year already...brings back the memories of asshole trainers like the guy above me...like, my first time in the ring, just running the ropes before training...one of my instructors sticks out his hand for a shake...i take his hand...and he swings behind me and just throws me across the ring with like a half nelson throw...:lol: my neck was wrecked

    Posted by daveyboy on Friday, February 13, 2009

11. Comment #11

    Daveyboy.........what the hell are you talking about? I don't HAVE an article so how do compare me to him. You don't f---ing know me, so don't worry about what I do or say....ok?
    And DAVIO FAZINO couldn't hit a suplex if his career depended on it. You suck.......stick with the GAME as well.

    Posted by Master of Puppets on Friday, February 13, 2009

12. Comment #12

    Ok, daveyboy.......I just realized how illiterate you are. I am NOT "The Master of Puppets" who writes articles on here. I am simply Master of Puppets....any time "The" is in the name it is him. Check it......these are the names we go by in TWG, unlike you. He's a good guy and all.....my former tag partner, but we're not the same person. Don't even know each other!

    Posted by Master of Puppets on Friday, February 13, 2009

13. Comment #13

    Wow, this drama is better than reality television, anyways, this is one of the best articles on TWG both individually and series-wise. It's very informative for the young ones like myself.

    Posted by Mysterio Kid on Saturday, February 14, 2009

14. Comment #14

    I read about two/thirds of the way through these comments and had to stop I was laughing so damn hard xD
    
    Thanks Jammin for another great and useful article, keep em coming.

    Posted by Paladin on Sunday, February 15, 2009

15. Comment #15

    Yeah.....these comments definately are entertaining, but lets not forget that Jammin George did also write a great article here and it deserves the praise more than some stupid comments do. I was involved in that, but still....the point is these comments are meant to be about the article, and I apologize to George for that. That being said......this was started by a couple of idiots who hopefully won't be heard from like this again.

    Posted by Master of Puppets on Sunday, February 15, 2009

16. Comment #16

    To whoever the Czech guy is or claims to be. STFU. seriosly. Your either a profesinal and should KNOW that moves are not ment to kill who your fighting. so stop with the threats. And if your some guy who's never wrestled then you've got no basis of which to say anything.
    
    A correctly done dragon suplex or half nelson suplex hurts, but only in a very specific place. And shouldn't do any real damage to the person.
    
    

    Posted by wolfie on Sunday, February 15, 2009

17. Comment #17

    I have to agree with the guy above. This Czech guy is just laughable. He claims to be some sort of Champion in the Czech Rep. yet the only thing he can do is name wrestling moves in capitals.

    Posted by Killomoto on Tuesday, February 17, 2009

18. Comment #18

    lol Czech guy is jokes
    firstly Czech dude lets say ur a pro wrestler
    but lets say the guy ur talking to is lets say a martial arts champ but doesn't but it in his name
    think about that
    o and i agree with comment 18 and 17
    btw czech guy i think i can take u :)

    Posted by brownsam on Wednesday, February 18, 2009

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