In Defence of Professional Wrestling

Photo by the brilliant J.Gardner

It’s just gone midnight and I’ve just finished my forth, three-hour wrestling training session in the last seven days.

I’m about to set foot on an hour long tube to my car, so I can drive half an hour home. Then I’ll sleep for five hours, haul myself upright, clang my way through a gym session and head out for eight hours of work.

My calves feel like pin-cusions, the insides of my lips are shredded and my lower back is demanding a gimmick of its own…

…and I’m loving it.

Sunday: Partying, Brewing and Wrestling.

After shooting a successful series of BrewDog Beer Cocktail pictures for Zoo Magazine last week, they asked me back to photograph their brew day. Luckily, I was due to be in London anyway , so I was totally up for it. Unluckily, I woke up on a floor, after a night of partying in Brent Cross – damn you Andrew WK and your inspiring, inspiring outlook on life!

Even so, two breakfasts later (eggs royal and American pancakes), I was ready to rock! The moody downstairs lighting at BrewDog Camden wasn’t ideal for photography, but I got a few shots I was happy with. After all, I have no idea what I’m doing…

After that, I drove back to High Wycombe to train with Entertainment Wrestling Association (EWA), where I worked on developing Murorga Sim Bowa’s moveset, as well as some interesting spots and highlights for my forthcoming match in June:

Then I showed, ate and – finally – slept. My first good night’s sleep this week. Mmmmmmmmmm. Next week expect: hardcore martial arts conditioning, open mic night in London, more Lucha Libre and various gym work.

Partying Hard…with Andrew WK!!

Having spent 38 of the previous 48 hours awake and doing as much as possible, today should have been a day for relaxing. Instead, after a solid day’s work, I leapt on a train with my brother-by-blood, Will, and half a lire of rum.

Once the rum was gone, we met our brother-in-thunder, Head Brewer and Emperor of Murderbeers, Matt Bunn and sat on a wall in Kentish Town, drinking Red Stripe, planning Download 2012 and singing songs about our past adventures.

Then we threw the cans away, strolled down the road…and casually attended the greatest gig of all time.

Yes, this is me and my brother – and many other people – onstage at the HVM Forum…with Andrew WK – the best of men. (I appear at 05:05, throwing my arms in the air and screaming. Will appears at around 06:14, HUGGING Andrew WK.)

If not totally life-changing, it was – without a doubt – outlook-changing. Turns out that, what we were lacking all along, was more partying.

If ever a better time was had, I don’t want to know about it.

20 Hours of Non-Stop Rockin

After a blissful 5 hours of sleep last night, I have now been awake for about 20 hours.

It started with a drive to Maidenhead and a train to London. I then conducted a case study with Sense Cost Consultants, which I spent the day writing up. I then proceeded to the BrewDog bar in Camden, where I photographed their brand spanking new beer cocktails for Zoo Magazine!

After drinking said cocktails (there were half a dozen of them), I trundled my way to the London School of Lucha Libre, where I trained solidly for three hours in the ancient art of “Free Fighting”, which is what the Spanish Speaking counties call their massively entertaining form of professional wrestling.

Changing Gyms in High Wycombe

Today, I made three decisions.

1. Having flown home from Portugal yesterday – where I did nothing at all for 10 days – I decided it was time to get back to the gym.

2. Having seven potential evening training sessions per week, in various types of combat, I decided to start going to the gym in the morning again.

3. Having nearly knocked myself out countless times simply walking around in Muscle Zone at Handy Cross (the place is cluttered to the point of being lethal), I decided to change gyms. Again.

The Return…of MURORGA SIM BOWA!

A month ago, I declared that I had returned to entertainment wrestling. Well, here are my first few minutes back in the ring!

Or here, from a different camera angle:

Another Diving Headbutt

Time Off.

After much…doing of things, I have decided to take a week off to drink and sleep. I have chosen Portugal as the location for my drinking and sleeping.

Of course, I’m not really very good and doing nothing. Luckily, nor is my dad! As such, I’m confident there will be running, football and feats of general sporting prowess!

Huzzah! See you on the other side!

At the Olympic Stadium

As I write is, I am standing just outside the Olympic Stadium for the London 2012 Games…waiting to walk inside and run the 100m.

How exactly I have ended up here is unclear. I do, however, know it involved dozens of generous people, all of whom I can’t thank enough for everything they have donated to this cause. Whether it was the sports themselves, the blog or the Tough Guy race that inspired you to donate, it a goes to the same great cause.