The following interview is part of an exclusive interview series courtesy of CWN Contributor Steven O’Neil. Steven has been a fan of Pro-Wrestling for the past 30+ years and on top of his love for the business, he has also lent his voice to several podcasts over the past year.
What do you do in your spare time when you aren’t wrestling, or training?
Before pursuing my career in the field of Pro-Wrestling, I had my entire focus in the field of Body Building. I am also a Professional Body Builder. I keenly spend hours in the gym working on my body.
What is your favourite wrestling themed podcast or YouTube channel?
My current favorite podcast is ‘The Steve Austin Show’ which you can hear on Spotify.
What was the moment that made you decide to pursue wrestling as a career?
Wrestling is no new dimensional field for me. I used to watch wrestling with my family back when I was a kid. It was always my favorite sport. But there was one moment which lead me to decide that I eagerly wanted to be a Pro-Wrestler was the match between Shawn Michaels & Bret Hart. I still remember each and every glimpse of that match that took place in Montreal on November 9, 1997. That match had made me more eager to enter into the field of Professional Wrestling.
How do your friends/family feel about your wrestling?
As being a Professional Body Builder & Wrestler, it is sometimes very difficult to manage both of my personal & professional lives. My family has a sort of mixed reactions. Sometimes they are very happy seeing me in this field but sometimes they get offended too easily as I hardly manage to spend time with them.
How do you balance family/relationships while pursuing your wrestling career?
I already told you that it’s not an easy task. I try my level best to make both ends meet. On my weekends I spend my full time with my family so that at least they have some good remarks on my Professional Wrestling/Body Building side ?.
What does a typical training day look like for you?
Well, I have been training for the last 8 years. As for the start of my early Body Building career, I was entirely focused on making an athletic & specular body. As all of you are aware, that transformations don’t happen overnight. It takes time – hours upon hours spent training, eating well & putting health above also. There is no easy route when it comes to making life long changes, but perseverance & determination go a long way. Since then I have worked very hard to maintain it. As far as a training day in the life of a Pro-Wrestler is concerned, I follow a muscle building workout routine followed by strength training, weight lifting & several other exercises like ISO, chest press, body weight skull crushes, body weight hamstring bridge, plank, squats, sit-ups & many more. Besides training, I eat several small meals throughout the day and supplement with snacks before & after workouts to maximize lean muscle gains. I must say, “Consistency is the key to success as long as you have strong determination towards your goals”.
What does the diet of a pro-wrestler look like?
My diet basically are foods which are high in carbohydrates, have moderate amount of protein & are generally low in fat. I strictly avoid fried items and go for the food which are rich in nutrients like lean protein, fruits, protein shakes, whole grains and vegetables. Besides these, I always keep myself hydrated which is also an important key element.
What do you think is a common misconception about wrestling that people have?
The most common misconception about Wrestling is that often people assumes that ‘Wrestling is fake’. This may seem like a semantic issue but there is a crucial difference between ‘scripted’ & ‘fake’. Professional Wrestling is a pure hyperbolic entertainment for the people provided by the Pro-Wrestlers who put their bodies on the line just to provide entertainment to the fans. Injuries, which no one is ready to bear, on the other hand are real. The body of a Professional Wrestler is forced to endure more punishment than any of the athletic events in the history of the sports. Even we have witnessed this in history of Pro-Wrestling that many wrestlers have died far too young as a result of this vicious cycle. People have often overlooked this fact that performing in a Wrestling ring requires a little more effort than in any other sport.
If you had to wear a WARNING label, what would it say?
If I had to wear a Warning Label, it would say no matter how old you are or where you are from, just
“DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME”. Stay safe, as every sport has it’s own requirements, you can’t be a ‘PRO’ in any field without it’s basic proper training
In an alternate universe where wrestling doesn’t exist – what are you doing instead?
‘Ah!’ If I am not a Pro-Wrestler, I would be a World Class Body Builder participating in different tournaments & competitions in Body Building worldwide.
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