hephaestion2014's blog

"You went too easy on him ...You are still holding back"

A lot of people when they talk about how they got into wrestling will often speak about how they play fought with their friends/brothers/cousins as kids. Playful rough housing on a quiet day ...

That wasn't my experience. Had an older brother, no cousins and to be honest the fights that I had as a kid werent playful. They were real "you and me after school on the fields" type thing where we would both be out to hurt each other ... Something about my face seems to make people want to punch it :)

Now what does this have to do with wrestling now, and what's the problem?

The aggressive drive. I am only used to being aggressive with people I don't like. A couple of people have commented that when I wrestle I don't fully go for the guy. And when I was first told this, my response confused me ... Well, I liked them, why would I "go for them"?

That's where I guess some of my problems lay. I don't have that foundation of friendly competition.

The measured aggression.

Don't get me wrong, it is in there. Yank my arm too hard after I have tapped, cross a physical line with me or get me angry, actually don't get me angry, you won't like me when I'm angry ;) and its there.

If you are coming at me, I'm perfectly happy to fight you right back.

But often, aside of the odd bit of trash talk, most if not all the guys I have wrestled I have been friendly with. Some I consider even friends. Which is why I find myself probably going gentler on them, although some people think this means I should go harder.

And these people are the ones who play fought with friends.

Not sure that I will ever cure this. And probably explains why my ultimate wrestling fantasy would be a scrap with a guy I had real personal animus with...

Well was up in Blackpool for a stag weekend. Had a great time, had lots of fun.

Looking round my B&B room, bunkbeds, small as a broom cupboard and above reception, it made me realise how lucky as a guy who can't host, we are that we have all these matrooms in this country. And of course, those chain hotels.

Hotel matches are always a good compromise when you can't access a matroom. Its a convenience. Now this isn't to say I don't enjoy hotel matches. Have had a lot of good matches in a hotel room. But I know with more space, (There's nothing more annoying then rolling off the mattress when you have your opponent in a killer hold and have to break) and not having to worry about the noise levels and furniture, the good matches would have been even tougher.

When I first joined this site and people said to me, "I don't do hotel meets only matrooms." I thought they were just being fussy, now I know where they are coming from. I would never rule out a hotel match and know I will have many more as you can have a great match in a hotel room, and the more I have done, the more tips I pick up on how to make it better. But I would also always pick a matroom over a hotel room.

So I guess I would say that I guess we all should appreciate how lucky we all are in the UK to have a choice of matrooms/rings.

PS: The Blackpool trip?

I didn't get any wrestling because the space just wasn't right.

Plus the strength of my hangovers each morning would have made me a very weak opponent. :-)

Well have been on the site, nearly a year now. Wrestled around a bit. Met some great people.

Still not found my inner heel. Not sure I have it in me. Just don't have that mean streak.

I mean, in my last match I apologized whilst pushing my opponent's face away.

Well, it felt rather impolite. ;)

Perhaps I am forever doomed to be a jobber. I don't think of myself that way and not a big fan of that label anyway.

I guess I don't have that confidence to go on the attack and control the mat. So will into the comfort zone of defence.

Even now when I am up against guys I know I could pretty much own. ;)

In some ways I have come a long way, and in others, not at all. There seems to be a bit of a mental block. Though each group meet I go to, each tip I am offered, each move I am shown, its gradually chip chip chipped away.

I think fighting which comes so naturally, and is instinctive to others, is something I am still in the long process of learning. So bear with :)

(But just remember that the puppy you kicked will eventually grow into one big dog ;) )

I often wonder when I should mark someone as a past opponent? Does a three minute, five minute bout count?

To me opponent means just that. A potential equal you have tested yourself against in a match.

I have wrestled some guys (a lot of guys) who have been a lot better then me and kindly wrestled down.

Some guys have wrestled with me to give me tips and has been more of a lesson. I am unsure about marking them down as opponents but would recommend them.

Not into the number collection of opponents. Always wanted my profile to be honest and represent my real experiences.

So if I have recommended someone but not marked them as a past opponent that is why. I have wrestled with them but not had a match per se as a lesson with a bit of give and take.

That's for those who have been asking ;)

Its that time of year in November when we remember all those who have fought in wars over the year.

There maybe debate about the rights and wrongs over wars but we can't forget the brave sacrifice of true warriors or true fighters who for a cause greater then themselves where prepared to lay down their lives for families, strangers and future generationz.

Now whilst we here fight for fun or sport, lets not forget those who fought for survival and freedom. They are and continue to be real heroes.