Post by Jack Tillman on Jul 23, 2017 16:27:36 GMT -5
Chapter Eight
23 July 2015
Tokyo, Japan
Age 19
-The thing about being a young lion when you're training in a Japanese Wrestling Dojo is that your wrestling move set is controlled. You're only supposed to perform certain types of moves. Basic stuff. Forearms to the head. Body Slams. Drop kicks. And a Boston crab for a submission. Basic stuff. They do his because they want to strip you down and start you over. They destroy you. They take everything apart that made you, you as a wrestle and reconstruct you into their image. So they shave your head. Take away your clothing and give you basic colored shirts and shorts. They make you clean the dojo. Cook food for the teachers and other wrestlers there. Have you do laundry. Anything that needs to get done, you do it without question. No back talk. No lip. You even look at the teachers funny or even look like you're going to question them…..they'll make your life a living hell.
I walked into the NJFC Dojo with years of experience under my belt when it came to wrestling. I had already wrestled in numerous companies before and won some title belts. My old man was a wrestler and Kurt Newman had been training me for years. I had trained around the world. They didn't care though. They saw my work and saw that it was sloppy. So they took Jack Tillman away from me…..and called my Gaijin.
-Graduation day is almost here and as I look at what I was before to what I am now….. they were right. I was sloppy. I was arrogant. I thought I knew everything. But the Dojo made me humble. They took what I knew and organized it to where it would fit me better.
-In the next week or so, I'll be able to wrestle my own style again. With that being said, I need to put some moves into my go to list. Most importantly though…..I need to find a new finisher. Before the Dojo, it was the Go To Sleep. A great finisher, but everyone seems to be using it as a finisher these days. And in an industry where it's better to be unique and different from your peers, I need a move that will set me apart from the rest. Something that's effective and that can get the job done.
-Rewinding the video, I look at the screen and see my old man wrestling against Steven Blackwell back in 1979 in Jackson, Mississippi. It's the end of the match and my old man is setting up for his finisher. Standing behind Blackwell, my dad grabs his wrist and spins him around. Then pulling Blackwell towards him, he hits Blackwell with a short armed lariat. Today it's called the Rainmaker. Back then though it was called the Ball Room Blitz.
-Would only seem right if the move was passed down from father to son. Plus I'd think the old man would be proud if I took it and made it my own. I have plenty of time to decide though. I'll give it some time to roll in my head and maybe try it some times before making it official.
23 July 2015
Tokyo, Japan
Age 19
-The thing about being a young lion when you're training in a Japanese Wrestling Dojo is that your wrestling move set is controlled. You're only supposed to perform certain types of moves. Basic stuff. Forearms to the head. Body Slams. Drop kicks. And a Boston crab for a submission. Basic stuff. They do his because they want to strip you down and start you over. They destroy you. They take everything apart that made you, you as a wrestle and reconstruct you into their image. So they shave your head. Take away your clothing and give you basic colored shirts and shorts. They make you clean the dojo. Cook food for the teachers and other wrestlers there. Have you do laundry. Anything that needs to get done, you do it without question. No back talk. No lip. You even look at the teachers funny or even look like you're going to question them…..they'll make your life a living hell.
I walked into the NJFC Dojo with years of experience under my belt when it came to wrestling. I had already wrestled in numerous companies before and won some title belts. My old man was a wrestler and Kurt Newman had been training me for years. I had trained around the world. They didn't care though. They saw my work and saw that it was sloppy. So they took Jack Tillman away from me…..and called my Gaijin.
-Graduation day is almost here and as I look at what I was before to what I am now….. they were right. I was sloppy. I was arrogant. I thought I knew everything. But the Dojo made me humble. They took what I knew and organized it to where it would fit me better.
-In the next week or so, I'll be able to wrestle my own style again. With that being said, I need to put some moves into my go to list. Most importantly though…..I need to find a new finisher. Before the Dojo, it was the Go To Sleep. A great finisher, but everyone seems to be using it as a finisher these days. And in an industry where it's better to be unique and different from your peers, I need a move that will set me apart from the rest. Something that's effective and that can get the job done.
-Rewinding the video, I look at the screen and see my old man wrestling against Steven Blackwell back in 1979 in Jackson, Mississippi. It's the end of the match and my old man is setting up for his finisher. Standing behind Blackwell, my dad grabs his wrist and spins him around. Then pulling Blackwell towards him, he hits Blackwell with a short armed lariat. Today it's called the Rainmaker. Back then though it was called the Ball Room Blitz.
-Would only seem right if the move was passed down from father to son. Plus I'd think the old man would be proud if I took it and made it my own. I have plenty of time to decide though. I'll give it some time to roll in my head and maybe try it some times before making it official.
