The Professional Wrestlers' Instructional and Workout Guide [Paperback]

Harley Race (Author), Ricky Steamboat (Author), Les Thatcher (Author), Jim Ross (Foreword), Alex Marvez (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2005

Many dream of becoming pro wrestling headliners, but few understand the hard work and dedication needed to reach those heights. Almost all top stars have trained in schools and camps with legendary wrestlers to learn how to execute key moves, put together a match, sell yourself and your opponent to the crowd, and keep fit through physical training and healthy diet. The Professional Wrestlers' Instructional and Workout Guide brings readers more than 100 years of collective knowledge and experience from three elite names in the professional wrestling industry, including two former National Wrestling Aliiance World Heavyweight Champions. Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, and Les Thatcher share their wealth of knowledge and experience as they help the novice wrestler prepare for the long journey into pro wrestling. After reading this book, the aspiring wrestler should have the knowledge of how maneuvers are executed effectively and safely, the physical conditioning needed to perform them, and the thought process involved in piecing together an actual match. The novice should learn the "psychology" of pro wrestling both in and out of the ring as well as how to find employment on the independent circuit and maybe eventually realize their dream of wrestling on the national stage in the WWE.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Harley Race is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time-an eighttime world champion, who has worked all over the globe. He has more than 40 years experience in wrestling, having worked in every major organization and federation (NWA, WCW, WWE, etc.). Race and his wife, BJ, have their own wrestling promotion, World League Wrestling and Race's Wrestling Academy, where he continues to share his knowledge with a new generation of grapplers. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and World Wrestling Entertainment Intercontinental Champion. He was also a member of numerous world tag-team champions. His matches with Ric Flair and Randy Savage are considered legendary. He has trained novice wrestlers for more than 20 years. Steamboat currently works as an agent for WWE. Les Thatcher has spent a lifetime in the professional wrestling industry wearing many hats: wrestler, television commentator, innovator, producer, writer, editor, and trainer/teacher. As a trainer, Thatcher is considered one of the best in North America, having groomed grapplers such as Charlie Haas, Rosie of Three Minute Warning, Shannon Moore, Jamie Noble, Garrison Cade, Elix Skipper, Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli, Nigel McGuinness, Shark Boy, Jimmy Yang, Kaz Hyashi, Jamal of Three Minute Warning, Matt Stryker, Chad Collyer, B.J. Whitmer, Steve Bradley, Cody Hawk, Rory Fox, and Chet Jablonski. Alex Marvez covers the Miami Dolphins and the NFL, and professional wrestling as a writer for the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Sports Publishing (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582619476
• ISBN-13: 978-1582619477
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #972,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent look on the inside of the business!, March 9, 2006

By 

Adam (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Professional Wrestlers' Instructional and Workout Guide (Paperback)

For anyone looking for a solid book that not only describes the ins and outs of the business, but also looking for what/how much/where, this book is for you. It goes into detail about how to train your body specifically for Pro Wrestling.

I've bought other products before that have talked generally about tips in weightlifting and cardio to do, but never had specifics. This book will give you specific exercises to do, how much to do, and the sets/reps involved. This book also covers reputable schools and gives multiple ways to contact them. For nutrition, it covers what your body needs to cut fat and gain muscle. This book also illistrates mostly all the exercises. About half of this book also illustrates moves to do in the ring and gives great detail on how to do the move.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this book for anyone who's looking to break into the business and start school.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Your First Step Towards Becoming a Pro Wrestler!, July 10, 2006

By 

Brad from OWW "http://www.onlineworldofwrestl... (Nova Scotia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Professional Wrestlers' Instructional and Workout Guide (Paperback)

Even though I am just a fan of professional wrestling, and have no experience in the business what-so-ever, I still often get asked about how to break into the business. Usually I comeback with, "how the hell should I know?" or "when you find out, tell me please!" From now on whenever somebody asks me that question, my response will be "Buy the Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide!"

A legendary wrestler once said, "to be the man, you got to beat the man!" Well you have to do a lot of hard work before you even get anywhere near the "man". You need to be trained by the man. Well three of these MEN -- Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat & Les Thatcher -- got together and formed the Elite Pro Wrestling Training and began running seminars for trainees. They also decided to write their own textbook, and called it "The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide" complete with illustrations of Nigel McGuiness & Matt Stryker demonstrating basic wrestling moves.

Not only do the trainers run you through the ins and outs of the current wrestling world, they openly discuss wrestling's top-secret history and compare how things have changed between then and now. The trainers will admit that it was a lot different from the time they broke into the business, but no less tougher for today's wrestlers. Today's trainees have different challenges and obstacles. There is also a detailed run-down on the challenges of developing the right image, including modifying your body type through a tough workout regime and strict diet - honest tips that I have personally never seen in a wrestling book. The absolute best parts of this book are the pictorial demonstrations of about 50 of the most basic moves along with descriptions on how to properly perform the holds. Everything from taking a bump the right way to executing a simple hip toss or body slam; all the way up to more advanced moves such as the figure four leg-lock and atomic drop. That only scratches the surface of things you will learn by reading this book cover to cover.

It is my humble opinion that if you read this book, respect its philosophies, and also have the proper passion and desire for wrestling, there is no doubt in my mind that you will succeed. You may not make it to the WWE but you will find great triumph on the independent circuit.

Rating: 10/10 Highly Recommended to any man or woman who has ever thought about stepping into a wrestling ring. This is a crash course in professional wrestling's basic training procedures. This book should be mandatory reading for anybody who wants to be a wrestler.

Reviewed by Obsessedwithwrestling.com's Brad Dykens

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn the basics or pro wrestling from legends!, April 26, 2011

By 

bmw1911 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Professional Wrestlers' Instructional and Workout Guide (Paperback)

I picked the book up as kid a few years ago because I wanted to become a pro wrestler, obviously. The more pages I read, the greater desire I had to become a pro wrestler. I didn't know much about Les Thatcher at the time, but I was real familiar with Harley Race and Ricky Steamboat due to watching some of their classic matches against Ric Flair. If I wanted to get into the pro wrestling business I recommended this book. I guarantee you'll reach a conclusion on whether you're offically going into the business or not. Learn from some of the greatest wrestler ever to step into the squared circle!