Mat Virgins

One of my first matches...

Good day to you my dear readers! It's been a little while since I last posted. Been a bit busy with my day-to-day things (work, family, friends) but still managed to take some time for matches here and there.

With my match total for the year about to break into the 20s, I've realized just how lucky I am to have a wealth of opponents who live in and around Montreal. Secondly, I'm noticing how lucky I am to live alone and have enough space to move stuff around to be able to throw-down in my own living room. Both these factors result in my getting a lion's share of matches with relative ease.

A lot of guys I've been meeting with and talking to don't have that kind of luxury. Either they don't have the space or simply haven't had the opportunity to meet the right guys to have matches with. I've initiated my fair share of new guys in the past few years that I've been at this. It wasn't all that long ago that I was the new kid on the block and in need of a friendly guy to teach me the ropes. In fact, just in case you've all forgotten, I've only been on the mats myself for about 3 years now! I'm still a newbie in my own eyes sometimes when I'm faced with highly skilled opponents.

To that point, it is a very crucial thing to have good mentors on the mats when you start wrestling for the first time. I recently met up with a new guy here in Montreal who had a less-than-stellar experience in his first encounter. He literally felt like he was fighting for his life as his more skilled opponent went a bit too hard on him. This young, fairly muscled guy told me he couldn't even walk without extreme pain for a few days after his match. Needless to say, it took him a while to get back on the mats again...Luckily, this time it was with me.

What my place allows :P

Remember this when you have the chance to face off with rookies: be nice. They are as you once were. They're putting themselves in a vulnerable position, exploring something new and unknown to them. They need patience, understanding and a lot of teaching. Take it easy, show them some moves and let them have a go and applying them. I know it's time consuming at first and that you're just hot for an intense match right now, but believe me when I say it'll be better to hit the mats with a guy who knows what he's doing.