Dolph Ziggler Talks: Life On The Road, Dangers Of Wrestling, Acting, + Training And His Diet, Etc

http://www.foxsports.com.au/other-sports/weird-and-wacky/behind-the-curtain-and-beyond-the-ring-look-at-world-wrestling-entertainment/story-fn8boe91-1226599355445#.UW3778rKUtH

For those of us who have flicked the television onto wrestling, we have seen larger than life characters talk big game and perform impressive moves in the ring.

But behind their perfectly chiseled and jacked exteriors have you ever wondered who these people actually are?

The travelling circus that is WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) arrives in Sydney on July 6 as part of a whirlwind Australian tour.

For 32-year-old World Heavyweight Champion, Nick Nemeth, who works under the name Dolph Ziggler, says it is more than a show – but a world where very real danger exists.

It is a reality he has become accustomed to – all in the name of entertainment.

LIFE ON THE ROAD

Nick Nemeth begins his day at 4am.

This hulking, blond wrestler emerges into the darkness outside his Phoenix home and heads for the airport.

If there is such thing as a regular day, it is filled with weights, interviews, public appearances, flights and customs checks.

To the mere mortal it sounds hectic but for Nemeth it is just another day in the life of a WWE Superstar.

“I’m gone pretty much five days a week all over the world,” Nemeth told Foxsports.com.au

“You’re going to miss birthdays, weddings, your kids growing up - you’re going to miss a lot of things. That’s the sacrifice you make when you come into this industry. You have to go out there every single night; you just come out and do some shows ... it is strenuous, you’re constantly in a plane, in the airport or rental car.

“In between the tough travel schedule we’re seeing the world and we get to go out all over to great places and Australia is one of them.

“It’s a long plane ride over but it’s fun for us outside of our normal stuff. Once a year they get to see us and it’s that much more special for us knowing people have been waiting a whole year to see us.”

ALWAYS WORKING

The WWE has created household names like Hulk Hogan and The Rock.

A lot of these men have successfully transitioned into the world of film during their respective eras but when the TV show has ended what do these guys do and just how dangerous is the world of professional wrestling?

What most of us don't know is that there is a whole other side to these sports entertainers.

One of their fastest rising stars is Nemeth who has been with the WWE since 2004 and has played many roles, from male cheerleader to golf caddy.

Despite being with the company for nine years, the intense travel schedule hasn't gotten any easier.

While there is rarely such a thing as a regular day for a WWE performer, the first day of a working week will usual start on a Friday where Nemeth gets up at 4am to catch an early flight to where the live show will be taking place.

He then takes a rental car into town, goes to the gym, has lunch and heads to the arena. After the show, a quick shower and a meal, it’s back into the car so he can drive to the next town for Saturday’s show but the toughest day comes Monday when he films the show ‘Monday Night Raw’.

“We get (to the arena) early anywhere from 1-2pm for a nine o’clock show,” Nemeth explains.

“Just because of how the live show atmosphere is and things are constantly changing.

"It’s a long day but it’s catered, we have the ring there to try some new things, we can get a workout in, it’s a long day but we need to be there to get ready for a big TV show... then Tuesday night we film SmackDown and each day is a very similar thing, wake-up, grab some food, try and get a workout, get to the town for the live event and straight onto the next town.”

WARNING: THE DANGERS ARE REAL

On occasion Nemeth prefers to travel alone so he can have a break from being around the same faces almost 24 hours a day.

It is one of the few occasions he can have any alone time as he only spends a maximum of “24 to 32 hours a week” at home.

They also do special tours all over the world including Iraq which has been happening since the terror attacks on New York in 2001.

Despite their hard work and dangerous stunts, there is a general misconception from the public that what these men and women do is fake but nothing could be further from the truth.

In the ring the wrestlers are risking their lives by flipping off ladders and falling through tables.

“We put our bodies on the line every single night and some people might not realise that part,” Nemeth said.

“It’s genuinely not fake, it’s a TV show, it’s very real and very dangerous... If you end up not working then you’re not getting paid so it’s really important for us to make sure there’s a difference between being hurt and being injured.

“Even when we have a great match and no one is hurt there is always a stiff neck, you’re always going to have something and it’s hard to deal with sometimes, maybe you have a sore neck and then going on a long plane ride but the superstars we travel with are some of the toughest people in the entire world.”

HELLO AUDIENCE

Along with being fearless, they are also incredible actors.

“Some of the stuff we do is acting,” he said.

“We are improvisational professionals because we go out and do what we do and it’s not like a movie script where people go through the motions and we’re done. We’re out there entertaining people in a live audience and sometimes things don't go as planned – as long as we put on a great show and entertain and I pride myself as being one of the best sports entertainers in the world.”

TRAINING AND DIET

While the body builder image has dominated the wrestling landscape, a slow transition is being to take place toward a leaner more natural look.

The performers are regularly tested for drugs including steroids and adhere to a strict policy despite not having to operate under the same laws of a competitive sport.

At a lean 96 kilos, Nemeth trains in the gym six days a week.

His sessions usually last 90 minutes, a combination of heavy cardio and weight circuit training, something he has been doing since he was in college.

But while most of us stop for fast food during a long trip, how do these guys keep such a healthy diet when they are constantly on the road?

Nemeth says it comes down to smart eating – avoiding sugar, take it easy on the carbohydrate and a little secret when on an empty stomach.

“It’s actually really difficult but with more and more late night diners and fast food places are starting to get more healthy choices,” he said.

“I actually pride myself on doing something in the mornings called empty stomach cardio. I go to the gym without eating anything for breakfast and just let my body burn up all the stored fuels and fat. I like to stay lean, the leaner I am, the more mobile I am in the ring.”

I like these type of interviews. Its totally understandable for him to want to get some alone time.

Agreed.

It is nice to know the hard travel schedules the superstars/divas have.

It would suck to only be home for 1 day to 2 max a week but it is the price to live a dream..

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