Gordi the former AEW fan

Found it on the Japanese Kindle shop. Looking forward to reading it.

You are darn tootin' that I made it out to Mos Burger before work today to try out those insane-looking Kazuchika Okada co-designed "nikuniku" burgers, only available on March, April, and May 29th. The staff seemed pretty delighted to have two big gaijin come in and specifically ask for those monstrosities. I started with the spicy nikuniku, which had burger patties for the bun, then layers of lettuce, sweet Korean style BBQ rib meat (カルビ), lettuce, jalapenos, grilled chicken thigh, and lettuce. Pretty danged tasty! There were a lot of sliced jalapenos, but they were extremely mild. My mouth did not burn. It was surprisingly somehow not heavy eating and I also ate a nikunikuniku burger which had more カルビ but no jalapenos. My friend Juan (of Jaun and Yoko of The Lion Marks website, a very nice guy who has ties to New Japan gaijin staff like Chris Charleton and Kevin Kelly and was the perfect dude to enjoy Okada burgers with) had the "kinnikunikuniku burger" which has cabbage and a soy patty. I'll try to get one of those a month from now. Anyway, even two of those monsters didn't sit all that heavily in my stomach. They came in at around 525 calories each, a ridiculous total of 75 grams of protein for the duo I consumed. They came in a wax paper holder, which is good because they were messy eating. 100 percent definitely worth having gone (slightly) out of my way for. Very glad I got to try them!

I feel like and the final were all really outstanding tournament matches, and ZSJ vs Great O-Khan was surprisingly good as well. I like how NJPW is kind of like AEW now in that there are a whole bunch of wrestlers who could credibly headline a card or challenge for a title, rather than just two or three true main eventers. I didn't see every match or even every night, but I really enjoyed all the tournament matches I saw, and also Fujinami teaming with Strong Hearts tonight in the semi-main was a lot of fun.

Keep in mind I'm 56 years old and my body is beat up from years of abuse, so at the moment my focus is on restoring structure and mobility rather than trying to add more size or power. The basis for what I do now is a whole-body calisthenics routine, Al Kavadlo's YouTube videos are a great learning tool there. For kettlebells, Mark Wildman's channel is my go-to. He has tons of really great advice and instruction. The complete Enter The Kettlebell series is also up on YouTube for free and is a must-watch for anyone interested in that kind of training. My TRX came with an instruction book and DVD. That was super helpful and informative! My current routine: Strict bodyweight box squats (3-4 x 25) Pushup variation (currently incline using the same box or bench I use for squats) (3-4 x 15) supersetted with Australian/Fat Boy pull-ups (6-8 x 8-10) Hanging knee raises (2-3 x 15) Optional exercises include: Kettlebell hand-to-hand swings (2-3 x 10+10) most workouts but not always Bridges Step-ups or lunges Hindu push-ups/Tiger Push-ups Mechanical drop set dumbbell curls Kettlebell Turkish get-ups or sandbag get-ups Sandbag shouldering and pressing Sandbag cleans https://www.t-nation.com/training/yoga-yes-yoga-for-big-bastards/ I'll sometimes substitute kettlebell pullovers and squats for bodyweight box squats I'll do 10 supersets of 10 reps of TRX rows and pushups for my calisthenics push and pull if the smith machine I use for Australian pull-ups is busy, or if I feel like it. I'm really enjoying the challenge of using new equipment and trying out new exercises. I'll sometimes toss in something new I've seen on a Kavadlo or Wildman video but the push/pull/squat/usually hinge is the firm basis day in and day out. Except: once or twice a month, when my energy is sky high and the dumbbell area is free I will "go up the rack" from 12 kg to 30 kg doing 3 clean and presses on each side and sometimes finish with a couple of sets of jumping snatches with the 28s and 30s. Or I'll do cleans and presses and snatches with the kettlebells, working from sets of 10+/side with the 12 kg to a set of 1-3 with the 28. Sometimes I'll do the calisthenics first then do the clean and press run. I think if you are building strength it's best to stick to a proven routine, but in my case I have the flexibility to "listen to my body" a lot these days. Thanks for asking! Let me know how you decide to go, and how it works for you. Also: Diet is still mostly chicken, eggs, yogurt, bananas, berries, nuts, fish, oatmeal, fermented foods, soups, salads, tea, water, avocados, beans, apples... It seems to be working really really well for me so far.

Loved the crowd, today and on Dynamite! I understand and accept that pitcher in pitcher is probably a network-mandated necessity... but, dang! There really seemed to be a LOT of it today. Took out most of the tag match and a big chunk of the main event. Upside is at least we know AEW is making money for the network, I suppose. Meaning: They can keep this train rolling. Where was Fuego Dos during that beat-down? Nice production on House of Black's entrance. Adam Cole, belt thief. Kind of fun. From what we saw of the tag, it looked good. Sports Entertainer of the Week! ? Madi Wrenkowski looks like Arya Stark. I think they could do something with that. "I want you to know that the last thing you will see before you die is the face of a Wrenkowski smiling down at you." Hey, Mark Henry. What time is it? Swerve hit that middle turnbuckle hard! My indie-loving buddy told me that Swerve and Lee teamed up in AAW. Spirit bomb/double stomp combo finisher. They should match up really well with Stark and Hobbs.

I used to live in the Czech Republic! Pilsen, Prague, Podebrady... Trained with some very strong people there and visited a lot of cool gyms. Where do you live?

OK. Lets see if I can explain this. Meat in Japanese is "niku." The numbers 2 and nine are " ni" and "kyu" more or less. So the 29th is meat day, and to celebrate Mos Burger in Japan is offering special Okada Kazuchika collaboration burgers on April May and June 29th. If I manage to get one, I'll let you know about it. Maybe in the merch or food threads.

Do you remember a minor character on that show called "Thumper"? Heel manager and commentator? Briefly managed John Tenta before "trading" him to Fuzzy Sayers? Wore a denim vest. Verne is, ironically, maybe the world's least vicious person away from the ring. You will never meet a dude with a warmer heart. Taught me everything I know. (The fact that I barely know anything should not be held against him). (Also, it's cool if nobody remembers old Thumper). Another dude on these boards recently asked me about those days on pm. It's fun for me to remember those days!

Yep! He's the greatest guy in the world. Do you know him?

I have been sticking with full-body calisthenics/TRX/kettlebell training 3 times/week, for the most part. I tend to hit the gym in the early afternoon. Fits my schedule and it usually isn't busy then. I see a lot of the same people. There are sometimes two or three people at that time who train really hard on basic exercises, a few who mostly do cardio, one guy who uses every machine with terrible form, a couple of ladies around my age who are remarkably flexible and spry... Not all of them are there every day, but I see all of them at least once a month. My favourite guys are the "Every Day is Arm Day" guys! There are three of them. I don't think they are friends. They definitely don't train together. But, they are already into their 1980s Muscle & Fitness arm workout when I arrive at the gym. Set after set after set of various curling bar and dumbbell and cable isolation exercises for biceps and triceps. Pausing only to flex in the mirror. I do my squat, my hinge, my push, my pull, my accessory work, and my foo foo "inner muscle" training, and they are still going when I leave! Do these guys have "massive guns"? Are their sleeves in danger of exploding? Would Adam Cole be envious of their upper arm development? I think you can guess the answer. Do dudes like this exist in your gym?

I would like this MUCH more without the bloody fist. I'd probably buy a straight logo design. Can't quite see myself wearing this one.

I really want to make the "Yeah, but you're a Keiji Mutoh fan, so what do you know?" joke, but I'm afraid it would be taken seriously . (Keep in mind that I might be Osaka Pro's #2 Gaijin fan, so what do I know?) Just to be clear: My point was not "Hirsch vs Velvet = Liger vs Sasuke" but that a percentage of online wrestling discussion seems to, in some corners, have taken a hard swing into "perfect execution is necessary at all times" territory. I blame BotchMania. The interesting discussion point here might be: Should everyone in AEW refrain from trying new things? (Obviously not). So: With AEW not running house shows, where do does their roster get the chance to get reps on trying and perfecting new things? The factory? Between the time the ring is set up and the crowd is let in? Can the ROH acquisition provide a work-around for this? In the meantime, I'm fine with the occasional slip-up. Gives the shows that sense that we're watching people work close to the edge, which can be exhilarating.

Dustin Rhodes vs. Lance Archer Two big tough Texas lads fighting in Texas! I'd be stoked for this TNT title tournament re-match anywhere in the world. But the Texas angle is a fun one. Like, Eddie Kingston vs Homicide would be great anywhere, but it would add a little extra frisson if they were fighting in Yonkers. Alan “5” Angels & 10 vs. reDRagon Would "Five and Dime" be a good tag team name for this Dark Order duo? I really like Kyle O'Reily and here's why: Back when I was living in Canada and working as the director of a children's summer camp, I brought a group of staff and volunteers to see an ECCW show in Vancouver. Bryan Danielson was on the card, and I told my staff that this was an opportunity to see the guy I considered to be the best pro wrestler in the world. it ended up being a pretty good-sized group that decided to go. My buddy Verne set us up with great seats and a lot of the wrestlers played directly to us. They definitely created some new big fans of pro wrestling that night! After the show I was hanging out and catching up and I noticed O'Reily chatting with a couple of female volunteers from the camp. I made my way over there and discreetly let him know that "These girls are not rats." He reacted immediately with genuine shock and told me he's "not like that." I can still remember his tone of voice and facial expression. 100 percent sincere. He was impressed that these were good people who chose to spend their summer volunteering at a kid's camp. I have always liked him since then, and I have watched his developing career with a real sense of happiness. Nyla Rose In Action vs Madi Wrenkowski, the protege of Thunder Rosa! This will be pretty great. Plus, apparently it will upset some hateful bigots just by taking place at all which is another mark in its favour. QT Marshall Certificate of Accomplishment to Hook Gee whiz, @JLowe, sorry you had to sit through this live. ? I hope we get a few crisp Hook suplexes here. I wonder if cutie will be able to get him to speak. I wonder if chips will be eaten. FTW Championship Match: Ricky Starks (c) vs. Swerve Strickland The answer to "Whose house?" is " Swerve's house." The answer to "who's House" is "House comprises Chris Bronson, Chris Adams, Pete Bainbridge, LA Taylor, and Kneecapper Murphy." I had to use Cagematch to make that joke. I'll be very impressed indeed if anyone immediately gets it. I don't think that's the same Chris Adams. Kneecapper Murphy is a great name! Also: The FTW Title match is likely to be fast-paced and exciting. Some people hate that. Also someone is likely to complain that whoever takes the loss here is no longer relevant. That's OK. Discussion is fun!

I guess if Liger vs Sasauke Super J Cup 1994 happened today a bunch of people would hate it because "Sasuke blew the finish."

Apologies if this has already been posted and I somehow missed it. Your 2022 (2021?) AEW Awards (which I totally forgot to vote for):

That opening match had a lot of Hart. It was a hit, man. Darby getting thrown down stairs and Darby marking out for Jeff will hopefully never grow old. Jeff almost missed the Marq on that ladder spot! FTR vs The Young Butts will be great. Regal on commentary and the Smells Like Teen Spirit cheerleader moping on the outside were real treats, and the actual wrestling (per se) was top notch... but who the F@#K is Griff Garrison? Blackpool Combat Club ??? Anyone watching a TSN feed (or actual TSN) think Sophie Chan is actually a bad mother for lying to her kids like that? Wardlow!!! I like that commentary mentioned Bay Bay and Lethal's ROH background. Why doesn't Adam Cole own a vacuum? When Adam Cole was a kid, what was his favourite TV show? What is Adam Cole's favourite very bad movie? What is Adam Cole's favourite first-person shooter game? Dustin vs Archer re-match ??? I think it would be awkward to have sex while wearing title belts. Anyone here have any experience with that? Dan Lambert is my Bobby Heenan. Sammy and Tay are young, attractive, and obviously in love. They gonna have to turn them heel, I guess ? I love the whole Hirsch/Velvet/Buttlander non-title women's division ongoing feud. Andrade vs Darby will be ill. I marked out for Silver's "Come on baby!" spot and his hawt tag. That's entertainment!

Are they gonna do a full-on Bret Hart tribute match? Here's hoping Punk comes out wearing those Bret-style tights! Man... I didn't even hope for something this good.

Me and your son should hang out some time. That dude has great taste in wrestling!

Hijo del Vikingo & Fenix vs The Young Bucks is gonna make both me and Jim Cornette explode, for totally different reasons.

Yep! I somehow wasn't aware that she had worked in Stardom. That explains the Japanese writing.

I am enjoying this recent trend of under-announcing what's going to be on Dynamite. Only four things have been officially announced so far, if I understand correctly. Eight-man tornado tag match: Sting, Darby Allin & The Hardys vs. Private Party, The Butcher & The Blade You're probably gonna need a five-man booth to catch all the action in this one! I loved Darby Allin vs Butch(er) on Rampage. The "smaller fan favourite gets knocked around the ring, big baddy slips on a nanner peel, blue-eye hits a big move or two for the thrilling victory" formula is a damned good one! These two guys were perfectly cast in their roles. Making it a countout finish was an unexpected twist that worked perfectly. Deserved to make @Phil Schneider's Ringer column! Chris Jericho & Daniel Garcia vs. John Silver & Alex Reynolds I love how Jericho took us from everyone moaning about yet another inner circle talking segment through "Jericho Appreciation Society is a dumb name" to "OK this actually makes sense now and could be really good" in pretty much that many steps. Jericho is the master of knowing when it's time to switch up his gimmick, and successfully pulling it off to keep things fresh. That's an incredibly valuable skill, isn't it? Understanding when a gimmick has run it's course and become stale and tiresome?(*? at @andyfromkansas*) MJF speaks CM Punk appears in person for the first time since Revolution It's possible that these two things will in fact be one thing. Who will interrupt whom? Or maybe @JLowe will get to see a Punk match live! One reason I love this recent trend of under-announcing their TV shows is that AEW keeps filling in the gaps with exactly what I want to see (like Comoroto, Bear Country, and Legit Leyla on network TV). I was kinda bummed out that The Spooky McEvils didn't give Bear Country any offence in that trios on Rampage. On the other hand, Fuego's rag doll bumping and selling was insane in that match. I loved Leyla's new gear. No more Russian flag striping. "Legit" in katakana on her top, and "Re-ra" on her bottom. Jericho and Starks riffing on the Japanese writing got a legit lol out of me. Thanks to the basketball game going long, I had to leave before Lee vs One of the Acc!aimed started, which also bummed me out. I watched the highlights on YouTube. I agree that some of Lee's movements and reactions seemed a bit slow. I also agree that his power moves like his pounce and his yeet look amazing anyway. Hopefully his body fully recovers from the aftereffects of the coronavirus soon. So: What are you hoping will fill the gaps this week? Hook, obviously, but what else? I sure wouldn't mind some JD Drake on the main show. Maybe vs Eddie Kingston? I wonder if Brian Cage is in Texas this week. Or Miro... Maybe they've been saving AQA's SSP for the network shows? EDIT: oh, dang! Just read that a Legit One vs The Nice Lady from Momma's Kitchen re-match has been added! (*dances around, winking and "stirring it up" in pure joy). DOUBLE EDIT: Hey! @JLowe! Apparently you are also getting Jay Lethal vs Dr. Britt Baker DMD's boyfriend Adam "It's Allabouttha Boom!" Coal Bay Bay. That could be a good one! ROH title re-match. Wonder if they'll reference that. TRIPLE EDIT: As posted by @DreamBroken below, Blonds vs Mox & Dragon has been added! Lock the windows and bar the doors! It's AEW Dynamite time once more!

In my experience, a lot of wrestlers are genuinely nice people. Not always. I have personally seen Dynamite Kid curse out some children who asked him where Matilda was. I heard some very nasty rumours about how one wrestler who became nationally known behaved when he was working in the Vancouver territory. I have heard pro wrestling old-timers tell stories that they thought were very amusing but which seemed to me horrific. On the other hand, I have had many more very positive experiences hanging out with pro wrestlers than negative ones. I can state with absolute confidence that not all current pro wrestlers are carny assholes who are only out for money. Abdullah the Butcher and Akira Hokuto both have reputations for being unfriendly to fans. Maybe there some truth to that... but both of them were extremely kind and friendly to me when I had the good fortune of meeting them. Well above and beyond ordinary politeness. So, my tendency is to think that people may not be kind enough in their assessment of some pro wrestler's actual personalities, rather than to assume the opposite. I have zero problem believing that the nice guy persona that Bryan Danielson portrays is a reflection of the thoughtful, positive, legitimately good dude that he is out of the spotlight. I've been in the same room as him a few times, spoken with him at length, seen how he treats other people... It's a small sample size, but I have never seen him do anything that would make me suspect he's not a genuinely warm and decent human being. I think Danielson, Kingston, and Mox (to name three) have all given us glimpses of their true selves, recently. I'm good friends with a handful of wrestlers, on the Vancouver and Osaka scenes, and some of them at their worst are better than many people at their very best. Here is a very partial list of wrestlers who have been extraordinarily kind or friendly to me when they didn't stand to gain a single dime from it: John Tenta, Bad News Allen, Gene Okerlund, Atsushi Onita, Bob Sapp, Asian Cooger. Ebessans 1 and 3, Tigers Mask, Chono, Irie, Akiyama, Apple Miyuki, Dump Matsumoyo, Joe Doering, Tajiri, Mr. Hito, Kotoge, Harada, Tadasuke, Zeus, Bodyguard, Superstar Billy Graham... So many positive experiences and happy memories over so many years. It's cool that there's a diversity of opinion w/r/t how much importance we wanna place on wrestlers being sincere. It's fair to paint pro wrestling as a business with carny roots based on dishonesty and taking the marks for all they are worth. However, my point of view is that many of us might be very pleasantly surprised by what many our current favourite wrestlers are like in real life. My experience is that the once-notoriously-carny business has an awful lot of very nice people working in it these days.

Probably not, if you include "getting these kids over" among the things you are trying to accomplish. ?

Hawt take: it's OK to value sincerity, even within a traditionally insincere business. Also: this is pretty intriguing: What does Dusty's daughter know that we don't?