I had a lot of fun that day. While it was definitely a sad occasion, we made the most of it. It is definitely an experience I was proud to be part of and will never forget.
I did ring crew for 3 years before I ever wrestled in front of a crowd. It's good experience for any aspiring workers. And volunteering to help break down a ring can help get a foot in a door when you're first starting out. I never worked with as many people at once as you. It was usually me and one other guy, the "tools", and the guy who owned the ring as Captain. He usually wore several other hats throughout the show as well. Later, that ring got sold, and the promotion ran by the new owner hired me on as Captain for a few shows. Next thing you know, I'm having matches for them.
Where I train and sometimes work, they’ve finally made to be able to get a secondary ring for traveling so they don’t have to take it down twice and set it up twice, saves sooooo much time if you’re able to invest in that man, good video though and real good showing the emotion of how much work it actually takes
Watching this video causes a twinge of sadness. I never made it to Chikara at The Arena, I did make it to Closing Time at the Wrestle Factory. To me that will always be Chikara's home. Also, I held out hope in a fantasy that as the WF is in Philly, Chikara could return for Mania week in 2024.
things like this make me that much more of a wrestling fan, and have that much more respect for what you guys go through, ppl think putting a ring up is easy, this shows you its not, and its all part of training, so youre not just taxing your body in the ring, you have to work after too lol and its all part of this wonderful business, mike seems like a great coach, humble and will respect his students, not just berate them into becoming what society thinks a wrestler should be, it makes me want to start training tom just to go through this myself, even tho truth be told I'm WAY past my prime😅
That's neat new The Wrestling Factory arena. By the way, the WWE using 3 canvas layer before connect the jaw/jaw turnbuckles with real ropes. Can you shown the next video of pro-wrestling ring is How the pro-wrestling ring broke hole through the canvas like ECW Living Dangerously 1998, & WWE Raw 1999 between The Undertaker VS. The Big Show & Kane VS. Braun Strowman in 2019. And the most ingenious of pro-wrestling ring imploding, according to Mark Henry on the podcast, he said the turnbuckles beneath the ring were connected in X form, they removed and using airbags the makes sees like the ring imploding by using superplex on the top rope.
Hi, This is an insane story, but over the years i've loved wrestling so much but had to build up the courage to do it. It took me two years to finally pursue this dream. & it was through watching other women wrestlers as well as people like you who give you the reassurance that you can do it. So many of your videos really touch on the business culture of the pro wrestling as well as what we don't see on camera as a fan. After a year of contemplation, I started my athletic journey in September. Me being from NJ, I have been struggling to find a good wrestling school that I love. I've reached out to several, but few responded. The Wrestle Factory was one of them. The 7 week training program is perfect for me at an affordable cost. Upon doing some research & looking at the website, to my surprise I saw your face on the homepage. I literally gasped& said to myself out loud "is that Til We Make It!!???" -my oh my how things have come full circle. The universe has a funny was of aligning things. I will be joining the Wrestle Factory for the upcoming Professional Wrestling 101 for Beginners. This video was awesome & thanks for all that you do for the pro wrestling community!
@@TilWeMakeIt just most of the ones ive seen while i was audtioning schools were heavily duct taped, while yours makes me want to take a bump on it lol
@@TankBranch1221 Yeah, duct tape is the fastest way to patch a tear in a canvas. I see that quite often. And getting someone to come stitch a giant 18 or 20 foot canvas can be quite the chore!
On a good day, at my school we can get the ring broken down and in the truck, along with all the stage, barriers and other extra crates and whatnot in about 30-40 minutes! Also helps that the ring we use of our two rings is also right next to where we park the truck. But we also tend to have a bunch of folks on ring crew.
@@TilWeMakeIt Yeah manpower is key. I would say from my experience usually at least 15-20 or so folks, since the truck is usually loaded up right after class.
That is very interesting! Back in the 1990s, I helped set up a wrestling ring for an indie show in Harpers Ferry, WV. There was a giant spring in the center of the ring. After we were done, the three of us bounced around in the ring, and after maybe a half-hour, I realized that I was too wimpy to be a pro wrestler. I had bruises under my right armpit (from hitting the ropes), rug burns (from the canvas), and horrible head and neck pain (from being whipped into the turnbuckles). MY QUESTION: Do a lot of wrestling rings use springs in the center, or was the ring I set up uncommon?
Gregory, thanks for leaving this comment. Compression spring rings began to disappear in the 90s. These days, they are extraordinarily rare to see. But from the 60s through the 80s, they were in wide use across the US and Canada.
@@RebelHart9 I've never been able to locate it, but apparently all the clouds I bought to make our stage had previously been used at some big award show, like the Grammys or something. Because that show was one-and-done, and they had no intention of keeping them, I got them at a nice price. But when lit properly, they are very impressive.
@@VJBT670 That layer of padding we put on the ring is a type of foam. Whether or not that's exactly the same as a water slide mat, I can't exactly say.
@@TilWeMakeIt Thanks for the reply! These ring setup videos have always interested me. Wished there was a full length video of an hour or so of these setups.
Oof. Tough one. I guess...first, figure out the time machine part of this. Go to the future. Once you arrive there, rent/lease a space, buy a wrestling ring, and make sure you have liability insurance in case anything goes wrong. Then you'll need to recruit and hire a coach to teach the classes. If you remain in the future, be careful not to fracture the sacred timeline.
Hey mike, few questions. So I’ve been wanting to start pro wrestling training for a while but i’m having doubts due to my size. I’m only 5’6, are there any examples of wrestlers around my height that are successful and is my doubt reasonable?? Also I’m having a hard time trying to research the head trainer at my local wrestling school, what are some things i should look into?
Gabe, these are very reasonable questions. At 5’6”, you tower over Rey Mysterio. There’s more than a few major names under 5’6”. Reach out to people training at your local school. Tell them you are interested to begin, but would love their honest opinions about their coach.
That canvas tip is GOLDEN!
Thanks Alex!
I had a lot of fun that day. While it was definitely a sad occasion, we made the most of it. It is definitely an experience I was proud to be part of and will never forget.
I'm starting in January and I'm nervous as hell. Your videos have been really helpful though and make me less anxious.
Nice! Where will you be training?
I did ring crew for 3 years before I ever wrestled in front of a crowd. It's good experience for any aspiring workers. And volunteering to help break down a ring can help get a foot in a door when you're first starting out.
I never worked with as many people at once as you. It was usually me and one other guy, the "tools", and the guy who owned the ring as Captain. He usually wore several other hats throughout the show as well.
Later, that ring got sold, and the promotion ran by the new owner hired me on as Captain for a few shows. Next thing you know, I'm having matches for them.
I agree. I got my first real break in wrestling just by helping with the ring.
Where I train and sometimes work, they’ve finally made to be able to get a secondary ring for traveling so they don’t have to take it down twice and set it up twice, saves sooooo much time if you’re able to invest in that man, good video though and real good showing the emotion of how much work it actually takes
Watching this video causes a twinge of sadness. I never made it to Chikara at The Arena, I did make it to Closing Time at the Wrestle Factory. To me that will always be Chikara's home. Also, I held out hope in a fantasy that as the WF is in Philly, Chikara could return for Mania week in 2024.
Who can say what the future holds?
things like this make me that much more of a wrestling fan, and have that much more respect for what you guys go through, ppl think putting a ring up is easy, this shows you its not, and its all part of training, so youre not just taxing your body in the ring, you have to work after too lol and its all part of this wonderful business, mike seems like a great coach, humble and will respect his students, not just berate them into becoming what society thinks a wrestler should be, it makes me want to start training tom just to go through this myself, even tho truth be told I'm WAY past my prime😅
That's neat new The Wrestling Factory arena. By the way, the WWE using 3 canvas layer before connect the jaw/jaw turnbuckles with real ropes. Can you shown the next video of pro-wrestling ring is How the pro-wrestling ring broke hole through the canvas like ECW Living Dangerously 1998, & WWE Raw 1999 between The Undertaker VS. The Big Show & Kane VS. Braun Strowman in 2019. And the most ingenious of pro-wrestling ring imploding, according to Mark Henry on the podcast, he said the turnbuckles beneath the ring were connected in X form, they removed and using airbags the makes sees like the ring imploding by using superplex on the top rope.
Hi,
This is an insane story, but over the years i've loved wrestling so much but had to build up the courage to do it. It took me two years to finally pursue this dream. & it was through watching other women wrestlers as well as people like you who give you the reassurance that you can do it. So many of your videos really touch on the business culture of the pro wrestling as well as what we don't see on camera as a fan. After a year of contemplation, I started my athletic journey in September. Me being from NJ, I have been struggling to find a good wrestling school that I love. I've reached out to several, but few responded. The Wrestle Factory was one of them. The 7 week training program is perfect for me at an affordable cost. Upon doing some research & looking at the website, to my surprise I saw your face on the homepage. I literally gasped& said to myself out loud "is that Til We Make It!!???" -my oh my how things have come full circle. The universe has a funny was of aligning things. I will be joining the Wrestle Factory for the upcoming Professional Wrestling 101 for Beginners. This video was awesome & thanks for all that you do for the pro wrestling community!
Woah! That’s crazy! If you are in the January 8 session, I’ll be teaching that one myself; I’m running Beginner classes for a chunk of 2023
@@TilWeMakeIt I look forward to meeting you & learning from you!
@@alignedwithalexis Right on! See you in the ring!
The canvas tip is very interesting
Great Job
Aaah senior Quackenbush!!! A great video!! My question is what size is the ring ?
Good question! It’s an 18 footer, got it from Highspots.
I love the WWE canvas color...
Some very insightful info Mr Quack. Thank you sir.
You bet! Thanks, Christian!
The question I always had was, what do the two ends of the cable/ropes look like? That is, how are they connected and made to not slip out of a clamp?
Lord knows I needed a ring setup tutorial. I need to look like I belong at my school lol
thats one of the prettiest rings ive seen
::ring blushes coyly::
@@TilWeMakeIt just most of the ones ive seen while i was audtioning schools were heavily duct taped, while yours makes me want to take a bump on it lol
@@TankBranch1221 Yeah, duct tape is the fastest way to patch a tear in a canvas. I see that quite often. And getting someone to come stitch a giant 18 or 20 foot canvas can be quite the chore!
On a good day, at my school we can get the ring broken down and in the truck, along with all the stage, barriers and other extra crates and whatnot in about 30-40 minutes! Also helps that the ring we use of our two rings is also right next to where we park the truck. But we also tend to have a bunch of folks on ring crew.
A huge crew makes a big difference. On average, how many people do you have?
@@TilWeMakeIt Yeah manpower is key. I would say from my experience usually at least 15-20 or so folks, since the truck is usually loaded up right after class.
@@JackgarPrime That's the way to do it. I've seen ring rentals done by just 2 guys, and it is painstaking work.
@@TilWeMakeIt Oof, that sounds like a nightmare! But you have to make due with what you have, one way or another.
@@JackgarPrime Yeah. I think 6 is an optimal number for ring crew. Just enough, not too much.
That is very interesting!
Back in the 1990s, I helped set up a wrestling ring for an indie show in Harpers Ferry, WV. There was a giant spring in the center of the ring. After we were done, the three of us bounced around in the ring, and after maybe a half-hour, I realized that I was too wimpy to be a pro wrestler. I had bruises under my right armpit (from hitting the ropes), rug burns (from the canvas), and horrible head and neck pain (from being whipped into the turnbuckles).
MY QUESTION: Do a lot of wrestling rings use springs in the center, or was the ring I set up uncommon?
Gregory, thanks for leaving this comment. Compression spring rings began to disappear in the 90s. These days, they are extraordinarily rare to see. But from the 60s through the 80s, they were in wide use across the US and Canada.
@@TilWeMakeIt Thanks!
what is that one is it 16 x16 or 14x14 i'm looking for the 16 x16 and then i Haking lee campbell get the 18 x18 wrestling ring in time
My ring is 18 x 18 ft in size. I’ve never owned, nor seen, a 14 x 14 here in the States.
What inspired that honeycomb design for the stage?
Stroke of luck. Those pieces are known as Capellini Clouds, and there was a sweet deal on them. Eight years later, they show virtually no wear at all.
@@TilWeMakeIt Oh that’s awesome! It looks great!
@@RebelHart9 Thanks! When you hit them with LEDs, they look terrific!
@@TilWeMakeIt I’ve seen some Chikara matches so I can confirm they absolutely do!
@@RebelHart9 I've never been able to locate it, but apparently all the clouds I bought to make our stage had previously been used at some big award show, like the Grammys or something. Because that show was one-and-done, and they had no intention of keeping them, I got them at a nice price. But when lit properly, they are very impressive.
........woundering.....how many hands did you have and how far did you go?.....
Cory, we had about 20 for tear down, and 8 for set up. The drive from Philly to Allentown is about 60 minutes.
Just curious, are the mats you are using here the same type/material used for water slide mats?
Hey VJ! Do you mean that tan colored padding you see rolled up? Or do you mean the blue colored canvas itself?
@@TilWeMakeIt My bad! Yes, the rolled up mats.
@@VJBT670 That layer of padding we put on the ring is a type of foam. Whether or not that's exactly the same as a water slide mat, I can't exactly say.
@@TilWeMakeIt Thanks for the reply! These ring setup videos have always interested me. Wished there was a full length video of an hour or so of these setups.
@@VJBT670 Hmmm. That's an interesting idea. Maybe I'll do one of those down the line...
How do i start a Pro Wrestling School in the future?
Oof. Tough one. I guess...first, figure out the time machine part of this. Go to the future. Once you arrive there, rent/lease a space, buy a wrestling ring, and make sure you have liability insurance in case anything goes wrong. Then you'll need to recruit and hire a coach to teach the classes. If you remain in the future, be careful not to fracture the sacred timeline.
Hey mike, few questions. So I’ve been wanting to start pro wrestling training for a while but i’m having doubts due to my size. I’m only 5’6, are there any examples of wrestlers around my height that are successful and is my doubt reasonable?? Also I’m having a hard time trying to research the head trainer at my local wrestling school, what are some things i should look into?
Gabe, these are very reasonable questions. At 5’6”, you tower over Rey Mysterio. There’s more than a few major names under 5’6”.
Reach out to people training at your local school. Tell them you are interested to begin, but would love their honest opinions about their coach.
@@TilWeMakeIt Thank you Mike!
@@gabe7319 You bet Gabe! Best of luck to you in your journey!
i Haking lee campbell like the short original wrestling ring thats what i want to buy in wrestling time travel lifestyle of dreams phones
Loved this video thanks again
You got it - thanks!