Okay, so last month, I saw flyers popping up for this local Gay Wrestling club opening nearby. Honestly? My first thought was “Sounds fun, but how safe is this gonna be?” I mean, wrestling’s wrestling, right? Bodies flying, holds, pins… could get messy. But hey, I figured why not try it out myself and see what the deal is.
Getting Started & First Impressions
I walked into their intro session feeling kinda nervous, man. Met the coach, this big guy named Marco who actually used to wrestle semi-pro. He gave us this quick talk right off the bat: “Fun is priority one. Safety is priority one-point-five. We ain’t doin’ ego trips here.” Felt reassuring.
They started us off slow. Like, really slow. We spent a whole week just practicing how to fall properly. Not joking – drills on mats, learning to tuck your chin, slap the mat to spread impact. Felt goofy at first, but Marco kept hammering it in: “Bad landing = bye bye neck. Ain’t sexy.”
Then came the warm-ups. Every. Single. Session. Marco made us run laps, do bear crawls, stretch every muscle you forgot existed. He said cold muscles tear like wet paper. Couldn’t argue – even my toes felt warmed up.
The Nitty-Gritty: Rules & Risk Spots
Once we got into actual holds, they drilled rules harder than math class:
- No submissions or chokes. Period. Coach shut it down instantly if someone even twitched towards a neck crank. Said recreational groups ain’t the place for that stuff.
- Tapping out is law. Like, someone taps? You stop mid-breath. Marco yelled “RESPECT THE TAP!” so much I hear it in my sleep.
- Fingernails! Sounds dumb, right? Nah. They checked everybody’s hands. Long nails scratch skin, tear mats, cause infections. Clip ’em or sit out.
The Scary Bit (What Went Wrong)
About three weeks in, some new guy – super eager, zero patience – tried a hip toss without practicing falls first. Came down hard, shoulder-first. CRUNCH sound. Whole place went silent. He dislocated it. Coach handled it like a pro (called medic, iced it, support), but man… watching that drove it home. Skipping basics? Bad news.
Another time, two experienced guys got competitive, started going harder. Marco blew the whistle, stopped the whole room. “This ain’t UFC! We shake hands, reset, or you leave.” Got real tense for a sec. Ego’s the fastest way to get hurt.
My Big Takeaway Advice
After a couple months rolling around? Yeah, it can be safe. But you gotta choose your crew like your life depends on it. Look for:
- Groups obsessed with warm-ups and drills. Like, annoyingly obsessed.
- Zero tolerance for ignoring taps or safe words. If someone shrugs that off? Run.
- Medical stuff on hand – legit groups always have a first aid kit ready, ice packs, know where the ER is.
And seriously? Learn to fall before you try to fly. That guy with the shoulder? He came back weeks later, humbled, practicing falls like a beginner. Smart move.
Bottom line? It’s as safe as the people running it and the respect everyone shows. Had a blast once the jitters faded – just know what you’re stepping into.
