Redshaw On Fitness, Powerlifting, Ice Baths & Smaller Opponents

Speaking on ‘Shooting The Shit Uncensored’ with Piers Austin, current Riot City Wrestling Emerald Crown Champion Redshaw spoke about fitness levels going into wrestling, recovery and participating in Powerlifting, Ice baths and competing against smaller opponents.

On his level of fitness going into wrestling..

“I played sport all my life so football, basketball, when I moved to Adelaide I started hitting the gym a lot, PT by trade, then I got into Powerlifting, so I did powerlifting for a few years. Then I did a few competitions and that sort of stuff, so I was competing regularly in the powerlifting, then when I started the wrestling doing the both just was not working. The body was trashed, so I saw what was going to be beneficial for me in the future where I could actually go somewhere and that was going to be the wrestling. Then I thought, put the focus into that. Fitness and strength was at a pretty good level going into the try outs, so I think I had a bit of leg up in that situation.”

“A completely different ball game obviously when you start wrestling, compared to Basketball and stuff like that, but I felt like that was a great benefit.”

On how much of a toll powerlifting takes on the body…

“If you’re not doing the right recovery like anything it can really bang you up and damage you. When I was just doing it by itself I was having the right rest days and the right recovery, so it wasn’t too bad. Add in wrestling training, things like that, the body just was not holding up, the back was hurting, legs were hurting more than usual. Something had to give and that was it.”

Redshaw on Ice baths…

“At first when you first start doing them their pretty full on, your just shaking and shivering and you don’t want to be there. When you get used to it, once your sitting in it you’re fine. I find as soon as you stay still you’re perfect, as soon as you move a muscle, move your arms or legs that’s when the cold really seeps in. You just think what its going to do for you, it’s like meal prep and stuff like that, I’m doing this for a reason and I know what’s going to come out of it, so if it takes up all my time or its freezing cold and I hate it, it’s going to benefit me in the long run so I’m just going to nut in and do it.”

On working with smaller competitors in the ring…

“I got it drilled into me young when I first started to tell a story, I always like the matches that tell the stories, so I try and go out there and tell that story with the smaller guy, have them go really quick around me and eventually get me off my feet. I probably don’t protect it as much as I should, but I’m not the size of a Barron , I’m not that big that I couldn’t get knocked down. So I try to protect it as much as I can and make it mean something.”

“Rocky Menero drilled into me, story telling, story telling, make it mean something, what’s your ‘Why’? Why are you doing something.”

credit: Piers Austin

Catch Redshaw at Riot City Wrestling’s ‘Sin City Showdown’ event on April 15 as he takes on Cadie Tre for the RCW Championship.