Cigar and Whiskey
After a month of intense training, Toks Fale is having a wind down at his waterfront apartment in Auckland city.
Week 5
At the NZ Dojo facility, the trainees are in the middle of a very rigorous workout. Some members of the class appear hurt; however, the pain has not stopped them from pushing through.
Fale the Head Coach shared that one of the main reasons he started the NZ Dojo was that the skills and discipline he gained while training at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Dojo would help a lot of young New Zealanders.
Fale estimated that in the last three weeks, each trainee has done ten thousand squats. He attested from his own experience that the best way to train the mind and body is to endure the suffering that comes with being part of a world-class programme like the NJPW system.
Will Averill
“Wrestling is teamwork,” this is a teaching that Will Averill remembers constantly in his training. Although the three-month intake entails around-the-clock commitment, Averill is certain that if everyone trains as a unit, the team will succeed.
Fale in his frustration saw a lack of enthusiasm in the pride. Furthermore, he did not see anyone showing heart.
“When I went through it [the NJPW training], you wanted to show stuff,” Fale reflected. “If somebody told me, ‘do a thousand squats,’ I’d go, ‘hell yeah, ok, thank you very much.'”
He continued; “Over here, you tell them to do something, and they question it. ‘Why?’….. You just f—ing do it!”
A Clean Man
Fale told off the trainees about the state of the toilets. Fale has emphasised to every intake that has come through the Dojo the importance of a clean and spotless toilet.
Unfortunately for the trainees, the message did not register. Fale inspected the bathrooms after they had cleaned the Dojo and found that one of the toilets was not flushed. Frustrated, to say the least, Fale took a photo of the mess and shared the screenshot with the class. But the Rogue General was not finished. He led the trainees to a workout up Mangere Mountain.
The Mountain
Located in South Auckland, Mangere Mountain is one of the largest volcanic cones in Auckland. Elevated at 106 metres, this impressive landmark is Fale’s favourite place to work out and has been his training ground throughout the last 20 years.
Fale instructed the trainees to run twenty laps around the entire track. While observing the trainees, Fale gave an insight into what each trainee had to work on in order to elevate to the next level.
It’s Just You
As fatigue began to set in, Fale explained that the trainees at that stage would need to motivate themselves to continue.
Although it is encouraging to have people cheer you on from the side, at the end of the day it is up to the individual and how much they want to make it through to the finish line.
Best Assured
Fale asked the trainees what inspired them to keep going after they finished their first lap. Fale encouraged the class to use those reasons to fuel their desire to train the best that they can.
Back at the NZ Dojo house, Averill was playfully boastful about himself. But contrary to his excitement, Averill has gotten on Fale’s nerves. Fale has seen glimpses of Averill when he is switched on, and that is what Fale wants to see more of from his trainee.
Black Sand
The class travelled to Piha beach in West Auckland for their next outdoor workout. Piha has black sand and is one of the most beautiful beach sceneries in Auckland, however, it is also known for being one of the most dangerous beaches in the country, with a high number of drownings.
Bottom of the Pack
The trainees use the sand to work on their cardio with a variety of exercises.
Find A Way
Despite the fact that Averill displays a great amount of exuberance, he has also been incredibly open at identifying the areas that he needs to improve on.
Averill holds closely the wisdom that the NZ Dojo coaches have shared to further motivate him, as well as the bond that he has formed with his fellow trainees and with the wider Dojo community.
But as Fale indicated on Mangere’s mountain top; it is essential that each trainee learns how to motivate themselves. It is ultimately you versus you.
Watch Lion’s Roar Episode 5 on NJPW World
