Review of "7 Keys to Becoming a Better Performer - A Book for Fellow Pro-Wrestlers" by Mike Quackenbush

April 20, 2018

As a matter of full disclosure, I preface this review by writing that I work for Mike Quackenbush's wrestling company, CHIKARA, but that being said, I will try to stay neutral for the purpose of this review.



As you can probably guess by its title, Mike Quackenbush's latest book is geared especially towards pro wrestlers and how they can become better at their craft. He discusses how to modify match structures from the common, traditional layouts to more varied patterns. Approaches for emoting empathy, vulnerability, and dramatic tension are also addressed. He shows an awareness of the variables in audience demographics and interests, as well as how pro wrestling spectators have changed over time, and how that can affect fans' receptions to matches.

In the book, Quackenbush explains why wrestling fans perceive wrestling the way they do. The ritualistic and repetitious nature of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's People's Elbow is dissected as a personalized storytelling method, and Quackenbush encourages each wrestler to invent their own equivalent of it. He specifies that this signature narrative gesture does not need to be a wrestling move; it can be as simple as Daniel Bryan's "Yes!" arms pump and step, but that it should be established with fans through repetition as a primary element of a wrestler's performance.

Another element besides repetition that Quackenbush addresses is the importance of evoking uncertainty in the audience. His third chapter, focusing on this topic, reminded me, as a fan, of the characteristics I adore about pro wrestling. It was in this chapter that he analyzed in detail what made the Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna main event of WrestleMania IX such a perfectly developed feud. He even discussed the importance of other roles in wrestling by explaining how manager Mr. Fuji and especially how announcer Bobby Heenan factored into Hart and Yokozuna's rivalry.

You should be able to get a lot out of this book if you are a pro wrestler. However, I presume most people reading this review are not wrestlers, but rather are simply fans of it, so I want to emphasize that there are lessons and chapters in this book that are especially pertinent to people in other walks of life than wrestling. As someone who is not a professional wrestler, I especially found chapters two ("Differentiating Value Proposition"), five ("Ritual and Repetition"), and the last one, seven ("Willingness to Fail") interesting and broadly relevant to life in general.

By using pop culture and mainstream entertainment brands like "Saturday Night Live,"  Cirque du Soleil, and David Blaine to clarify his points, Quackenbush enables non-wrestlers to relate to his book. Part of me thinks that the book could have been longer, as it is less than 70 pages, and it can be completed in a single day. I recommend this book if you are interested in learning how to channel emotion into your work or performances, as  wrestlers, coaches, authors, filmmakers, actors, dancers, and more can all acquire self-improvement lessons from this book.

Quackenbush's book is now available from Amazon as a paperback at https://www.amazon.com/Keys-Becoming-Better-Performer-Pro-Wrestlers/dp/1549786326/ and as an e-book at https://www.amazon.com/Keys-Becoming-Better-Performer-Pro-Wrestlers-ebook/dp/B075TJLMT9/. For more information on Mike Quackenbush, visit chikarapro.com and 1001holds.com. Upcoming CHIKARA shows in Pennsylvania feature Ken Anderson and Glacier, and with a battle royal scheduled for May 5, there are sure to be some surprises.