Backyard Wrestling BYW

Backyard wrestling (or BYW Yardtarding) is a loose term used to describe the controversial practice of professional wrestling as performed by untrained fans (usually adolescant males) in an unsanctioned, non-professional environment. It is amateur "professional" wrestling ("amateur wrestling" refers to the Olympic sport), and could be considered an extremely physical form of role-playing. Though backyard wrestling was not unheard of prior to the 1990's, the modern backyard wrestling "craze" lasted from roughly 1998 to 2001, during a time when televised professional wrestling was enjoying a period of unparalleled popularity.

Many of those who practice it embrace a style that emphasises risky highspots (which can involve diving or taking bumps from rooftops or ladders) and the liberal use of weapons in matches. These may include thumbtacks, barbed wire, tables, plywood, fire, glass, and light tubes. Even among participants who shy away from this, there still is a considerable level of inherent risk involved.

Many professional wrestling moves require extensive training to perform correctly and safely, which few backyard wrestlers have recieved. These and other concerns are at the heart of the controversy surrounding the practice.

Backyard wrestling is so-called because it is often literally performed in yards, though most any location can host a backyard wrestling match, including wooded areas, parks, garages, playgrounds, vacant lots, warehouses, barns, and school gyms. It is common for backyard wrestling promotions, or "feds," to construct their own homemade wrestling rings. Wrestling on trampolines is also common, which allows for visually impressive moves to be performed with a minimal risk of injury. Others opt to simply perform matches on the bare ground. Backyard wrestling feds can be highly organized, and many tape their shows and maintain websites where media is available for download. The internet proved instrumental in popularizing backyard wrestling during its initial boom period.

Two video games loosely based on the practice of backyard wrestling have been released: Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home and Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood, both of which were published by Eidos Interactive and developed by Paradox Development. Both games were widely panned

Backyard Wrestling Relationship to Professional Wrestling

Backyard wrestling is modeled almost entirely after professional wrestling, and many backyarders are dedicated fans of the sport. Totally disregarding the WWE mantra dont try this at home backyard matches are usually "worked" in the same way professional matches are, with finishes booked in advance and participants going over highspots beforehand. Often the wrestlers discreetly communicate to one another during the bouts, exchanging information as to which moves to perform next. Differences exist in that backyard wrestling often emphasizes more humorous and absurd gimmicks and storylines. Most wrestling fans would consider backyard matches sloppy and lacking in psychology in comparison to the pros, though this might not always be the case.

Backyard Wrestling tends to follow the trends of Professional Wrestling; this can be seen as the "hardcore" phase of BYW fizzled out soon after promotions such a ECW, XPW and CZW closed or toned down their extreme style. It is more common nowadays for backyard wrestlers to hit hard with strikes, much like current popular wrestlers Super Dragon and Samoa Joe.

In recent years, backyard wrestling (or "backyarding") has become a hobby for some of the younger generation of Indy wrestlers, because, whereas wrestling professionally means being told how, who and where to wrestle by a booker or promoter, backyarders are their own bookers and promoters and can enjoy the freedom of wrestling their friends however they like for their own recreation. However, even two trained wrestlers wrestling in a "backyard wrestling environment" is frowned upon by most professionals, and it is often difficult to shake the reputation of being a "backyarder" once it becomes common knowledge.

Further more, since the loss in popularity of Professional Wrestling, as has the media buzz around Backyard Wrestling. Since that time a rather large "BYW Sub-Culture" has risen in the Backyard Wrestling scene. Backyard wrestling tends to swing with the tide of what the "in thing" in pro wrestling is. The majority of Backyard Wrestling is now focused around what is known as the "American Indy" style. Made popular by promotions like Ring Of Honor. BYW feds are now focused around technical wrestling, athletics, and high spots

Backyard Wrestling Controversy

Many backyard wrestlers cite Mick Foley as their inspiration, as a video of Foley's backyard wrestling exploits with his friends in college gained widespread attention after portions of it were shown on WWF (now WWE) TV. However, Foley himself discourages the practice of backyard wrestling due to the high potential for serious injury, and is quick to point out that he did not attempt dangerous stunts (with the exception of a jump off a rooftop onto a matress) or perform acts of extreme violence in his videos, events that often occur in backyard wrestling.

Most, if not all, professional wrestlers and wrestling organizations discourage backyard wrestling, because it involves the imitation of stunts that can cause serious injury by individuals who have not been trained to execute them. Several lawsuits have been brought against wrestling organizations, most prominently WWE, alleging that people have caused serious injury to others by imitating professional wrestling moves they saw on TV. As a result of this pressure, WWE now features prominent disclaimers during its programming which tell fans, "Don't try this at home."

While many backyard wrestlers believe that backyard wrestling is good preparation for future exploits in professional wrestling, prominent wrestling school operators have often stated their disdain for the practice.