Steroids in Japan

[Guest cynicalprofit]

I know its a big thing in American, but how about in Japan. Ive seen some Puro, but no one looks like they are juicing, cant same the same for Lucha though. So how big are steroids in Japanese wrestling?

 

And on a similar note, what about painkiller use?

Anyone a known addict?

[Guest PlatypusFool]

I seriously doubt you'll be able to find a Jap who uses, or has used, steroids. Unlike US wrestling, puroresu is hardly concerned with how a wrestler looks, and it doesn't matter whether someone is very muscely or not, so there is no real reason to use 'roids.

 

The painkillers thing is more likely, but still dubious, I'm not sure about this - anyone else can comment with more authority?

[Guest J*ingus]

Steroids are not just for big pecs: they help tremendously in healing injuries and wear & tear on the body. Jake Roberts used them in his WWF tenure, and he was certainly never a puffed-up monster.

 

As for painkillers, yes, they are pretty prevalent, especially amongst the hardcore garbage wrestling feds.

[Guest Black Tiger]

I'm sure some puro wrestlers use them, but most Puroresu wrestlers don't train to look good for the camera's they train to fight and take punishment.

 

The most common puro steriod users are the gaijin. Dynamite, Davey-Boy, Spivey, Albright, Brody, Snuka, they all were big steroid users

[Guest The Son of Sting]

Dynamite said in his book that far more Japanese wrestlers take roids than you would expect.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I bet Yakushiji does roids.......

[Guest kane3212321]

Interesting story from Zenk about Kawada and roids,

 

Here

[Guest DragonflyKid]

Roid abuse is definitely higher in the states where aesthetics are so important, it seems a wrestler in the WWE would rather sacrifice his flexibility and wresting ability to become "larger than life." In Japan it's less about aesthetics and more about ability, instead of being some monster with tons of muscle mass who looks great but gets blown up quickly, endurance is stressed. There is a big difference between use and abuse, the physiques in Japan look alot more natural.

 

I would think pain killers would be used less in Japan since they have tours and don't go non-stop. Instead of working a schedule year-round they tour for a few days or weeks then get time off.

 

Recreational drug use I think would be lower, in Japan not only are the penalties for drug possession more severe but they don't seem like they would want to jeopardize their careers and disgrace themselves. Honor is important in Japan, to go through the dojo's requires alot of sacrifice, I don't think the decadent partying/rock star lifestyle is as prevalent there.

 

I have heard of three death's in the ring in the last few years due to the higher impact wrestling in Japan, but I haven't heard of death after death related to a hard-living lifestyle of steriod use to look the part, pain-killer dependancy to get through the grueling non-stop schedule, and the rock & roll lifestyle of booze and drugs on the road.

[Guest kebab]

I would think pain killers would be used less in Japan since they have tours and don't go non-stop.

That, pluss the fact that the Japanese are very strict on painkillers. I had a few conversations with Japanese doctors last year, and they'll only give the patients half what American/European doctors will.

 

That's the way the Japanese are brought up.