10 Times Wrestling Was More Hardcore Than "Real" Sports
8. Diet Determination
Sports: Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Ferguson, Jenny McCarthy... Charles Barkley? Yes, the round mound of rebound Charles Barkley was once a spokesperson for Weight Watchers. Forget the Tom Bradys of the sporting world with their macrobiotic diets and stick-thin wives, there are still plenty of athletes like Barkley who run through more menus than marathons. In the fast-paced game of basketball it seems like it would take a genuine effort to stay plump, but Barkley managed to rise to the occasion, even being called fat butt by Scottie Pippen. The taunts were not undeserved, Barkley once used his epic hunger in a scheme to avoid working for the Philadelphia 76ers that is so cartoonish it was once the plot of an entire Simpsons episode. Most college players are psyched to get signed to any NBA team that will have them. Charles Barkley was not so easily impressed. During the 1984 draft he was actually hoping to avoid getting hired by the 76ers who paid their players a paltry $50,000 a year. If Barkley could gain 20 lbs in two days before the final weigh-in he hoped the team would consider him too fat to draft. Thanks to twin Grand Slam breakfasts at 1600 calories a piece, Red Lobster binges and double T-bone steak dinners, Barkley hit the 302 mark. Sure, he was fat, but not "can't play basketball in Philadelphia for very little money" fat, so management wanted him anyway. Pro Wrestling: Until The Rock came along fans were not used to seeing a Samoan athlete with that kind of lean physique. Thanks to a solid dose of bodybuilding genetics from dad Rocky Johnson and dedication that scares Navy Seals, Dwayne The Rock Johnson has sculpted one of the most jaw-dropping bodies in sport. He may be only a part-time employee of Titan Sports, but his diet and training regime are hardcore, full time. Recently Muscle & Fitness covered The Rock's diet and his two pound intake alone was enough to make the piece go viral. His brutal training regime starts with a 4 AM wake-up call for the 43 year old People's Champion. Over the course of a day he consumes seven meals, nearly all vegetables and lean protein that contain a whopping 5,165 calories. Do not feel bad for The Rock, he's 270 lbs of pure muscle and does take a rare cheat day, indulging in a few dozen pancakes, brownies and pizzas.
