Lion’s Den Tryouts Result in Two New Members

By Holli Yargo Hearne

Ken Shamrock held his infamously grueling Lion’s Den tryouts Saturday, February 17, 2007. Four hopefuls were scheduled to participate but at the end of the brutal day, only two would call the Lion’s Den home.

True to Lion’s Den tradition, the day started with a 30 minute run. That was followed by transporting multiple heavy sandbags, one at a time, up and down a steep hill, carrying barrels of water weighing approximately 25-30 pounds around the perimeter of Shamrock’s property, then finishing the outdoor portion of the tryouts with wind sprints up and down a hill.

After a brief rest, the hopefuls moved to Shamrock’s gym where they had to complete a five round circuit of knee bags, banana bags, and uppercut bags. Then, they faced Vernon “Tiger” White on focus mitts where they performed a variety of punch and kick combinations. For the next 30 minutes, they wrestled with fresh opponents about every 2 or 3 minutes, facing open palm strikes to the head and the potential for being choked unconscious. All the while, they listened to seasoned Den fighters such as White, Joe Martin, and Dan Molina encouraging them to quit.

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