| Real name is Robert Szatowski. Studied karate and kickboxing in his teens before becoming a professional wrestler. Slight resemblance to Jean-Claude Van Damme earned him the professional wrestling name of Rob Van Dam. Wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Total Non-Stop Action (TNA).
Created the "Van Dam Lift", which involves doing a full split in between two benches and lifting a dumbell from the floor to the waist. The move was officially certified by the International All-Around Weightlifting Association in 1998 and is allowed for use in competitions. |