Exclusive: Jerry Cameron on working with Diamond Dallas Page and how DDP YOGA has changed his life

As a reader of Sportskeeda, you undoubtedly know that Diamond Dallas Page is a WWE Hall Of Fame inductee with multiple reigns as a World Heavyweight Champion. Odds are that you also know DDP to have found success not only as an actor and author, but as the founder of DDP YOGA.

As shown within the acclaimed documentary The Resurrection Of Jake The Snake, DDP YOGA has helped extend the lives and/or careers of many professional wrestlers, including Chris Jericho, AJ Styles, Drew McIntyre, Rob Van Dam, Goldust, John Morrison, Sami Zayn, The Miz and Zack Ryder.

However, DDP YOGA has also changed the lives of countless people not involved with the wrestling business. The journey of Arthur Boorman, a disabled US military paratrooper, was arguably the first DDPY transformation to go viral on the Internet.

As documented in Boorman's video titled - Never, Ever Give Up. Arthur's Inspirational Transformation! on YouTube. Boorman went from barely walking to sprinting, many pounds lighter, in the matter of months.

Jerry Cameron is another person whose life has been changed for the better by Diamond Dallas Page and DDP YOGA. Cameron is currently the star of a DDPY produced video series titled We Can Rebuild You, of which 4 episodes have been released.

He has been working directly with DDP and his team in Georgia for the past 7 weeks. As shown in the first episode of Rebuild, as a disabled veteran, Cameron has needed assistance for years both with walking and performing everyday basic functions.

The progress experienced by Cameron comes across as inspirational and heartwarming, and only further proves how DDPY is a legit means of improving oneself mentally, physically, and emotionally.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Jerry Cameron by phone, as coordinated by Diamond Dallas Page himself. More on Cameron, his journey and the We Can Rebuild You series can be found online at www.ddpyoganow.com, where you can download the DDP YOGA NOW app.

How did you first find out about DDP YOGA?

Jerry Cameron: I had first seen the Arthur [Boorman] video a while back, but it wasn't until my girlfriend showed it to me again that I really sat down and watched it. So last year we went to the DDP YOGA Performance Center and Haydn [Walden] was there...

At that time I was going to the chiropractor, my girlfriend was having to take me everywhere. A year went by and my chiropractor actually was hip to DDPY and she told my girlfriend about it again, and my girlfriend went online and e-mailed Pat [McDermott].

Pat got in touch with me about the DDPY Rebuild program and I went over there for a meeting. I guess they'd talked to Dallas, and Dallas was there. He has a thing in his heart for veterans, so he talked to me afterwards and it took off from there.

Were you a fan of wrestling or DDP before getting involved with DDP YOGA?

Jerry Cameron: Oh yeah, I knew about him. Everybody knows about Diamond Dallas, yeah. (laughs)

Did you have any hesitation about putting yourself and your story out into the world?

Jerry Cameron: No, not at all. I have to get used to the attention, but no, because had it not been for someone else putting their story out, I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to see that there was hope for me. If it can help someone who'd given up hope, just like me, then I'll put myself out there anytime.

I've seen the first 4 episodes already. How much more have you already filmed?

Jerry Cameron: A lot. (laughs) There's really a lot more than that. I'm going on my 7th week. The first day things started to change with the first initial eval. It has been phenomenal, it's been change after change after change. I'm not talking about weeks, I'm talking about Monday to Wednesday to Friday. I go there 3 times a week.

There's a lot more that hasn't come out yet. For instance, last year around this time, I wasn't up walking at all. I basically had to crawl up the steps.

You said that you go to the DDPY Performance Center 3 days a week, but what sort of time commitment do you give the program in general?

Jerry Cameron: I give it my all. I work out so hard there that Tuesdays I have to let my body rest, because we get it in, man. The sessions I do with Dallas, or Pat and Garett [Sakahara] when Dallas is not there, he gives me homework to do. Because of my condition, we modify, so there's a lot of changes for my particular situation that aren't on the app. I'm regularly using the DDP YOGA NOW app at home, because you don't have to be there at the DDPY Performance Center to do DDPY. It gives me all the great workouts I need.

I've had 3 major back surgeries, a fractured right foot, a fractured left foot, a fractured right tibia, broke a bone in my right ankle, screws in my knee, my left leg was made shorter than my right leg by an inch...

My core has gotten stronger. I've gotten away from using a wheelchair, that thing stays in the trunk. I don't really have that much pain anymore since I started the program. I'm using muscles I haven't used in 8 years. Basically it's been 8 years since I've been able to be as mobile as I am now. In these 7 short weeks I've gained more than I have in 8 years.

As far as working with Dallas directly, is there anything that you feel is a misconception about him? Or something you wish more people knew about him?

Jerry Cameron: A lot of people may think that he's a hard-ass, but he cares about people. He genuinely cares. He's very straight-forward, no chaser, it is how it is. But he has a love of helping people.

He doesn't think too highly of himself like "he's the man" or anything, he knows how to talk to people and get people to get things done on their level. What works for me may not work for somebody else as far as motivation. He knows exactly what to say and how to say it. He's straight-forward about changing your diet and putting in the work. If you put in the work...

I've never sweated so much in my life. The first week, the weigh-in was 244.6 [pounds], and a week and a half later I was at 236. I didn't do this to lose weight, but that's a great side effect. I'm sleeping better. As I'd said, I've gained in more these 7 weeks than I have in 8 years. I'm doing stuff with muscles that hadn't been turned on in 8 years.

Having watched Arthur's video, where he's ultimately running at the end, do you have a main goal you're looking to achieve in being part of the DDPY program?

Jerry Cameron: Oh, I'm going to walk, I'm going to be running, just like that. That's the ultimate goal. Since I've started this program, I've had dreams and visions every night that I'm walking, that I'm running...

You get trapped in your head when it comes to "I can't do this, I'll never be able to do this." I was like that, my girlfriend had to do everything I should have been doing. It can be done.

This program is breathtaking, because you think you can't, but you know you can once you start. You can feel it, once it vibrates inside, there's no looking back. DDPY can help you mentally, physically and emotionally.