It can be taught but even for those who eventually "get it" the process can be long and involves a lot of trial and error... practical experience as it were. This was a lot easier when the territories existed and guys would go on circuit tours, usually facing the same more experienced guy on every show and then, with that vet and others offering advice and tutoring, a young rookie would slowly learn what worked and what didn't.
Look at some of the old guys that are still around... they can have fans in the palm of their hands... without having to take more than one or two bumps (if that, in some cases.)
Guys that are out there doing 20+ bumps in an 8-10 minute match... trying to use - what do they call them nowadays?... "spots"? "moves"?... whatever - guys basically trashing their bodies to get pops or a response are working against themselves in the long term....
Firstly, by conditioning the fans to respond to "big moves" they are continually having to create even bigger (and thus more dangerous & damaging) moves to get that response because over time the crowds become bored or unimpressed with the moves that used to bring a "holy shit" chant. Remember when a superplex was a HUGE move? A match ender? Now, it's just one of a gazillion moves leading up to a false finish if it leads anywhere at all.
Nowhere was this escalating move severity more apparent - or as fast - than in hardcore. It used to be that doing ONE spot into barbed wire was a big deal. Now it's TKO's off ladders through flaming tables, sheets of glass and light-tube cabins. Shit, The Shiek had people freaking out for decades with just a PENCIL and maybe the occasional fireball. Now it's gone beyond weed-whackers, cacti and whatever else you can think of.
Secondly, A multi-bump per match philosophy doesn't lend itself to a long career. The human body, no matter how well it's developed can only take so much. A lot of these guys are going to be severely hurting units long before they reach the age of 40. I cringe every time I see guys on the indy circuit taking suplexes and other bumps out on the floor... especially when they're doing it in front of 30-80 people. Where is the logic in that?
A couple years ago I had the opportunity to work with Norman Smiley. While watching some of the other performers on the show Smiley turned to me and said "Wow, those guys just took more bumps in that match than I have in 10 years." I've heard similar statements from Greg Valentine, Honky, Beefcake, Pat Tanaka and numerous other guys who all made a living at pro wrestling... and still do in many cases. You ask any of them and they'll say yes, they live with the pain of years of abuse but they CAN still go because they worked smart and didn't use up their "bump ticket" by doing more than they had too.
There are some very smart guys working the Ontario scene... guys that get the job done without killing themselves... although I bet if you asked, they'd still say that they "do too much" because the business almost demands it thanks to the sheer number of guys who are going out and bumping like mad men in an effort to pull a response from fans.
I don't know because I haven't personally witnessed their program but I suspect that the Bodyslammers training facility (if that's what it's called - the new Styles brothers / RWE camp)... I bet they can attest to what I've said in this post and are probably a good place to go if Ottawa area workers or wannabes want to learn how to work without having to half kill themselves to get a reaction. Again, it's an educated guess because I've seen those guys work and the shows they produce. For the most part, they seem to espouse a work smart style that gets the job done with a minimum of risk of immediate or cumulative damage to one's body.
I believe MVP, Sara Del Rey, Misty Haven, Jae Rukin and Rahim Ali are good examples of "smart guys".
