, ▁Belg ium ▁to ▁a ▁Hung arian ▁father ▁and ▁German ▁mother , ▁but ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Hamburg , ▁Germany . ▁He ▁learned ▁Gre co - R oman ▁wrest ling ▁in ▁his ▁early ▁years ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁beginning ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁very ▁well ▁known ▁sports man . ▁He ▁wrest led ▁in ▁" The ▁Hi pp od room ", ▁a ▁notable ▁sports ▁center ▁in ▁Ant werp , ▁where ▁amateur ▁f ights ▁like ▁box ing ▁matches , ▁sav ate ▁matches ▁and ▁wrest ling ▁matches ▁were ▁fought . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Am ateur ▁wrest ling ▁ ▁Ist az ▁excel led ▁in ▁amateur ▁wrest ling ▁and ▁experienced ▁a ▁major ▁break through ▁in ▁his ▁career ▁by ▁compet ing ▁as ▁Charles ▁Ist az ▁for ▁Belg ium ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁Olympics ▁in ▁both ▁fre est yle ▁and ▁Gre co - R oman ▁wrest ling . ▁Got ch ▁also ▁trained ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁mart ial ▁art ▁of ▁Pe hl w ani . ▁This ▁training ▁led ▁to ▁Ist az ' s ▁regime ▁of ▁cal is then ic ▁body weight ▁exercise , ▁which ▁were ▁used ▁by ▁Indian ▁wrest lers ▁and ▁other ▁athlet es ▁to ▁build ▁leg ▁end urance ▁and ▁strength . ▁He ▁also ▁adopted ▁other ▁Indian ▁exer cis es , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁bridge , ▁H indu ▁squ ats , ▁and ▁H indu ▁press ▁ups ▁in ▁his ▁wrest ling . ▁Got ch ' s ▁philosophy ▁was ▁later ▁passed ▁on ▁to ▁several ▁of ▁his ▁students . ▁ ▁Professional ▁wrest ling ▁ ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁ ▁Ist az ' s