Daidojuku/Kudo MMA tournament

[ibuki]

Basically I just do everything with alot more intensity. Sparring is harder than usual. Tonight my sensei sparred with me really punishing me with body shots to toughen me up and test my spirit.

The pad work is super intense with sets of 10rep kicks to start off with, and just 30 sec breaks between rounds, which are filled with push ups and jack knives.

I do more morning runs focssing on doing sprints. And some interval training, combining pushups, jump squats, jack knives, burpees etc.

I'm also focusing on more specific counters and strategies for the type of competition. Using the gi to control my opponent, sabaki moves, clinching techs to counter throws etc.

Plus more specific ground fighting strategies also.

Everyday is just a gut breaking challenge!

How is your training goining? It's a very well known issue that in the professional and/or prestigious tournaments such as Hokutoki the fighters must use steroids in order to restore their bodies for the next training. So my question is what do you take? I'm also a competitor but in Kyokushin tournaments in Europe and I only take nutritional supplements but that's only because I'm not on the Hokutoki level for example. So it will be very useful for me and for the other competitors if you continue to share your training experience and also your restoration one.

Thanks in advance and good luck in your preparation for this dream tournament (it's a dream of mine too)

[Dragn]

I've never heard steroid use mentioned in my circles, and I train with a number of professional kickboxers. But then I've never brought it up.

Personally I dont feel the need for it. If you train hard but smart you shouldn't need to resort to drugs.

Too many negative consequences, and just not the way of a true budoka.

Winning isnt everything. Its the experienced gained from competition which is truely valuable.

The only situation where I can see steroid use being necessarry would be in Professional MMA heavyweight divisions where its important to put on the bulk while maintaining high intensity MA workouts, which is not easy to do.

For most of us the most difficult thing is constant injuries from sparring, interfering with our training. As far as I know steroids cant stop you from getting injured.

[Dragn]

Well I havent been able to train as hard as I would have liked. My busy work schedule has been a bit of an obstacle. I havent done as much running as I should have. But I have managed to put in a good hard 3hrs a day 5 days a week, at the dojo.

Really pushing myself past my limits on the pads and heavy bag has done alot for my stamina. Getting pushed to the point where it takes a big effort just to keep my hands up, and throwing a hard punch or kick is painfull, and then getting forced past that point , to where only shear will power and kiai keep me going.

Something snaps inside and I almost go into a state of rage, a surge of energy rises up, pushing me past what I thought my limit was. After which I'm almost ready to pass out from exhaustion. It takes all my effort just to stay standing.

I know my sensei would force me to stand even if I keeled over anyway.

Sparring has been hard too. Some days sparring everyone in the dojo, each one fresh.

Other days just going really hard with my sensei and Ono sempai. Both of them totally out class me, but by pushing myself towards their level ,my skills have made a very noticable improvement.

Other sempai who inspired me with their sparring skills when I first joined, are now finding it difficult to match me in sparring.

The difference between those who actively compete, and those who dont, becomes noticeable.

When you know you are going to face a top class fighter in an upcomming fight, the drive to excell pushes you beyond the efforts of your piers. Even just for that reason alone, competition can be of value.

I've also received alot of personal instruction from my sensei, which I wouldnt have had if it wasnt for this competition.

All my sempai have been really supportive in helping me prepare, offering valuable advice and acting as sparring partners.

I just hope I can put on a good fight. I hadnt expected to be competing in the Hokutoki this year, so I feel somewhat ill prepared. If only I had pushed myself just a bit harder the past year!

I've found out that my first opponent is the Kyushu champion. A former prodege' of my own sensei and a veteran fighter. No easy challenge! But I'm determined to get in there and beat him.

Well as the total underdog in this tournament I've got nothing to loose and everything to gain.

1 week to go.....

[Dragn]

The tournament was yesterday.

The day before my fight I found out that my opponent had pulled out and got word that his replacement was to be a French guy who was a green belt. I was really thanking my lucky stars!

Then on the morning of the fight I was offically notified that my opponent would in fact be the Osaka area champion. An experienced fighter and Japanese rep in the last world champs. Probably one of the toughest guys in my weight class. Out of the frying pan......

I had been pretty nervous even before I heard that news, but after it, my confidence started to go down hill. I tried to stay positive and determined, but what my head was saying and what my gut was feeling were 2 different things.

Even when warming up on the pads I couldnt seem to get my usual power. Body felt weak and ran out of energy real fast.

I dont know if the sleeping pill I took the night before to help my insomnia may have had a bad effect or if it was just nerves.

When I got in the ring I just wasnt feeling confident. In retrospect I had lost before I even began.

I didnt do too badly though. I actually managed to land a few good blows and we were pretty even in stand up. But on the ground he was all over me. He managed to get on top of me in the mount pos and score a point.

I wasnt able to land anything solid enough in retaliation and so I lost.

It isnt so much the losing that bothers me though. Its more the fact that I let my nerves get the better of me, and didnt do what I was capable of.

I dont know why, but I threw a bunch of spinning back kicks, and hardly any round kicks. What was I thinking!?':roll:'

Everybody said I just wasnt fighting like I usually do. I was stiff and hesitant. Pressure got the better of me.

My opponent ended up making it through to the finals where Ono sempai from my dojo defeated him and won. Ono has been competing in this national champs for 10 years now and he finally got 1st place. So he and everyone from our dojo were totally stoked.

He had some really tough opponents too. 1 a pro shoot fighter, and another was last years champ.

There will be more than a few celebration beers chugged down this weekend!

Well anyway I'm glad I got to compete this year. It was a real learning experience. Some other fighters actually gave me some nice complements.Even though my performance was very poor for me.

Next year I'll be back stronger and more experienced to give it a real serious bash.