Prepare yourself, believe in yourself and do your best

Day after my last fight I was talking to one of my best training partner, team mate and corner man Michael.
We spent a lot of time together training, not only in our gym but also in different camps inside and outside of the UK.
We know each other very well.
Strength and weaknesses. We can quite easy understand each others emotions, and we can help to motivate each other.
But anyway....
Michael has shared with me his observations and his opinion over my performance during last fight.
He has quite clearly and correctly red some of the feelings I had before and while fighting.
Michael also said that he was very surprised at the pace we have both set up right from the beginning of the bout.
As it was 10 rounds, championship fight he has though that we would start of much slower,  just to feel each other, then pick up the pace as it progresses.  Very much like in the traditional MuayThai Thai fight.
My answer was; that there was no time to waste.
Me and my opponent both knew each other.  We both did our homework and prepared best we could for that particular event.
We both knew that we wouldn't wanna let the judges make the decision.
We both aimed for clear win by the stoppage.
If I waited for further rounds to pick up the fight I would take a massive risk.
Anything could happen.
I was facing strong opponent with great experience and amazing power of his punches.
One clear shot could change everything.
So I have choose to risk while executing our plan. Plan that we have trained with my coaches, my training partner Roman and all the GMMA Academy team for weeks.
Simply; if something goes wrong, I prefer if it happens when I am doing my best than when I don't do nothing.
If I was going to die, I wanna die as a warrior not a coward.
This same philosophy I do bring out in to my life. Only those who don't do anything don't make mistakes.
I choose to be a doer.
I believe that this is the only way forward.
Prepare yourself, believe in yourself and do your best.
If not working.
Make changes and repeat the procedure.

www.GMMA.co.uk

Krystian Ozog Fighter/Instructor, GMMA Academy 07928093841 | KrystianGuruMuayThai@gmail.com | http://www.gmma.co.uk/ | London/Great Britain

My World Title Fight Experience

Just over a month ago my coach "Sir" has informed me that we have got given an opportunity of fighting for the; Middleweight low kick kickboxing World Title of B.I.K.M.A organization.
We have set up training program and adjusted it around my work schedule straight away.
With no time to waste,we begun preparations.
Sir has came out of his way by making it possible around his and mine very busy schedule to fit as much training as possible.
Roman my great team mate and long time training partner ( one of the oldest GMMA Academy Student ) has rescheduled his timetable to be with me every morning, five days a week and help me shape up my techniques by working me out on the pads and pushing me over the limit.
My coaches would arrange every possible spare time of theirs on monitoring and adjusting my preparation.
What Roman and I would follow best possible way we could.
Evening schedules were pretty much as usual, all about GMMA Academy, with little twist of selfish adjustments to work on my strategy while working with everyone.
Fortunate with great Coaches, Team members  and friends like Marty Cox and Jacob Wells from "Marty's Cox" gym based in Heathrow who has welcomed and helped me in preparation, with great pad work and sparring sessions weekly.
I have been working hard all those weeks doing my best to overcome obstacles, tiredness, and lack of time in between my work and training plan.
As like everyone of us I have got my other responsibilities outside the training,there is no easement tariff just because i am training. It is my own choice and I have to make sure that everything work great outside the training too.
It was tough few weeks. But all the support I got from my Team as well as my desire of becoming better fighter, student and instructor, has helped me to keep going.

Last weekend before the fight we have pushed it to the next level with Sir Samy and Roman "Sir" and all the GuruMuayThai members.
From Monday on wards, with assumption that all the hard work has been done, we have carried on our schedule in a bit more relaxed setting. Concentrating more on the speed and sharpness of my actions, we would reduce the time and intensity of training. All strength and conditioning techniques we have practicing last few weeks were reduced to minimum.
It was all about sharpness and executing the tactics we have set up for upcoming event.

Obviously Last week before the fight was a bit of emotional and physical roller coaster.
Feeling strong, feeling week, feeling fast, feeling slow.
Feeling confident, feeling unprepared, feeling super fit, feeling over trained, feeling that I haven't done enough.

I have had those kind of feeling in the past in smaller or bigger degree.
But This was great opportunity for my career at the stage I actually am.
I wouldn't wanna let my coaches, team, family and friends down.
It isn't my final destination when it comes to fighting, there is much more I want to achieve.
But at this same time I feel like time of testing and experiencing has been gone while ago in my career. Now it is time to put up all hard work I have done and see the results of it.

Saturday the 19th, the fight day.
After busy Friday and early start on the day I have been looking for any possibility, even half an hour of resting my head and body, with not much of luck.
I have met some of my team colleagues outside our gym in Shepherd's Bush/West London.
Where we have took off from to the venue where we were early enough for the weigh in, medical check and rules meeting.
Everyone has spread around and more guys would be coming one after the other.
I have had a light dinner as I knew that I've got about five hours to my fight.
24 fight on the list and break in between had to take a bit of time.

In those five hours emotional roller coaster has took incredible speed.
Meeting my opponent, who happened to be my training colleague in the past, meeting his brothers and coaches who I used to train with wouldn't help to calm me down at all.
Seeing all my friends and supporters coming to the venue has set up expectation level even higher.
They all came to see great win of mine, believing in me, my strength and abilities.
"Can't let them down!!!!" Was echoing in my head in between all other thoughts I had.

Naturally I belied in myself too.
I know my strengths, I know what I am capable of.
But I believe that if I wasn't nervous in this kind of situation I must be mad or simply an ignorant (read "fool ").
I believe that it is natural.

This is where coaches/corner man team, their experience and element of connection kicks in.
Couple of fights after the interval we have took our gear and moved to quite corner of the venue, where all the team has completely concentrated on all the details towards the final performance.
Jacob (my sparring partner) from "Marty's Cox gym" and his mate Lucas has joined us as well.
After warming up my body with Thai oil and wrapping up my hands we begun the warm up.
Usual stuff; shadow, pad work, light sparring with the tactics tattooed in our heads.

Time is up!
Shows MC has called my name inviting me to the blue corner, "We are young" by Fun has came out from the speakers. We have waited for the chorus to begin and walked in to share the atmosphere with our supporters who were clearly been more nervous at that point than myself.
I knew that this is it.
Time of the test. Time to put in everything I have got.
With all those people behind me couldn't go wrong.

My opponent has walked in with also great support on the other side of the ring.
We have gave respect to each other, our coaches and corner man.
Then touched the gloves and right with the first bell begun to storm with attacks.
We have both started on very high pace.
Surely both didn't think of fighting all the distance off 10 rounds.
Every punch, every kick was main to bring the damage and possibly finish the fight before the time.

My opponents boxing skills and power of the punches has been incredibly good.
Very skilled and strong fighter.
I was kicking his leading leg right from the beginning of the fight and he kept on lloking for the knock out with his hooks punches, very well delivered.
My tactics and abilities of good kickboxing; hands and legs would give me score of 5 to 1 by the end of sixth round.
I could see that the leg I was constantly kicking giving up little by little.
Hearing great guidance from my corner i have been executing everything that we have trained for this fight.
What finally has brought me technical knock out in the 8th round of fight against my incredibly strong physically as mentally opponent.

My pride and pride of my coaches, team members and friends at the venue has shifted the roof up!
That was an amazing feeling.
All the hard work paid off.
All the expectations has been fulfilled.

Once Again GMMA Academy "The Winners Team" achieved great victory.
With great support, guidance, believe and hard work I have become B.I.K.M.A middleweight low kick kickboxing World Champion.

And once again we have helped to raise money to the good cause of helping little boy Ronnie to overcome his illness. 

That's where all income from tickets sold on the day Mr Jason Stevens, Scorpion kickboxing coach and promoter has donated to.

Great THANK YOU to my coaches, team mates ( especially Roman ), Marty Cox ,Jacob Wells, Mr Jason Stevens the organiser of the show and all supporters who made their way to the show as well as those who couldn't be there and wished me well.

Let's keep it going guys!
There is much more to come!

www.GMMA.co.uk 

Krystian Ozog Fighter/Instructor, GMMA Academy 07928093841 | KrystianGuruMuayThai@gmail.com | http://www.gmma.co.uk/ | London/Great Britain

World title fight

Five more days to go.
This Saturday coming ,19th of September 2015 another big test for me and my team. I am going to fight for B.I.K.M.A middleweight low kick kickboxing World Title.
For the second time in my career I am going to fight against very strong, skilled and end experienced fighter, current British Champion, representing  Albania and Great Britain at once: Jetnor Pjetri.
Our previous fight took place about four years ago and I can honestly say that it was one of the hardest and most precious point decision victories on my record.
It has been a long time since then and we both went long way.
I believe it is going to be very interesting match where we both going to give it all for 10, 2 minutes rounds that has been contracted.

We are both going to fight hoping that we are going to make our teammates, fans and family proud.

For me personally it will be another step towards achieving my goals, another position on my CV, another great opportunity to test myself.
I do want to make my students proud, I do want to make them believe in themselves and that they can become whoever they want.

I want my friends, family and readers to believe this same.
Since I have started my journey with martial arts, my life has changed and is constantly changing a lot.
It is improving.

If you wish to come and support myself and good cause which are Children in need which all the tickets money are donated to.
You are more than welcome.
Just let me know and meet me at the venue.

Saturday 19th September 2015 at "Night of champions" Chestnut Grove school, Chestnut Grove, Balham SW12 8JZ.
Doors are open at 3pm, first bout at 4pm.
Cost of tickets £20, all money donated to children with heart disease.

Krystian Ozog Fighter/Instructor, GMMA Academy 07928093841 | KrystianGuruMuayThai@gmail.com | http://www.gmma.co.uk/ | London/Great Britain

Surfing experience/training camp

What an amazing August Bank holiday weekend that was.
Plenty of training in beautiful surroundings of a Cornish coast.
Sightseeing of peaceful and very welcoming South of England.
Undertaking another great skills improving experience - surfing.
All that with great company of family, friends, GMMA Academy members.

Everyone has enjoyed it, its own way.

Some of us were tuned up for intense training, others were all about the waves.

Some of us simply came around to spend time together and relax, away from big city life.

One of the biggest attraction of this weekend was definitely surfing experience.

We were very fortunate as we had with us Jean, passionate and experienced surfer,who has given give us quick and essential tutorial. 

As soon as Jean has explained us health safety rules and gave us few tips on technical side.
We would jump the boards few times on the beach before we actually go into the water. As soon as we managed couple of times to stand up on the surf board straight from lie down position. Didn't want to waist any precious time, we would all go in to the sea, for a real deal practice.

Surfing is another quick decision making sport.
Is all about control and balance.
Once you spot that perfect waive, you need to position your board at the right direction and quickly lie down on it. Balance yourself and paddle with your arms to get more speed for the final slide, you are focusing on catching the right moment to gently but promptly stand up on the board.
You do that when you feel that the wave is pulling you.
Then Just like smart Aikido or Judo fighter you are using the energy of your opponent ( wave ).
Right positioning, reaction, balance and focus are the way to succeed.

Walking away from the shore, into the deeper water. Handling surfing board while constantly being hit by the waives. Jumping on and falling of the board.
It can be quite energy draining business, specially for inexperience surfers. Just like me :-)
Those few seconds of actual surfing, when you manage to stand on the board and slide on it right to the end, it is a great reward.
That's why we would keep on going up and down restlessly to achieve our final goal without thinking of tiredness, hungriness, cold or anything else.
We have enjoyed it so much that without realizing when we have spent few hours in the sea till our colleagues would give us sign that it is time to come back.  

I always tent to look for new experience in my life, I love to learn new things and achieve new skills.

I always look for similarities and relationships as well as it helps to look the world with the bigger picture. It helps me to understand better myself, others, the world and other professions.

Obviously it was Thaiboxing training camp.
So as soon as we had some food and bit of rest to recharge the batteries.
We have took our kickboxing equipment out and attracting all the residents of holiday camp where we have stayed we begun to hit the pads and work out bare feet on fresh and clean grass in front of our Glamping accommodation.

Hill runs,sprints,pad work,strength and conditioning workouts.
Surfing and socializing with our team.
Beautiful sightseeing and relaxing.
New achievements, new experiences.
Can't wait for next training camp.
Already thinking of about the time and location.

www.GMMA.co.uk

Krystian Ozog Fighter/Instructor, GMMA Academy 07928093841 | KrystianGuruMuayThai@gmail.com | http://www.gmma.co.uk/ | London/Great Britain

GMMA Academy training camp Cornwall / sprints

Strenghth and conditioning by Jimmy Rufus / GMMA Academy