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

Different aspects of fighting training

Everybody has its own reasons and own goals to achieve by training combat sports.
As long as your motives are clean and you stay within sports ship values.
As long as you doing it to help others rather than harm them. That's great.
Apart of your personal reasons why you choose fighting training there will be much more you gonna gain and earn in a process.
Everyday I learn more about it.
Even if I don't learn something new I do improve what I already know.
For example when I have first started I just wanted to learn a bit of self defence and improve my cardio.
Self confidence, speed, stamina, flexibility, reaction, self control and much more just came along in a package while I kept improving.
As a fighter, it is very important that even when you feel weaker and your energy level goes down,you still "dig it in".
You work till bell rings or referee stops you. You go beyond the average, beyond the tiredness, laziness and all weaknesses.
All that cannot be just said and done.
You got to learn that like "A,B,C", like foreign languages, like kicking and punching combos.
You got to drill it. You got to teach your brain to become your natural instinct.
At the moment of pressure is no time to motivate yourself.  You got to have it in you and fight to the end.
This kind of attitude will make your life easier and better not only as a sportsman.
Also as a professional in your everydays work, as a parent and simply human being.
At GMMA Academy we strongly believe that we do much more than just " kicking and punching ".
GMMA Academy "Sporting, Inspiring, Greatness ".
www.GMMA.co.uk

Last days of training in Thailand.

As we have came back late after fight night, after 2am also wasn't sure how my legs going to feel like due to kicking and blocking.
I have skipped morning 10k run and joined the session an hour later.
Quick warm up with shadow, series of knees on the bag,then moved on to my favourite punch bag made of three tyres.
Worked out on my punches a lot with fresh idea of what I was lacking of in the fight.
We did few more work outs and finished off with a ground work (press ups, sit ups,...).
As my legs surprisingly weren't to bad (when it comes to walking and running ).
Second session I have started with everyone of 7k run,including the hill run.
Instead of pad work I worked intensively on the bags.
Punches,knees and elbows. (No kicking )
Then I have asked one of the guys for boxing sparring which he agreed for.
We did few minutes of good exchanges, then we moved on in to the ring where we happened to be the partners in clinching sparring.
After the training we had good by dinner with few of the fighters from Singpatong Gym.
And went to night market for some fruits and shakes.
Came home packed bags and prepare everything to be ready to go straight after morning session.
I have run my last 10k in Patong for this year.
For the last time I run up the "killer hill" and as since the second day, never stopped even once.
What many can tell, is an achievement.
My body did feel more fatigued than yesterday.
I suppose due to lack of rest and sleep after the fight.
But still one of the coaches decided to give me one more,boxing pad work session which we have pushed hard.
That was best happy end of my training camp in Thailand 2014, I could wish for.
We have took quick shower before the training finished and came back to the gym,say thank you  and goodbye to all of the coaches and fighters present in the gym.
Singpatong Gym, it was great place to be and great place to learn.
Me as well as the rest of my team, surely going to remember our experience from training and sparring provided over almost past three weeks.
Looking forward to come back sometimes next year if possible.
www.GMMA.co.uk 

Muay Thai fight experience (arrival ).

23rd of December 2014, 7pm.
Meeting with Singpatong Gym coaches and fighters outside the gym.
I have jumped in the car with couple of coaches and few young Thai fighters.
My GMMA Academy crew was following us on the scooters. As well as few more members of the gym.
We arrived at Chalong boxing stadium (around 20km away from our gym) just before 8pm.
When we walked inside the stadium we could smell  Thai oil straight away.
Crew has showed us the way to changing room, where we already met couple of guys wrapping they hands,getting massage with Thai oil and shadow boxing.
Fights started at eight o clock.
Young boys has opened the ceremony.
Fighters from our gym were fight number 2 , 3 and 5.
As my fight was number 8 I sat down with my team and watched the show.
Muay Thai music,waikru (traditional dance before the fight) and amazing performance of young hard working,big hearted warriors.
All that atmosphere was sinking in my head and body.
I felt really  focused as well as inspired by all the situation and surroundings.
Some tall eastern European looking fellow has sat down right next me.
I looked at him and his mates and I've red on one of theirs tshirts name of the club, Rawai Thai boxing.
Then I realised that this is my Russian opponent.
What a funny coincidence.
Obviously I had a proper look at him trying to read his strengths and weaknesses from his physics.
He was much taller than me and he looked like good athlete.
One thing I could clearly compare with him sitting right next to me was our legs.
His were definitely long,then I thought of mine strong conditioned legs as a key weapon to brake his base.
During the third fight one of Singpatong coaches has took me to the changing room,wrapped  my hands and double checked if we got everything.
We have came back after to watch couple more fights.
In the middle of fifth bout couple of young Singpatong team guys has called me to the room again.
Where I have lied down on the big wooden table and had my pre fight massage with Muay Thai oil...
www.GMMA.co.uk

Teaching is very individual profession.

Training others is very skillful and delicate profession.
Don't matter what you teach, theoretical knowledge and knowing the subject is not enough.
There is many other components which makes you good teacher.
You need to have a passion for what you are sharing and great love to a people.
You got to have individual approach to everyone of your students .
You got to be great listener and observer.
That's why I have learnt that not always what works for me also going to work for others.
My personal feelings towards performance of my team mates or students cannot be put on the first plan.
I've got to primarily consider their needs,habits and their good with great respect of their own choices.
It is the students who has chose me and they trust me and believe in my intentions.
So my job is to pay them back the best I can .
Some questions and answers I got do not come straight away.
I am very fortunate of having great team of passionated and experienced coaches who are putting all the effort in improving everyone of us and passing over to us,to me much more than just the knowledge of how to kick and punch.
It is great pleasure of being part of winning team on the mission to help others.
www.GMMA.co.uk

Find your own way!

Back in UK as well as here in Thailand.
Wherever I go I see a lot of good and passionated fighters.
Each one of them got they own reasons and they own way of becoming who they wanna become by practicing combat sports.
Everyone has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Everyone wants to become the best they can possibly be.
Everyone wants to be a champion.
My question is:
How do you become the champion,when competition is so big?
First of all you got to become the champion in your own head.
Only you know how much you suffered, how much hard work you put in and how much effort that has cost you.
Only you know how much you had to give up to get what you got.
Only you know how much it really cost you.
So if you are able to look at your performance and say "I am proud of myself, I have done my best ".
You are already a champion!
Surely for many of us that's not enough, we wanna measure our success by achievement in competition with others.
We simply wanna be better than others too.
And there is nothing wrong about it.
That's exactly why there is so many different types of competitions.
People wanna know where they stand.
When you realise that there is always someone better than you,someone who is working harder than you, you push yourself much further than you would normally do.
Watching and practicing with so many individuals makes me think; how can I become the best out of all of them?
Some of them are faster,some are stronger,some are taller,some are more flexible.
Some are better boxers,others are better kickers.
There are long distance and short distance fighters.
Everyone has its own strength and  weaknesses.
Half of the success will bring you ability of reading the game and adjusting your methods to the situation.
The other half would be realising your own strengths and work them out to the perfection.
Find your own,unique way to get up to the top.
It doesn't matter how you got there as long as it was your own work that brought you up.
As long as it was fair way with a lot of effort from your side.

Amongst the fighters in Thailand.

What is so special about Thailand, when it comes to fighting training?
As I have mentioned before,I do truly believe that it is not where and how much you are training makes you better athlete or fighter.
It is more about; the way you do it.
However,staying and training for over a week at Singpatong Gym in Phuket,Thailand.
I have had great pleasure of meeting and training with many fighters from all over the world.
Some of them,just like me,coming here for a month or two,to develop their skills and go back home to fallow up with what they have learnt.
Some of them, quite few,stays  here for years and train full time.
Living everything behind and devoting their lives to Muaythai.
Even though back in UK it is my bread and butter too.
Everydays training, fighting, coaching.
I don't think there is other place in the world, where it is so common.
We cannot forget the Thai fighters who started all this culture and continue it on the highest level.
Young boys and girls whom begin their day with a long run and Thaiboxing practice.
When finished they will have a quick wash and breakfast, put on the uniform and leave for school.
After school they will come back straight to the gym for afternoon session.
It is a lot of hard work for young people,but they are proud of being fighters and they believe that this is going to help them build up their future.
Everybody here takes it very serious,at this same time we all having great fun while we are training.
Everyone has a dream of becoming someone. Whoever they wanna become,  Muay Thai is the way.

Another week in Thailand.

Monday morning, we have woke up at 6 00.
Prepared ourselves and equipment to start training at 7 00.
Before each training we use plenty of thaiboxing oil for conditioning and to warm up our muscles.
It prevents from injuries and helps fatigued body begin the activities.
Run has started very usual but ended up much longer and finished off with this same "killer hill routine".
Class was quite busy, I have seen lots of new faces.
A lot of bodies for sparring and clinching with.
Afternoon session which starts at 4pm  was even busier.
All the Thai boys were back from schools and lots of fighters from all over the world turned up too.
That was a great picture to watch,everybody comes in,puts it's hands together in Thai respect gesture.
Everybody says Sawadee Khrup, Thai grating.
Puts boxing gloves on and with its own style makes the most out of the  training to improve the techniques and become better, stronger,faster,wiser.
We are all here with passion for Thaiboxing.
And that's what makes us understand each other, so the language is no barrier.
My usual pad holder  was there for me.
Every time increasing the volume of the strikes and adding some new techniques.
Sparring and clinching gets more advanced too.
That's for my own wish.
I am alway trying to find partners that could give me some hard time.
I am always looking for challenge.

Sunday resolutions.

Sunday 14th of December 2014.
It is our rest day.
We had a nice long sleep,big breakfast then browsed around the local Beach and markets.
Found few souvenirs, some Thai boxing shorts and Thai oil for conditioning.
We've  been walking around busy streets of Patong and looking around at what they got to offer to the tourists.
They've got a lot.
But nothing else can push away from my head,planning and thinking about the training.
Considering how can I use this experience to develop myself and GMMA Academy to the maximum.
I don't just want to plot along with programme they give us.
I don't just wanna train like they do.
I wanna do more.
I want GMMA Academy to get better.
We had few days to adjust to the weather and their routine.
Now is the time to push it harder.
Of course, easy to say on the day off.
When I am relaxing and feeling fresh.
But as I have mentioned in one of my previous posts.
I truly believe that this is the best time to make some changes or plan your training.  All you got to do after is stay strong and keep up with your resolutions.
Most of the training concentrates on strong mindset.
As Sir (my coach)always says back in London ; "your body can take a lot,it is your brain who is giving up".

Running up the hill, Patong /Thailand.

So we have settled down in the villa right in front of the Sing Patong Gym. Gym that we are training at.
This is our home till 25th of December.
I am loving it here.
All we got is bed for each person,aircon working in all the rooms, fridges full of water and one of the most important; wifi. Beautiful view of the local beach from the balcony,every time I look down I feel inspired, it is just like looking at some great piece of art.
I share this same feeling when I reach to the top of the hill at the beginning of our training  sessions run.
That hill is a killer.
Running up you are fighting with yourself,when you manage to get right up to the top and you know that you pushed yourself hard to do it at the best pace you could.
As a prize you will have a chance to see the local town and beach from the hight,through the gap in between the bushes.
That view lifts me up.
I feel fortunate that I am here training with my friends.
Doing something that I love in such a beautiful surroundings.
Each time I reach up to that top,without stopping or slowing down.
I look at the scenery with full feel,with believe that I have earned to be here (up on the top).
Nothing else brought me up here but my own hard work.
My constant development.
Against all of the impediments I am pushing myself and pushing the boundaries of my physical and mental fitness.
Many reasons are trying to disturb my performance.
But as long as I stay honest with myself and do not allow the weakness take over and stop me .
I can sleep well and enjoy advantages of this amazing trip.
www.GMMA.co.uk

First day of training in Thailand.

As our trip has finished pretty late last night and we didn't get much sleep Sir (our coach),has decided that we wouldn't  perform well at the morning  session.
So we postponed it.
However we did go to the gym to show our respect, say hello and have a look around.
We found it exactly as I would imagine it.
Big roof with some simple changing rooms and shower facilities.
Two rings at the back ,bags hanging around with some carpet under for better grip.
In the middle matted floor, right in front of  big mirrors used for shadow boxing.
Lots of pads , boxing gloves,hand wraps and other equipment lying around.
Little area for small weights in the corner.
Posters and pictures of local fighters and fighting events on the walls.
Sing Patong Gym based in Patong/Phuket.Gym full of people, Gym full of fighters,our home for next two weeks.
On the way back we checked few more places ,looking for a better deal closer to the gym.
And we have found, our own villa right opposite we hired couple of mopeds.
And finally settled down in one place before our afternoon training  session.