Hello everyone, haven’t posted here much in a while but hoping I can get some much needed advice. I do Goju-Ryu but I want to test myself with a competition. The only tournament I can find near me (I’m in TO) that will let me compete without a Kyokushin membership is in Rochester, about 3 hours away, and it takes place every September. It is known as the International Karate Championships. I don’t expect to win the tournament or anything but I’d like to win a round, even losing my first round would be okay, I’m sure tournaments like this attract lots of super pros. I’m not sure why the forum box won’t let me make a new line for a new paragraph, it’s a little annoying. Anyways what techniques are useful to learn for knockdown karate? I currently practice lots of leg kicks, roundhouses kicks, snap kicks up high, snap and thrust kick teeps… Lots of punches to the gunkan, open hand, shooto, etc etc. Anyone know any techniques that will give me an edge?
Couldn’t hurt to brush up on low shin kicks and their defense.
How’s your conditioning?
How are your sweeps?
Is this your first tournament or just your first knockdown tournament?
[QUOTE=Fuzzy;2795489]How’s your conditioning?[/QUOTE]
Not great but I’m working on it. I have started to run a 5k every couple of days.
I go to the gym a couple times a week too and do a few lifts and a bit of medicine ball work.
[QUOTE=Vieux Normand;2795490]How are your sweeps?[/QUOTE]
I can do a few to an okay level. Although the only one we really work on often is ashi barai and I doubt any seasoned fighter would let me pull that on them.
I’ve started focusing on catching kicks and sweeping the ground leg a lot in sparring now.
Any specific techniques (like with youtube clips) that you know that are good to land with a bit of practice?
[QUOTE=Bezmond;2795494]Is this your first tournament or just your first knockdown tournament?[/QUOTE]
Well, I’ve done wrestling tournaments before… but nothing for karate. I was never really interested in point fighting before.
What are the rules of the specific tournament in which you want to compete?
As a knockdown fighter myself, let me get some insights from you.
Are you going to compete in knockdown or semi-knockdown? If you get the chance take the semi-knockdown path, as it is your first KD tourney.
How is your flexibility? I ask, as one of my “go to” techniques for knockdown is my Kakato Otoshi/Ax kick. It has saved my butt more than once. Plus, you really need to throw the occasional roundhouse to the head. Those 2 along with a good wheel/spinning hook kick are always in use at every tourney I fight in.
For your punching, make sure your wrists are strong and your hands conditioned. I have seen many competitors have a short day due to injuring their wrists and hands from not being used to striking without gloves on. In the area of techniques, make sure to mix your rear hand straight punches/cross with some good hooks to the liver and spleen. Many KD fighters protect well from straight shots, but fail to protect their body from hooks.
If you want more advice, go over to kyokushin4life and ask away. We have tons of great info and great fighters there.
Ummm…as a Kyokushin guy. I would say, body condition is the most important first step. Toughness (body conditioning), stamina, power, technique then speed, in that order.
Do already regularly spar in knockdown rules? I know some Goju guys do head shots and also some do point fighting. If i is your first tournament, focus on low kicks to the knees inside and out gedan mawashi.
hey guys thanks. I tried to register at kyokushin4life but it says admin has disabled registration, which is weird. Anyways we spar pretty general kickboxing rules with headpunches but we are supposed to pull our knees and elbows to the head. We use 10 oz gloves though when we spar (some of the black belts use mma gloves). So you think the most important thing I can do is start practicing taking lots of body shots?
[QUOTE=marcwagz;2795642]hey guys thanks. I tried to register at kyokushin4life but it says admin has disabled registration, which is weird. Anyways we spar pretty general kickboxing rules with headpunches but we are supposed to pull our knees and elbows to the head. We use 10 oz gloves though when we spar (some of the black belts use mma gloves). So you think the most important thing I can do is start practicing taking lots of body shots?[/QUOTE]
Yes, without gloves. Practice taking full shots to the body in succession. There are many knockdown specific techniques but I doubt you can pick them up without an instructor or regular knockdown sparring. So just condition your body to taking shots and practice the meanest gedan mawashi you can conjure. Keep the gameplan simple.
You won’t need any open hand techniques or shuto don’t worry about that and focus on conditioning of the thighs and mid section
Also train with knees as they are a vital part of Kyokushin Karate
Do you train combos?
You will see lot of combos start with a chudan oi suki and follow up with a couple or punches generally ending with a knee or lowkick
One more thing, if you have big pads. Train combos at full strength you can do it on guys in sparring but you will never get the feeling of expanding all your energy like in a fight.
What we do is stamina rounds.
This is the second or third set in the video, do it in sport 15-20 seconds bursts and few seconds rest in between. 8 rounds minimum.
(I’m on 8 rounds with 20 seconds in this one - second set)