100-man kumite. Shokei Matsui

It is insane and I have total respect for those who can do it, my 7 man kumite was pure hell as I was gassed out before the fights from the physical test and they were pure survival fights, just hanging in and try to win the 4 fights I needed to get my belt, that I barely managed to do and the last fight I was a punching bag as I couldn’t move at all and just hoped to not get KO, I was covered in blood and it was normal, on every photo of a 10 man kumite I have seen at the dojo I trained at, they were all smeared in blood and looked like they had been brutally assaulted, which the fight test becomes very fast no matter how well prepared one believes to be. Last time I did something similar was 8 years ago in an initiation ritual at an Old Boys Kyokushin club for high level above 30 years old, it was only punching 2 minutes rounds against 8 opponents in a row with no breaks in between, the first 4 tried to avoid to get hit and were defensive while I punched with maximum power, when I gassed out they suddenly stepped up the intensity to maximum intensity as I could not counter attack and I was in a pure survival mode, only trying to defend myself and the clock seemed so slow as it would never end, I hate those what I consider torture test as I learn nothing other that gassing out is the point where anyone can beat the crap out of me, but I knew that so it was merely the old school Kyokushin experience of getting beaten hard and survive and not quit before the order to stop is announced, I can't believe that I actually  did want to one day try to do it when I was a teenager, happy I didn’t do it as my favourite fighter almost died from dehydration and the beating as he was not allowed to drink water in an extremely hot dojo with huge spotlights for the camera that raised the temperature even more, such test can do permanent damage as it had on the 7 years in a row world champ with no weight classes. 

CSW 2013 Camp - Day 1

So weird to see a Kyokushin fighter doing lowkicks not as I learned it, but changed it to not having the wrist stretched, my reason was that I wear shoes and that it also set up trips easy.

Bruce Lee Ted Thomas Interview Part 1

I am not and have never been a big fan of Bruce Lee as I didn’t like his movies, I must be one of the extremely few who have trained Wing Chun not due to become Bruce Lee or being a fan of him. My favourite martial artist where high level world champ Kyokushin fighters from the days with no weight class, as I knew how extremely painful it is to fight several fights at elimination tournaments in the same day, plus the gruelling fight test for getting a new belt, my last fight test was horrible as I was only 16 years old and to get my 1 kyu I had to fight 7 persons, full knock down rules, the last fight was against the former K1 champ Nicholas Pettas, with only a 5 minutes break after the fitness test that is extremely hard, the seniors get a day to recover and I was the first one for the fight tests, I could hardly sit down as the pain in my legs and the rest of the body was way too high, since I assumed it was a standard grading I pushed myself 100% all the way expecting a days rest. My Sensei wanted to prove that I could do the impossible and changed the test, I was a lab rat to see how far a kid could be pushed, I did get my belt and felt pride to have survived that hell that no other had ever done before or after, to have survived what most seniors would never be able to do, but later couldn’t handle that others got their belts with a days rest and protective gear in their fights. That was one of the reasons I left the club and searched for a new martial art, as I felt it had turned from a typical hardcore Japanese insane torture mentality to pure McDojo.

Andy Hug Tribute

This video triggers a lot of good memories, I have spent a countless hours on Knock Down Karate sparring with some of the best, winning a gold medal and trophy for best technical fighter after 4 fights that day at a huge open European Knock Down tournament, Copenhagen  Open, is my most cherished memory. 

All my training buddies took all the gold medals, the first tournament that Nicholas Pettas fought in, I introduced him to Kyokushin Karate while I had 1 week as a kid to try to be a teacher at another school and we became friends, he was my last opponents at my graduation to my brown belt, where by some strange reason for the first and only time, I was not allowed to rest a day and fight the day after the technical and physical test, which is a tradition and custom as you can hardly move after the exhausting test, I had 5 minutes to get ready to fight, I had to fight 7 opponents and could hardly stand up, it was the worst beating I ever have experienced and had to win 4 of them to get my belt, luckily the first 3 were easy as their technical level and fighting experience was low, but the last 2 were a nightmare I could not move at all and was a punching and kicking bag. In the middle of the last fight Nicholas whispered to me you have to do something and I whispered I can’t move at all, I passed the test and nearly passed out from exhaustion. 

My sensei believed that I could anything, even things that were not safe, as when I was 14 I had to fight 3 senior fighters with full Knock Down rules, as I was not 18 years old he wanted to prove to the whole club that I could do the impossible and fight under senior rules to prove that my belt was earned by fighting under the hardest and harshest conditions. It did prove one thing, even if your body gives up and you are taking a beating, there are 2 options, give up or continue until you black out from exhaustion. ‘Never give up’ is one of the best mottos. 

Mas Oyama philosophy with the mindset that you can continue even if the body gives up, is to some extent true but doing it too often has a high price, I have had several serious injuries and one that is still present after 25 years.