Krac, if I may add my 2 cents in, building your punching power is great, however this challenge sounds very close to one of my beloved styles of MA which is TKD, however you have thrown in ground work. Now with no punching to the head, your devistating power punches are not going to help too much, if you go against an opponent who is good with his kicks. Not trying to brag, but to teach here when I say, I would destroy you even before you got close enough to hit me with your fists. I suggest working on your kicks off your front foot…they are very fast and hard to intercept. The order of importance I would say is #1 Front cut (or side)kick (this is your jab…you fire it the split second your opponent starts to make an offensive move…it is great for some damage…but REALLY upsetting your opponents timing) #2 front foot roundhouse (lunging forward) as well as practice an X roundhouse (basicly cross your legs, and throw the roundhouse off your now back foot…but front hip) this is good for when you need to move back…rather than stepping back, just cross your legs…your opponent thinks your moving back, and steps into the roundhouse that is coming his way. Finally a great combination for footwork is the front cut kick followed immediatly by the turning back kick (it has to be fast) but you can stop your opponent with the first kick, and send him sailing with the second. Your punching power comes in when you get in close, which depending on the fighter, may never happen. If it does, the uppercut to the stomach is your strongest punch in close, and is used best in a clinch…it can be devistating if thrown into the plexus solidly…they WILL drop and drop fast. One of the best things you can learn is to step THRU the clinch…not back from it. It will allow you to get in a good solid body shot that your opponent will not expect. Every fighter knows to strike off the clinch, but most step back, and very very few step thru the clinch…which gives you a golden opportunity. Best of luck to you…and I have to say…that sounds like fun…might be worth a flight out there!!!
Whopper - tremendous comment & I hope this helps solidify the need for technical dedication of sport specific preparation (SPP).
In faith,
Coach Davies
Krac…just to finish my train of thought here. To me you sound like a beginner or intermediate fighter…if I am wrong I apologize. My advice is not to rely on one thing in any fight…and I will tell you why. Back a few years ago, I really worked on developing my punching power, and can honestly say I have a tremendously strong punch. Now, I went in to a competition after working on my punching strength, and was DETERMINED I was going to be KOing people with my mighty hammer. My first match of the day I went into with this in mind. Now what happened was I stopped working instinctivly, and just kept looking for places to land my mighty punch…looking for that KO. I would see an opening, and my body would react (for example. my thigh would tense…ready to throw that roundhouse into the open spot) but I KNEW better than my instincts, and would hold it back…waiting for that PERFECT opening to show my devistating punching power. If you could see the videotape…you would see a dumb ass fighter just standing there…hesitating…waiting…starting to make a move and pulling it back. At the end of the first round I landed one…and sure enough the guy dropped…I KNEW I was right!!! Unfortunatly, he got up again. At the break my instructor was ready to KILL me…screaming that I was not fighting with my usual style and what the HELL was I doing out there?? Obviously, he just didn’t understand laughs so I ignored him and went out for round two. Needless to say the entire fight I was too busy looking for just a punching opening…not being instinctive, and basicly forgetting about defense…and paying the price…I was SO focused on using that mighty punch!! Halfway thru the second round I caught a kick to the head that I honestly never saw…too busy looking to land my punch…and this match was OVER! I was completely humiliated…this was the first time in a long time that I went out so early in the competition…and only the second time in my life I went out in the first round of competition. I guess the lesson is that fighting is a fluid chaos…and you have to take what the fight gives you…to come in focusing too much on one attack or weapon…and your going to lose…exactly the way I did. Suppose one opponent is an outside fighter, and just works you from the outside with kicks? and is too quick to get inside on? Then what? Your punch is useless. Work on all aspects and all weapons…learn to take what is given to you…and you will do well!!
Streetfight conditioning - like whopper said, these are sprints not marathons. NHB/Kraks event - much more likely to become a bit of a marathon. KRAK - Id work on fitness with running and technically would focus on (1) leg kicks from front leg to debilitate and also to set up head kicks and takedowns (2) grappling/submission offence if you have it, defence when someone shoots (level changes, hip position), defences against submissions (not giving them away/protecting where its applied/rolling). My $.02
I certainly didn’t post in order to show off my background or post a fighting resume but I’m not an intermediate fighter. I have been training for about 12 years and have had some amateur fights. I appreaciate all of the advice. It is all very good. Whopper, my base art is TKD. In this particular competition I’m not looking for any flashy head kicks (even though I love those). I have training in Thai and am going for strictly hardcore leg kicks. The reason I asked about the punching power is when I watched the fighters the dominant techniques used where punches to the midsection/chest and leg kicks. These punches were not that powerful but when someone did finally land one on the sweet spot, they were greatly affected. As an experienced fighter like yourself knows (i’m being serious, not sarcastic) it’s important to always keep your opponent guessing. Body shots, mix it up, go the legs. I was always told that if you destroy the body, you’ll get the head on a platter. In this instance since I am not allowed to punch to the head I’m wanting to annoy the oppoent with painful leg kicks for a round, next round really work the body and the third and final round, get my nice entry into a takedown for serious points. Coach, I do have a digital video camera and wouldn’t mind trying to find some time for you to look at my punch/kick. I’m assuming that you break it down like a golf swing and analyze it. What do you charge? Keep the advice coming guys, it’s great.
… and some nice high and penetrating knees in the clinch. Elbows? Openhand strikes to the head? Fishhooks? 
Krak…thank you very much for not taking my comments the wrong way, I wasnt sure of your experience, and I would feel terrible if I didnt pass on something I learned from experience, and you got your ass kicked 
(you know…the way I got mine kicked with my “mighty hammer” punches!!) I like your strategy, I tend to use the first round to feel out my opponent. I have a list of 6 different combinations in my head, so my first round for me is pretty choreographed. Based on my opponents reactions to those 6 combinations, I gauge his strengths and weaknesses. At the break my instructor and I kind of compare notes, and see if we agree on what worked best…then I go to work. I like your strategy, my only advice is to always be ready to change your strategy if needed depending on your opponent. I suggest getting a few combinations together that test his low, middle and high defenses, and that will tell you a lot. If he is solid down low (because he tends to keep a low guard, then your strategy will be more difficult to implement. By testing his guard with different attacks in the first round, you will know where to strike the most…based on solid information. REMEMBER to work on your feints and jukes…SO few TKD fighters use them, and they are SO effective to get an open spot. For this type of competition, work very hard on your front cut (side) kick at various levels…most fighters use it very well as a stomach shot…but it is also excellent to park right uunder their chin…and it blows thru most defenses due to its speed and thin profile. I would say most of my KO’s have come off of using the cut kick low, low, then throwing it high…their guard instinctivly drops, and it shoots over it perfectly. Even if it doesnt KO them…it really unnerves most figters…which allows you a lot more freedom when they are always keeping half a mind on your cut kick. Krac…I have to say…this cometition sounds like something I really want to try!! When is it??
Krac, I am sure Coach Davies can provide more information, but I will give some input on developing punching power. One of the best things you can do is work your antagonists hard…I didnt know this for years, and it was one of the best things I learned. Apparently, we have pretty smart bodies, and our nervous system takes into consideration deccelaration when we throw a punch. In other words…as soon as we throw a punch, our nervous system is calculating what it is going to have to do to stop it…and if your lats and bi’s arent very strong, it will begin deccelerating your punch very quickly to avoid hyperextention. If your lats and bis are very strong, your nervous system allows a lot more acceleration, knowing it has the strength to stop the punch prior to hyperextention. My punching power increased a great deal once I learned this lesson (I always wondered why boxers tend to have great lats and bis…now I know!!) Good luck to you!!
It’s great to see that we are leaving our egos at the door. I am very interested in hearing about some of your combos Whopper. Take into consideration that I am a southpaw, but when it comes to kicking I’m equal on both sides (thank god) Please post a few of your favs with detail. For example, my favorite combo involves a high guarding stance with right hand in front, it goes as follows.
Jab with right, step in with a cross, from then continue to forward motion with a spinning backfist delivered with the right hand and follow with a right leg crescent kick. It’s very fast and it’s advancing your victim back. About this competition, I used to see it advertised in Black Belt magazine when I was a kid. I moved to Denver about 6 months ago and I saw an ad in the paper for it. I went and it was pretty cool to watch. Most karate competitions boast that they are international. This one actually was, there were fighters from Japan, Switzerland, all over the US. If you interested in it here the site with info and some video clips I believe. Hopefully in a year my name with be on the site as the grand champion. http://www.sabaki.com/
Krak, if they allow takedowns then get a wreslting coach to help you pracice these. Kicks have there place but are easy to get past and put the person in the clinch. If you get points for takedowns then just keep taking the person down the entire match. Karate/TKD/Kung Fu guys are not able to stop takedowns unless they crosstrain a lot (most do not).
Whopper/Dre - I appreciate your comments immeasureably and this is basically what my principles have focused on. Originally, many athletes think of merely “sets & reps” but for true success to occur, the athlete must be generally prepared )GPP) in a functional manner and then enter sport specific (SPP). For too much time is spent of creating the illusions of the athlete as opposed to the athlete. So where do we go from here - If you have an additional question or something that is unanswered, please restate and maybe we can all tackle it. In faith, Coach Davies
I wish I could do a double leg to get them down. Unfortunately the takedowns are like leg sweeps and hip throws, things like that.
coach davies-i’m a kickboxer(k-1 mod. muaythai style).my training consists of the usual,cardio,weights,bag work and sparring. however, i keep everything seperate. what i mean is that when i do my bag work i work on anaerobic endurance. i see so many boxers that can hit hard for a rnd or so but there power leaves them even though their punch output doesn’t drop. i take a certain combination and repeat it at full speed and power 20 times. i don’t to it wrecklessly though.i’m not trying to work on my cardio at this point(i leave that for my cardio)i’m working on how many times i can hit as hard as i can and try to increase that. is this flawed thinking? i also work technique on these days. now my cardio is set up to simulate a rnd. when i do my cardio it is done for 3 min. at a time be it running,biking or my ob. course.my weight training is twice a week, one day olympic lifts, one day strength.do you have any advice or tips for what i’m doing?
Kirk - I probably will need better clarification of your general conditioning. What I considering is that you are at an advanced level, in which you have progressed to more SPP work. When an athlete gets to an upper level, more is not necessarily better - just more. But lets review your conditioning, try to get back to me with some simple examples, what type of punch and kick counts are you able to maintain. I look forward to hearing back from you. In faith, Coach Davies
Hey T-brothers, I just wanted to fill you in on another example of adreniline stress response and its importance. This weekend our school held its Adreniline Stress Response training again, and had a great turnout. One student who attended was a MA who had taken Kempo for 9 years, and was actually very good. The first day is theroy and zones of defense with just basic work on a “redman” dummy. The second day is full contact under adreniline. Well the full contact day came and the redman howlers went to work. Most people did well and learned quite a bit, however when it came to full attack against the redman, this kempo student was so adrenalized that he came apart completely…his strikes were not coming within 6 inches of the redman (remember adreniline causes loss of flexability and the tendency to not follow thru completely) and he was completely destroyed by the redman (in real life he would have been a statistic) At the end of the course he was actually completely depressed and was questioning why he had studied the arts for 9 years if he would be such dog meat in a street confrontation. Needless to say he will be attending the next training, and we expect him to do quite a bit better now that he understands how his body reacts under stress. It just again demontrates that there is such a difference between training and actual conflict.
Krac…sorry for not getting back too quickly…I have just been very busy. Some favorite combinations I would have for your type of tourny would be #1 Starting with a double fist juke to the face, while throwing a low roundhouse to stomach or thigh, landing the kicking leg to the front, and stepping in for the uppercut to the midsection.(drive the uppercut HARD off the hips…get some serious torque going off your momentum) #2 fast (halfhearted) crecent kick to the face (no contact intended…just drawing the guard up), as you bring it down…it easily falls into perfect chamber for the side kick to the midsection…just drive it in hard, and keeping momentum, turn into a high back kick…jaw height. This one takes a little work to get the hip feel right so you can throw the side kick with a lot of power…but it works well going high, low, high. #3 when you clinch…(which may not apply here since takedowns are allowed) DONT step back, but (I am taking into account you are a southpaw here) step the left leg around your opponent to your right…stepping THRU the clinch…this puts you in a perfect position for a spinning backfist or back kick…both will score a wide open target, because you are kind of pinning his body in place…but it has to be done as soon as the clinch happens…it must be fast. Well thats enough fun for one day…try those out and let me know what you think. Keep in mind I am very tall with long legs, so what works for me may not work or be the most effective for you…but give them a shot.
coach,not real sure i understand when you say what kind of numbers i can maintain. for instance when working on muscular endurance i do med. power on a heavy bag working a jab cross combo at shoulder height.i go non stop 1-2-1-2 for 3 min. i count and see how many i do and have to repeat that for the next rnd or go into my recovery time. with 18oz gloves i can push out 350-500 depending at what stage of my training i am at.now when working anaerobic endurance, i take a 3-4 punch combo and repeat it 20 times using 4-8 different combos.i also do i5 sec. drills where i have a 3 min. rnd with 15 sec. intervals. light for 15, heavy for 15. for both punches and kicks. i use this to help develop my ability to recover from hard flurries so i don’t punch myself out.
sparring be either flow sparring where we go rather light but throwing all the time, to 80-90%, or pad sparring which is for 4 min. rnds at 100%power.hope this helps.
From your description, it sounds like you’re getting the job done and more of an advanced SPP stage. At that level, we would concentrate on neural, reactions and explosive issues in your punches/kicks. - If you have tape that you wish to be analysed, I will be pleased to review-But great work! In faith, Coach Davies
that would be great.
what specifically would you like to see, i have no tapes of me doing bag or pad work but do have some of me sparring.if you want to look at my bag routines i would have to tape one.also, where do i send it?thanks for your time.kirk
Kirk, just send me an email and I will give you my address. I look forward to being of service. In faith, Coach Davies
thanks coach,will do.