Quote:
Originally Posted by daninnashville
Appreciate some insight here. I am very interested in K-1, ISKA, and those forms of kickboxing. They don't appear to be very big here in the states. I'd ideally like to find some tournaments and/or fights in this style. I admire people like Rob Kamen who seem to flow really well between Muay Thai and kickboxing. I've heard the term kickboxing used in so many ways. I'm looking for a very specific way to train.
1) Would studying MMA-styled "standup" or thai boxing help me transition into this kind of fighting? There are a lot of schools that teach thai boxing. I'm curious though if this would help.
2) I continue to work my hands at a boxing gym. I find this valuable...but how much does Western boxing transition into this style?
3) A lot of the K-1 guys are coming out of TMA's...I have my reservations about studying these as I'm already fully immersed in BJJ and boxing.
4) If I do go looking for a kickboxing school ala European, Dutch, ISKA, K-1...what should I be looking for?
Thanks for your help!
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1) Some of the best K-1 style fighters have had muay thai backrounds, for example Buakaw Por Pramuk and Ernesto Hoost have muay thai backrounds.
2) Alright well there is a big difference between Full Contact, International, K-1 and Muay Thai, if your looking for the style you would best transition to from straight boxing that would probably be Full Contact, followed by International, followed by K-1 and the most difficult would be muay thai, the reason muay thai would present more problems to a boxer than say international rules, is he has to deal with more techniques that he does not know how to defend. Good boxing is VERY helpful in kickboxing, but you need to learn what techniques from boxing to use, and which ones not to, as well as learning to box from a different stance if you have to worry about low kicks and learn how to defend against strikes thrown in kickboxing.
3) Alot of K-1 fighters are not coming out of TMA's aswell, and the ones that do usually have their training modified for K-1, the fighters that dominate the MAX arent TMA guys (Souwer, Buakaw, Masato), the fighters that dominate the heavyweight K-1 GP have generally not been TMA guys(Ernesto Hoost, Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjasnky, though Semmy Schilt considers himself a karate guy)
4) Price should be considered as I'm sure you know, credentials of the instructor (what experience does he have? has he fought? who did he study under? does he seem shady/dishonest?). The facilities should be looked into (do they have the proper equipment and space for your training needs). Look in on a class and observe the number of students and their skill level, if lots of people train there that can be good or bad (could mean its a good class OR it could mean its a McDojo). Also make sure the class isnt so crowded that you don't get any attention, because why pay an instructor if he is not instructing?. If everyone in the class is terrible (and not begginers) than you might want to look elsewhere. What do they do in the class? do they spar? do they hit the mits and the heavy bag? or do they shadowbox standing still in a straight line in unison yelling "HA- YAH" Most places will let you try it out for a week for free. Ohhh and class schedule is important, do they have 2 classes a week? 5 times a week? are they convenient times for you?
