Here’s another old video, this one from about ten years ago. I entered in this competition as a favor to a friend of mine. He’d just started organizing a yearly tournament so I wanted to support him. The rules don’t allow striking to the face but it is full contact.
That was the weirdest thing for me: it had been over 6 years since I had fought or even trained for that rule set. And once you’re used to punching people in the face, it’s VERY hard to hold back when they’re wide open, as I found out in this match. So I ended up kicking a lot and only punching a few times, when I was sure I wouldn’t default to boxing and earn myself a disqualification.
Looking at it now, I’m horrified by the sloppiness and numerous mistakes I make. If I’d have been my coach for that fight, it would have been back to basics in the next training session. I was never the best fighter out there, there were loads of guys better than me. But it’s weird being confronted with your younger self and shake you head because you know better now. :-) Regardless, I hope you enjoy the clip.
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Viro says
A person is always his own worst critic. :)
Wim says
Probably, but it isn’t undeserved. I’m better than that now (as I should be after ten years more training) but that doesn’t change the footage. I posted it on-line just to show a full round, good bad and ugly included. Highlight videos are great but they never show the fighter messing up. But that happens just as much as the good techniques.
I wasn’t the best fighter in my category but also not the worst, I know that. So there’s no need to change history now and try to claim I was some uber-jedi-knight or something. ;-)
Viro says
A person is always his own worst critic. :)
Wim says
Probably, but it isn’t undeserved. I’m better than that now (as I should be after ten years more training) but that doesn’t change the footage. I posted it on-line just to show a full round, good bad and ugly included. Highlight videos are great but they never show the fighter messing up. But that happens just as much as the good techniques.
I wasn’t the best fighter in my category but also not the worst, I know that. So there’s no need to change history now and try to claim I was some uber-jedi-knight or something. ;-)