2013 25th Annual USKSF International Competition

This year was a special year. I had already achieved more than I ever anticipated already. Won Gold in my weight division last year, spear headed to the World Championship in Malaysia to represent Canada and I was nominated for Male Lei Tai Competitor of the Year for my fights in 2012. This year I decided it was time for a new challenge... Something I have never tried to do before... Enter the full contact sparring in the lower weight division (It's more exciting than it sounds I swear lol!) Getting ready for the tournament this year required a lot more planning, preparation, and focus than any other years I had ever competed in.

Not only did I have to worry about my training but also about making weight. My normal walking weight is about 160 lbs but when I first started training I weighed at 167 lbs and I had to get below 154.3 lbs. My meals for the last two months were on average 1200 Calories a day. My meal plan consisted of:

9 AM - Breakfast: Yogurt (100 Cal)
12 PM -  Lunch: Cold Cut Meat & Cheese Wrap (400 Cal)
5:30 PM - Snack: Protein Drink (125 Cal)
9PM - Dinner: Chicken Breast Dinner (500 Cal)

On the day before the weight in, I completely cut off my water intake and ate within my caloric range with my last meal being at 7 PM. I weighed 155 lbs when we arrived at our Hotel in Baltimore. My Coach and close friend, James Rowan, and I had planned to go to the Hotel's Gym, put me in a sweat suit and run on the thread mill for a good 30 minutes, went to sleep and woke up at 152.2 lbs on my digital scale. The weight in time was 2:30 PM this year so I had to restrain myself from eating or drinking until then. To keep my mind off my thirst and hunger, my coach  and I went shopping LOL! It actually worked! I had a great time until the weight in and when it was finally weight time, I officially weighed in at 151 lbs! Within the hour I ate and drank back 4 lbs and by the end of the day I was at 157 lbs. One thing I learned about cutting/losing weight is that you are going to feel hungry...ALL THE TIME! Fight the hunger, drink tea or simply just keep your mind busy on something else. You can also lose a lot of the weight quickly by using sweat suits but be sure to do your research or have a professional monitor you as you lose the water weight. It can be pretty dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

My workout routine increased from 3 days a week with an avg. of 2 hours per session to 6 days a week with an avg. of 4 hours per session 4 months prior to the tournament. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays were my weight training days. Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays were my cardio and sparring days. I also learned from the vigorous training that I should have given myself a week of rest somewhere in that 4 Months... 2 weeks prior the tournament, my body completely tensed up and was no longer able to move my neck, shoulders, and lower back. It took me a little over 1 week and a half to almost fully recover with 2 one hour session with an RMT and lots of doing nothing.

Finally on Fight day, I was fight number 2 on the list against Christian Geer. We fought around 2:30 PM last Saturday. It started off very well for me as I knocked down my opponent within 15 seconds of the first round with a right hook. I won that fight by 3 knock downs on the first round. I went on to fight an amazing Hungar practitioner from Switzerland, Alexander Klug, an excellent offensive fighter with great hand combinations. He caught me with some strong punches which took me out of my game and into swings (which is a big no no for those who doesn't know). I managed to hold my own and retaliate back with low sweep and hand combinations. When the first round ended the judges gave the fight to me. By half of round 2 my opponent gave up. Not sure why... I thought he was injured but it couldn't be as he won his next fight for Bronze. My last Fight of the day was for Gold. I went up against Luis Padilla from Philly. Also a great Wing Chung/ Boxer practitioner with awesome core movements. As it was told to me by many of the Viewers, Judges, and officials, that was the fight of the night. I won by the second round by judges decision. First round was voted 4 to 1 for me and the second round was 3 to 2 for me as well, putting me in 1st place. That last round was a tough decision and it could have gone either way, but I believe the push I gave to my opponent off the platform gave me a small advantage. I would not have been surprised if it went for a 3rd round, but it is what it is.

The following day at the Banquet, I was awarded Male Lei Tai Competitor of the year for my accomplishment last year at the tournament. It was a privilege and honor for me to accept such an award, something I never imagine I would have achieved.

That being said, I have done way more than I had originally set out to accomplish and therefore it is time for me to move on. I have decided to retire from competing in Lei Tai and move on to other things. Maybe compete in forms or weapons, coach future Lei Tai fighters, or perhaps even become an official Lei Tai referee. Not quite sure yet.

This tournament has to be some of the biggest,  most amazingly well organized tournament I have ever had the chance of participating in. I also met some amazing people at this tournament, some of which I hope never to lose touch with. All of the Lei Tai competitors I had the chance to match up with or meet at this tournament were all exceptional people. Friendly, great sportsmanship, humble, and overall great athletes. None were sore losers or winners.

I'd like to first thank everyone who has given me their support this year.

Abigail Ocreto - My Girlfriend, My better half, my guide. Thank you for putting up with my shenanigans, my crazy schedule, and my obsessions. Without your constant nagging about my eating habits and continuous doubts about the quality of my training, I would not have made the weight cut in time or been as prepared for this tournament.

Grand Master Augustin Ngu - My Teacher, my mentor, and my father. Thank you for the valuable lessons you have taught me throughout the years, whether it's about kung-fu, sparring, life, finances, and even philosophy.

James John Rowan - My Coach, my work out partner and last but not least, one of my closest friends. Your unending motivation and support got me to where I am today. You have endlessly tested my limits and because of that you play a big part in where I am today.

Ryan Pryslak - My Equipment Manager, my personal RMT, and my backup support - Without your reliability, diligence, and continuous support, I would not have been in the state of mind I would have been during the competition... Same goes for my body lol!

All Masters Crew - My home team, my family, and my stronghold - Thank you for all the love and support you all sent my way, for helping me getting ready for this tourney, and for lending me your mind and bodies when I needed to train.

Thank you EVERYONE for the amazing opportunities :)
 

2013 U.S.K.S.F. Lei Tai Tournament

As some of you already know, I've decided to compete in the lower weight division this year to change things up a little. I've been competing in the same weight division for the last 3 years with great success (first year with a Silver medal and last year with the Gold medal which sprung me to represent Canada at the World Championship) and I decided that it's time we make it a bit more challenging by cutting down on weight and entering the lower weight class which is between 144 lbs to 154 lbs. Being able to fight at my walking weight was a great experience since I didn't really have to think about what I could or could not eat and doing exercises to lose weight and to maintain it. Although, I was often at a disadvantage when competing as everyone else was cutting down on weight for the weigh-ins and hence, I would often have to fight bigger guys that sneaked their way into my weight class.

I am currently at 160 lbs and I need to lose another 7 lbs... I decided that July 12th 2013 will be my deadline. If i do not make the weight cut by July 12th, I will simply not compete this year. This leaves me a good 2 months to get to my weight goal and with my recent addition of Friday work out sessions I shouldn't have a problem attaining my goal. My biggest challenge at the moment is still dietary discipline... Although! Everyone around me is currently in some sort of healthy eating habit which is making it a lot easier for me to stay true to my goal, which is GREAT!!!

My only worry at the moment are my current injuries. I fell down hard on my right knee during a sparring match and ever since it's been difficult for me to jog or run let alone continue to spar properly. I've had to adjust my sparring strategies and techniques so I can at least continue to get some sparring training in while not making my injury any worse. I also bruised my hand somehow not too sure how, but punching isn't too much of a problem. It still hinders the power I could potentially emit from it...in the end I believe it's my cardio that is really being affected. I'm not sure if i should take a week off training or if i should just slow down my training... not sure which one help or not help at all... I'm still training regardless of the injury but some times during training the pain slows me down and makes me wonder if i should be continuing or just stop... Is that bad? lol!!

"It isn't how old you are, but how well you age"

That is what my Sifu told me when I asked him how it feels to turn 50. So to keep things in perspective and myself motivated, I've attached a picture of Byung-Hun Lee as Storm Shadow from his recent movie in the G.I. Joe Retaliation.

... Did I mention he is 42? 15 years older than I am and is in greater shape... I have no excuse.

... If he can do it...so can I... 

Let's KICK IT UP!

Crunch Time!!

So for the last few weeks I've been training in preparation for the International USKSF tournament which I've been attenting the last 4 years. Although this year I plan to compete in the lower weight division that i am used to, which means I will have to work hard to drop about 10 lbs. I have approximately 3 months to do so. It's a lot harder than I had anticipated, with the weather still a bit too cold to be running outside, my cardio hasn't been where it should be. My current training regiment involves:

Monday: 5:30pm to 7:30pm - Warm-Up, Bag and Pads Training

               7:30pm to 8:00pm - Sparring

               8:00pm to 9:00pm - Forms and Set Fighting

Tuesday: 5:30pm to 7:00pm - Weight Training and Bag Training

Wednesday: 5:30pm to 7:00pm - Bag Training

                    7:00pm to 9:00pm - Forms, Set fighting, and weapons training

         

Thursday: 5:30 to 7:00pm - Weight Training 

                7:00 to 8:30pm - Bag and Pads Training

                 8:30 to 9:00pm - Sparring

My bag training consist of :

20 of my most powerful round houses, front kicks, and low sweeps per leg which comes to 120 kicks to enhance the strength of my kicks, then I do 20 double round houses as quickly as possible per leg to enhance my kicking speed which comes to 80 kicks for the set. A total of 200 kicks per training session.  

I then move on to 20 straight jabs per hand as powerful as I can throw them, and 20 cross punches per hand for strength and conditioning my biceps, triceps, shoulders, and wrists. I then follow up with 20 Jab, cross combo to work on the speed of my jab and the power of my cross per side. I then work on 10 hooks per side and end it there. A total of 180 punches per bag training.  

Here is weight training regime:

4 Sets of:

10 Wide Grip Pushups

10 Chest Clap Pushups

10 Shoulder Raises (25 lbs)

10 Hammer Curls (25 lbs)

10 Tricep Push Ups

10 Shoulder Grudge (approx. 130 lbs bar)

10 Leg raises (6 lbs ball)

At the moment I weigh at 163 lbs and I need to reach below 154.5 lbs. I have to admit that my biggest problem at the moment is my diet... I have no discipline when it comes to eating bad food.

During work days my diet consist of 

9:00am - 2 Slices of Cheese Bread with cream cheese spread, 2 cups of V8 tomato juice, and an apple

1:30pm - 1 Tortilla wrap with cheese, salami, and mustard with a side of vegetable and hummus as a dip

4:00pm - A bowl of cereal with almond milk

5:30pm - A protein drink

9:30pm - Meat and Salad

Obviously there are times, where I will have a snack here and there throughout the day and on weekends I pretty much eat whatever the hell I want and snack on whatever I want... WHY DO THINGS HAVE TO TASTE SO DAMN GOOD!!! I was reflecting back on my youth and wondered how the hell did I sustain an avg of 140lbs... then I remembered that I was easily capable of ignoring my hunger whenever I was focused on my video games... perhaps I should return to my video games to help me lose some weight :)

Wish me luck everyone! :)

CHÚC MỪNG NĂM MỚI 2013 !!!

Happy Lunar New Years Everyone!! Since last week, I've been involved with the traditional cultural lion dance at my Kung-Fu school. This year will be my 12th years performing for the Lunar New Years and I haven't missed a year since I started volunteering.

Although, It took about 2 to 3 years of convincing me to get into it from the time that I started Kung-Fu. At first, I was completely uninterested in doing such thing. It just wasn't appealing to me. What REALLY got me into it, was that I was told i could use this opportunity to clock in my necessary volunteer hours to graduate from highschool. All my kung-fu brothers and sisters were doing it at the time, so I figured "Why not." Here I am today, 12 years later... still performing and doing what I can to keep the tradition alive while keepin' it old school. Although now, the main reason for my return each year is for the school, the people, and the good times :)

Not only am I helping my school but also this is helping me stay in shape. The amount of cardio, shoulders, biceps, triceps  thighs, neck, back and core muscles that i use throughout the performances is just as good as going to the gym. 

With the New Year passed , Valentine's Day over, and Family Day behind us... It's time to get "Back on Track!" :) Tonight I will be heading back to Kung-Fu for a nice work out :)

Enjoy the pictures :)

My Lion for Day 1

Last day of Lion Dance with my partner in our flashy  pants :)

Day 17 - 22

As I am getting closer to the end of my Back on Track project, I can't help but feel like I haven't quite pushed myself to the limits of my capabilities throughout this whole program. Then again, while reflecting on that thought... I  feel a sense of reassurance that I AM on the right path and that IS EXACTLY what I should be feeling and thinking. With that feeling and thought inside of me, it will drive me into my next program which will be MORE intensive, detailed, and focused. 

Day 17 - I didn't end up going to the Gym that day due to the crazy cold weather, so i ended up going straight to Kung-Fu after workd. I arrived at around 5:30pm and started getting ready for a good stretch and warm up, followed by intensive kicking drills. Then 2 hours of kung-fu training. 

Day 19 - Went to the gym and did 20 min of cardio (5 min of warm up and 15 min of running at 6.5 speed on the treadmill). Blazed through the cardio due to my new and improved method of distraction lol!

Then went onto the free weights. Same routine as the last few times... although my second set was extremely difficult this time around. While I was doing triceps extensions, I had to stop at 7 of 10, put the weight down, give myself a few seconds, pick up the weight again, and finish the reps. I actually shocked myself and immediately started to assess the situation. What did I do wrong for me to not being capable of doing my full 10 reps?? I started thinking "Did I not get sufficient sleep the night before? Did I do anything strenuous during the day? Did I not eat enough throughout the day? Did I not give myself sufficient rest in between the set? Am I lacking H2o?" After going through the process of elimination, there was only one possible option for me to try out and also capable of seeing immediate results. I gave myself 2 min rest between my 2nd and last set. I went through all of my reps for each exercise without putting the weight down. It still was a struggle to finish my last set but at least I managed it better than my previous set.

Day 22 - Yesterday was sparring day at my martial-arts club. Not a bad day at all, I might add. Everyone did exceptionally well. We also saw a lot of progress in a lot of the students... Visible differences that is. Anyways, i'm getting off track. Usually, I would go to the gym for a 30 min cardio...or at least I should go every monday, but the last two mondays... I haven't. I figured the one hour of sparring should be sufficient cardio for the day. The only problem I'm currently encountering is that from 6PM to 7PM, the school is running the northern shaolin class and during that time...the school is PACKED...literally PACKED... There is barelly enough space to stretch, let alone throw a punch without having it land on someones face. Now I'm faced with a new scheduling dilemma...I'm thinking of going to the gym and do core or something considering i don't ever do core or include core exercises in my program...yes... I am aware that the core is a major muscle that with proper training will enhances all aspect of my fighting capabilities... but I'm just not willing to spend that extra 20 min to 30 min when I've already been at the gym for over an hour. I guess the mondays and wednesdays would be a good core day... I still have lots of figuring out to do before the end of my program ends...

Day 15 - 16 of Back On Track

Monday was day 15 of my Back on Track project. I ended up just going straight to Kung-Fu. Started with a nice stretch warm-up and then went on to some punching and kicking drills. My training continued with an hour of Sparring, 2 minutes sessions with 5 to 10 min breaks in between. Finished my day with an hour of forms and two man drills.

Yesterday for day 16 I went to the gym. Started with 25 min cardio on the treadmill. This time, I uploaded my fight videos from Malaysia into my phone and while running on the treadmill, I watched them and studied them. It made time go by SOOOOOOO much faster. 5 minutes felt like 1, so from now on i'm going to upload ALL of my fight videos that i have on my computer into my phone and watch them when running on the treadmill.

I then moved on to free weights.

3 sets of:
10 reps of Rows with 25 lbs
10 reps of Bench Press with 45 lbs
10 reps of Triceps Extensions with 45 lbs
10 reps of Hammer Curls with 25 lbs
10 reps of Shoulder Raises with 25 lbs, and
10 reps of Upright Rows with a 50 lbs bar

This time around, it definitely felt a lot easier although I still struggled to finish my weights with proper postures on my last set. Hence, I know I'm not ready to go back to 4 sets just yet.

My diet currently consists of :
9AM - 2 toast with cheese and a coffee
1:00PM - Chicken, Lettuce, and Swiss Cheese Sandwich
5:30PM - Protein Drink
9:30PM - Meat and Veggies (It varies every night)

Day 10 - 13 - Back On Track

Sorry for the late post, it's been a ridiculously busy weekend. Anyhow,  the following day I ended up going back to the gym. I started with a good 20 min run on the treadmill which included a good 5 min warm up, by the time I hit 10 minutes I was already dying...it was EXTREMELY difficult to continue the jog on the treadmill for a continuous 15 min on 6.5 speed. I even tried watching an episode of Family Guy on my phone while running, but that only distracted me in the beginning...closer to the end of my run, i couldn't focus on anything else but the time.

I then hit the free weights. I didn't go straight for the weights that I use to do before my break, I didn't want to cause to much trauma to my muscles, so I started light with 25lbs and 30lbs weights. My routine for now consist of 3 sets of:

10 reps of rows with 30lbs,
10 reps of bench press with 30lbs,
10 reps of shoulder raises with 25lbs,
10 reps of triceps extentions with  30lbs.
10 reps of hammer curls with 25lbs, and finish with
10 reps of upright rows with 50lbs bar

With a 1 min break between each set.

I usually do 4 sets but considering it was my first day back...I started again with 3 sets. My body wasn't as sore as I had anticipated so i'm pretty happy with the fact that I was smart with my routine. Since i don't exactly have a deadline to attain, i can pretty much take my time without making my body suffer too much :) Right after the gym, I went to Kung-Fu class which is about medium lvl intensity for a good 2 hours. I took a protein drink before the class to last me until dinner, or my body would've probably started to eat itself lol!

Day 11 and 12 were rest days for me, as I was getting my body back to 100% to go snowboard all day on day 13, which I may add was AMAZING and a great way to burn calories all day!!! :) Although I probably gained it all back with the food and alcohol i had at the cottage...was all worth it :) :) On a more serious note...I really need to take my diet more seriously lol! Damn you good food!!!!

Day 9 of "Back on Track"

Seems like I overestimated myself. I went to the gym and after I ran on the treadmill for not even 2 minutes, I stopped, got off the treadmill, went home. 

My body was aching from the night before. I could have pushed myself beyond the discomfort that I was feeling, but I knew it would only contribute to longer healing time and less training sessions. So yesterday ended up being a rest day for me after all  Hopefully I will be good to go to the gym tonight and start lifting weight again. 

"Back on Track" - Day 8

Yesterday was the day  that I had assigned myself to go back on a healthier diet. Here is my intake log:

9 am: 2 toast with a slice of cheese and a coffee 

11 am: Wasabi flavored nuts and a cup of water

1:30 pm: 1 sandwich (2 slices of bread, slice of cheese, lettuce, turkey, and mustard) a cup of V8 Tomato juice, and a Babybel. 

6:30 pm: Protein Drink

10 pm: 2 Breaded Chicken Breast stuff with broccoli and cheese topped with tomato sauce and a cup of milk

My work out consisted of a 30 min interval run on the treadmill at the gym, then a 15 min stretch, an hour of sparring session, and ended with an hour of kung-fu hand forms and staff forms.

I weighted myself yesterday morning at 163lbs, which is a 5 pound gain from my peak of 157 lbs before I left for Malaysia. 

Onto the mental aspect of my training. Staying motivated on the treadmill was getting more difficult this time around. If it wasn't for the fact that I was doing interval training... I would've been bored out of my mind. 30 min felt like 45 mins...and I can already predict that by tomorrow, I will be dreading going on the treadmill. I believe that the best way for me to counter this feeling, is by watching a movie or a show on my Tabphonelet ( I have a Galaxy Note, hence the name given). Hopefully that will distract me long enough that I won't feel the time slooooowly pass by and before I realize it...30 min would have just zipped by. 

Going back to Kung-Fu was definitely exciting. It's been about...2 months? since I started my "winter hibernation" mode. Going into my first sparring match, I felt refreshed and pain free :) My mind was clear and open to new tactics...it felt truly...rejuvenating :) 

As for the aftermath, I do feel a bit of soreness this morning but nothing that I wasn't expecting and should still be able to continue my workout after work today. Today I plan on doing 20min of cardio with a full upper body work out with free weights. I'll give you guys an update on how that went tomorrow. 

This concludes day 7 of 31 for my "Back on Track" Project. Until next time! :)

Project "Back on Track" Day 5

That. is. IT! The holiday shenanigans are FINALLY OVER!

After a few crazy hectic months of work lunches and dinners, Christmas parties, New Years parties, eating, shopping, family gatherings, and etc...everything is now slowly returning to normal. I have to admit, everything that I worked so hard for "pre-tournament" is now all gone :( I've lost all my muscle definitions, gained weight, and eating whatever I want whenever I want it. I didn't do ANYTHING since end of November. No gym, no kung-fu, no healthy eating, NO NOTHING!. I told myself at that time: "I work damn hard all year long, so screw it! I'm going to dive in this head first. The holiday insanity is coming anyways so I'll be consistently exposed to bad food and no time to work out...why even stress about it? I'll deal with it when all of this is over"

Well Ladies and Gents...it's now over LOL! Mid January, it is now and I only got back into the gym on Monday. I can't tell you how EXCRUCIATINGLY HARD it was for me to get my mind back in the healthy zone. A simple pair of forgotten socks would've gotten me home instead of the gym. I would've found ANY excuse to NOT go to the gym...ANY!! After years of studying my own behavior and how to counter it's bad habits, I unfortunately had packed a pair of socks, shoved them in my shoes which I ALWAYS leave in the car in case I ever forget to pack my socks into my gym bag. So Monday was my first day back to the gym.

I find it easy for me to go into it slow, consistent, and progressive. For example, on my first day back all I did was run on the treadmill for 30 min (5 min of light running, 4 X 5 min intervals at high pace with 30 sec rest in between, and 5 min cool down.) You know you are out of shape when your body gets sore the next day from a simple 30 min run LOL! So I took a few days off until my body felt no pain...2 days to be exact. Yesterday, I went back to the gym and did the exact same routine. Today. No soreness. I also forgot to mention that I have not yet changed my eating habits. Throughout the week I have been keeping in mind to eat somewhat healthier and at more appropriate times, but I still indulge in eating out and whatever left over I might have from eating out. Today I shall be returning to the gym for another 30 min run...and it shall be so for the next month. Next week, I shall kick start a better eating routine as well as returning to Kung-Fu.

I know A LOT of people just dive right in like an ON and OFF switch...but I find it to hard of a shock on the body and therefore need more time to rest and heal before you can continue your work out regime on a consistent basis. But as they say..."To each its own." that IS as long as they actually do it.

In the meantime, I will continue to log my progress and my routine for whoever wish to follow as well as for myself to read the next time i have to do this all over again.

2012 World Kung-Fu Championship

I have to first start with WOW...Just WOW! The competition level at the World Kung-Fu Championship was unbelievable. Like one of my fellow Lei Tai competitors described it to me "It's pretty much as if all the black belts and masters gathered here at this tournament to compete against each other." That alone should give you an overall picture of how intense the level of competition was.

The honor of organizing this year's world kung-fu championship was given to the Persatuan Tai Chi Chuan Negeri Johor school in Malaysia and sanctioned by the World Kuo Shu Federation. Although I am a bit dissapointed to say, it was not a very well organized tournament, but regardless the competition still flowed sufficiently well. There were 6 people in my weight category from 5 countries. Canada, USA, Switzerland,  Brazil, and then France. I was lined up for the first bout in my weight class and I was matched up with France.

In my corner was James John Rowan and Sifu Steve Pascoe, some of the best coaches I could have asked for. To be honest, I don't really remember much of what happened during my match with France in full detail, but what I DO remember is that during the first round he caught me with a few clean front kicks to the chest, then I got full knee swing to the groin... Funny thing is that I didn't drop like a "sack of potatoes". Instead it was a slow yet very painful "Zing" crawling from my genitals all the way up through my spine to the back of my head. He got cornered, I was given time to recuperate, he got penalized and we continued. Soon after we had started, I got pushed off the platform and he was awarded 3 points for doing so. By then, there were no doubts that he had taken that round. The fight went on for a bit longer and then the bell rang ending the first round. I went back to sit in my corner and immediately my coaches jumped in front of me trying to keep me in focus. I remember trying to peak at the other corner to see how my opponent was doing but Sifu Steve continuously moved his head to block my vision, and telling me to focus my attention to him. I remember him telling me I'm getting caught too often by his front kick and making me say out loud a combination of strikes that would be effective on my opponent. Ask me now, I'll have no idea what it was...too many knocks to the head makes you forget things. During that time James was doing an amazing job trying to cool my body down and ready for the second round. I didn't even have to worry or ask for anything...it simply just happened like a motor race mechanic would fix a race car up within seconds to send it back on the race tracks. I can't remember what the judges call was as I didn't pay much attention to it, but I believe it was a split decision for my opponent.

I didn't stress much about losing the first round as I now have an idea of how he fights. I knew what to do with the help of my corner and I was calm and ready for my return. The bell rang to start the second round, I ran to my start position, and the ref called it a GO! I was more patient this time, letting him move first. I knew what he would do now...waiting for that front kick. He struts slowly forward trying to bridge the gap...THERE IT IS! HE LEAPS FORWARD WITH A FRONT KICK!! I jump back to dodge the front kick and quickly spring forward to answer back with a right then left hook. IT WORKS! He then quickly moves out of reach and regains composure. He knows that I know...He switches strategy and jumps forward to gap the bridge throwing a jab instead. I bob and weave away from his strikes unfortunately not escaping his following combination but at the same time I retaliate. I don't remember much of what happens here...we somehow end up in a clinch and I throw 2 knees front and side both landing on my opponent. This time he gets a knee to the genitals and drops. I get cornered and he gets time to recuperate, and we continue the round. Ref calls us back to our start position, gets us ready...and GO! I leap forward as he moves back to anticipate my bridge attempt but as i move forward i throw a low sweep to the ankle and he literally flies off balance (to my fellow crane brothers "Her Sing Chow" never fails). Ref resets us from position which gives me the upper hand as he is now by the edge of the platform. I quickly move in and throw him off. That round was now mine. I take my time...ease off being the aggressor and just let the time run out. It worked perfectly as the bell rang within seconds and I return to my corner. Again my corner did an amazing job being there for me. Sifu Steve's experience gave me my edge, while James knowledge on human body restoration kept me going. Judges call...unanimous decision for me...Bell rang calling an end to our break and the start to the third round.

Third round was a mess. Both my opponent and I, were exhausted. It was clearly visible, we were both less engaging as our previous rounds, throwing more haymakers at each other, less techniques, our pace slowed down, and obvious mistakes happened but none of us took the opportunity on the other. I knew i couldn't give my 200% on this round as my next fight should I win, would have to be against Brazil who was lucky enough to get a free pass, which MEANS... he is STILL fresh, he is warmed up, and he is at a 100% physical and mental state. By this time, I just wanted to accumulate the points and perhaps take the advantage when he reaches the edge of the platform. I then decided i would go for a fake front kick and twist my hips into a round house towards my opponents head...I know it works as i have successfully thrown that combination during practice before. What i did not anticipate was my opponent to leap forward as i raised my foot for the front kick which once again landed on his genitals...Not to worry... it wasn't a hard strike as it was meant to be a fake. He quickly recuperated but i still was penalized 3 points. We got the go to continue, we both clashed together and within seconds the bell rang ending our bout. I went back to sit at my corner waiting for the judges call... It was a split decision for France. Even WITH my penalty I still had 2 judges vote the fight in my favor...should i had not been penalized for that kick, the fight would've been mine...or at least that's what I've been told by several other officials, competitors, and spectators. We were called back on the platform and my opponent was announced the winner of our match. It was unfortunate, but it is what it is.

France went on to win Gold as the Swiss competitor forfeited due to an injury from his previous fight, which puts Switzerland second and Brazil Third and Fourth as they had two competitors in the same weight class.

I forgot to mention the immense amount of sportsmanship we had during our fight. Each end of the round we hugged it out, not once did we get emotional towards the other, we always apologized when at fault, and we always showed great respect to one another at all times. He was a great fighter, but overall a great guy, which makes me feel less bad for losing to such a great human being.

Although my loss wasn't truly a "loss", it gave me the opportunity to support my team during their performance, meet and make new friends with some of the most outstanding people at the tournament, the opportunity to watch some of the greatest martial artist perform hands and weapons forms, have the time to visit an amazing country, and just overall have some of the most unique experience someone my age could ever ask for.

So once again, I'd like to thank everyone that has supported me up to this point, thank you for this once in a lifetime experience. You have my undying gratitude and I promise never to forget it. I promise not to disappoint any of you on my next fight, so until next time.

AND THE WINNER IS......!!!

First and foremost, I'd like to thank everyone for supporting us and helping us raise money for the upcoming World Kung-Fu Championship. We are now that much closer to getting to Malaysia!

Now for the winner of the Brand New Hayabusa Convertible Bag is...

Drum roll please... BRIAN HATFIELD!!!!!!!

Again, I'd like to thank everyone who participated in this raffle and please be sure to come and have a great time with us at Starbucks for the fundraiser on October 6 2012 from 2 to 6PM !!

See you guys there! :D

FUNDRAISER?? YEA!!!

Alright Ladies and Gents,

 Here is another attempt for us at trying to raise funds for Team Canada to go to the 2012 World Kung-Fu Championship hosted in Malaysia this year. There will be a fundraiser hosted at Starbucks on October 6th 2012 from 2PM to 6PM. It will be an evening filled with amazing live music and poetry dedicated to help us raise funds. So come join my team and I for some deliciously refreshing drinks at Starbucks while enjoying some of the best music and poetry Mississauga has to offer. And why not also meet the team that will be representing your country?

Here are the details:

A Raffle You Say?!?!

Why a raffle you might ask? So that we can support and send our team and represent Canada at the 2012 Kuo Shu World Championship Tournament in Malaysia!

Cost:  $5 per ticket OR BUY 3 tickets FOR $10!!!!  Buy the tickets from Tim McPhee, James Rowan, or myself Manh-Tu Nguyen. If you wish to purchase tickets online, you can also pay via paypal below and your ticket(s) will be entered with the information you provided with your transaction. Please make sure you provide your full name, address, and phone number. 

2012 Gold Medal for Canada Raffle Tickets

1 Raffle Ticket $5.00 CAD 3 Raffle Tickets $10.00 CAD

Draw Date: September 7^th 2012

Prize:  A BRAND NEW CONVERTIBLE HAYABUSA BACKPACK/ DUFFLE BAG ($100 Value)

Hayabusa will change the way you think about gear bags! The Convertible Backpack/Duffel Bag is perfect for all occasions. The Backpack option is great for the athlete on the move who needs both hands free. What if you need some extra space? Simply convert the Backpack into the Duffel Bag and you can store even more gear than before. Just unclip the shoulder straps, stow them in the pocket, unzip the bottom, extend and attach the carry strap and you now have a large Duffel bag. Great for the athlete who needs to carry a lot of equipment.

This ‘gear bag’ boasts an array of useful features;

·         Fleece lined valuables storage area

·         Earphone/headphone opening

·         Water resistant inner pocket

·         An insulated water bottle holder

·         Heavy duty construction

·         Over-sized compartments help keep your gear stowed safely

·         Ventilated design will help maximize gear longevity

*Winner will be announced at the end of the Fundraiser hosted at Starbucks on September 7 2012 on Thomas St. & Winston Churchill, Mississauga ON. The winner will also be called, posted on this blog and updated on our Facebook status.

A New Journey Begins

Dear Friends and Family,

For those who are close to me, you all know the long and hard journey it took me to finally achieve a Gold Medal in the Full-Contact Sparring for the Heavy C weight division at the 2012 U.S.K.S.F International Championship Tournament.

My first year in 2010 was one hell of a hard battle. Going into the 2010 U.S.K.S.F International Championship Tournament with very little experience but with a lot of preparation, I managed to take upon my first opponent with ease. Although, my second opponent was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated. With the little energy that I had saved after my first fight, I struggled to finish my second opponent and winning only by split decision. Moving onto my last opponent, my lack of experience definitely was the cause of my loss for the gold medal that year. My fight came to an end when my opponent pushed me off the 2 ½ foot raised platform 3 times within the first round. Unable to maintain a striking game with me, my opponent quickly changed his strategy. Due to my lack of experience, I failed to catch his new game plan and remain on the platform, hence I had to settle for a Silver medal that year.

My second year in 2011 was a rude awakening. Going back into the same tournament for that year, I was ill-prepared but with more experience.  Thinking I would be able to manage my opponents with a lot of take downs and sweeps, my training consisted of mostly takedown offence and defense drills. With a very high self-esteem and a lot of confidence, I had my opponents underestimated for that year and took very little preparation thinking that they would be easy. I maintained an average diet with an average workout routine. On my first fight at the tournament that year I was literally punched into reality. The reality that I was horribly unprepared for what was to come and therefore lost my first fight on the second round by split decision. I came back home after the tournament that year, with a very depressed state of mind. I took off 2-3 weeks of training to do nothing else but to sulk in my own misery. My friends and family finally had enough of my moping butt and kicked me out of my sorry state, got me back into the right mindset and into a great training regime. Watching my fight over and over, analyzing every little detail propelled me into a great start for 2012.

Finally my third year at this tournament, I was more prepared then I could ever be. My game plan for this year was literally to stay“Calm, Cool, and Collected”.  I started training 6 months before the tournament date and it consisted of everything you could possibly think of. Training 6 days a week with an average of 3 hours every training session which includes endurance, stamina, strength training, weight lifting intertwined with a great healthy diet, and a lot of sparring with students from our school as well as other schools. My competition this year was extremely diverse; my first opponent had amazing take downs. Within the first round he was able to perform several take downs on me with ease, unfortunately every take down only awarded him 1 point which is the same point awarded for a clean punch or kick that lands on your opponent. The fight ended early after my opponent fell down when I threw two successful knees to my opponent’s face and giving him 8 stitches by his left eyebrow. The fight was awarded to me unanimously and I moved on to my second fight. My second opponent had more power in his punches then a jet engine. For the first time ever, I’ve been knocked down twice on my second round. The first time I was knocked down, I was able to recuperate quickly and get back on my feet, the second time I wasn’t so lucky. After getting knocked down for the second time, getting up was a problem. My feet and legs were all wabbly, I was disoriented and it was clear that I had trouble standing up. I panicked and acted on instinct, before I knew it, it was my opponents turn to get knocked down. I hit him hard enough that the medic had to check him out to ensure he was capable to continue his fight. By the end of the second round I had won it unanimously. My last opponent was for the Gold which was a 6 foot 5 giant that had twice the reach on me. The fight went for the full 3 rounds and I won it in the end by unanimous decision. None of my fights were without struggle, which makes me appreciate accomplishment even more.

The reason why I am writing here today and the reason why you are reading this is to let you know that with my recent win, I have qualified to represent Canada at the World Championships in Malaysia on October 15 2012. I am asking for your help to send me to Malaysia so I may be able to represent my country for this once in a life time opportunity. For those who do not know the level of competition that is present for the world championship, it is the same as the Olympics but with Kung-Fu as its only focus. Any funds that you may have available would be greatly appreciated. You can send funds via my paypal account at nguyen.manhtu@yahoo.com or click the button below to donate.

Thank you for your time and especially for your help.

P.S. Below is a picture of me holding my newly acquired success with my Sifu. J

Back On Track With The Training Wagon

After 2 weeks of healing, taking some time to relax and indulging myself to whatever I feel, it is now over. I'm back onto my training regime and getting ready to go to represent Canada in Malaysia for the World Championship. At first I was hesitant on going due to the fact that it's only in two months, but also the fact that I don't have that kind of money to go there AND I had JUST booked a vacation to go to Vietnam with my dad. 

Luckily ALMOST everything has fallen in its rightful place and my odds of going has tremendously increased. My first day back to work, all of my co-workers and my boss asked how my tournament went, so I showed them the videos of my fights. They were all very impressed and proud of my efforts and I told them I had qualified to fight for Canada in the World Championship in Malaysia. They all without any hesitation told me to go or more like I HAVE to go. My Boss even called me into his office to let me know that he will support me to go compete and that he will find a way for me to take the time required for me to be there. 

I spoke to my travel agent and we were able to accommodate my flight to Malaysia and Vietnam without any real trouble.

Now all that I have left to do is find the funds for me to go. Two months to get ready for the this tournament and find sponsors and do fundraisers to send me to Malaysia and compete. I can't express how stressful it all really is, but thanks to some of my friends who are taking the initiative in helping me organize fundraisers and find sponsors to send me over there. It definitely is a huge help and relief to have such a supporting home team. I am truly grateful to have such friends. 

In the meantime, my main focus is getting my body and my mind back on track. So I am back to training 6 days a week, on average 3 hours per session and following a strict nutritional plan. Wednesday was my first day back into training and you can't imagine how horrible it was. It was basically like trying to get off the couch after watching TV all day and having to get ready to go out at night. Anyways, all I'm really trying to say is...Here we go again! :)

The Long Journey

"It takes a loss to appreciate a win" has never been more true to me then it does now. Three years in the making and here I am today with Gold medal around my neck.

Going into this International Tournament the first year and coming home with a silver medal was already more then I had expected, and with all of that confidence and experience that I had gained from the first year, I was ready to come back the following year to win the Gold for Canada. Unfortunately, I was ill prepared, over confident, and just simply shocked by the level of competition that was present that year. I had lost my first fight on my second round by split decision and came back with a huge depression. Couldn't believe that I had lost and been pushed out of the tournament so easily when I had made such an impression the first year. There was really no one but myself to blame and that was why I had a hard time getting over it. Finally after a lot of help from close ones, I got out of that pathetic depression and once again was more then ever hungry for success. I started my training at 6 months of the tournament and with time dwindling down, my training became more and more intense. Being humbled at my last defeat and with a more realistic perception of my competition for this year definitively helped me prepare for what I was getting myself into.

Still I could not have made it without all the support from my team, coaches, and supporters. This note is really for all of them...so here it is.

First I would like to send my appreciation to my Canadian Team who was there to support me and cheer me on:

(Alphabetically)

Grand Master Augustin Ngu
Abigail Ocreto - Equipment Manager
James - Corner Coach 2
Haley Family
Irfaun Ally - Training Partner
Tim McPhee - Corner Coach
Mary Ram - Equipment Manager 2 / A/V Specialist
Mikhail Family
Wu Family

It would not have been the same without you guys there. Thank you all of you for providing me with a sense of home and familiarity in a strange and unfamiliar place.

Also a Thank you to those who supported me and helped me prepare for this tournament:

(Alphabetically)

All Master's Lei Tai and Advanced Sparring Team
Sifu Calvin Chung and his Chung's Martial Arts Academy SandaTeam
Christopher Torrano
The Toronto Throwdown Group
Sifu Zack George and his Double Dragon Sanshou/Kickboxing Team

I wouldn't have made it without you guys. Should you guys ever need anything from me please do not hesitate to let me know.

Thank you everyone and see you guys hopefully at the World Championship.

One Month Countdown

Only one month to go before the Lei-Tai Tournament at the U.S.K.S.F. Unlike last year, I feel more prepared and more focused. I do feel the hunger for success and the thirst for first. 

I've been able to go back to Double Dragon Martial Arts in Kitchener this year for a good training session. Thank you Zack for allowing us to come and train with you and your students. It always feels great when the martial-art schools pulls together and helps one another to thrive for success. Met some great people while training there and what an amazing training facility I might add. You Kitchener people are very lucky to have such a trainer like Zack and a facility like his...I wish I could train there all the time.

I also had the opportunity to spar with some amazing people at the Toronto Throwdown which was held in May at the Fighting Arts Collective located in Toronto. Thank you Shawn for the invite and I will definitely be going back for another sparring session in July before I leave for my tournament.   

My training this year consists of training 5 to 6 times a week for on avg 3hours per training session. It involves strength training, speed enhancement, drills, a healthier meal plan and lots and lots of sparring with partners from all kind of different martial art background, size, age, and levels. 

Also this year, another student from my school with be joining in Lei-Tai which would definitely help me out with my nerves. Looking forward to training everyday and for the tournament. First thing first, I need to get my blood test done and my physical check up. 

So....Until next time!

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Nearly a year since I last posted anything on this blog...After the tournament, my Sifu and kung-fu brother were pushing me to go for my next level testing. It was about time for me to take considering I've been a 4th lvl white crane practitioner for about 5 years. After a lot of practice, dedication, commitment, and focus, I'm finally a 5th lvl white crane student and one of the highest certified white crane students under Sifu Ngu. I have to admit...it felt GREAT to finally move forward and learning new things LOL!

It's now nearing the end of March which means  i have a little over 4 months to get ready for the tournament in July. I assume it'll be bigger this year considering it'll be the qualifier for the following Lei Tai World Championship in Malaysia. I've slowly started to increase my training intensity lvl by adding more sparring sessions, adding more strength training and cardio. Although i'm not ready to give up on my loose diet just yet... I just ENJOY FOOD TOO MUCH!!!! But I know, it'll have to go soon which saddens me :( No more fast food, or glutenous desserts, drenched gravy poutines, saucy pizzas, juicy burgers, or chocolate rich cakes :(

The only comfort that i have is knowing that this nutritional plan is only temporary and that once the tournament is over, i can go back to having a care free nutritional plan :)