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IKF
Nationals:
Pipeline to the K-1 USA
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Every
kickboxing expert who makes the impossible look effortless has the common experience of hitting a bag for the first time. Expertise is no one’s
birthright. It is something that must be learned and earned. We now
appreciate the finished product but must acknowledge that even the best
had a starting point. The U.S.
has been behind in the game of kickboxing for years. Maurice Smith,
Patrick Smith and Bob Sapp are the only representatives from the United States
to collect wins in the K-1 Grand Prix and they only managed one apiece.
This is not the full potential of a country that is always a threat for
the #1 place in the Olympic Medal race. The
K-1 has 2 events per year in the United States: the K-1 USA and the K-1 Las Vegas. (Whether or not a third event, the
K-1 Hawaii, will remain is difficult to tell at this stage.) The K-1 USA
features fighters from the Americas
(North and South) and is a qualifier for the K-1 eliminations. The K-1 Las
Vegas features fighters from around the world and is a repechage
tournament for the K-1 USA and other major qualifiers. For young Americans
(North and South), these events are key opportunities. A good showing in a
reserve fight or on the undercard can be instrumental in launching the
fighter’s career. One
way to grab attention for these events is success in the IKF Nationals
(formally called the World Classic). This is an amateur event
that gives any club on the North American continent the opportunity to
assemble a team and get their fighters several matches in a weekend. The
tournament has been held yearly since 1999 and has put belts around the
waists of champions in 3 different rule classes. MTR,
or Muay Thai Rules This
is a rule set that allows punches (body and head), kicks (legs, body and
head) and knees. Unlike Muaythai there are either no elbow strikes or
padded elbow strikes and matches are scored on a 10-point must system. IR,
or International Rules This
rule set allows punches (body and head) and kicks (legs, body and head).
Most notable is the lack of knees and grappling we see in professional
kickboxing. It is a very good rule style for amateurs who want to focus on
strikes only. FCR,
or Full Contact Rules This
rule set allows punches (body and head) and demands kicks (body and head).
The obligatory kicks are one reason this form of kickboxing will never
have a future as a professional sport. As an amateur sport, however, it is
a tremendous opportunity for fighters to concentrate on difficult
techniques. There
are theories to justify selecting any of these rule styles. MTR is
closest to K-1 rules, so fighters switching from amateur to pro will not
have the transfer shock of switching rules. Because Amateur MTR is closer
to pro kickboxing than Muay Thai, the transition should be smoother. The
number of fighters who transferred from either MTR or Muay Thai suggests
that this is a tried and tested path. IR is
fairly close to K-1 rules without the knees and grappling. Practicing this
style will give the fighter more time in the ring exchanging strikes. He
can always invest the time in grappling and knee strikes later. The
learning curve on techniques is not even across the board. Some require
more time. If a fighter (or his coach) feels that punch and kick
combinations require more time to develop, they will invest more time.
Basic grappling, though essential for a kickboxer, may take less time to
develop than punches and kicks. Some may also believe that while grappling
is not easier to learn, its presence slows down the development of punches
and kicks. FCR
follows the same logic. The fighter can concentrate on high kicks and
punch combinations and develop the rest later. Some believe that low kicks
and low checks are easier to acquire than punch combinations and high
kicks. Every
theory is simply a different perspective of time management. Some fighters
have tried all the above rule styles and more: boxing, karate, sanda, MMA,
etc. They are interested in the fight game and place little importance on
“minor details”. |
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1999
2000
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
When
the IKF Nationals first started in 1999, there must have been doubts
concerning the quality of national competition. In retrospect, the doubts
were unfounded. Almost instantly, the amateur tournament started a steady
pipeline to the K-1 USA. Since 2004, the K-1 has started a “try out”
for new talent. There is no doubt that the K-1 scouts in the US
will gravitate to the IKF Nationals to get an early glimpse at the future
talent. |
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