I was chatting on the phone the other day to my former Dutch Muay Thai instructor Thom Harnick from the famous Chakurki Gym and we got on the topic about the way things have changed in our sport of kickboxing both in Australia and in Holland. We both agreed on the fact it has…but has it changed for the better or for the worst? I related to Thom about a experience I had in the UK in the mid eighties when I fought on a show in an old church hall in London. In fact it wasn’t a show in the sense of what a kickboxing show is like today.

The promoter had put the word out and lots of different clubs attended but only about twenty spectators turned up and there was no doctor in attendance. I fought and won and got asked to come and fight next weekend, which I did and won again, then the next weekend as well! This simply doesn’t happen these days. Novice fighters today need at least eight weeks notice, personalised shorts, time off work for extra training, fake tan, chest hair wax etc.

Though I must admit now days first time fighters are a cut above what they were fifteen years ago. I’ve seen some fighters today who only after two or three fights would have beaten some national champions from the old days which just goes to show that the sport is progressing well with fighters having a better understanding and attitude about diet and training. The fitness of the fighters and new fighting techniques are getting better and better and it comes as no surprise that todays fighters are a cut above yesterdays regarding all round knowledge and skill level. Our kickboxing instructors twenty years ago simply didn’t have the knowledge of today's teachers. For example at Bulldog gym we have a criteria to become an instructor for example:

• You must fight in the ring. You don’t have to have been a champion kickboxer but you must have at least had a go.
• You must have trained a minimum of 4 years at Bulldog and passed all relevant gradings.
• You must have trained in Thailand.
• You must hold an accreditation in Boxing.
• You must hold a first aid certificate.

Back twenty years ago this criteria just didn’t apply! People started their own gyms armed only with a little knowledge but a lot of enthusiasm, but they made the sport what it is today… the most exciting, fastest growing sport on the planet!