Tournaments vs. Job

[Liu]

Hello all,

I know that a lot of Kyokushin world champions run a Dojo and dedicate their life to Kyokushin. Being an instructor is their job. However, I would like to know if there are any successful Kyokushin fighters that have a full time job other than Kyokushin instructor.

In other words, is being a Kyokushin instructor a prerequisite to be successful as a world class competitor?

I think that running a Dojo really has a great advantage. While others are working, an instructor dedicates all his time to hardcore training (less hardcore when he's teaching).

[Aunty Ichigeki]

I've heard of plenty of top fighters who maintain a job... never heard of one developing an actual career... not until after & that can be tricky.

[nzproud]

Hiroyuki Kidachi of IKO1 is a businessman yet he trains hard and holds some titles. But being world class level would be so difficult to achieve with another job. Generally in Kyokushin if the fighter is so good he may be offered a spot in k-1 as another career.

Another top Japanese fighter(light weight) from IKO2 has a top university degree and works in a well known stock company(?) yet he still studies for masters in a University.

[schuyler]

I'm not a world class fighter, but I run a Kyokushin dojo, hold down a full time job and attend graduate school. Its easy to make it work if you're passionate about what you do.

[vapor]

Originally Posted by nzproud

Hiroyuki Kidachi of IKO1 is a businessman yet he trains hard and holds some titles. But being world class level would be so difficult to achieve with another job. Generally in Kyokushin if the fighter is so good he may be offered a spot in k-1 as another career.

Another top Japanese fighter(light weight) from IKO2 has a top university degree and works in a well known stock company(?) yet he still studies for masters in a University.

Actually I think Kidachi sempai just instructs now full time.
He doesn't run the dojo, as that is what Kamio Shihan does, but Kidachi Sempai, as well as maybe 4 others are full time employees of the dojo...

vapor

[koji112091]

If you had to get another job to suport your kyokushin life I think that it should be something hard like drilling for oil or a miner. Just so you wont lose all your skill that you trained for behind the desk and watching your boss play ping pong while you are typing tps reports.

Just a thought.

OSU!

[Bloke]

I run a dojo and have a fulltime job - behind a desk. But I dont think this diminishes my skill. Drilling for Oil is a hard job, being a miner is a hard job but so is being a mother to 4 young children. A job doesnt have to be hard to help with your training.

For example Kyokushin teaches restraint which my job helps me practice everyday when silly people do silly things

[charger1]

I am not a world champion fighter by any means, but I try. I have a full time job as a miner working rotating shifts, nights and days. I just make as much time as I can for training. I don't expect to be on the same level as the worlds best but I do hope to train one some day. My experience in competition will hopefully someday allow me to be a better teacher, and I enjoy the bieng able to meet the people that make Kyokushin what it is today. OSU!

[Bloke]

I wonder what the odds were that someone who actually was a miner would post here just after Kojis post. Any one here work on an oil rig?

[koji112091]

Ha ha ha. That was kind of funny and coincedentle. Mabey if I talk about a clebrety they would pop up here. lol

Anyway I see what you mean. You wont loose all your skill behind a desk that was just a thery of mine but as I look at it now it seems to be completly wrong. But that's not to say a physicaly draining job wont help.
OSU!

[vapor]

I know that a lot of the higher belts in the dojo in Asakusa, were government employees, or fire fighters...

Fire fighting aside, you won't have any overtime or weekend work, so you can schedule your free time much better to get the max. number of sessions in at the dojo.

That was my issue when I was in Tokyo---I worked at an ad agency, and I was putting in 60 hour weeks, every week....doesn't leave a lot of time to spend at home or out and about with your spouse, much less train on a schedule that you want to...

vapor

vapor

[charger1]

I also have Instructors who work full time jobs as well, one as a mechanic at one of the mine sites and one who is a maintenance supervisor at a local middle school. They teach at our school for no money,just what it takes to make the rent and get training equipment, they have been teaching for almost 20 years here. OSU!

[koji112091]

that's the ultimate truth. OSU!

[Liu]

Thanks for the replies!

Right now, I'm aiming at a medical practice career. I think that in a few years, my studies will consume most of my time and I won't have a lot of free time dedicated to Kyokushin training.

[seienchin]

Rxrliu,
if you can't manage to study and train, you will never manage to work in a demanding career like medicine and train...so get to it. It's about learning now to manage your time and set priorities. You have to be prepared to make sacrifices, but if you really want to train for the rest of your life, then that's what you have to do.

I and took up karate in the middle of my degree studies. I got super-organised (because I had several part-time jobs as well), and made myself manage 4 hours of study outside of class times every day, or I wasn't "allowed" to go to training. My grades went up, and I never had to miss training! (Admittedly, my life consisted of study, work, training and not much else...but I was supremely happy, and would not change a thing if I had my time over).

[Liu]

Yes, organization is the key...

[StarKodama]

My boyfriend is aiming to be a world-class fighter (he fought in All-Japan Weight-sei for the first time this year). He had a full-time job before but as of last year became a full-time karate instructor... Anyway, he says that he now has even LESS time to train for himself because he's so busy. :/ So I guess it depends on your situation..

[strongman1]

Osu
well I'm a figther that loves full contact and its hard to hold down a job and train to become world class When i was in New Zealand I put everything into fighting and trying to make the nz team to go to the world I always made the team but because of work i was not aloud to go my boss would not give me my holidays

well now i have a new boss and I am training for this year to do as many comps as i can
I'm getting on 34 yr old shodan and 115 kg fit and ready to go looking forward to this year

[seienchin]

strongman1 - nice to have another Aussie on Board (even if it sounds like you have Kiwi roots...)..

Why not start an intro thread and tell us a bit about yourself so everyone can get to know you a bit.

[strongman1]

Osu
Ill do that sounds good yes still very kiwi but would love to rep aussie at the worlds