With these tips for your first kickboxing match, you'll immediately be ahead of the game. You'll probably be a little nervous. Don't panic, with our tips you'll be well-prepared.
Your very first fight can be an overwhelming experience. It's a feeling you won't get anywhere else. With our tips, you can prepare well for your very first kickboxing match.
The 11 best tips for your first kickboxing match:
1. Train hard
This goes without saying, but many people still don't take this step seriously enough. You can be the biggest talent in the gym, but if you don't go into the ring well-prepared, you're not going to win the match.
In youth and novice fights, the best fighter doesn't always win. The fighter with the best stamina, who can therefore fight at full power from start to finish, often takes the victory.
Another important factor is that if you are well-trained, you can also take hits better. So, training a lot, running regularly, and getting plenty of rest is super important!
2. Many spruces
Sparring is the ultimate form of competition preparation because you can't fool yourself when you're sparring. Sparring teaches you how to actually block punches, how to dodge, and how to counter effectively.
My golden tip for sparring is: don't spar with people who want to prove themselves. These people will spar too hard with you.
Instead, you should spar with experienced boys and/or girls who want to help you grow. These people know how to spar with you. Let them catch you on your weaker points, but don't spar too hard with each other because you'll quickly get injured. Of course, you don't want to go into the ring with injuries.
3. Make sure you're at the right weight
This is one of the most important tips for your first kickboxing match! Your trainer might want you to fight at, for example, 70 kg, while you normally weigh around 73 kg. This means, of course, that you need to make sure you don't gain too much weight.
Try to fight at your own body weight, or a maximum of 5 kilos below that. The more you want to lose weight, the more strength you lose. Make sure you are reasonably close to your target weight a week in advance. The more kilos you are overweight, the more you have to make up for it on the night of the weigh-in.
Many fighters compete well below their natural weight because it gives them an advantage in terms of height and strength. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but fighting significantly below your natural weight can become dangerous.
4. Good equipment
It's important to have the right kickboxing gear. Of course, it starts with a large sports bag to hold all your kickboxing equipment and toiletries.
From sports tape to Thai oil, from cooling spray to an extra bit, you must have everything with you. You can't expect the trainer to have everything with him, you are responsible for your own kickboxing equipment.
5. Get enough sleep
Make sure you're well-rested for the next day. This means going to bed early. Try to sleep just an hour longer than you normally do. You need to give your body time to recover!
The more time you give your body, the better your result will be on the day of the competition. So, if you normally go to bed at 11:00 PM, go to bed at 10:00 PM the night before the competition.
6. Good food
Try to get enough carbohydrates before the match. Carbohydrates give you enough energy. Pasta is the most common meal in the locker room.
Pasta is also easy to take with you. Fill a plastic container with pasta and bring cutlery. Eat your pasta in the locker room well before your match; this allows you to digest the food properly and you won't be in the ring with a full stomach. If you then receive a punch or kick to your body, the food could come up.
7. Relax
You should try to get as much rest as possible before your competition. Make sure you arrive at the location early. This will allow you to do everything at your own pace.
Go to your locker room and find a good spot. Sit and/or lie down comfortably on a bench, put in your earplugs, and listen to some music . Take your time to eat and drink something, and get changed at your leisure. A mistake I see many people make is that they look at the schedule on the door too much. So just relax, everything will be fine!
8. Stay calm
When you're in the ring, it's essential to stay calm. Pay attention to your breathing, both before and during the match! The way you breathe is an important factor in your performance. Before the match, when you're in the locker room and you feel the tension rising, you must try to breathe calmly.
Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. This will help you calm down. Pay attention to your breathing during the competition as well. Try to exhale as little air as possible during the blows; this will cause you to tire more quickly.
Do what many boxers do and make that strange hissing sound while punching. What you're actually doing is creating a kind of filter that ensures you only exhale as much air as you need for that specific punch or kick. This leaves you with oxygen in your lungs. This is one of the most important tips for your first kickboxing match!
9. Don't focus too much on strength.
Now that the match has started, you'll probably notice that every punch/kick you deliver feels different than during training. This is perfectly normal and is due to the adrenaline coursing through your body.
The adrenaline makes you feel less in the ring. Not only do your punches feel weaker, but you also feel the opponent's punches less than you normally would during sparring. But make no mistake, your opponent feels the same.
The most important thing is to focus on your defense and to keep fighting technically. The more you try to throw power punches, the more energy you waste, leading to fatigue.
10. Listen to your trainer
This is one of the most important tips for your first kickboxing match! The match has started, the bell has rung, and you and your opponent are going to fight. Try to stay calm and listen to the instructions your trainer gives you during the match.
Try not to look at your trainer during the match. Many beginners make this mistake. If you constantly hear your name behind you, you will automatically turn around. Try not to do this. Practice this during sparring!
Make sure your coach or someone else gives you instructions, and you mustn't look back. The reason you shouldn't look at your coach during the game is because you won't see what's happening in front of you.
If your opponent notices that you constantly look back at your trainer, they will take advantage of this by hitting you when you're looking away. This can be very dangerous because most knockouts in kickboxing are caused by quick punches/kicks that you don't see coming.
11. Repair
You get very little recovery time in a kickboxing match, so you need to make good use of the rest periods you get. Try to get to your corner as quickly as possible when the bell rings.
Keep your head up and your chest forward. Let your arms rest on the ropes; this will give your arms a rest and allow you to breathe in and out better. Listen to what your trainer is telling you and, above all, pay attention to your breathing.
Make sure you take a sip of water. Don't drink too much water, as this can cause the water to come up later if you get hit in the stomach during the match.
I hope these tips for your first kickboxing match will help you with your very first fight. I wish you a lot of fun, try to enjoy it a bit, of course, you'll never forget your very first match. You'll get an incredible feeling from it.
The tension will naturally fade once the match starts. And the best part of a kickboxing match is the feeling of accomplishment you get after fighting three full rounds and standing there victorious. And if you win, then your day really can't be ruined. Good luck and go for it!
Check out our store:
Collections >> Kickboxing