Bruce Lee Quote on repetition and how it relates to one of the best kickboxers to ever live - Mirko "Crocop" Filipović
You can practice 10.000 different kind of kicks once and be ineffective with them in a fight but if you specialize in one type of kick and practice it one 10.000 times you will be deadly.
This philosophy of achieving success by masterng an art with dilligent repetition can be translated into all walks of life.
But in the specific context of martial arts this qoute relates to no one better than Mirko "Crocop" Filipović, one of the most feared fighters in combat sports due to his powerful high kicks he used to knock out opponents with.
Born in 1974 in Vinkovci, Croatia Mirko loved running and lifting (improvised home made) weights in his early teens in his family's backyard and garage. He fell in love with martial arts after watching the movie "Bloodsport" starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.
At first he started practicing kicks (especially high kicks), on his own. He just imitated what Jean-Claude Van Damme did in the movie. Then at age 16 he was formally trained how to kick at a teakwondo/kickboxing school in Vinkovci. Later he also trained in a karate school in Varaždin. For a short period he trained Muay thai with Branko Cikatić.
young Crocop
He had his first amateur fight in Croatia's national Savate (french kickboxing) competition at age 21 in1996. And he won by (you guessed it) a high kick in only 9 seconds. He went on to compete in K1 later that year with Jerome LeBanner and Ernesto Hoost. He won a decision against Lebanner and lost to TKO by low kicks against Hoost.
After falling out with his coach Branko Cikatić he competed as an amateur boxer for 3 years before returning to K1 in 1999 where he made it to Grand Prix Final with Ernesto Hoost. In 2001 he slowly transitioned into MMA and competed for Pride FC. In 2007 after winning the 2006 Pride OWGP tournament he signed for the UFC. He later fought in the Dream And Rizin promotions. Alltogether he had 83 professional fights (K1 & MMA) and 56 amateur boxing fights.
Amateur boxing career: 48-8 (31 wins by KO)
K1 career: 23-8 (12 wins by KO)
MMA career: 35-11 (26 wins by KO)
Crocop training regime
According to the interview (link below) Mirko sometimes threw up to 1000 high kicks per day, 500 for each leg. It's hard counting to 1000, let alone throwing 1000 high kicks.
Crocop interview after Rizin GP win
Let's do some math here. Mirko's career lasted for 20 years. He's the type of fighter that will train regulary despite having no fight scheduled. If we take in to account he trains 6 times per week, rests for 1 week after a fight (averages 4 fights a year) and injuries we can roughly say he spends 250 days per year training. Let's say he averaged "only" 200 high kicks per day (100 for each leg).
200 kicks/per day x 250 days/year x 20 years = 1.000.000 high kicks
That adds up to an amazing 1.000.000 high kick repetitions in 20 years!!!
Hard to believe but that's what the math says.
And here are some of the results of that training:
Right high kick KO of Ricky Nicholson...
Left high kick knock of MIke Bernardo down that led to TKO
Left high kick knock down of Hiromi Amada
Left high kick knock down of Mark Hunt
Left high kick KO's of Igor Vovchanchyn, Dos Caras Jr., Alexander Emilianenko:
Left high kick KO of Wanderlei Silva:
Image source: Pic
Excellent report of why some fighters are great @direwolf. IT will be an eye opener for those who want to achieve in competition because it is the secret. This one example of the high kick was done very well but it is also good to recognize that many repetitions on many other aspects or moves are also required by the truly great fighter
Yes agreed. But it's always a dilemma for fighters on how much time to spend on a certain art. It's a decision between being a master in 1 or 2 skills and just good in others or be very good in all of them but not a master in any of them.
Great homage
thanks