Sylvie von Duuglas -Ittu is an American fighter training MuayThai in Thailand - come back tomorrow for her interview.
Other Wordless Wednesday bloggers hanging out here.
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Interview. Afficher tous les articles
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Interview. Afficher tous les articles
mercredi 19 décembre 2012
Wordless Wednesday
Sylvie von Duuglas -Ittu is an American fighter training MuayThai in Thailand - come back tomorrow for her interview.
Other Wordless Wednesday bloggers hanging out here.
dimanche 16 décembre 2012
Deirdre Gogarty talks boxing, world titles and books
Meeting world champion boxer Deirdre Gogarty when she visited Ireland in October was a real pleasure. They say never meet your heroes but sometimes it's turns out just fine.
I posted the newspaper article I wrote on her here, and finally getting around to uploading the radio interview today. Enjoy!
Deirdre Gogarty’s book ‘My Call to the Ring’ is available online from Amazon.com
I posted the newspaper article I wrote on her here, and finally getting around to uploading the radio interview today. Enjoy!
Deirdre Gogarty’s book ‘My Call to the Ring’ is available online from Amazon.com
mercredi 21 novembre 2012
mardi 13 novembre 2012
World Champion boxer Deirdre Gogarty visits Ireland
The walls of St Saviour’s Boxing Gym in Dublin are covered with photos of tough-looking men, gloved-up and ready to fight. But next to Muhammed Ali, there’s a photo of Deirdre Gogarty with a World Title belt around her waist.
 |
| World Champion 1997 Irish Boxer Deirdre Gogarty (this pic from 1994) |
Deirdre Gogarty won that belt in 1997 after ten years of training in Ireland and America. Women’s boxing was illegal in Ireland then so she’d moved to Louisiana
“I started in Saviour’s really, I was young then and thought no-one in the world could beat me. It was an instinct in me to fight, it was just something I had to do,” she says, standing next to the ring.
Now a boxing coach and graphic artist in Louisiana, I met her in October when she came to Ireland to launch her autobiography. She also made time for a training session with Olympic champion Katie Taylor.
Gogarty and Taylor go back a long way. When Gogarty won her Women’s International Federation of Boxing title in New Orleans, 11-year-old Taylor wrote to her.
“I kept a letter she sent congratulating me on wining the world title. And at the bottom she said maybe one they will let us box at the Olympics,” Gogarty says.
“It is brilliant to see her now. I’m living a little bit through her, I would have wanted everything she did and it’s just great she has the chance now.”
But she says thinking any amateur boxer can make an easy transition to professional fighting is a mistake. Gogarty herself went straight into the pro game but she says for anyone with a choice that would be “madness”.
Aside from the obvious differences of no head-gear and smaller gloves, the Drogheda woman says the fights are tougher.
“You are paid so you are expected to handle a lot more punishment and fouls. You get fouled more – head-butts, low blows and kidney punches. You are more prone to getting cut too. But in amateur the emphasis is on safety,” she says.
And you’re alone, she says, there is no support like the High Performance Team gives to amateur boxers in Ireland. She refers to professional boxing promoters as “sharks”. In contrast amateur boxers compete in highly-regulated tournaments.
One of Gogarty’s most famous fights was on the undercard for Mike Tyson Vs Frank Bruno in 1996. Her opponent’s battered face put women’s boxing on the map for millions of viewers.
But she hopes people will realise the huge differences between professional and amateur scenes.
She says: “Boxing is tough at any level. But everyone should absolutely try amateur boxing. Knowing you are fighting and being able to prepare for that is a life experience that will stand to you.”
Gogarty hopes the so-called ‘Katie Taylor” effect will bring girls into boxing gyms. But she’s unsure how many could ever compete at Olympic level.
“There are not very many people, boys or girls, who go into competition. It takes a special person to climb into that ring. It takes a lot of courage. This is not a sport for everybody,” she says.
(and in Easons if you're in Ireland!)
A version of this story first appeared in the Irish Independent's FIT magazine.
vendredi 19 octobre 2012
Armageddon Muay Thai fight night in Dublin
 |
| PICTURE: thanks to Ces the Day |
Tonight is the night. If you're in Dublin, you need to be at the Red Cow Convention Centre for the Armageddon Fights!
Along with some fab men's fights including an Irish and European title we have Ferial 'Felix' Ameeroedien and Kelly Creegan taking on opponents from Holland and Wales.
Listen below for some thoughts on how the night will go:
This was made for Dublin radio station NearFm for the Sports Local Live programme.
Armageddon Muay Thai fight night in Dublin
|
| PICTURE: thanks to Ces the Day |
Tonight is the night. If you're in Dublin, you need to be at the Red Cow Convention Centre for the Armageddon Fights!
Along with some fab men's fights including an Irish and European title we have Ferial 'Felix' Ameeroedien and Kelly Creegan taking on opponents from Holland and Wales.
Listen below for some thoughts on how the night will go:
This was made for Dublin radio station NearFm for the Sports Local Live programme.
Armageddon Muay Thai fight night in Dublin
|
| PICTURE: thanks to Ces the Day |
Tonight is the night. If you're in Dublin, you need to be at the Red Cow Convention Centre for the Armageddon Fights!
Along with some fab men's fights including an Irish and European title we have Ferial 'Felix' Ameeroedien and Kelly Creegan taking on opponents from Holland and Wales.
Listen below for some thoughts on how the night will go:
This was made for Dublin radio station NearFm for the Sports Local Live programme.
lundi 1 octobre 2012
Running for Life after a Kidney Transplant
This article on Transplants and Sport first appeared in the FIT magazine of the Irish Independent.
Transplant success Fit Mag Irish Independent NGriffin Transplant Success (2nd pg) Fit Mag Irish Independent n Griffin
Transplant success Fit Mag Irish Independent NGriffin Transplant Success (2nd pg) Fit Mag Irish Independent n Griffin
Running for Life after a Kidney Transplant
This article on Transplants and Sport first appeared in the FIT magazine of the Irish Independent.
Transplant success Fit Mag Irish Independent NGriffin Transplant Success (2nd pg) Fit Mag Irish Independent n Griffin
Transplant success Fit Mag Irish Independent NGriffin Transplant Success (2nd pg) Fit Mag Irish Independent n Griffin
Running for Life after a Kidney Transplant
This article on Transplants and Sport first appeared in the FIT magazine of the Irish Independent.
Transplant success Fit Mag Irish Independent NGriffin Transplant Success (2nd pg) Fit Mag Irish Independent n Griffin
Transplant success Fit Mag Irish Independent NGriffin Transplant Success (2nd pg) Fit Mag Irish Independent n Griffin
mercredi 26 septembre 2012
San shou, no messing allowed for Laura O'Neill
The first time Irishwoman Laura O Neill fought in Chinese Kickboxing wasn’t just her first fight, it was the first time anyone from her gym had fought. Coming from a pure martial arts background into the sport also known as San Shou wasn't easy but she’s happy she stuck with it.
The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.
“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.
O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew.
Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.
Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.
She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.
O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.
“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.
That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.
Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing
Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.
Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.
She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.
They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.
Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.
Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.
Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”
Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”
Being the only woman
In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.
“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.
But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.
“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.
Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.
Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?
O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.
“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.
Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.
This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.
For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association. And for more great fighting shots - Ces the Day Photography
This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter.
 |
| Laura O' Neill in action. PICTURE: Ces the Day |
The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.
“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.
O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew.
Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.
Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.
She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.
O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.
“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.
That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.
Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing
Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.
Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.
She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.
They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.
Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.
Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.
Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”
Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”
 |
| Laura O' Neill and myself, focused interview! PICTURE: Ces the Day |
In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.
“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.
But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.
“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.
Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.
Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?
O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.
“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.
Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.
This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.
For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association. And for more great fighting shots - Ces the Day Photography
This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter.
San shou, no messing allowed for Laura O'Neill
The first time Irishwoman Laura O Neill fought in Chinese Kickboxing wasn’t just her first fight, it was the first time anyone from her gym had fought. Coming from a pure martial arts background into the sport also known as San Shou wasn't easy but she’s happy she stuck with it.
The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.
“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.
O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew.
Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.
Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.
She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.
O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.
“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.
That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.
Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing
Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.
Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.
She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.
They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.
Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.
Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.
Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”
Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”
Being the only woman
In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.
“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.
But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.
“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.
Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.
Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?
O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.
“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.
Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.
This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.
For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association. And for more great fighting shots - Ces the Day Photography
This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter.
|
| Laura O' Neill in action. PICTURE: Ces the Day |
The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.
“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.
O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew.
Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.
Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.
She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.
O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.
“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.
That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.
Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing
Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.
Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.
She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.
They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.
Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.
Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.
Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”
Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”
|
| Laura O' Neill and myself, focused interview! PICTURE: Ces the Day |
In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.
“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.
But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.
“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.
Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.
Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?
O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.
“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.
Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.
This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.
For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association. And for more great fighting shots - Ces the Day Photography
This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter.
San shou, no messing allowed for Laura O'Neill
The first time Irishwoman Laura O Neill fought in Chinese Kickboxing wasn’t just her first fight, it was the first time anyone from her gym had fought. Coming from a pure martial arts background into the sport also known as San Shou wasn't easy but she’s happy she stuck with it.
The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.
“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.
O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew.
Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.
Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.
She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.
O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.
“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.
That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.
Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing
Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.
Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.
She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.
They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.
Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.
Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.
Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”
Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”
Being the only woman
In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.
“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.
But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.
“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.
Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.
Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?
O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.
“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.
Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.
This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.
For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association. And for more great fighting shots - Ces the Day Photography
This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter.
|
| Laura O' Neill in action. PICTURE: Ces the Day |
The former Red Cross volunteer laughs now as she remembers feeling bad for hitting her opponent.
“Initially I didn’t want to fight, I felt it went against my nature – why get in a ring and let someone thump me,” she says, sitting on colourful mats at The Martial Arts Academy in south Dublin.
O’ Neill explains Chinese Kickboxing or San Shou originated in 1960s China. Following the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, many feared martial arts secrets would be lost. She says a number of experts – known as Masters – came together and created a new art from the best of what they knew.
Punch-bags dangle from the ceiling above her waiting for the pulley to be activated but what catches the eye are the padded walls around the mats.
Fights traditionally take place on raised platform called Lei Tai with points awarded for dumping your opponent one metre down onto the ground. While there isn’t one of these at the gym, the speed of the wrestling moves would make bare walls too dangerous says O’ Neill.
She does mention one World Championship held on a Lei Tai in the middle of a lake in China so when you lost, you also had to swim to shore.
O’ Neill’s own fight career began when coach Paul Moran decided to shift the gym’s ethos from a pure martial arts focus to a fighting gym. So in spite of having studied Kung Fu since she was a child, everything changed for her five years ago.
“When you studying a martial art, you have no way of knowing whether what you’re doing is effective or not. The only way to test it is in a pressurized situation where you can’t just walk off and get yourself together,” she says.
That first fight was a rude awakening. Ruefully O’ Neill says her ‘tough as nails’ opponent taught her mental attitude is as important as physical fitness, and she now sees it as the beginning of a long journey.
Fighting and competing in Chinese Kickboxing
Fights usually last two rounds of two minutes each. If the score-cards mark a draw after that, then one more round is added on.
Points are awarded for clean shots which show impact. As O’ Neill puts it: “her head must flip back from the punch’. A punch scores one point, a kick above the waist two, a clean throw is also two and a sacrifice throw – where you touch the mat yourself to get into position – scores one.
She says everyone’s aim is to get in there, win in less than two rounds, preferably by KO or TKO, and walk out. Game over.
They compete wearing an open-face headguard, chest-pads, a groin-box –women too – shin-pads and 10oz gloves.
Watching the training a comparison with MMA comes to mind, without the going-to-ground element. And without the chokes or arm holds so the movement never stops.
O’ Neill and Moran both say you can pick out elements of many Chinese-influenced styles.
Moran says it’s no surprise to him to see a woman in the class as one of the first San Shou teachers in Ireland was American Carol Stephenson in the 1980s. She had trained under founder Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming who still teaches international seminars.
Moving out of earshot as O’Neill warms up, he says: “It’s probably unusual for a new guy who comes in but if we don’t treat her like a guy we get our asses kicked.”
Demonstrating a few swift moves, he says the real name for the martial art is Chinese Kickboxing. “It gives you the punching, the kicking and the wrestling techniques. It’s a complete stand-up style.”
|
| Laura O' Neill and myself, focused interview! PICTURE: Ces the Day |
In a busy gym, O’Neill is the only woman. The 64.8kgs fighter says she’s had four fights in five years because she just can’t get opponents – estimating there are about ten women competing in Ireland altogether.
“It is a tough sport, it is easier to fight under Tae-Kwan-Do or kick-boxing rules. They are more controlled I think. We don’t stop when you score, we only stop for blood so it is more physically demanding,” she explains.
But the advantage of having so few women, as in other combat sports, is training is often tougher than any fight O’Neill says.
“I get thumped so hard by the guys here that in the ring I’ve never been caught too badly. I respect the women I fight but I’m lucky with the training. There are some times I’d like female company, it’s a big dressing room in there,” she says, pointing off to the back of the gym.
Another challenge is some of the older Masters, like Master Yang, the founder and head of O’Neill’s fighting style, don’t approve of female fighters
But Moran says this is changing, says about 30 per cent of the junior fighters around Ireland are women.
Should you try Chinese Kickboxing?
O’Neill doesn’t hesitate to recommend the sport to women, saying it’s a great short-cut to self-defence.
“You can pay crazy prices in a gym but you don’t get the work-out you get in a session here. When I try to score I need my legs, my back, everything has to move in tandem,” she says.
Standing at a kick-bag, she does a quick demo of her favourite technique. In one swift move, her leg flies up towards the top of the bag – heel first, thuds into the leather and returns back to fighting stance.
This is Chinese Kickboxing, not Kung-Fu Panda.
For more information go to Yang's Martial Arts Association. And for more great fighting shots - Ces the Day Photography
This interview first appeared in the recent issue of Irish Fighter.
jeudi 23 août 2012
Helmets ready, it's BMX time
The slopes on a BMX track don't look too steep until you stand on top of one. Maybe that's why most riders are in their teens and early twenties - no fear.
 |
| Pic credit: Stephen Kane |
Thirteen year old Katie O'Neill certainly doesn't show any fear tearing round the track in Rathoath, Co Meath. Well-padded in her red and black suit, long hair tucked away inside her helmet, all she cares about is getting up some speed.
'It's a good sport, gets you out on the bike. It gets your blood running and your heart racing,' she told me when I called out to see what they do.
Standing around with her mates, she doesn't seem tough enough to be out there. But the give-away is that she's even here.
We're in a field out in the countryside, no glam changing rooms here just a few shipping containers.
A man walks past us spraying weeds to keep the track clear.
Former racer Eamonn Wyer walks me around the track, stops to point her out.
'The woman who's leading their National Series Alison Murphy is 40, been racing for years. Katie's in second place behind her', he says.
'The woman who's leading their National Series Alison Murphy is 40, been racing for years. Katie's in second place behind her', he says.
O' Neill grins when I ask her about this, shrugs her shoulders as if to say it's-no-big-deal. Her only comment is: " It's good, yeah, it's good".
So this is how it works - you get suited-up, put on the helmet and then line-up on top of a steep slope on your bike, all in a line. Wyer says the good riders hit 50km/hr before they get to the end of the slope, he's not kidding.
'The girls don't have a full gate yet,' O Neill explains, leaning on her bike. "There is usually five or six of at the gate, there is a lot of elbows. The first time I came was in November, now I race all the time."
She admits to a few injuries but says her colourful outfit usually takes the brunt. Spilling over the handlebars sounds painful all the same, and she says she took home a sore head and grazed shoulders from one track-meet.
I was out there around Olympics time, so all the talk was of Shanaze Reade, the UK rider with her Irish background.
"I like her. In the last Olympics she crashed but she kept at it. She didn't give up. I've met her, she's really friendly,' says O'Neill.
And that apparently is all it takes. That, and maybe a touch of madness.
 |
| pic credit; Stephen Kane |
Helmets ready, it's BMX time
The slopes on a BMX track don't look too steep until you stand on top of one. Maybe that's why most riders are in their teens and early twenties - no fear.
|
| Pic credit: Stephen Kane |
Thirteen year old Katie O'Neill certainly doesn't show any fear tearing round the track in Rathoath, Co Meath. Well-padded in her red and black suit, long hair tucked away inside her helmet, all she cares about is getting up some speed.
'It's a good sport, gets you out on the bike. It gets your blood running and your heart racing,' she told me when I called out to see what they do.
Standing around with her mates, she doesn't seem tough enough to be out there. But the give-away is that she's even here.
We're in a field out in the countryside, no glam changing rooms here just a few shipping containers.
A man walks past us spraying weeds to keep the track clear.
Former racer Eamonn Wyer walks me around the track, stops to point her out.
'The woman who's leading their National Series Alison Murphy is 40, been racing for years. Katie's in second place behind her', he says.
'The woman who's leading their National Series Alison Murphy is 40, been racing for years. Katie's in second place behind her', he says.
O' Neill grins when I ask her about this, shrugs her shoulders as if to say it's-no-big-deal. Her only comment is: " It's good, yeah, it's good".
So this is how it works - you get suited-up, put on the helmet and then line-up on top of a steep slope on your bike, all in a line. Wyer says the good riders hit 50km/hr before they get to the end of the slope, he's not kidding.
'The girls don't have a full gate yet,' O Neill explains, leaning on her bike. "There is usually five or six of at the gate, there is a lot of elbows. The first time I came was in November, now I race all the time."
She admits to a few injuries but says her colourful outfit usually takes the brunt. Spilling over the handlebars sounds painful all the same, and she says she took home a sore head and grazed shoulders from one track-meet.
I was out there around Olympics time, so all the talk was of Shanaze Reade, the UK rider with her Irish background.
"I like her. In the last Olympics she crashed but she kept at it. She didn't give up. I've met her, she's really friendly,' says O'Neill.
And that apparently is all it takes. That, and maybe a touch of madness.
|
| pic credit; Stephen Kane |
Helmets ready, it's BMX time
The slopes on a BMX track don't look too steep until you stand on top of one. Maybe that's why most riders are in their teens and early twenties - no fear.
|
| Pic credit: Stephen Kane |
Thirteen year old Katie O'Neill certainly doesn't show any fear tearing round the track in Rathoath, Co Meath. Well-padded in her red and black suit, long hair tucked away inside her helmet, all she cares about is getting up some speed.
'It's a good sport, gets you out on the bike. It gets your blood running and your heart racing,' she told me when I called out to see what they do.
Standing around with her mates, she doesn't seem tough enough to be out there. But the give-away is that she's even here.
We're in a field out in the countryside, no glam changing rooms here just a few shipping containers.
A man walks past us spraying weeds to keep the track clear.
Former racer Eamonn Wyer walks me around the track, stops to point her out.
'The woman who's leading their National Series Alison Murphy is 40, been racing for years. Katie's in second place behind her', he says.
'The woman who's leading their National Series Alison Murphy is 40, been racing for years. Katie's in second place behind her', he says.
O' Neill grins when I ask her about this, shrugs her shoulders as if to say it's-no-big-deal. Her only comment is: " It's good, yeah, it's good".
So this is how it works - you get suited-up, put on the helmet and then line-up on top of a steep slope on your bike, all in a line. Wyer says the good riders hit 50km/hr before they get to the end of the slope, he's not kidding.
'The girls don't have a full gate yet,' O Neill explains, leaning on her bike. "There is usually five or six of at the gate, there is a lot of elbows. The first time I came was in November, now I race all the time."
She admits to a few injuries but says her colourful outfit usually takes the brunt. Spilling over the handlebars sounds painful all the same, and she says she took home a sore head and grazed shoulders from one track-meet.
I was out there around Olympics time, so all the talk was of Shanaze Reade, the UK rider with her Irish background.
"I like her. In the last Olympics she crashed but she kept at it. She didn't give up. I've met her, she's really friendly,' says O'Neill.
And that apparently is all it takes. That, and maybe a touch of madness.
|
| pic credit; Stephen Kane |
lundi 13 août 2012
Crying, laughing and talking about Katie Taylor on radio
A few hours after Katie Taylor won gold at the Olympics, I was talking on an Irish radio station about what this means for women's boxing. And yes, there were a few tears but mostly laughter.
We talked on 'Fionn Davenport After Dark' on Newstalk. The interview starts at 07.58 of Part One.
Or if you're short of time, follow the link below - you can fast forward through the original to the start at 07.58.
Talking Katie Taylor on Newstalk
If you have any other interviews or article coming out of the Olympics, do share! It's been so great seeing so many fit and healthy women around for the last while, was gutted to see the models back in action at the Closing Ceremony, gloomy reality strikes.
We talked on 'Fionn Davenport After Dark' on Newstalk. The interview starts at 07.58 of Part One.
Or if you're short of time, follow the link below - you can fast forward through the original to the start at 07.58.
Talking Katie Taylor on Newstalk
If you have any other interviews or article coming out of the Olympics, do share! It's been so great seeing so many fit and healthy women around for the last while, was gutted to see the models back in action at the Closing Ceremony, gloomy reality strikes.
Crying, laughing and talking about Katie Taylor on radio
A few hours after Katie Taylor won gold at the Olympics, I was talking on an Irish radio station about what this means for women's boxing. And yes, there were a few tears but mostly laughter.
We talked on 'Fionn Davenport After Dark' on Newstalk. The interview starts at 07.58 of Part One.
Or if you're short of time, follow the link below - you can fast forward through the original to the start at 07.58.
Talking Katie Taylor on Newstalk
If you have any other interviews or article coming out of the Olympics, do share! It's been so great seeing so many fit and healthy women around for the last while, was gutted to see the models back in action at the Closing Ceremony, gloomy reality strikes.
We talked on 'Fionn Davenport After Dark' on Newstalk. The interview starts at 07.58 of Part One.
Or if you're short of time, follow the link below - you can fast forward through the original to the start at 07.58.
Talking Katie Taylor on Newstalk
If you have any other interviews or article coming out of the Olympics, do share! It's been so great seeing so many fit and healthy women around for the last while, was gutted to see the models back in action at the Closing Ceremony, gloomy reality strikes.
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)