The atrium inside the “Longoz” hotel in Kamchia couldn’t accommodate all the willing to watch the masterful and very thoughtful lecture by non-other than Nicholas Pettas himself.
The Danish kyokushin karateka is one of the main instructors of this year’s SENSHI Summer training camp that is taking place in Kamchia, Bulgaria. The camp is being organized by the Bulgarian Karate Kyokushin Federation.
The former heavyweight kickboxer delivered an extremely helpful and interesting lecture in front of fighters and coaches who are taking part in the camp.
“The Blue-Eyed Samurai” recalled his early days when he started training kyokushin. Pettas is known as the last student of the great Mas Oyama – the founder of kyokushin karate. The Danish went back in time to when he moved to Japan, the specific training regime he was under.
“After some time in Denmark, they told me I should continue training kyokushin in Japan. Everything was so different there. The respect towards the sensei was on another level. It’s everything.
The legend was constantly encouraging the participants in the lecture to ask him questions.
“Always ask. You should never be afraid or shy to ask. Knowldge is power. You have to be curious and find those things that suit you.
Pettas displayed his training program back in the days when he was starting to elevate to the top.
“You should follow your progress all the time. Write it down if you must. You should know what works best for you and what you need to improve in your everyday training.”
The Danish fighter answered dozens of questions. In the meantime, Pettas vividly described various gym programs and methods for gaining muscle mass and getting stronger. He emphasized the importance of implementing strength training in the fighters’ regime.
“This right here, behind me, is the shortcut to the top. But in order for you to become an elite guy, the so-called “Golden boy”, you need to learn the basics. Take Semmy Schilt for example. Semmy was the champion, so he always knew when he’ll defend his title. Not like me. Stay ready, you ain’t gotta get ready. You never know when they’ll call to fight. But if you want to become “The Champ” you’ll need technique, power, and consistency.”
There will be a second lecture this Wednesday with a special guest that goes by the name of Sam Greco.
