He demonstrated skills related to footwork, distance control and the fundamentals of striking for kickboxing. The youngsters enjoyed and appreciated the seminar, which was good preparation for their trip to Bali for a few weeks of training.
In the afternoon, Angove ran a seminar for the adult team of Te Kura Awhio (Awhio MMA).
He focused on striking skills and explored some of the kickboxing-for-MMA style for which City Kickboxing has become renowned.
Awhio MMA head coach Barry Kingi-Thomas said the visit was also an opportunity for Angove and City Kickboxing to show support for regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other weather events this year.
“We would like to expand on this workshop and develop a closer relationship with Mike and his team,” Kingi-Thomas said.
“All of the strikers in Tairāwhiti will benefit from this exchange of skills; as Dan Hooker has said many times, ‘A rising tide lifts all boats’.”
Angove said that after he got back from a trip to the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai, China, he decided to “go on a bit of a tour around the country” to share some of the knowledge he had gained around striking for MMA and striking in general for combat sports.
He spoke to Kingi-Thomas about coming to this district and the two seminars were arranged.
It was great to be able to share some knowledge and help grow the sport in New Zealand, Angove said.
“We have a lot of talent if we can provide the right tools — that means coaching,” he said.
“I’m hoping to get around the regions, ideally three times a year but a minimum of twice a year, so we can keep the seminars going and continue the development and spread of knowledge, particularly with the young athletes coming through.”
Angove said combat sports had a much wider function than helping people become fighters or athletes.
“They give tools that a lot of these kids use to learn discipline and life lessons,” he said.
“That’s important for me and it’s something we’re hoping to achieve with these tours.”
