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 I
think my first real interest in a contact sport began in
South America, I saw the movie "Rocky". I was
about twelve years old and right after the movie, my friends
and I decided to start boxing on our own. One of our friends
had an empty garage where we decided to train. We all got
boxing gloves except for me, my father bought my brother
some but he would not buy me any, he wouldn't buy me anything
that he thought was meant for a boy. When it was my turn
to fight, I would borrow my brother's pair.
Three years later, I moved
to Canada, and it took me a while to get used to the different way of
living here. I was involved in school sports, but I always felt that I
wanted to do a sport where I could rely on my own ability. I found a Tae
Kwon Do school where I trained until I received my green belt. It was a
good school, but I was looking for something with a little bit more
contact and involving more hand skills. I then went looking for
something closer to what I wanted. My search took me to the recreation
center where I decided to take International Top Karate classes. The
style included more contact and hard work. I
continued learning there and, when I was eighteen and had my orange
belt, I started teaching children's classes.
When I was
nineteen, I went to my first tournament and competed in point sparring.
I was totally unprepared for that kind of fighting, but I really wanted
to compete in something. I lost in two seconds, without even getting
hit. I couldn't believe it and decided that I would never compete in
point sparring again. A year later, I heard something about Kickboxing,
but still wasn't too sure what it was and how to get involved. In 1987,
I met Farid Dordar, who coincidentally was involved with Kickboxing. A
week later we went with a group of people to watch a Kickboxing match.
After watching the fights, I knew that this was what I wanted to do and
asked Master Farid if he would train me to compete in Kickboxing.
I was a green belt in Karate
when I started to train with Master Farid and everything seemed so hard.
I had to change bad habits and learn how to kick and punch with more
power. I trained every day for at least four hours, because I wanted to
get good at Kickboxing fast. I thought I had lost so much time with the
Martial Arts I had studied, that I had to make up for it. This was the
real test.
Master Farid started taking
me to all the Kickboxing and Boxing clubs to train and spar, I was the
only woman around those clubs and the men were always wondering what I
was doing there. They were shocked when I changed and started training.
I had my first fight six months after I started training in Kickboxing.
I won my first fight but was not too happy with my performance. After
the first round I felt like I was going to pass out. Not only because I
was so tired, but also because I was so nervous. But, once was enough to
know that this was what I wanted to do. I loved the training, although
it was tough.
I then went on to fight four
more times, and had a fight in Shootboxing in Tokyo, Japan. I had to
fight Wakana, who was the Japanese champion for five years in a row and
undefeated. Shootboxing was something new to me, but Master Farid had
been there before to fight, so he arranged my fight while he was there
and trained me accordingly.
Shootboxing is different
from Kickboxing in that they let you use knees and throw your opponent
down with wrestling moves. My fight was a three rounder, but the first
round lasted six minutes and the next two lasted three minutes each. It
was very different from what I had trained for, but very rewarding.
On May 17, 1992, eight
months after Farid and I were married, we opened Champions Martial Arts
Academy. Because of the workload of running our own school and teaching
many classes, I did not compete in Kickboxing anymore. Training, for me,
is number one and when I can't give it 100%, I don't like to compete.
Since then, I have given point sparring another chance and like it a bit
more. I still train hard and am presently competing in open Karate
Tournaments. I have gone to the NBL World Championship and have had a
lot of fun, but Kickboxing will always be my passion. I still hope to
get back into the ring some day.
Every time I watch
Kickboxing, I know that this is what my life was missing. Martial Arts
has helped me so much in my life, I can think of nothing else that I
would rather be doing. I always knew that I wanted to help society in
some way and I feel that I am doing that by teaching Martial Arts to
others and passing on the benefits that I have gained from it. I owe all
of my success in Martial Arts to my instructor, and my husband, Master
Farid Dordar, who taught me, beside everything else, to believe in
myself.
My goal for the future is to
make a difference in how Martial Arts is perceived by the public,
especially when it comes to women and children. I am so proud to see the
increase in women studying Martial Arts; not only seeing them in the
beginner classes but also seeing them stick to it. I truly believe that
Martial Arts is the best thing anyone can do in their life. I have
taught so many different age groups and levels, and the thing that
amazes me the most is the change for the better that people go through.
Martial Arts is a journey of growth, perseverance, and determination. I
am very proud to call myself a Martial Artist! you can contact Sensei
Ingrid by sending email to sensei@kickboxing.com
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