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Up Close and Personal with Ryan Bow
by Hody Jae Huh , Moderator @ www.IronLife.com
This month I bring you MMA and Shooto star Ryan Bow. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan but living in Japan since 1997 (he speaks fluent Japanese), Ryan got his start in marital arts at around the age of 15 with Kung Fu and later Judo, eventually getting his black belt at the famed Kodokan. He then moved on to MMA with Shooting Gym Yokohama, where he spent his entire amateur career.
Within a year Ryan placed 3rd in the All Japan tournament which earned him the right to go pro. He then moved back to America to be a pro under legendary MMA fighter Frank Shamrock where he spent a couple of months there. Frank set up Ryan’s debut fight in Hawaii and by that time, Ryan moved back to Japan working his way up the elite ranks in Shooto.
Hody Jae Huh/IronLife.com: You were a member of Frank Shamrock’s team. Do you still keep in touch with him?
Ryan Bow: I’m not technically a part of his team anymore. For the first couple of years as a pro, I was, because a friend of his (Kobayashi, Hidemi) was managing me. She managed me for a long time, until I joined Purebred about a year ago. Since then I’ve been a little out of contact with Frank, not for any reason. Sometimes when he comes to Japan I’ll go see him at his hotel, but I guess we both have been busy.
Hody: Everyone knows that Frank is/was a great fighter but how is he as a teacher/coach?
Ryan: Frank is a wonderful teacher. He has the ability to take something really complex and explain it in a way that a child can understand it. The short time I was out there I learned a lot, because he was able to explain things really easily. It was a positive experience.
The whole team was good -- Crazy Bob and all the guys. The team members are changing now and I haven’t been out there in so long. I used to keep in touch with Crazy Bob too. At one time he came out here (Japan) to corner Ishikawa (the guy who fought Ryan Gracie in Pride, the second fight) and some of the pro wrestlers for Inoki, and I would catch up with him.
I guess Fujita and Ishikawa had gone out there to train and when they came back, Crazy Bob cornered them. That was a while back though, 1 ½ - 2 years ago. I guess everyone is just doing their own thing.
Hody: How did you hook up with Purebred?
Ryan: Me and Enson have known each other for a long time. I first met him when I was with Shooting Gym Yokohama at a jiu-jitsu seminar that he was teaching and I went to it. Ever since then, at the All Japan Championships, I just saw him around and we would talk, but nothing really deep.
After I lost to Joao Roque in DEEP (DEEP 2001 - 6th Impact 9-7-2002) I was thinking of what I wanted to do, I didn’t have all the money in the world. Todd Atkins, who I’ve been friends with for a while, had just come over to Japan and he knows Enson, Egan, and TJ (Promoter of Hawaiian SuperBrawl). He was hanging out with Enson one day and mentioned to him that “Ryan would love to have a job as an instructor,” or something like that. Enson said “I’ll give him a job.” A lot of people say that but Enson came through. I’m grateful. He hooked me up with Yamamoto “Kid” and we started Purebred Tokyo gym. It was really good, I enjoyed being there. (Ryan now represents Purebred Omiya at the request of Enson. The main Purebred gym.)
Hody: Who do you train with on a regular basis?
Ryan: Before a fight I train 5-6 days a week, twice a day. I do a lot of training at G Square where Yoshida, Kosaka Tsuyoshi (TK), and Sudo Genki train. It’s not a dojo per say, it’s an elite sports gym, named Total Work Out. There are weights on the 2nd floor and a gym on the 3rd floor where they also have massages. It’s a gym run by Kevin Yamazaki where all the pros get together and train.
Hody: How far out from a fight do you start your training?
Ryan: 5-6 weeks. It depends on how busy I am; sometimes I have to work a little more between fights to make a little more money. Of course, before the fight I don’t work at all.
Hody: When you’re not fighting, what are you doing on a daily basis?
Ryan: It really varies. A lot of times I’m not really doing anything. That’s probably been part of my downfall. The game has really changed in the last couple of years and I kinda feel like I’m playing catch up. So, the plan is from now on, I’m going to get seriously back into training and train regularly 5 days a week, at least -- running and lifting. I started getting into doing plyometric drills and Olympic lifting.
Hody: Can you describe a typical day for you? Both when your training and when your not.
Ryan: A typical day when I’m not training: If I’m working I’ll go and teach (English) for a few hours and take the rest of the day off. I like to spend a lot of my time with my fiancée; we’re getting married in September. I like to spend a lot of time on my computer, doing what not. I don’t do so much when I don’t have a fight – see friends, hang out, spend time with my fiancée, play computer games, listen to music, read books, and just hang out. When I do fight, I typically sleep a lot to allow my body time to recover.
A typical day when I am fighting/training: Wake up around 9 a.m. and go running with a guy I train with at a big park where I live. We run about 3K and do a lot of plyometrics – speed and agility drills, dashes, and I use the tube to do like traps and etc. Then we run 3K back, eat, rest, and go train in the afternoon or night time.
Training in the afternoon or night time consists of either kick-boxing, boxing, wrestling, or jiu-jitsu. Depending on what I want to do that day. I’ll probably train for another 3 hours at night. Warm up and sparring all the time. I try to keep busy. As the fight gets closer I’ll get into strategy or drill oriented training, such as tackle drills.
Hody: I’m assuming that your fiancée is really supportive of your fighting career.
Ryan: Yeah, we just went running and she brought the stop watch. She times my plyometrics and controls my diet (which is very important), helps me wrap my hands before fights (sometimes), she does everything. She’s really supportive.
Hody: Besides your fight that’s coming up against Daisuke 'Amazon' Sugie on March 28th, do you have any other fights/offers?
Ryan: No, I’m just trying to work myself back to where I was. Shooto is doing this Pacific Rim tournament. If I win it, I’ll find myself in a really good place and have a title shot. That’s in the future, so I’m just going to take one fight at a time and try not only to win but also to fight for the entertainment of the fans -- that’s the most important.
I’d like to get into Bushido. Fighting in Deep again is high on my priority, because those that do really well, more or less, will probably go to Bushido. Other than that, just learn new ways to train to get the best out of my time and start winning again. If any promoters are interested in having Ryan fight in one of their events, please contact him at killabee2379@hotmail.com
Hody: What do you know about your opponent, Daisuke 'Amazon' Sugie? What are his strength and weaknesses?
Ryan: I’ve seen him fight a few times. His strength is obviously his jiu-jitsu. His weakness, I don’t know -- I don’t really know too much about the guy. I don’t think he likes to get hit, but he’s really strong. But I don’t think he’ll muscle me around because we both drop a lot of weight.
He’s a jiu-jitsu guy and that’s not my strong point, so the game plan is not to play jiu-jitsu with him. I’m sure he’s a good fighter but I think my recent loses have been less because of who I was fighting and more because of motivational problems on my own part. So, I’m just trying to concentrate on that. I don’t really care what he’s doing. I don’t think he’s training any harder or smarter than me. I’m sure this will be a good fight. I’m planning on winning!
I just want to get in the ring and fight and make myself proud because I haven’t done that recently. I think if I do that, I’ll win. I wouldn’t be happy with myself if I won by just laying on him, but if I can go in there and win in an exciting fashion and appeal to the fans, that would be ideal. But you never know what’s going to happen because you have two good fighters fighting and they both want to win.
Hody: When you step into the ring, what goes through your mind? What factor does fear play?
Ryan: I’m not scared to be in front of thousands of people. I’m usually not thinking about it. I am scared of not living up to my own expectations -- that is what I fear most.
In regards to opponents: You get knocked out, you get knocked out. You probably won’t remember it anyways – it’s not that bad. I would feel a lot worse if I lost a decision because my opponent basically laid on top of me and I trained hard for a couple of months before the fight, and didn’t even really break a sweat.
It’s a bad feeling to know that you didn’t give your best, that’s the worst feeling.
In my last fight with Tatsuya Kawajiri, I lost by TKO. In a way I was happy because I had a headache for a few days after and I knew that I was in a fight.
Hody: Who has been your toughest opponent so far?
Ryan: Toughest fight was Gomi, which was a battle; we both came away with injuries. In terms of skill it was Shaolin. He confused me on the ground because obviously his jiu-jitsu is much better than mine. Gomi is the better fighter but Shaolin is the technician.
Hody: Anything special things you do before a fight, pre-fight rituals or superstitions?
Ryan: No superstitions. They say no sex before a fight, I don’t really believe in that. Sometimes you have sex a few days before a fight and you win and then sometimes you don’t have sex for a couple of weeks before a fight and you lose. I don’t think it really makes any difference.
Before a fight I like to make sure my lungs are open before I get in the ring, so I don’t gas, and also make sure I break a sweat. That’s not a superstition, that’s just the smartest thing to do. A person with cardio is going to gas if their lungs are not open and they immediately go 100%. I do dashes an hour or so before I go into the ring.
It’s more scientific than superstitious. Make sure your lungs are open, carbo load, hydrate, and do what you can for your body before you get into the ring.
Hody: Any advice for amateurs that hope to go pro?
Ryan: A lot of people see fighters on TV and they see you win, but there’s a lot more that goes into it. You have to love it. It’s a constant love hate relationship and you have to be willing to accept that and give 100% and be willing to sacrifice. Because if you’re not sacrificing, the guy you are fighting is. The one who sacrifices more to be better -- often wins.
Hody: Any last comments?
Ryan: I want to say thanks to Enson and Purebred Omiya for doing everything they have done for me. I want to thank TK, G Squared, Keisyukai, Caesar’s Gym, Fujimoto Kick-Boxing Gym, and Watanabe Boxing Gym for what they have done for me in my past and what they will do in my future. I want to thank my fiancée Angie because she’s the one that has to put up with me all day. Umi, who has been cutting my hair for a couple of years. He has a shop out in Katakuracho in Yokohama called Men’s Musami. Also anyone else that I forgot to mention that has been helpful in any way shape or form.
If anyone is interested in sponsoring Ryan, please contact him at killabee2379@hotmail.com
I want to thank Ryan for taking time out of his busy training schedule to do this interview. I wish him the best on his up coming fight with Daisuke 'Amazon' Sugie (March 28th in Nagoya), his fighting career in general, and his up coming marriage as well.
Kick some ass Ryan!
* Article by Hody Jae Huh , Moderator @ www.IronLife.com .
* Back to Issue #7 Frontpage
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