UFC legend Georges St-Pierre passes on an age-old tip for improving kicks
UFC legend Georges St-Pierre has taken to his official social media account to pass on an age-old tip for improving kicks.
St-Pierre took to his Twitter account and posted a photograph of him executing what appears to be a front-leg side kick. GSP’s tweet comprised a caption alongside the photo.
“Today I went back to this old method of training I learned in karate, with ankle weights to improve my kicks.”
Georges St-Pierre is a high-level karate practitioner
Georges St-Pierre was born in Saint-Isidore, Quebec, Canada. It’s a well-known fact that the talented Canadian martial artist faced many challenges and hardships during his younger years.
St-Pierre was bullied as a child and has been quite vocal about his experiences. He has noted that he aims to help others around the world to speak out and stand up against bullying.
The former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion was born in 1981. During his growing years, the opportunities for up-and-coming athletes to train and compete in the sport of MMA were negligible.
The concept of MMA combat, although not specifically labeled as MMA, has existed in different forms throughout the history of human civilization.
For instance, the martial arts systems in ancient civilizations such as India and Greece. Or, the modern-day forms of MMA featured in organizations such as the UFC, Bellator, RIZIN, One Championship, and more.
One ought to note that the rules and regulations of combat sports competition are undeniably dynamic and have undergone many changes from the ancient era to the current day.
That said, prominent MMA personalities such as Georges St-Pierre, as well as martial arts icons such as the late Bruce Lee, have notably asserted their belief that a true martial artist ought to learn and utilize techniques from both the ancient and modern martial arts.
Georges St-Pierre was faced with a myriad of challenges during his childhood, and routinely had his clothes and money stolen by bullies.
During an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE Podcast), GSP spoke extensively about how he overcame his bullies, particularly one individual who was one of the worst bullies he’d ever faced.
St-Pierre has noted time and again that taking up martial arts helped him fight back against his bullies. GSP added that his dedication and passion for martial arts eventually enabled him to not just combat bullying, but also scale great heights in the sport of MMA.
At the age of seven, Georges St-Pierre started learning Kyokushin Karate from his father and later from a professional teacher, in order to effectively defend himself against his bully.
St-Pierre is currently a third dan black belt in Kyokushin Karate. Furthermore, GSP is also widely revered for his excellence in other martial art forms such as wrestling, BJJ, boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai.
Georges St-Pierre always highlights the importance of helping others learn and improve
The legendary MMA icon’s tweet regarding training with ankle weights to improve one’s kicks is yet another instance where St-Pierre has practiced what he preached.
Georges St-Pierre has often emphasized the significance of helping others improve. By passing on the age-old Karate tip to improve kicks, St-Pierre has once again earned the praise and appreciation of the martial arts world.
What’s your favorite kicking technique? Sound off in the comments.