Ripped up and fighting fit these brothers have

Ripped up and
fighting fit these
brothers have
fearlessly taken
on the world of
kickboxing.
Pics by Ian Sly
Interview by Jeremy Ta’kody
Page 8
BLITZ PRESENTS
Stuart shapes up to pad
holder (Nick Stone) with
a tight guard.
Pad holder throws a jab
with the lead forearm
pad. Stuart steps back
and deflects the jab.
...then immediately
throws a rear leg
roundkick off the left
side.
As Stuart steps down, he
fires off a right hook or
right cross depending on
the range.
Followed by a left hook.
(Make sure you rotate
your shoulders and
pivot to allow maximum
I
Stuart McKinnon
t’s not often that you hear a bad word spoken about the McKinnon
brothers. Stuart and Steven have always stepped into the firing line and
proven their skills time and time again. Despite the envy and criticism that
sometimes haunts those in search of excellence, not only can these guys fight,
but both brothers have always conducted themselves with honour. In a world
of backstabbing, backward glances and betrayal, this loyalty and respect goes
a long way.
JT: Stuart, How do you find balancing your role as a coach while also
being a fighter?
Stuart: It does get a little bit hectic, especially with my fight schedule plus
training all the guys. I don’t get much time off but it’s worth it.
JT: Are there more personal rewards as a coach or as a fighter?
Stuart: It’s different. Each gives you a different sort of feeling. It’s great
when you have trained someone from the beginning to see them come right
through to becoming champions. That’s an unreal feeling. Also just pushing
myself and seeing what happens in the ring. That’s great too.
JT: Pro Fight record?
Stuart: 25 fights, 22 wins. I forget how many wins by knockout.
JT: What is your career highlight?
Stuart: That’s a tough one. It’s all mixed in. The gym is pretty successful
now. I nearly gave it up at one stage, but now it is really working out well.
JT: What do you attribute that success to?
Stuart: Just sticking at it and putting out good fighters. Also my brother and
me starting to get noticed. It helps that were are still fighting.
JT: Do you have a special formula in the way you train?
Stuart: Yeah I do! (Stuart laughs and goes quiet).
JT: Can you divulge on it?
Stuart: (Laughs again.) You have to train people up to a peak. So long as
Stuart opens up pad
drill combo with a rear
leg roundkick followed
quickly by...
a second rear leg
roundkick. Stuart extends
lead hand and step down
into a...
INTERNATIONAL KICKBOXER
... right cross.
Followed by a straight
left (Make sure your rear
hand protects your chin.)
Finish up with a round
kick to the thigh.
Page 9
they already have fitness, three weeks before the fight they will
get into the ring and work with me on the pads. Any longer than
three weeks if you are already fit, you will burn out.
JT: What is the balance between fitness, bagwork and
sparring?
Stuart: It varies from person to person depending on what they
need to work on. The bagwork by itself is pretty intense and can
get you very fit. Basically we won’t put anyone in the ring that
isn’t 100%.
JT: And your own pre-fight training?
Stuart: I’ll have a three week build up. In the morning I’ll get
up and do one-and-a-half hours of bagwork. Then I’ll do some
sprint training of varying intensity. In the afternoon I’ll go to
Manly (Bulldog Gym) and do padwork with Nick Stone.
JT: How much of an influence do you think that Nick (Stone)
has had on your training?
Stuart: A huge influence! Obviously I have added my own stuff
and put in the hard work, but he has had a major part.
JT: Who have you got from your gym that is coming up?
Any stand-outs?
Stuart: Yeah quite a few. I can’t name them all. Atali, Zammit
and obviously my brother. There a lot of guys that have so
much talent.
JT: What is more important, fitness or heart?
Stuart: You need a balance. We have a saying, “fitness is
fearlessness.”
JT: Favourite piece of equipment?
Stuart: Fairtex Forearm Pads.
JT: How good is Fairtex equipment?
Stuart: It’s top quality. If you don’t believe me check out www.
fairtexbkk.com. They have everything.
JT: What do you think of the scene in Australia at the
moment?
Stuart: It has really improved. There are a lot of champions
coming through. A lot of good fighters. But with the laws in
NSW it makes it hard getting Thai Boxing fights. We have to
go interstate.
JT: Anyone you would like to fight?
Stuart: There has been talk of fighting Ian Jacobs, or Arthur
Tsokanas. Whatever fights I take, I want to make them count. I’m
not just fighting for the sake of it anymore.
JT: What supplements do you use?
Stuart: L-Glutamine and L-Carnetine. Basically branch chain
amino acids to help recovery.
JT: Do you use arnica or comfrey ointments for bruising?
Liniment? Anti inflammatory?
Stuart: Yeah we use a lot of liniment. I try not to use anti
inflammatory. It’s not good to rely on them too much.
JT: What are your goals?
Stuart: I want to keep fighting, but pick the fights that are worth
the money. Also have a few more boxing fights. Obviously keep
coaching, and eventually get into promoting.
JT: Any last Comments?
Stuart: I have to add a thanks to Nick Stone. Nick has always
been there, never asked for a share of my prize money, and has
always helped me with my training.
FEARLESS - A tale of 2 Mckinnons
Steven McKinnon
JT: Steven, what did your
last fight teach you?
Steven: It has made me realise
to trust my instincts. I knew I
was sick, but I went ahead and
fought because of ego. I realise
you can’t muck around, you
have to be 100%. That was
definitely my hardest fight.
JT: If you were to fight a
rematch with Paul Slowinsky
how would you change your preparation?
Steven: I’d do same training, but I’d power up a lot more on my
bagwork.
JT: Why?
Steven: Because it felt like Paul was able to walk through a lot
of my techniques.
JT: That’s surprising because there hasn’t been many people
that can really stand toe to toe with you. Do you think it’s a
reflection on how good Paul was, or that you were feeling flat
on the night?
Steven: It is hard to tell. I’ll have a few other fights before
thinking about a rematch.
JT: Straight back in the ring?
Steven: Yeah, it’s like falling out of a tree. You get straight back
up there.
Page 10
JT: Do you want to fight anyone in particular?
Steven: Just want to fight the best, to get the best experience.
JT: Potentially, where are you headed?
Steven: I want to win a professional world title in my weight
division. Then I will look at putting on some weight and fighting
some of the heavier guys. I’m hoping I don’t get forced out of
this weight too early because I can’t get fights.
JT: Cruiser is not a common weight but you seem fairly
comfortable?
Steven: Yeah. I walk around at 88-89kg, but fight at 85-86kg.
JT: Is it all fitness, sparring and bagwork? How much
weights work do you do?
Steven: I do a fair bit of weights, but I don’t do any weights less
than three weeks before a fight.
JT: Why?
Steven: So I’m nice and loose. Doing weights makes your
muscles stiffen up.
JT: How do you do your weight training?
Steven: I focus on one muscle group a session, but never do
weights for my legs as I think that if your legs become muscle
bound they loose speed. I do a lot of running (on grass) and hill
sprints.
JT: Hill sprints for explosiveness or for cardio?
Steven: Definitely for explosiveness. I find you can jog all day
long but with hill sprints it’s more like the way it is in the ring.
When you do padwork you also need sprint fitness.
FEARLESS - A tale of 2 Mckinnons
Nick Stone throws a jab
with the focus mit. Steven
jams the attack with a
frontkick off the lead leg.
Steven steps down into a
right cross.
Followed by a left hook.
JT: How do you find training with your brother?
Steven: It works really well. I look up to him and try to copy
what he does. We never have any arguments. Whenever he says
something, it is usually the right way, so
I just do what he says.
JT: How have you achieved that
trust?
Steven: We spar a lot harder than
people fight.
JT: And training in Thailand?
Steven: I like going back when I can, but
sometimes it is hard to afford. I would
like to train in Thailand at least three
months a year. That would be ideal.
JT: Favourite piece of equipment?
Steven: My ab roller. It’s actually a
wheel with two handles that you hold
onto as you stretch all the way out.
Almost like a push-up, except it works
out your abs.
JT: How many of those would you do
in a set?
Steven: Three sets of thirty.
JT: Have you tried holding it with
your feet instead of your hands?
Steven: No. (laughs) I’ll give it a go.
JT: Do you do many exercise without
weights?
Steven: Every day I’ll do about three sets of 20 chin ups. And
Steven starts combo with a
right cross to focus mit.
Page 12
Nick throws a jab and
Steven slips to the side (this
transfers weight to right leg,
freeing up lead left leg to...
Nick throws a right cross
or overhand right. Steven
weaves to the side...
and finishes with a
straight left (or left hook
depending on the range).
I do a lot of hand-stands. I work as a lifeguard at the pools and
in my spare time I’ll walk around on my hands. I find it gives
you a lot of shoulder strength. I also do a fair bit of swimming.
About 20 laps at a time (1km). Sometimes
I’ll use a kickboard and do dolphin laps
which is really good for your abs and cardio.
But like weights no swimming three weeks
before a fight because I find it can leave you
quite stiff.
JT: Would you ever take a full Thai rules
fight?
Steven: Yeah for sure.
JT: Can you describe Nick and Stuart’s
coaching style?
Steven: Nick is really good at finding what
you are naturally good at and making that
really work for you. Stuart is good at making
you good at everything. Between the two of
them it is a good combination.
JT: The direction of kickboxing in
Australia?
Steven: The standard of kickboxing is really
going up. A lot of people are moving up to
heavyweight to try to get into the K-1. But
overall everybody is really improving.
JT: Would you fight in Japan if you had
the chance?
Steven: Straight away.
JT: Lastly, who motivates you?
...fire off a lead roundkick.
(Note Steven’s left hand is
extended to jam shoulder or
cover if Nick counters.)
As he steps down Steven
finishes with a right hook
(or right cross depending
on the range).