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| Miad Najafi with good friend David 'Mr Cool' Onuma |
Interview with Miad Najafi: Alliance BJJ Brown Belt and head instructor at Alliance BJJ Brighton:
Hello. Why don’t we start by you telling us a little about yourself?
Sure. My name is Miad Najafi. I’m 38 years old and I’m from Brighton.
Are you currently working / studying? Is that Full time / Part time?
Working full-time, between being an osteopath, Martial Arts instructor and running iMMACULATE.
You also set aside time to practice a sport. Which sport(s)?
I love training in general, but have been nursing several injuries over recent years. I particularly enjoy BJJ and boxing and do a little strength and conditioning when I can.
How long have you done that?
A looooong time. I have been training for over 20 years.......
Do you follow any special diet? Do you use any dietary supplements?
I used to take a lot of supplements, but I have stopped recently. My diet is generally good although I do have a soft spot for Jelly Snakes!
How do you manage to fit your training around work, study and family time?
Well teaching does give me an opportunity and access to facilities, allowing me to keep fit and squeeze in some training. Its been a consistent part of my life for sometime, so its easier to make the time, my girlfriends have generally been very supportive of my training as have my family. If and when I have kids......I will train with them too!
Do you compete in your sport(s)? Have you won any competitions?
I have done and won a few Karate competitions, boxed at a decent amateur level and have done several BJJ comps and won few amateur MMA comps in its early days in the UK. I was selected to box for London ABA team to compete against the Army, and won a couple of lower belt BJJ comps. My first BJJ competition win was at the first Gracie invitational at blue belt, with none other than Royce Gracie as the ref, it was all very exciting for me at the time, I was a bit star struck!
Competition is great, but it has never been my aim to be a competitor. I only initially trained martial arts to learn to defend myself, but soon after I fell in love with the arts and the personal development that invariably happens when you take your training to the next level. Boxing for London and getting my JKD Black Belt under Bob Breen are amongst the things I am most proud of. If I ever get my BJJ Black Belt, I am sure that will be up there too!
I understand you are also one of the heads behind a new MMA clothing brand. Tell us a little about it.
iMMACULATE is a unique premium lifestyle brand inspired by combat sports. Its about relaying MMA and other fighting sports in a more intelligent, epic and technical light. We set out to develop a brand that appeals to fighters, fans and to make iMMACULATE trend conscious enough to appeal to the more fashion aware amongst us. Really I want to bridge the gap between fashion and the combative arts that form the framework of MMA.
Stay tuned for part two where Miad shared his top tips for managing training around work, studies and life and how he feels about supporting the Lorne Brothers campaign.
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Liam "The Part Time Grappler" Wandi
Proudly sponsored by Predator Fightwear: Built for the kill and Brutal TShirt: Made By Grapplers For Fighters
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4 comments:
Checked out his website and he has some really nice Tee designs. Like the concept of the company, too. I can identify with always striving for perfection! lol
@Allie - I don't strive for perfection. I just surround myself by people who do ;)
Muay Thai Kickboxing is an extremely tiring and physically challenging affair. It has quickly become a trendy martial arts sport that is both competitive and beneficial. It is good for anyone who may have low self-esteem because it gives you self-confidence in yourself.
@samridhi06. Thanks for the comment. "self-confidence in yourself." is a great quote.
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