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QINGDAO TODAY
在线翻译:
szdaily -> Sports -> 
Grit & persistence: the story of an SZ kickboxer
    2020-01-17  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

Lin Lin


linlinasa@163.com


FIGHTERS never give up, and Feng Lei is a fighter.


On the evening of Dec. 21, 2019, an ovation broke out from the audience as Feng defeated Kachoenram Aniwat of Thailand in the finals of the 2019 Faith Fight China Kickboxing Professional League. For the fans who’d been shouting hysterically, this was another thrilling moment brought to them by the local kickboxer.


To local fans, Feng Lei is known as the “glory of Shenzhen” for winning the city its first golden belt in kickboxing at the 2018 Faith Fight finals. However, for the 26-year-old fighter, all the glory comes from hard work, grit and persistence.


Born in Henan Province, home to the Shaolin Temple, Feng was sent to a Chinese martial art school at the age of 11. Students at the school were divided into classes at different levels. For some students, it took two to three years to jump to a higher level, but for Feng, it might have taken double the time or even longer. “I’m not as gifted as many other students, but after so many years, I have achieved more than most of them. That’s because I never quit training,” said Feng.


In 2015, Feng was recruited into the special police force in Guizhou. For most people, it’s a job to be proud of. However, fascinated by the bright lights and shouting crowds on combat stages, the young fighter yearned for more thrill and excitement.


What finally pushed him to become a professional kickboxer was his father’s business failure. To share more family responsibility, the young man decided to take a full-time job at a fighting club, which he thought might bring him better income. Since then, he has enjoyed a career in kickboxing, fighting in bouts and training kids.


However, his first combat came as a terrible blow. In the Sanda combats that Feng used to fight, fighters were not allowed to attack with their knees. However, the rules are different in kickboxing. With an unexpectd knee strike, his rival gave him a KO. “My nose was broken. I didn’t remember anything when I came to,” said Feng Lei.


After losing the match, Feng decided he would compete in lower weight classes. That meant he needed to cut weight, a process that he said was “like going through death.” For combat fighters, cutting weight requires losing weight rapidly in order to compete in a certain weight class. The most common method is dehydration.


According to Feng Lei, he can cut as much as 6 kg in one day. During the process of dehydration, he experiences dizziness, anxiety, insomnia and sometimes heart pain. “To dehydrate, first, I avoid any oil, salt and sugar in my diet. Then I drink a lot of water and go running or take a sauna,” said Feng.


When asked what kickboxing has brought him, Feng said it is self-discipline. “If I want to win a match, I have to train to the limit and stick to a daily schedule to stay in my best state. So, unlike most of my friends, I avoid any parties,” said Feng.


In the future, Feng will continue to fight in matches and devote himself to training students. In addition to fighting skills, he believes it’s important to help kids be strong minded so that they can have the grit and courage to face adversity and give a KO to every monster in life.

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