Mohammed Al Mosawi Kicking Off Karate’s Debut In The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
One new sport in this year's Olympic Games is karate, and what a fitting place for its kick-off than in the country where martial arts originated!
This week, we got to sit down with one of the sport's biggest stars and MOBOT Roll Model, Mohammed Al Mosawi from Team Kuwait.
Al Mosawi, will be one of the first athletes to compete in the sport at Olympic level and we chatted to him to learn a bit more about karate and his own personal journey to The Games.
Watch here or read on to uncover training and recovery tips from the professional karate player and his secret to success… dreaming big!
How did it feel when you qualified to represent your sport in The Olympic Games in Tokyo?
A big dream came true for me. The Olympic Games is a dream for every athlete, one which I have been working towards for many years, since 2016 until 2021 - and thank god we did it!
For me karate is much different and more beautiful, for example when kids watch karate between two opponents the players are trying their best to win points from each other without hurting each other. You have to take care of your opponent.
It’s so important to see this in karate, as MMA and boxing is full contact and you see so much blood and too many bad things which is not good for the kids.
How are you preparing your body for competition?
I have been working hard for this since 2016, now it’s less than 30 days to go before the competition. Every session of training I’m giving my all for this big dream!
How do you balance keeping your body in top shape whilst avoiding injuries?
You always have to take care of yourself, and at the same time you always have to work hard. It’s not always easy to balance these two things.
Three days per week after training I go to my physiotherapist; they take care of my body with massage, recovery and so on which is so important for athletes so we can be in the best shape!
Now I have my own MOBOT, gifted by MOBOT Nation from Kuwait which I’m using in my training and it’s so good and helpful! The Foam Roller is perfect, we need it always!
What is your routine leading up to your Olympics debut?
My days are so tough leading up to the competition. It’s about working out, working out, working out... and eating.
Each week, I have around 12 sessions of training, two or more training sessions per day. I wake up and go to morning training, then relax at home for lunch, then I have a siesta (that’s a nap!), then I go back to training with my Club Coach in the afternoon.
I’ll also do Cross Fit which is a really good training technique for karate. After my second training, I come back home and I’m dead! So I relax, sleep again, wake up the next day and then repeat!
What will the Competition Day look like?
Competition day is for sure the most important day. It’s important to be positive, smiling all the time, feeling good, and confident in yourself. There’s an important saying that Usain Bolt said,
“The competition part is the easiest part, the preparation is the hardest.”
So on Competition day, you just have to be confident within yourself that you have done your best. I wake up, have my breakfast, and coffee then go to the competition and listen to music from my country which motivates me to do my best!
Then I’ll meet my coach (and of course my twin brother!). My twin is always with me and he will be with me in Tokyo. We have done karate together since I started and this journey together leading up to the olympics.
We are actually known as the Karate Twins! Unfortunately, in the Olympics there is only one player in each category, and we both do the same category - in the end I qualified a little bit better. He’s really excited for me, both of our dreams were to be in the Olympics and at least one of us made it but this means a lot to both of us.
What do you think success will mean for you?
Success is to wake up in your dream. For me, giving up was not an option at all because I have been through too many bad circumstances. For example, in 2015, we had suspension on our sport in Kuwait, there was a ban and we were not allowed to represent our flag. The situation was so bad in Kuwait a lot of athletes did not want to continue but that was not an option for me.
I will never give up no matter what happens and that is the real meaning of success. To work hard, give your all in every session, and be positive and believe you can reach your goals no matter what happens. And then, once I qualified for the Olympics it was like a movie moment after everything that happened this year.
Are you excited to be a part of the Olympics Opening Ceremony?
Absolutely! And this is the first time ever that karate has been in the Olympics, to be a part of your sport the first time it’s included in the Olympics is amazing!
We’re super excited to watch and support you! Any last words for us?
It’s so important to get involved in sport, my message is never stop believing, just believe in your dreams and if you work hard you will one day reach them. And that’s the best and most important feeling you’re ever going to have.
Join us to support Mohammed Al Mosawi win the gold! Follow his Olympic Games journey on Instagram here
