Quote Originally Posted by Sharla
Small world - I trained in Japan for a year myself - Osaka. I fought in Tokyo at 54 kg which was just lucky because they wanted me to go down to 52 kg but the girl I was matched with wanted to fight me at 54 kg. Turns out there is now way physically i could ever reach 52 kg without doing myself serious damage. Fighting at 54 kg is borderline as it is.

One of the Japanese guys in the gym was naturally stockier than the rest and he ended up in hospital attached to a drip because he nearly killed himself making weight.

If you are from a non-Japanese family background I'd be careful to make sure that the weight they ask you to get down to is still healthy.

As for strength training I won't have the best expertise on the subject but I normally go for anything I want in low weight, high reps and include endurance cardio sessions at least once a week.
Small world indeed, I am in Osaka too. I can make 66kg easily, but if they ask me to fight at lightweight that would be pushing it a bit!