SENSHI’s sixth invitational training camp concluded in Varna, Bulgaria, after four days of intensive preparation, bringing together 26 fighters from 14 countries at SENSHI GYM from October 15 to 18. Led by kickboxing legends Semmy Schilt and Ernesto Hoost, the camp marked the first anniversary of SENSHI’s invitational training programme. Invitational training camps of SENSHI aims to identify promising competitors, support their development, and prepare them to the highest international standards for the challenges of the professional ring.
The latest edition offered an intensive training experience for active fighters in the middleweight and heavyweight divisions. Participants worked on their physical conditioning, technical precision, tactical awareness, and ability to perform under pressure, while demonstrating their skills in an international training environment alongside competitors from different countries.
Strength, speed, and endurance at the training programme
Physical preparation was an important part of the camp, with Semmy Schilt leading fitness sessions focused on speed, endurance, and strength for a group of participants. The programme combined demanding conditioning work with technical and tactical exercises, helping fighters develop the physical attributes required to compete at the highest level.
Sparring sessions were an integral part of every training day. Throughout the camp, Schilt and Hoost closely monitored the fighters, ensuring that the sessions remained controlled and that participants were not pushed beyond their physical limits. The emphasis was on developing skills, assessing individual strengths, and gaining valuable experience without compromising the athletes’ well-being.
The camp concluded without injuries, reflecting the importance SENSHI places on safety and professional supervision during its training activities. A doctor is always present at the organisation’s training camps, providing an additional layer of medical support and helping ensure that participants can train in a safe and well-managed environment.
A year of development and an increasingly competitive international group
The sixth camp also marked one year since SENSHI launched its special invitational training programme. Over the past 12 months, the initiative has created opportunities for promising fighters to train with renowned international instructors, exchange experience with athletes from different countries, and demonstrate their potential to the organisation’s team.
The October edition stood out for the overall level of preparation and the competitive potential demonstrated by the participants. The group brought together fighters with different backgrounds and competition experience, creating an environment that encouraged both individual development and a comprehensive exchange of international combat experience.
Grant Waterman, the voice and lead commentator of SENSHI’s fight galas, also observed the fighters during the camp. His assessment highlighted the depth of talent within the group: in his view, the participants had the potential to form a fight card featuring 10–12 bouts, with every matchup capable of delivering a high level of competition.
This assessment underlined the value of the invitational format, which enables SENSHI to observe fighters beyond their performances in individual bouts and gain a broader understanding of their technical abilities, physical preparation, discipline, and competitive mentality.
A pathway towards the professional SENSHI ring
SENSHI’s invitational camps are an important part of the organisation’s long-term commitment to developing the next generation of combat sports talent. By bringing together active competitors and established champions, the programme offers fighters the opportunity to refine their techniques, broaden their experience, and demonstrate their readiness for the demands of professional competition.
Throughout the four-day camp, the SENSHI team followed the participants’ progress and evaluated their performances in training. The experience gained in Varna, Bulgaria, may prove to be an important step for several of the fighters, best of whom have the potential to be invited back for future training camps or to compete at SENSHI’s professional fight galas.
With its sixth invitational camp completed, SENSHI continues to strengthen its international network of promising fighters and create opportunities for their development under the guidance of some of the most respected names in kickboxing. The initiative remains an important part of the organisation’s efforts to discover emerging talent and help prepare the future competitors and champions of the SENSHI professional ring.
