Heart of a Champion

March 2024

As long as Armen Ispiryan follows his heart, a World Championship cannot be far behind. 

Interview by Dave Cater 

Armen Ispiryan proved he had the heart of a judo champion long before the first international medal was draped around his neck. His parents could feel it, his coaches could see it. The only roadblock standing between Ispiryan and a future World Championship was Armen himself. 

Several years after the Yerevan, Armenia, native took up the martial art/sport of judo, Ispiryan grew frustrated by his lack of success on the competition floor. No matter how hard he worked, no matter how hard he tried, the results were less than expected. He wanted to be a champion. NOW. Forget that he was only 11 years old; forget that he’d only been training for several years. Not winning was not acceptable.

“I must admit the first three years were difficult and frustrating,” he recalls. “I could not win a medal no matter how hard I tried. I was disappointed and thought about quitting.”

But Ispiryan was lucky to have instructors who knew that the way to his heart was constant encouragement. They massaged their young student’s bruised ego and discovered that underneath his fragile exterior was the heart of a winner. Renewed with a purpose, Armen trained longer and harder than ever. Not surprisingly, the results he longed for began to materialize.

What followed was a series of successes that would eventually make him one of the most-celebrated competitors in Armenia’s storied judo history. Consider this: 

• 18 Armenian championships in various weight categories; 
• 5-time Zeytun Cup International Champion; 
• Member of the Amenian National team for 11 years; 
• Recognized as the best Judoka by Kanaker-Zeytun District; Administration and Zeytun sport club four times; 
• Bachelor’s in Judo Coaching from the Armenia State Institute of Physical Education.

In 2008, Armen began paying back his coaches’ faith by instilling the same drive in his young students at the Zeytun Sport Club. Just two years into his teaching tenure, Ispiryan was named head coach of the famed sports training academy. His former coach and mentor, Davit Khitaryan, said this about his former student: “(Armen’s) skills, outstanding performance and excellent knowledge of judo rules, regulations, outstanding implementation of the same, as well as his mobility and fitness placed him at the very top of the judo field again, this time as a coach.” His students won numerous international titles, including first place in the Zeytun International Judo Cup.

Two years ago, Armen was hungry for a new view of the judo world. He had gone as far as he could in his beloved country. So he took the 18-hour flight from Yerevan, Armenia, to Los Angeles and settled in Glendale, CA. It was in nearby North Hollywood that he discovered Gokor Chivichyan’s Hayastan MMA Academy, the mecca of judo and mixed martial arts on the West Coast. Chivichyan is among the most-respected judo and MMA technicians in the world, with champions at every level and in every avenue of the sport. 

Ispiryan has found a second judo home among the more than 500 students who train at the Hayastan Academy. He is training, he is coaching and most importantly, he is preparing for the World Championships in November.

“I absolutely love it here,” explains the 5-foot-9, 220-pound athlete. “It’s been an incredible experience. Between the training and the coaching, I’m getting everything a judo player would ever want.” 

What he really wants is a world title. But unlike the young kid who started this martial arts journey 30 years ago, he now knows that if he follows his heart, a championship cannot be far behind. 

Here is his story:

INSIDE KUNG-FU: What attracted you to martial arts? 

ARMEN ISPIRYAN: When I was young kid growing up in Yerevan, Armenia, everyone in the neighborhood would gather and play in the street. And as kids are apt to do, sooner or later we’d engage in “play” fighting. Nothing serious, just good fun. But my parents could see that I had a talent for movement. My footwork was good, and my hand techniques were fast and sharp—for a child, that is. I was attracted to this style of “play” fighting. Now, I wasn’t an aggressive kid by any means, but the back and forth was fun. Even then I was analyzing my opponent’s (friend’s) moves and trying to figure ways around them. What I didn’t know at the time was that my parents were watching how I moved. They could see I had a passion for fighting, so rather than watch me hone my skills on the streets—which would eventually have led to more serious combat situations—they enrolled me in martial arts classes.

IKF: Most kids start with a basic gi art like karate. What was your first martial art. 

AI: Believe it or not I went right into judo as a child. I loved my early training. My instructors made sure that the training I received early on was traditional training spiced with just the right amount of fun.

IKF: Children naturally have short attention spans. If they don’t receive instant gratification, they move onto something else. Was your training challenging or did you get bored? 

AI: I must admit, the first three years were difficult and very frustrating. I would train hard and give 100 percent, but I still struggled when I competed. I could not win a medal no matter how hard I tried. My instructors told me I was doing well; they were very encouraging, but to a young kid my only validation was a trophy or something to hang around my neck. I admit even at that young age it was hard to get back onto that mat after failing in a competition. I was disappointed and thought about quitting. My instructors could see that I was frustrated but they encouraged me to give the art more time. Rather than give up judo I decided to give the martial art/sport another chance. I realized that if I was going to win a medal in competition, I needed to train longer and harder. That was the only way to achieve my goal. That philosophy ultimately led to a better understanding of the sport. Not surprisingly, championships and medals soon followed.

IKF: Most observers only see the physical component of judo. But many great masters say there are also psychological and spiritual aspects to the sport. 

AI: To the casual observer, it’s easy to see that judo is a physical art. The very nature of the sport/martial art shows the intense physicality needed to succeed in your pursuit. But hidden among the thousands of techniques and holds and grabs is a world where the mind can be a fighter’s greatest weapon. You are facing an opponent, who like you, is thinking two, three, maybe four moves ahead. You are staring into his eyes and trying to see what he’s about to do before he does it. You are looking for even the slightest hint that he’s tired or hurt. You are always searching for an opening. Judo is an intricate game of chess played by two people bent on pummeling each other into submission. To play this game you must know how to use your hands and legs to defeat someone using his hands and legs. And everything must be used at just the right moment. Timing is so crucial. Judo is among the hardest sports around today. You see judoka face each other and you think it’s just strength against strength. But it’s so much more.

IKF: How do you size up your opponents? 

AI: The easiest way to size up your opponents is to observe their matches. This is the best way to discover their strengths and weaknesses. The more you watch the more you will see patterns emerge (i.e., when his opponent moves one way, he will counter this way). But techniques are just part of the equation. Notice how they react when opponents score on a move. Is he resolute or angry? Determined or frustrated? Those are emotions you can take advantage of. Sit and study the person—what moves he makes, what techniques he favors, what type of mentality he exhibits. Understanding what moves he will make before he hits the mat will help you react to the moves when you have to counter in a split second

IKF: Are there moves you try early in a match to determine your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses? 

AI: You always try to stagger your techniques at the start of the match so your opponent can’t figure out your gameplan. A feint here, a juke there. Judo is a cat-and-mouse game, a sophisticated contest where you are always thinking at least one step ahead of the man facing you. You always must keep your opponent’s off balance. That’s the name of the game

IKF: What is the best advice you received from a judo masters? 

AI: From the first day of my training my instructors made sure I understood that the techniques I was learning were best kept in the dojo—unless you needed them in a life-and-death situation on the street. They made sure you understood how dangerous the sport or martial art of judo is and that you cannot use it on the street or in school. You cannot show an outsider what you can do unless you are next to fellow student or coach. So, you always have to be gentle and respectful of your friends.

IKF: Who are some of your judo heroes growing up in Armenia? 

AI: The sport was not very popular in Armenia when I was young. As such, there were not a lot of world-class judokas. We always looked outside our country for inspiration. And the Japanese judo player was always among the best. My favorite was the late Japanese judo legend Koga Toshihiko, who was known for his mastery of the Ippon-seoi-nage throwing technique. Koga’s throws and techniques are legendary

IKF: You are not only a world-renowned competitor, but you are making quite a name for yourself as a coach and trainer. What’s the secret to successful coaching in judo? 

AI: Well obviously you need to have the technical background. You need to take a young, hungry judoka and mold him into a champion. I truly believe—and some may disagree—that to be a successful coach you must understand what it takes to be a successful competitor. Now I know there are some who might disagree with that premise. After all, not all great boxing coaches were champions and not all great baseball managers were great players. But judo is different. Competition teaches you so much that you can’t learn in the dojo. If you have never been a competitor, you will never fully understand how a technique might work in a specific situation. You also must have a lot of patience. You did not become a champion overnight and neither will your students. Be gentle, but firm. Be understanding but demanding. Expect only from them what you are willing to give yourself.

IKF: What makes a great coach? 

AI: You see a lot of coaches out there who teach without a competition background. The chances are very good that they will not be successful, because they don’t have a requisite background. They don’t know what it takes to be a champion. Every successful coach had to compete at some level. They may not be high-level competitors, but they saw action. As a competitor and coach, I know that the only way to train on what works or what doesn’t is to try it for yourself on the mat.

IKF: Can a good coach turn a mediocre student into a champion? 

AI: Yes, but only if the student is willing to put in the time to be great. If you are a mediocre student, but you have the drive and determination to be a world champion, then a good coach can lay the path to help you achieve that goal. If a student has no talent he can do many things, but a world champion is not one of them. There was this judoka who had minimal talent. He was a very hard worker. His efforts helped him become a national champion, but that was the end of the line. He was not able to succeed internationally. To become a world-class champion, you must have natural talent as well as a tremendous work ethic. Take a singer, for example. One person can scream as loud as he wants, but if he doesn’t have a good, natural voice it doesn’t matter—nobody is going to listen to it.

IKF: Are there qualities that you learned on the mat you have incorporated in daily life? 

AI: First, when you are training in a pursuit/sport like judo, you don’t have time for bad habits like smoking, drinking, and doing stupid things in the street. There’s no place in your life for friends who drag you down with them. If you want to be proficient in judo, or more importantly if your goal is to become a champion, you must dedicate yourself to a life of clean living and hard training. You must focus on the positive aspects of life. If you meet someone who is serious about judo, then you know you are speaking to someone who knows how to respect himself and his fellow students.

IKF: What did it mean to you to become your country’s Master of Sport? 

AI: The Master of Sport was an award presented by the former Soviet Union. At the time there was no belt color. There was level 3, 2 and 1 and then you would then become a Master of Sport. When you become a master it’s like becoming a black belt over here. As for the distinction, I was happy, honored, and proud to achieve this award. This was an incredible accomplishment. I worked very hard to achieve that level.

IKF: What was it like to be part of the Armenian National Team and win a World Championship. 

AI: First, it signifies the culmination of years and years of hard work—not only for you but also for your coaches and instructors. Your accomplishment is also their accomplishment. Plus, when you win an international competition, you get to stand on the top rung, receive your medal and hear your country’s national anthem. It brought me a great sense of personal pride and happiness because people respected my achievement.

IKF: What kind of diet do you follow as you are gearing up for a competition? 

AI: You must figure out at what weight you are going to compete (Armen currently weighs approximately 220 pounds), how much time do you have and how much weight do you need to gain or lose. Typically, it’s no food after 6 p.m. Nothing, including snacks. Also, drink plenty of water before 6 but nothing afterward. And once you decide what you are going to eat you must split it in half: have one-half around lunchtime and one-half around dinnertime. Remember: if you cheat you are only cheating yourself and if you lose you will only have yourself to blame. It all depends on how much you want something and how far you are willing to go to make it happen. Once you settle on a diet and schedule, just train hard and your weight will take care of itself.

IKF: Do you follow a strict regimen of judo techniques or do you “absorb what is useful, reject what is useless and add what is essentially your own” as Bruce Lee used to say? 

AI: My foundation has been built on centuries of individual judo movements and techniques. The basics will always be there. They are the cornerstone of the art. Regardless of your level you are always learning, always experimenting. You are learning from your students, you are learning from your masters, you are learning from your opponents. A certain throw might work for one competitor and not work on another. Conversely, a sweep might be perfect for one competitor and be detrimental to use on another competitor

IKF: You have spent the past few years training with Gokor Chivichyan, one of the most respected judo technicians and tacticians in the world. What have you learned from him? 

AI: It has been an incredible learning experience, not just on the physical level but also from a mental and emotional level. You convince yourself that as a World Champion you know so much but then you spend time around someone like Gokor and you realize there’s so much more to learn. Training with so many great black belts here has been such a great experience. I’m learning, I’m working, I’m enjoying my time. In judo you are never done, you never say I’ve learned everything. I am turning my attention toward the World Championships in November, so I’m starting to put together a training regimen that will get me ready.

IKF: Is your eventual goal to be an instructor in the United States? 

AI: My goal continues to be to compete. I’m still a young guy. I’ve been here for two years, and I hope to continue teaching and competing. I love my country, but I see a little more opportunity here when it comes to judo. I’m already training and coaching at a prestigious Academy in America. The instructors, the coaches and students are like brothers and sisters. They are like family

IKF: What is your goal? 

AI: My goal is to become an American citizen and teach, compete and contribute to this country. By the time I came to this country I already knew its culture and history. I want to be part of that culture and history. There are more than 500 students at Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood, CA. They are my family, my brothers and sisters. I could not feel more welcome or excited about my future.