Breaking
Breaking
New heights: Shigekix is now the youngest breaker to win Red Bull BC One
New Red Bull BC One world champion B-Boy Shigekix is now the youngest breaker ever to win the breaking contest's championship belt. Find out what the Japanese powerhouse has to say about his victory.
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When Japan's B-Boy Shigekix stepped on to the Red Bull BC One stage for the first time in 2017, he made history as the youngest breaker to ever compete at the World Final. This year he did it again and became the youngest-ever breaker to win the Red Bull BC One World Final, aged just 18.
Still flying high from his history-making win, we got a moment with the champion to ask him all about it.
6 мин
Shigekix vs Alkolil – final battle
B-Boys Shigekix and Alkolil battle each other for the Red Bull BC One World Final 2020 title.
How does it feel to win the Red Bull BC One World Final?
It's amazing, I still can't believe it's real and that it actually happened. I'm super happy for winning, but I'm also really proud because I've been working really hard for this and all my efforts have paid off.
How does it feel to represent Japan at this highest level of breaking?
There were so many people watching the live stream and there are always so many people supporting me in my country. I love my country and it really was an honour to represent Japan on that stage. It feels so good to be able to share my win with all the people who support me.
I'm super happy for winning, but I'm also really proud because I've been working really hard for this and all my efforts have paid off
How did you handle the quarantine and isolation in build up to the contest?
It was kind of hard, because I couldn't hug anybody or shake anyone's hand. We had to socially distance, but I was glad to see so many of my friends from around the world that I hadn't seen for a long time and to be able to see their faces. Their smiles made me happy.
On the other hand, it was good for me, because I could focus on things for the competition. Sometimes there are so many people around me until the day of the battle that it can bring pressure. However, this time I could focus on taking care of my body and stuff like that. Plus, the organisation was perfect, which also made things easier.
Shigekix battles in the semi-final against Vero from South Korea
© Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool
Did winning the JDSF Japan Breaking Championships the week before help you in your preparation?
Having that contest before I came to Red Bull BC One gave me confidence. It was a really good experience to test my body, my skills and everything else, especially in this tough year with no in-person competitions. Most people in the finals hadn't done any live battles for a long time, so if that was your first time battling on a big stage in 2020, it was definitely hard to do. Fortunately, though, I had that battle last week, which helped me a lot.
How did you feel battling without an audience at such a big event?
It was totally different from normal and it was hard, because I love hearing the cheers and noise made by the crowd. We're dancers, we get our energy from the audience and try to put that energy into our moves, so no crowd was hard. I was the same situation at the battle in Japan last weekend, though, so in the end, I was fine. There were so many people watching on the live stream as well that I just imagined all of them, which gave me a lot of energy.
4 мин
Shigekix vs Vero – semi-final 1
B-Boys Shigekix and Vero compete for their spot in the final of the Red Bull BC One World Final 2020.
What's your mindset for big contests like Red Bull BC One?
To 100 per cent enjoy the battle. This is my style. I've done so many breaking battles and when I watched them back, I saw that in the battles that I lost, or I didn't feel in good condition, it was because I wasn't able to enjoy the moment. In the battles where I've done well, I always enjoyed myself, so these days I really think about enjoying the moment. Again, we're dancers, so we should enjoy that moment of dancing with the music.
Do you follow a specific training plan to prepare for these high-level competitions?
Yes, of course. I have to practice my breaking a lot, but in addition, I do workouts to get explosive power. At the same time, I try to build my stamina because breaking is hard. If I only have explosive power, it's OK for the first round, but if a contest is going to be two or three rounds, then I need good endurance as well. I do a lot of cross training, which I think helps a lot.
Shigekix sticks that freeze in the final battle against Alkolil
© Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool
How do you balance your conditioning with your breaking?
It really depends on the season. If I do too much conditioning, I can't practice breaking, so I'm always thinking about the balance. Usually, if I have a lot of time until my next competition, I try to do a lot of fitness training alongside my breaking practice. If it's only like a few weeks until my next competition, though, then little-by-little I try to focus mostly on my breaking.
How big was becoming Red Bull BC One champion for you?
This moment is definitely one of the best moments of my life. The Red Bull BC One World Final is a dream stage and to be up there is really an honour.
Red Bull BC One was one of the big competitions I wanted to win. Still, even though I've won it now, the World Final is every year and, of course, in 2021 I'll try to defend my title. If I do, then I'll try to win it three times in a row. I don't plan on stopping.
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