UFC 157: The ladies bring it!

 Posted by on February 25, 2013 at 11:35 am
Feb 252013
 

Saturday night mixed martial arts and UFC history was made! For the first time, two women stepped into the Octagon for a highly publicized and entertaining match. I’ve blogged before about my love of UFC and martial arts and this fight just pushed all of my buttons.

Ronda Rousey superbly defended her title as Bantam Weight (135lbs-ish) champion against Liz Carmouche. Ms. Rousey is now 7-0 and has kept up a streak of submitting her opponents with an arm bar in the first round.

The fight was explosive from the start–unlike the Lyoto Machida/Dan Henderson fight right before–which made me so happy. A year ago Dana White, the President of UFC, went on the record to say that he would never have women fight in the UFC. For us women to be taken seriously as legitimate competitors, this fight needed to be interesting and vicious.

Rowdy Ronda Rousey

Rowdy Ronda Rousey

Ms. Rousey has had an extremely impressive history. She was the first American woman to win a medal in judo at the Olympics. Ever. In 2008 at the Beijing Olympics she won the bronze. Her mother was the first American woman to also win a medal in judo at the World Judo Championship in 1984.

Ms. Carmouche, on the other hand, is known for her powerful stand up game. Her record is 7-3 with her wins mostly coming from knock outs. Who says women have zero upper body strength? Before turning pro, she also served three tours in Iraq during her time in the Marine Corps.

I was so happy to see two women who are powerful and impressive in their own right, finally prove to the rest of the world that we’re just as powerful as men. When I’ve talked about my love of martial arts, I get mixed reactions from people. Other women are sometimes horrified that I actually do enjoy trading punches with men. Some men talk about how they could never hit a woman–and one who wears glasses as well!

Liz “Girl-illa” Carmouche

I’ve also been told that by doing this I’m promoting domestic violence. Which is laughable because the sparring I do in class is on a consensual basis with rules in place. Domestic violence, whether against women, men or children, does not abide by any rules nor is it consensual.

My mom really hates that I want to get back into martial arts and MMA specifically and I know some of my sisters don’t understand it either. I feel that it’s almost my duty as a woman to break down the expectation that women are not fighters. We’re lovers and nurturers, sure! But it’s also okay for a girl to embrace some of the more “masculine” interests she has.

And the opposite is true! Men like Franklin Habit, Stephen West and Jared Flood are showing that it’s more than okay for a man to embrace stereotypically feminine pursuits. (And I bet when you first started reading this blog post, you didn’t think that I would be able to tie cage fighting in with knitting.)

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WIP Wednesday: I’d tell you but then I’d have to kill you…

 Posted by on December 5, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Dec 052012
 

…because it’s a super secret classified test knit. However, I am at liberty to talk about the yarn I’m using!

Kollabora is putting out their own line of yarn. I am working with their Chunky Hunk line which is 50% superfine alpaca and 50% Peruvian Highland wool. It’s been a dream to work with, even if it sheds. The yarn is thick and thin which makes for an interesting nubbly texture.

Here’s a swatch done in garter stitch with US 8 needles. The downside about thick and thin yarn is that reading your gauge is next to impossible. I have a hard time counting stitches per inch with evenly spun yarn as it is, having it marled on me makes it more difficult.

It does grow a bit but not as much as I thought it would. The wool gives it more memory than just alpaca alone and the thick/thin texture keeps it from blooming too much. I’ve had fun seeing how the different thicknesses stack up in the garment itself.

For more WIPs, check out Tami’s blog.

 

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FO Friday: Swallowtail Shawl

 Posted by on November 2, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Nov 022012
 

Yes, folks! I finished it! It’s done! It’s pretty! And it’s all mine!

I’ve blocked it out and it’s all dry. Now I just need somewhere to go so I can wear this with pride. A shawl pin would also be a nice touch. I’m really proud of how the nupps came out. Here’s a detailed photo:

What I didn’t realize is how difficult it is to photograph lace nicely. This is my first time trying to take a good picture of lace. I need to make a note to really work on it.

Here are the details:

I am going to wear this with much pride! For more FOs, check out the list over at Tami’s.

 

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The Tao of the Knitting Ninja

 Posted by on June 21, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Jun 212012
 

I’ve been working on this essay mentally for a while but never found the right time to flesh it out and post it. But I suppose yesterday’s news of the US Olympic Committee vs Ravelry makes it quite pertinent. (Also, pertinent is one of my favorite words.)

I started practicing kung-fu when I was in the first grade. My mom had enrolled me in dance class which I did not like. I was quite the tomboy and loved the Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles. In kindergarten, I dressed up as a ninja (with pig tails, natch!) and in the second grade I was Donatello. There was no way that wearing tights and a tutu was going to appeal to me. Thankfully, my brother had met Sifu Vizzio years before and started taking lessons with him. So I was signed up and fell in love. Circumstances prevented me from continuing but I looked him up a few years ago and took classes again until cancer and my subsequent move made me stop.

However, I’ve always been and always will be a Fu Jow tiger girl. Both kung-fu and knitting have helped me through the various struggles I’ve had in life.  If anything, knitting has improved my kung-fu and vice versa. Kung-fu has taught me perseverance, humility, and patience. Knitting has taught me the importance of practice, patience and the value of pride in my work.

Going over the Hung Gar forms over and over until they’re second nature has helped me improve my patience with knitting. I’ve realized that it’s OK to rip out a mistake and try again. And again. And again. Until it’s right. I don’t consider myself to be a perfectionist but if it doesn’t look right, it should be fixed.

A sense of self pride and humility sounds like a contradiction but I don’t think it is. I do take pride in who I am and what I have accomplished (and what I will accomplish!) but I know that it will take hard work to get there. Not just that, it’s made me more aware of my place in other people’s lives and how I can effect them. Kung fu (and all fighting systems) isn’t about beating everyone up who looks at you funny. It’s about harnessing your inner potential and turning it into something both useful and beautiful. My knitting helps to add beauty in my life and the lives of others. My forms do the same.

So Olympic committee, even if the Ravelympics are canceled this year or the powers that be have to change its name I’m going to keep knitting, keep practicing my forms (and finding a new studio in Nashville. Recommendations anyone?) and keep making my life beautiful.

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The US Olympic Committee vs Ravelry

 Posted by on June 20, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Jun 202012
 

For those of you who don’t know, the US Olympic Committee has sent Ravelry a strongly worded letter asking them to shut down the Ravelympics. I’ve copy-paste’d the letter Casey received below:

Dear Mr. Forbes,

In March 14, 2011, my colleague, Carol Gross, corresponded with your attorney, Craig Selmach [sic], in regard to a pin listed as the “2010 Ravelympic Badge of Glory.”  At that time, she explained that the use of RAVELYMPIC infringed upon the USOC’s intellectual property rights, and you kindly removed the pin from the website.  I was hoping to close our file on this matter, but upon further review of your website, I found more infringing content.

By way of review, the USOC is a non-profit corporation chartered by Congress to coordinate, promote and govern all international amateur athletic activities in the United States.  The USOC therefore is responsible for training, entering and underwriting U.S. Teams in the Olympic Games.  Unlike the National Olympic Committees of many other countries, the USOC does not rely on federal funding to support all of its efforts.  Therefore, in order to fulfill our responsibilities without the need for federal funding, Congress granted the USOC the exclusive right to use and control the commercial use of the word OLYMPIC a and any simulation or combination thereof in the United States, as well as the OLYMPIC SYMBOL.  See the Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, 36 U.S.C. §220501 et seq. (the “Act”).  (A copy of the relevant portion of the Act is enclosed for your convenience.)  The Act prohibits the unauthorized use of the Olympic Symbol or the mark OLYMPIC and derivations thereof for any commercial purpose or for any competition, such as the one organized through your website.  See 36 U.S.C. §220506(c).  The USOC primarily relies on legitimate sponsorship fees and licensing revenues to support U.S. Olympic athletes and finance this country’s participation in the Olympic Games.  Other companies, like Nike and Ralph Lauren, have paid substantial sums for the right to use Olympic-related marks, and through their sponsorships support the U.S. Olympic Team.  Therefore, it is important that we restrict the use of Olympic marks and protect the rights of companies who financially support Team USA.

In addition to the protections of the Act discussed above, the USOC also owns numerous trademark registration that include the mark OLYMPIC. These marks therefore are protected under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1051 et seq. Thus, Ravelry.com’s unauthorized use of the mark OLYMPIC or derivations thereof, such as RAVELYMPICS, may constitute trademark infringement, unfair competition and dilution of our famous trademarks.

The USOC would like to settle this matter on an amicable basis. However, we must request the following actions be taken.

1.  Changing the name of the event, the “Ravelympics.”;  The athletes of Team USA have usually spent the better part of their entire lives training for the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games and represent their country in a sport that means everything to them.  For many, the Olympics represent the pinnacle of their sporting career.  Over more than a century, the Olympic Games have brought athletes around the world together to compete in an event that has come to mean much more than just a competition between the world’s best athletes.  The Olympic Games represent ideals that go beyond sport to encompass culture and education, tolerance and respect, world peace and harmony.

The USOC is responsible for preserving the Olympic Movement and its ideals within the United States.  Part of that responsibility is to ensure that Olympic trademarks, imagery and terminology are protected and given the appropriate respect.  We believe using the name “Ravelympics” for a competition that involves an afghan marathon, scarf hockey and sweater triathlon, among others, tends to denigrate the true nature of the Olympic Games.  In a sense, it is disrespectful to our country’s finest athletes and fails to recognize or appreciate their hard work.

It looks as if this is the third time that the Ravelympics have been organized, each coinciding with an Olympic year (2008, 2010, and 2012).  The name Ravelympics is clearly derived from the terms “Ravelry” (the name of your website) and OLYMPICS, making RAVELYMPICS a simulation of the mark OLYMPIC tending to falsely suggest a connection to the Olympic Movement.  Thus, the use of RAVELYMPICS is prohibited by the Act.  Knowing this, we are sure that you can appreciate the need for you to re-name the event, to something like the Ravelry Games.

1.  Removal of Olympic Symbols in patterns, projects, etc.   As stated before, the USOC receives no funding from the government to support this country’s Olympic athletes.  The USOC relies upon official licensing and sponsorship fees to raise the funds necessary to fulfill its mission. Therefore, the USOC reserves use of Olympic terminology and trademarks to our official sponsors, suppliers and licensees.  The patterns and projects featuring the Olympic Symbol on Ravelry.com’s website are not licensed and therefore unauthorized.  The USOC respectfully asks that all such patterns and projects be removed from your site.

For your convenience, we have listed some of the patterns featuring Olympic trademarks.  However, this list should be viewed as illustrative rather than exhaustive.  The USOC requests that all patterns involving Olympic trademarks be removed from the website.  We further request that  you rename various patterns that may not feature Olympic trademarks in the design but improperly use Olympic in the pattern name.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olympics-rings-af…\

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vancouver-2010-ol…

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/2010-olympics-inu…

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olympic-swimmer-d…

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/2008-olympic-ring…

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olympic-rings-nec…

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bode-miller-hat-2…

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/usa-olympic-hat

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/belgianwaffleknit/usa-oly…

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.  We would appreciate a written reply to this letter by no later than June 19, 2012.  If you would like to discuss this matter directly, please feel free to contact me at the number above, or you may reach my colleague, Carol Gross.

Kindest Regards,

Brett Hirsch

Law Clerk

Office of the General Counsel

United States Olympic Committee

1 Olympic Plaza

Colorado Springs, CO 80909

I understand that trademarks need to be protected by sending out cease and desist letters because that’s how the legal game is played. What bothers me most is this line: “We believe using the name “Ravelympics” for a competition that involves an afghan marathon, scarf hockey and sweater triathlon, among others, tends to denigrate the true nature of the Olympic Games.  In a sense, it is disrespectful to our country’s finest athletes and fails to recognize or appreciate their hard work.”

My knitting requires a lot of hard work, dedication and practice. As a martial artist, those are also the skills I need to succeed. Ditto for my running and my weight lifting. Which is the subject for another blog post. I don’t think it takes nearly as much effort to knit a sweater than it does to be picked for the Olympics but that doesn’t mean that sweater knitting (or whatever) isn’t as impressive. I feel like the US Olympic Committee is making an apples and oranges comparison. The Ravelympics are all in good silly fun and no one expects to earn a real gold medal for their scarf. I think that this dismissal of my skill is also in poor sportsmanship.

I shall continue working out, kicking butt and knitting while feeling like a champ no matter what the US Olympic Committee may say.

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Work Out Review: UFC Personal Trainer

 Posted by on January 30, 2012 at 6:28 pm
Jan 302012
 

I’ve been neglecting the “martial arts” part of the site in favor for the arts and crafts. There’s more to blog about with knitting (and better photos!) but I have been doing my best to keep my ninja¹ skills sharp. For Christmas, the Sargent gave me UFC Personal Trainer for the XboX. (Note: This was in my stocking along with a pound of chocolates. I told him that it was quite the mixed message he was sending. His thought was that I could use the chocolates as a reward.)

I started on one of their built in 30 day programs and I just finished one of them. There are three types of programs: weight loss, endurance and strength. I finished their 30 day cut weight program and while the scale hasn’t budged (which is fine) my speed and endurance has gone through the roof. The work outs were mostly cardio based like jumping jacks, cardio kickboxing, and a ton of crunches.

Last week I started on the 30 day endurance challenge and it has been more intense than the cardio program. I like that the system knows that I’ve been working out now so the work outs are a little harder and a little longer. This program has me lifting weights more often and doing things like tire flips, squat and holds, and lunges.

Some pros. I like that the routines vary day by day, they did a good job of mixing things up. That’s something that leaves me really bored with work out DVDs. What has kept me motivated is seeing the different achievements I’ve earned. It’s so silly but I’m really proud of the fact that I’ve worked out in game for 5 hours. I also really enjoy unlocking the quick mini games.

The cons I have with the game are because I’m working out using the Kinect and not a person. While it does do a good job of monitoring my form, especially when lifting weights, it won’t adjust the work out if you fee like your shoulder is hurting a bit too much. The other is that sometimes, particularly when I’m doing push ups, the Kinect loses sight of me so the game is paused.

I think this has been one of the best fitness purchases I’ve made in a while. If you have back/shoulder/knee problems I would not recommend this. The work outs really focus on presses, squats and lunges. I don’t have any problems like that so it’s been fine for me. This isn’t the same as working out in a real MMA gym but in the mean time, it’s fine. I’ve seen fast results in my strength and over all ability which has made it worth ever dollar husband spent on it.

 

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Guest Post: Packing Pretty’s Pointers on Staying Safe

 Posted by on January 26, 2012 at 10:38 am
Jan 262012
 

I asked new blog friend Packing Pretty if she would be so kind as to write up a guest post. She is a certified NRA instructor and range safety officer. She’s also a martial artist, crafter and addicted to high heels. Her blog is also a hoot. She and I do have a shared interest in female safety–it’s a subject that most women avoid talking about for a variety of reasons. Read on to find out just why women everywhere need to keep themselves safe.

Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.

  •        1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed rape; 2.8% attempted rape).
  •     9 of every 10 rape victims were female in 2003.
  •      The FBI estimates that only 37% of all rapes are reported to the police.

Take a second look at those statistics.  They really speak for themselves to the importance of  Self defense, especially for us women.

Knowing how and being capable of defending yourself are two separate things. Just because one has read up on and watched defense techniques does not make one proficient in them. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that women seek the proper knowledge and training in several methods of self defense.

As a Defensive Pistol instructor, I am skilled in defense with a handgun, but my journey to personal protection does not end there. I also train in rifles, martial arts, batons and knives. Every situation is different and calls for different actions and tactics. Being proficient in a handful of defenses gives a woman the tactical edge. If one form of defense fails, she has others to fall back on – and if there’s one thing we can learn from combat, it’s that your plans are likely to fail.

Did you know that self-defense training actually lowers the chances that someone will try to make you their victim?  It’s true, the confidence you gain through training will change the way you look to a possible attacker. What are attacker’s looking for? The answer is an easy victim. Your aura alone can make or break the decision for a predator to choose you as his prey or walk away.

I often find myself preaching that personal defense is each individual’s responsibility.  I believe this with all my heart. The police can’t be everywhere at once, and at some point you must take your personal safety and/or that of your family into your own hands.  And just as personal defense is an individual responsibility; so is knowing both federal and state defense laws where you live.

In conclusion, being skilled in a handful of ways to ward off attacks will drastically lower your chances of not only being a victim but being preyed on in the first place. And remember: you, first and foremost, are responsible for your safety. Make sure you know and understand the law regarding self-defense.  Stay safe and happy training.

For more safety tips and tricks, check out Packing Pretty. Come back tomorrow for more knitting and the giveaway winner.

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I did it!

 Posted by on August 9, 2011 at 4:46 pm
Aug 092011
 

I’ve been blogging about my weight gain and my current struggle with anxiety and depression. I’ve been slowly doing the things I’ve needed to do except for one big thing: exercise. I haven’t done any martial arts since September 2009. I have been sedentary for one year. Obviously, this was not by choice but I haven’t really broken a sweat since February.

So yesterday, I finally decided that I was going to just do it. I was reaching for my wallet to pay for a subscription for Interweave Press’ Piecework Magazine when I stopped myself. I had just finished updating this blog and whining about not owning a single pair of jeans that fit to my sister when it really hit me. I was going to go for a run, damnit, and if/when I did that subscription would be my reward. And I stuck to my word and now the newest issue is on its way to me!

Run, Forrest! Run!

I did day 1 of the Couch to 5k program which is a 5 minute warm up walk, 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes and end it with a 5 minute cool down walk. I didn’t really jog too often (I was on a treadmill and the fastest I went was 4.8 miles per hour) because I realized just how much “damage” my endurance and cardio-vascular health has taken this year. I’m chalking it up to a combination of chemo and bedrest as to why it was much harder doing the program this time than when I was just a couch potato. It’s made me realize that while in many ways, I’m not sick any more but in other ways I still am.And if my cancer were to reoccur, I wouldn’t be able to handle any sort of treatment at the fitness level I’m at now. I didn’t really think of things that way, but our good friend Lee pointed that out.

Now, I have a bigger reason to move my butt. After some expenses have been paid for, I’ll be on the serious hunt for a new martial arts studio and I need to be at a better fitness level than where I am now at if I want to have fun in class. Or just not die from exhaustion. ;) Now that I’m getting back into running, I need to knit up some accessories but I have no idea what would be. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery are most welcomed!

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MMA Monday

 Posted by on June 13, 2011 at 4:39 pm
Jun 132011
 

WARNING: I’M ABOUT TO SPOIL THE RESULTS OF A UFC FIGHT. DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED! IF YOU’RE HERE FOR CRAFTY GOODNESS, COME BACK ON WEDNESDAY. (Sorry for shouting, it’s the only way some people read.)

Yesterday husband and I watched Randy Couture’s* retirement fight against Lyoto Machida in UFC 129. I regret not seeing this fight both in person (not like that was going to happen) nor when it first aired since both Couture and Machida are two of my favorite fighters. I really like Machida since he has a stronger karate background than in mixed martial arts or wrestling like most UFC fighters. And I really like Randy Couture because…he’s Randy Couture! He’s a great fighter, he’s a beast of a dude and he supports his ex wife’s  Kim‘s fighting career. I’m also a fan of Georges St. Pierre who was part of the main fight but I’ll get into that in another blog post.

What made this an amazing fight was Machida’s fight ending kick. He actually did a Karate Kid style crane kick to Couture’s head and knocked him out. Who does that? Who does that and makes it look good? Who does that and is able to knock Randy Couture out? Machida pulled a Ralph Macchio and won a non-scripted real fight!

Mister Myagi is proud, as evidenced by this YouTube mash-up:

Personally, I’m stunned that it worked. I’ve never seen anyone do a crane kick that wasn’t joking around. And after watching this fight, I really do need to get back into working out and find a new martial arts school. I’ve only taken three grappling classes but maybe I’ll sign up at an MMA school. End of the day, I need to shop around.

Tonight we’ll probably watch this past weekend’s UFC 131. I’m a little disappointed that Brock Lesnarhad to back out because of his diverticulitis but that is understandable. I do think he’s a pretty good fighter, though I wouldn’t put him in my top ten, but he is a lousy coach as shown on this season’s The Ultimate Fighter. That being said, not everyone is cut out to teach or coach.

*His website is really hard to navigate and read. It also auto-plays AC/DC’s “Back in Black” so if you’re at work, turn off your speakers.  Also, if you’re at work why are you reading this? Get back to work!

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Interview with Andrea from Girljitsu/Tricona

 Posted by on May 6, 2011 at 9:47 am
May 062011
 

I met Andrea through the Martial Arts Knitters group on Ravelry. She’s a crafter and practices martial arts. Her blogs can be found here and here. She’s known as StickPixie on Ravelry. She practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Sudbury MMA.

Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts: What crafts do you typically do?
Andrea: I’m mostly a knitter, and have been for about 20 years, although recently I started messing around with the drop spindle. I used to be quite the little cross-stitcher, but haven’t been able to find the time to do it lately.

AndreaMMAaC: How did you get started/who taught you/where did you learn?
Andrea: I was four years old when my mom taught me to knit. It was something to keep my little hands busy, something we could do together. She taught me English knitting (she calls it Canadian-style) rather than Continental, which is her preferred method, because she thought that it would be easier for me to learn. I sort of messed around with it until I was about 15, when I started taking it seriously again. I wanted to knit a scarf for a boyfriend. Well, the boyfriend didn’t stick around, but I revived my interest in the craft the next year when a good friend became pregnant, and I made her a blanket for her little one. Once I started university, it became necessary to knit because a) if I didn’t, I’d go crazy, and b) I didn’t precisely have the funds for expensive Christmas gifts, so I made people things.

I started spinning last July, at an informal “spin-in” at the home of one of our SnB members. For the first little while, I just made the most hideous lumpy single-ply handspun. Then I went to a spin-in at the local spinner’s guild last month, and got some smarts smacked into me! That day, they featured a movie about drafting techniques for different types of fibre, and it really helped me to understand what to do with my fluff.

MMAaC: Spinning is next on my “to learn” list. What are your favorite things to make? Andrea: Mostly, I like to focus on hats and baby clothes. Hats are great because they’re small, you can take them anywhere, and they’re quick to complete. The same applies to baby clothes, with the added bonus of the cuteness factor. I guess I’m at the age now where all my friends and family members of a similar age (early-mid 20′s) are having babies, so I’ve been making a LOT of baby clothes lately. None for myself though…yet.

MMAaC: Tell me about your favorite project?
Andrea: My favorite project would have to be the sweater I made my husband for our first anniversary. Well, it was supposed to be for our first anniversary but I never finished it in time. “Besides,” husband-of-mine said, “our anniversary is in August. I don’t need a sweater then! Make it for Christmas.” So I finished it on time – at ten minutes to midnight on December 23rd – blocked it, sewed it up, and had it ready for him on Christmas Eve. My other favorite project would be the Selbuvotter gloves I made for my dad. These were also supposed to be an Xmas gift, but turns out I finished them in March. Heh.

mittens

MMAaC: Not every project can be a winner. What’s been your worst or least favorite project?
Andrea: My least favorite project was a garter stitch scarf I started making for one of my aunts when I was 12. My mom bought me the yarn, a forest green acrylic – and told me she wanted me to make it for said aunt, whom I didn’t like – she had married my uncle that year and was really an unpleasant person to be around for extended periods of time. So I grumbled through the making of the scarf, which never grew beyond 6 inches in length because I kept getting frustrated with it and ripped it out multiple times. Finally, I told my mom I wasn’t going to do it because it was driving me crazy, and if she wanted it done she would have to do it herself. I recently used that yarn to make a bunch of hats for the homeless.

MMAaC: Tell us more about Andrea. Who is she and what is she into besides knitting?
Andrea: Whenever I’m not knitting, I can usually be found at school learning various bits of nursing knowledge; at home, cooking up a storm and cuddling my two crazy Labrador girls; or at the gym, rolling around on the mats learning some jiu jitsu and throwing around boys twice my size. :) I recently achieved silver and bronze medals at a BJJ tournament in Toronto.

MMAaC: What is BJJ for those readers who don’t know? What level are you at?
Andrea: I am a practitioner of Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ), also known as Gracie jiu jitsu. I currently have a white belt with three stripes, having just received my third stripe this week!

(For those who are not familiar with the grading system in BJJ, before one can attain the next level of belt – blue, purple, brown or black – one must first attain four stripes on their belt. In our club, it takes a minimum of two years to attain a blue belt, but that is only a guideline and attendance alone is not a guarantee of promotion.)

MMAaC: Have you tried any other forms of martial arts? How is it different from what you’re doing now?
Andrea: When I first started, I did some Muay Thai on the side as part of some beginner MMA classes. It’s definitely different from BJJ in that it’s the striking aspect of our MMA program, whereas BJJ is focused on grappling. I think what lead me to focus on BJJ was the fact that although muay thai is a crazy cardio workout, the punch-kick routine was starting to bore me a little. (That, and I can’t do pushups to save my life! Nobody ever asks me to do a pushup in BJJ!)

podium MMAaC What do you love most about BJJ?
Andrea: I love the physical challenge of it, and seeing how the body mechanics of it work. I love watching the flow of movement between two practitioners who are mutually involved in demonstrating the moves, not intent on killing each other. I love using simple motions to have great impact on someone larger than me. And I especially love how even when I’m dead tired, my limbs are heavy and full of bruises, and my hair and gi are plastered to me with sweat, I can still feel myself smiling from ear to ear. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Prior to joining Sudbury MMA, I had gained about 25 lbs and was horrified that my inactivity had led to such a radical gain. I didn’t feel as though there was anything I could do; I worked a lot of shift work and was just beginning college, so I imagined I had no time to engage in any kind of physical fitness. Luckily, the club has a really flexible schedule – 6 days a week – and I could train whenever I wanted in whatever discipline I wanted. Within 6 months, I hadn’t budged the numbers on the scale much (about 5 lbs lost), but I definitely had lost some inches off my waist – 3 to be exact. Plus my entire body felt stronger and looked more toned. Over the last few months, since I’ve been training for competitions, I’ve lost another 10 lbs.

I have definitely gained a great deal more confidence. If I hadn’t, I know I would not have had the strength of mind to stand in front of 2000 people and fight another human being two weeks ago. I used to have such terrible stage fright as a child, but now I find I can more easily do things like present in front of my class at school, confidently walk into patients’ rooms during my clinical placement days, and yes, even help teach some of the classes at the club.

I think sometimes that being in BJJ has given me a bit of an “attitude”, but then I realize that what it has done is given me what I need to learn to open my mouth and my mind. Now it’s kind of hard to shut up. :)

MMAaC: How did you get started?
Andrea: A friend of mine was advertising on Facebook that the martial arts club she attended was offering a 2-week free trial. She said that they offered beginner MMA classes, and I thought to myself, “Hmm, I wonder if I could do that?” So I signed up and did 2 straight hours the first night – almost passed out – and decided I was hooked. It was hard going at first, because not long afterward, the friend who got me started decided to leave the club – her boyfriend was one of the instructors and it turned out they had broken up – so I’d lost my training partner. Also, I initially found it hard to be around so many boisterous, sweaty boys I barely knew. Eventually though, I started making friends with the guys at the club, and yes, some of the girls (we do have the odd girl thrown in the mix!).

pow

MMAaC: My mom hates that I spar but my husband loves it. It seems like most people are either OK with girls fighting or not. What are you opinions on girls fighting professionally or even on an amateur level?
Andrea: I don’t know if I would ever have the opportunity to fight at a professional or amateur level, considering that I live in a somewhat small, Northern Ontario city. If I decided to move to Ottawa and train with the black belt whose club is affiliated with mine, I still think it would be hard to gain recognition or be taken seriously. I also think it’s probably like that for female BJJ practitioners everywhere, not just here. It’s truly sad that in the 21st century, women still do not have the same opportunities as men, and that includes martial arts. It sucks that the only time you see a girl in the UFC is when she’s prancing through the octagon holding up a card. I’m aware of other avenues women can take to fight professionally, but even so, I find that most guys just get off on the novelty of chicks fighting rather than taking them seriously as athletes.

That’s my long-winded way of saying: let’s buck this misogynistic crap already and get more women in professional fighting!

Amen to that! Thanks for the interview Andrea!
Want to be interviewed on Mixed Martial Arts and Crafts? Send an email to vanessa [at] mixedmartialartsandcrafts.com and put “Interview” in the subject!

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