Interview with the Barkindji Warrior

My friend Liz tagged me to a video post on Facebook and all she said was “someone you may want to consider interviewing” – I watched the video and she was right – I definitely wanted to interview her. Check out the video here –

So I message Shantelle, introduced myself, told her some of the things that I do and asked her if she would let me interview her – thankfully Shantelle said yes. Shantelle has a very interesting story, as you will soon discover. Her strength and determination to help herself and others around her is outstanding.

Shantelle completed this a few months ago, since then she has won the IBJJF World Championships, and received her purple belt. She is an impressive individual not only for women BJJ but also for everything that she does in her Aborigine community.

 

The exact moment I realised I was a World Champion. Dreams really can come true, with the courage to dream, being prepared to work hard with mindful and purposeful intent, your actions are with love, integrity, and be resilient because there are always bumps in the road. Anything is possible, if you believe, take a deep breath and take the first step!!!

How many years have you been doing BJJ – how old were you when you started BJJ and why did you start?

I first came into contact with BJJ when I was 20 because a friend introduced me to the system. I began training BJJ on and off from the age of 21 but nothing serious. I began seriously training in 2010 because I developed Post-Natal Depression after the birth of my twins in 2009, BJJ became a form of physical therapy and my mental health plan.

BJJ saved my life and has also given me the life I have now.

How did you find BJJ helped you with dealing with depression? 

I developed post-natal depression after the birth of my twins in 2009, I was not officially diagnosed until late 2010. As a result of past trauma and life events I did not want to take medication so I needed something else to treat myself. In October 2010 I started training BJJ as a form of physical and mental therapy to treat my PND. BJJ helped me with this because it is a very physically engaging sport and is also mentally engaging and after a session I had nothing left to give to the PND. It helped me redirect the negative energy of my illness.

It has been a complete treatment for me because it helps me in all aspects of my life and the lessons I have learnt about myself on and off the mats have lead me down a journey of acknowledgement, acceptance and finally healing.

What gym do you train at?

Maromba Academy Australia/Absolute MMA

With Coach Thiago Stefanutti

What other sporting background do you have?

I have played Basketball as a teenager, I also trained in Renshinkan Karate (kyokushin), boxing and my dominant sports are BJJ and Wrestling and Coreeda Wrestling (Aboriginal Wrestling).

Coreeda wrestling is traditional Aboriginal wrestling and was used as a way to condition young warriors, manage conflict and for physical and mental health.

Coreeda Wrestling

When did you receive your blue belt, how did you feel when you got it?

I received my blue belt in 2013 and I felt, humbled, grateful, accomplished and so ready for the next stage of this life long journey that BJJ has become.

What does your training schedule look like? Does this include strength training and are you particular with your nutrition?

I currently train up to four hours a day that split over two sessions, x6 days a week. I do strength and conditioning training x5 days per week and yes I am very particular about my nutrition and this is becoming more of a priority as a I get older and more serious about my training and competing.

You took some time off training to have a family, how was it coming back?

I did not train during my pregnancies and from the birth of my first daughter in 2006 to the twins’ birth in 2009 I did not train much at all. I may have trained maybe once a week every now and again. Coming back to training and BJJ helped me find myself and gain my life back.

You have a young family, you also work and volunteer your time – how do you juggle it all?

I have found my life purpose and all that I do in being a mother, family, warrior, elite athlete, support worker, Kiilalaana program coordinator, mentor, volunteer and life warrior they all work together in this purpose.

To be honest I don’t think about it much I just do it.

Being an Aborigine you must a be a huge inspiration to your people, can you share some of your heritage/background?

I am a Barkindji/Anglo Saxon woman and my family come from along the Murray River, and I grew up in Dareton, NSW. I am very proud of both of my heritages and I am the second eldest of 17 children so I have a big mob. I have always been a fighter and I grew up fighting for what I believe in. Being the Barkindji Warrior is my responsibility to carry on the work of my ancestors and is my life purpose to work every day to become the Barkindji Warrior.

Do you enjoy competing and how do you deal with the pressure?

I love the battle of competing and my experiences of pressure are constantly changing the more I compete and the new levels of competition that I attempt. When I first started I was like everyone else nervous and felt every little aspect of pressure, then when I started winning a lot and also continued this into my blue belt for a little while it became about staying at the top and to continue to win.

Now that has changed for me, competing is so much more than winning or a medal. Competing is now as much about the battle against myself as the opponent. By this I mean, how do I handle pressure, the battle of competition? The only difference between competition and training is the environment change, it is about the battle and have I improved since the last battle as a person, competitor and fighter.  I want to push my boundaries in all areas of my life and competing in BJJ is one of them. I also love the friendships and relationships I have developed with other women that compete in BJJ. I wish more women competed and I hope by sharing my story and perspective on competing that it may encourage others to try competing.

What are the highs and lows of BJJ for you?

The greatest lows of BJJ have been when I have been injured and unable to train at all, and this becomes a challenge when it is a way of life. Also when the focus becomes too much on preparing for a comp or about reaching the next goal. When I lose sight of what is important, that it is about the journey and the relationships that I make in BJJ I become anxious and it becomes less of a safe place. I am getting better and remembering my purpose and why for BJJ and this helps.

The greatest highs are that BJJ is a part of my life, it is a lifetime journey, my team is my family and my whole family are involved in BJJ. The challenge and growth that I gain daily from training and competing in BJJ is also a high.

You must have seen many people come and go – what keeps you going?

It is a way of life.

What advice would you give other women who were thinking about starting BJJ or who have just started?

I would say give it a try and see if it is right for you, and try a few different clubs to find a culture that supports women and new people into the sport. Trust your instincts and be upfront with your training partners that you are new to the sport. I used to try and match the guys on strength (as I am a bigger female and I lift weights) but now I am honest with my training partners (male and female) and let them know how I am going to roll in that roll. By this I mean for example if it is a new person I will lets say be technical and flow role, until I get a feel for how they role and if they are a safe training partner. If they are not I will speak to them and then if I feel unsafe and they do not improve I will not roll with that person. My personally safety always comes first always. If I am getting ready for a comp I always check if my partner is ok with us rolling comp mode, which is more intense, then a general training roll.

Enjoy the journey because BJJ can give you so much if you allow it.

Gold medal IBJJF World Championships

In your opinion what do you believe it takes to be successful at BJJ?

To me BJJ is such a personal thing and for you to be successful at BJJ you have to decide what role it plays in your life. For me, BJJ is a lifestyle and it is also going to be a part of the work I do in the future with women’s and youth programs so it is important for me to be constantly evolving and growing in the sport.

Who inspires you?

My family inspire me every day with their constant acceptance and encouragement of the journey I am taking them on and the goals I have set for myself. My grandmother with her strength, life journey and accomplishments inspires me to become the best of myself and to never settle. My coach Thiago inspires me with his willingness to create a family of our team, never allowing me to settle or become complacent and how he also is there for us as a friend and coach. He is always training and competing as well as coaching and he puts himself out there and I admire that. My training partners and teammates inspire me with their friendship, help and constant support.

Receiving purple belt

What personal lessons have you learnt about yourself since doing BJJ?

BJJ has helped me to discover my life’s purpose and also shown me the best and worst of who I am as a person both on and off the mats. My jiu jitsu reflects my life and who I am as a person. The biggest lessons it has taught me is that I am stronger then I think, I love to help people, I am also to impatient and I do not take enough time to visualise or reflect on things before I make a move or make the next step.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

In 5 years time I see myself as;

• The best mother to my children possible and role model to others I can be.
• a world champion in BJJ
• competing internationally in wrestling
• a brown belt
• Kiilalaana Program Coordinator – using BJJ, Wrestling and my experiences to run Women’s and Youth empowerment programs.
• A trauma specialist working with people who have been affected by trauma.
• The Barkindji Warrior and the best version I can become on this journey.

Is there anyone you would like to thank?

There are many I would like to thank on this journey and for those that support me, believe in me thank you for everything.

Thank you to my family for the love and support you show me everyday, you inspire me to push higher then I ever thought possible. I love you xox

To my coaches Thiago, Chris and Mac for all your support, guidance and time I would not be the fighter or person I am today without you, Teresa for keeping me patched up, my BJJ and wrestling family for everything on and off the mats, and a special mention to Apryl and Kim for being there in more ways then one.

Thank you to my sponsors for believing, investing and supporting my dreams.

The Fight Factory

Kapai Puku

Fitline Personal Training

Optimum Muscular Health

Ways that you can follow Shantelle

Blog:  https://barkindjiwarrior.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShantelleThompsonBarkindjiWarrior?fref=ts

Instagram: @barkindjiwarrior

 

 

 

Interview with Livia Gluchowska

I met Livia at the Australia Girls in Gi’s Camp this year (2015) at Dominance Martial Arts in Melbourne. The very little time that I spent with her she seemed like a pretty cool chick and I had a lot of fun rolling with her. She is someone I would like to get to know better and train with!

She lives and breathes Jiu Jitsu and this is why she is so good at it. She recently competed to win herself a spot at the Abu Dhabi Championships and when she competed she had a broken hand and won! She has a lot of drive, passion and heart for this sport. On my Babes n Belts Facebook page she did a fighters profile for me, which gave us a sneak peek into her life – this only intrigue me more and wanted to delve further and so when I asked her if I could interview her – I was pretty happy that she agreed. As you read through the answers you will see why I find her so inspiring and I hope you find her just as inspiring as I do.

Please let me introduce the lovely Livia Gluchowska

How many years have you been doing BJJ – how old were you when you started BJJ and why did you start?

I started training when I was 25 when I just retired from a competitive track cycling career but wanted to keep fit and strong (lifting wasn’t cutting it).

I went along to a kick boxing class with my brother and out of the corner of my eye, I kept watching the Jiu Jitsu guys hug it out on the mats… I was intrigued. At the same time I met my now partner Lachie Giles, who also did BJJ and was so passionate about it, that I wanted in on all the fun. One day I got enough courage to go to class, giggled my way through it, had no idea what was going on, but thankfully somehow I kept coming back.

I have been training for 5 years now – the first 1.5 years only 2-3 times a week, but each year I slowly increased my training frequency and intensity.

What other sporting background do you have?

I was a rhythmic gymnast for 12 years, where I represented Poland and Australia and trained up to 35 hrs a week from the age of 7. When I stopped gymnastics at 18, I turned to track cycling. I raced as a sprinter for a few years and then changed disciplines to track endurance. After training my butt off for 6 years or so, I decided that I needed to get an education and a career, as sport was never going to pay my bills.

I studied Bachelor of Science at Monash University and then completed a physiotherapy degree with honours at University of Melbourne.

I started BJJ in the second year of my physiotherapy degree, however only managed to train twice a week to balance out 2 jobs, study, placements and training.

Becoming a purple belt is pretty significant, how long have you been purple belt for, what were your thoughts on receiving it.

I have been a purple belt for 1.5 years. I received it after winning blue belt Worlds and it was an amazing feeling at the time.

To be honest though, belts don’t mean that much to me, as Jiu Jitsu is a continuum of learning. I don’t aim for belts, I aim to improve my skill set and technical knowledge and the depth of details of each position I am working on. I think competition results, medals, skill execution and belts take care of themselves as a result of smart, calculated training.

Although a purple belt is a fairly advanced belt in Australia for women, having trained in Brazil for 6 months last year have put things in perspective. Often I was the lowest ranked on the mats, where there would be 20 black belts, 10 of which were World Champions. I have years to go and a lot of mat time and experience to gain in my BJJ journey.

What does your training schedule look like? Does this include strength training and are you particular with your nutrition?

Lachlan Giles and I have recently opened a Jiu Jitsu school Absolute MMA & Conditioning South Yarra in Melbourne. This means my mat time has increased as I am able to fit it in around my physiotherapy work.

I usually train 2 x day, which includes no gi 4 x week and 5-8 sessions of gi. Saturdays are full of fun with a video analysis and a competition class. I drill for an extra hour once a week and attempt to do wrestling once a week as well.

On top of that I teach a women’s only class on Fridays as well as a gi class once a week.

I don’t lift at the moment as I don’t have the time and don’t want to sacrifice a Jiu Jitsu session to get a little stronger. I believe technique will help me win more matches rather than strength, so that’s what I concentrate on. My conditioning comes from rolling. In saying that if I’m injured, I am disciplined about doing extra strength/rehab sessions.

In terms of nutrition, I don’t like to restrict my food. I spent my teenage years as an elite gymnast riddled with disordered eating and I am proud of where I am now. I eat all food groups, I eat what I crave, I make sure I get all the nutrients into me, but at the same time I love treats and deserts. When I train 4 hours a day I can afford to eat nearly whatever I want to fuel my body without it making a difference to my weight. If I need to cut for bigger comps, it’s usually only drop 1-2kgs, so I stop eating cakes and keep my diet simple and rely on common sense. I am also thankful to have an amazing sponsor in Musashi who not only provide me with all the supplements I need, but also with nutritional guidance.

You do a lot of competition and travel a lot for them, do you enjoy competing and how do you deal with the pressure?

I really enjoy the focus I gain before competitions and the improvements to my BJJ after competing. I love testing my game against women of the same skill and weight as there is absolutely no excuse or hiding. I’m not going to lie – I also love winning and hate losing just as everyone else, but the end result is never a driver for me.

Apart from bettering myself at Jiu Jitsu, I love meeting new people, traveling to amazing places and doing training camps.

As for my mental prep, I have done a lot of work with my sports psychologist Anthony Klarica. I don’t really ever feel pressure per se, as I don’t compete for anyone else but myself. I always do the best I can and if I don’t win, it’s not the end of the world. I may get sad or angry for an hour and then I get motivated to fix mistakes, train smarter and do better next time. In the end I would like to think that my family, friends and team mates will think the same of me whether I win, lose or draw.

I have specific goals for every competition – domestic season will see me play a little bit more and experiment with different games to get them comp ready, but once I step on the mats at the big championships, it’s a different story – I don’t muck around, it’s game on and I’m ready to fight.

What are the highs and lows of BJJ for you?

Highs:

• Living my passion every day and making BJJ my lifestyle and a source of income
• Sharing the journey with my partner Lachlan Giles
• Personal growth and development – on and off the mats
• Traveling the world to train and compete and making life-long friends in the process
• Seeing Lachlan and my team-mates succeed
• Learning new skills and adding them to my game
• Teaching women’s class and planting a seed of obsession in their minds
• Winning blue belt Worlds in 2013 and breaking my pre-conceived limits I put on myself and my abilities
• Being able to eat ice cream and still have a 6-pack
• Learning that my confidence and body-image has nothing to do with how I look, but with what I can do with my mind and body

LOWS:

• Time out from training to let my injuries heal
• Being exhausted every single day
• Knowing if I eat more deserts I will get diabetes
• Not being able to always get perspective straight away after a bad training day or a comp

Lachlan & Livia

You must have seen many people come and go – what keeps you going?

BJJ is a lifestyle for me and not just a hobby, however I don’t define myself as a person based on my Jiu Jitsu. I have many interests and a career outside of the sport.

What keeps me going is the constant need to solve the next puzzle and learn more. I love executing new skills, I love competing, and I love the camaraderie with my training partners and the close bond we form.

I am sure that a fear of failure plays a big part in why I train and compete so much.

Most importantly though, Jiu Jitsu is my fun – I love being on the mats, I feel good about myself when I train and I am totally and positively addicted.

What advice would you give other women who were thinking about starting BJJ or who have just started?

If you are thinking about starting then stop thinking about it and just start. There is no time like the present. If you wait, you will regret it later.

For those who just started – patience, perspective, respect, technique and learning are the key words. It’s a marathon and a wonderful journey if you stick at it. You just have to keep turning up and try your best. Laugh at yourself in the process, be nice to yourself and immerse yourself in the sport as much as you can.

In your opinion what do you believe it takes to be successful at BJJ?

• Smart training – find the right people to learn from and a gym with a good environment that fosters technique and learning. Don’t wreck your body if you are injured or fatigued. It’s not always about hard rolling – learn to play, try new skills and don’t be afraid to lose.

• Repetition – a pretty basic motor learning principle. Repeat the movement you are working on until its second nature. Find time outside of class times to do it if necessary as repeating the technique 4-10 times won’t cut it. In my opinion, if you want accurate, clean and precise BJJ, some sort of drilling is a must especially at lower belt levels.

• Specific training – add resistance to your drilling and get specific about your mistakes. I put a timer on and start and stop from a position I am working on. Sometimes it’s as detailed as just a grip. It can be tedious and hard on the mind, but for me this is the quickest way to get better.

• Imitation – watch the best in the world compete and train and try to do what they do. Then watch them again and fix your mistakes. Notice the smallest details and get excited about them. Imitate your coach and your idols until you become like them.

• Mat time – there is simply no magic pill or substitute for mat time. Prioritize your day so that you have time to train. When at training, don’t talk instead of drilling. Don’t sit out of rolls. There is always something you CAN do and improve on. Every minute, every day.

• Competition – it forces you to focus on your game, tighten your skills, train harder, analyze your comp game and do better next time. My BJJ sky rockets during the comp season.

Who inspires you?

So many people!

Specifically in my BJJ life, the biggest inspiration is my partner Lachie – he is a patient, skilled and a kind person. He is an excellent coach and a humble competitor. He believes in me and all his students and there is simply no room for bullshit with him. You just shut up and train until you get it right.

My other BJJ inspirations include Michelle Nicolini, Fabio Gurgel, Marcelo Garcia, Michael Langhi, Cobrinha, Mario Reis, the Miyaos, and my team mates.

What personal lessons have you learnt about yourself since doing BJJ?

• I have learnt that I can learn anything I set my sights on. Whether it’s a physical skill, a language or a profession, there are simply no limits to what I can do.

• I learnt to have a lot more respect, understanding and patience toward other people. I try to get to know people more these days and find something good about everyone.

• I learnt how to NOT define myself as a person based on my competition results. I am so much more than a gold medal or a 1st round loss.

• I learnt that life is too short to waste it, so instead I love each and every minute of the life I have created.

• I learnt that BJJ (just like life) is not an individual sport and you simply can’t succeed alone.

• I learnt that I am a very tough, strong, confident, and a fun person.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

• Hopefully doing what I love whatever that may be.
• I would like to have had completed a masters or a PhD.
• I would like to have amazing relationships with my partner, family, friends and team mates.
• I would like my team to grow and succeed.
• I also want to compete with the best women in the world, which means my belt colour would need to be a little darker.

Is there anyone you would like to thank?

• My incredible partner and an amazing coach Lachie Giles for introducing me to Jiu Jitsu and sharing the journey with me.
• My sponsors MA1 Apparel, Absolute MMA & Conditioning, Musashi and 34s.
• All my training partners – past and present for kicking my butt and going easy on me when required.

Awesome – Livia is smart, beautiful and talented! If you want to keep up to date with what she is up to you can follow her on the follow.

Livia’s blog – livjiujitsu.com.au

Instagram – @livjiujitsu

Twitter – @liv_g

Facebook – Livia Gluchowska

Interview with Jess ‘Swear Jar’ Fraser

Jess Fraser – Brown Belt Dominance MMA

I met Jess in 2013 (which I am sure she would have no recollection of, she meets a lot of people), I was in Melbourne to compete at the Nationals. I entered the female change rooms to get changed into my gi and there she was also getting changed. I was this dopey brand new blue belt, all tongue tied because I was sharing the change room with Jess Fraser!! I awkwardly introduced myself while Jess was half naked :-), I can’t remember what we talked about but I do remember thinking she was super nice. Jess is an inspiration to a lot of us ladies, she leads the way to help promote women’s BJJ here in Australia and she is a real rock star when it comes to organizing Australia Girls in Gi camps, which I was really happy to attend my first last weekend (Jan 2015). Not only is she very smart, hilarious (awesome sense of humor), beautiful, articulate, and talented – she is going to be an awesome coach. She provides so much support to us ladies, she is a true ambassador for this sport. Please let me introduce, the awesome Jess Fraser.

How many years have you been doing BJJ – how old were you when you started BJJ and why did you start?

I started in April 2010. I was 30 years old the first time I put on a gi.

I started BJJ without knowing what it was or researching it in any way. Weirdly I just knew that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a badass. This sport, the athletes, they are certainly that. So here we are.

What other sporting background do you have?

I skateboarded for years very badly. And snowboarded for many more very well. Before starting BJJ I was an instructor in both yoga and Krav Maga. I was doing a lot back then. Now I’m more focused.

You recently got your brown belt, besides being thrilled how did you feel when you received it? What were your thoughts?

As I understand it my journey is the fastest female to brown in Australia’s history. On top of that there’s only about 5 a Aussie female Browns. This is not only the rarest belt in Oz, it’s the rarest in the World. Female brown belts, we’re very, very rare. So. What does that tell me? It tells me I have a great deal of support and love and investment being shared my way. There’s no way I’m exceptional yet I’m in an exceptional situation. That means exceptional people have gotten me here. And my hard work and dedication has made that possible. It’s a shared effort. I believe my belt is shared with all of those around me and see it my responsibility to then share as much as I can of myself with others.

As far as how I felt on the day, I’m FKN proud to wear a Dominance Brown. Like I can’t explain. Belts come slow and hard at my gym and my coach only grades those that are truly ready. The purple belts here are ridiculously good. It blows me away that I have worked to get the technical ability worthy of his Acknowledgement in this way. I’m proud. And stunned. As with receiving my purple. Now all I can think is, I don’t wanna just be a brown. I want to be an incredible brown. So now we start again.

What does your training schedule look like? Does this include strength training and are you particular with your nutrition?

I’m off season now so weight training and weight checking is almost out of my routine.

My week is currently: Monday 6pm wrestling, 7:30pm gi Tuesday 6pm advance BJJ, 730pm gi Wednesday 6pm No Gi, 7:30pm gi Thursday 6pm advance BJJ, 730pm gi Friday 10am. Playful free rolling. Lots of laughter. Nothing serious.

During comp season I replace both wrestling and no gi with lifting heavy. And add a hard 2 hour Saturday session in. Plus Myotherapy weekly.

It’s important to note I roll/spar a lot. Like 80% of my training. And I’m disciplined about it. I’m always working on something and never rolling without a plan. I self critique a lot and I ask lots and lots of questions and feedback. My rolling is drilling. It is drilling but it’s against a resisting opponent. I learn more this way.

My diet is meat, veg, coffee, dark chocolate and strawberries. Barely any dairy. Glutenous foods are avoided. During comp season I start to intermittently fast (one day per week on non training days) and only eat starchy veg or white rice within half an hour of training. No starchy carbs at other times of the day. Loads of fish oil and always 3 litres of water a day.

You do a lot of competition and travel a lot for them, do you enjoy competing and how do you deal with the pressure?

I have never loved competing but I love the gains I get from a hard training camp. I also love training at that intensity. I deal poorly with the stress and extra load though and it effects my personality in a negative way. Self absorption doesn’t suit me well but it gets the job done. I find that trade off difficult. I’m a bloody good sport at the events and take wins and losses very well but my anxiety and the extra load at training make me less fun and someone I don’t enjoy. I hate that about competing.

I value the gain of skill, understanding, technique, improvement, refinement. Not so much titles and not gold. I would rather lose a match that was epic and a battle and against an amazing opponent than smash my way easily to the podium. So when I hit the competition and tap hands with an opponent I’m not scared or worried. I’m not at all because she cannot possibly take from me what I’ve gained prior to that moment. So if I win or lose the match, I’ve absolutely already won. Outcomes can go either way but advancing and improving is always a win.

I’ve competed in over 50 comps. Most actively in my blue belt and first year of purple. It’s no longer the actual competition matches that I get a lot out of or learn from anymore. It was at white and blue but not so much now. For me now its the preparation that a get a lot out of. I think this then helps me feel no pressure on the day. The lead up though… There’s always at least one epic melt down. Usually more.

I also feel like that drive to prove myself is done. I no longer feel I need to prove that I’m doing well. I just ensure I am.

What are the highs and lows of BJJ for you?

Lows are plateaus. They’re the worst. They always feel longer than they actually are. And you have them for longer and longer as you move up the ranks. For me these days, if I fix just one grip in a 3 month time frame, I’m happy. That’s a gain! Frustrated white belts missing a sweep twice but getting it the next week have no idea how lucky they are! Haha. That accelerated learning & daily improvement does slow down. I urge peeps to enjoy it now. And be less frustrated. Watching a white belt learn is like hearing a child learn to talk. It’s epic how much happens in a short amount of time in those early days.

The highs? When you’re rolling and you realise the plateau is over! It’s always suddenly and mid roll and in that moment you feel you’re a genius! You’re moving like a beast. Everything is smooth! Everything works! You nail a perfectly timed sweep and it sets up your favourite pass. It’s magical…it’s the greatest feeling in the world! Haha. Suddenly you’re in love with BJJ again. It’s what keeps me coming back. Even more fun to see others go through that.

The bigger picture life lesson here is that the peaks are only possible because of the plateaus. They are linked. Damn. That’s deep. Haha. But real.

You must have seen many people come and go – what keeps you going?

See above. Plus obsession. Plus believing that I can actually get good and be good at this thing. I have complete and utter belief in that fact. I don’t know why but I do.

What advice would you give other women who were thinking about starting BJJ or who have just started?

-Try to find a way to laugh at yourself at least once each session. Truly. Usually this comes easily in the form of a team mate who will be happy to help. Take the piss. Out of yourself and the situation. That’s what boys do in ALL sports. And they stick around.

-Refrain from bitching or critiquing other girls. It’s a habit. It will continue if you foster that habit. And stop if you don’t. Don’t make yourself miserable by saying mean shit. Even in private. Don’t be that girl.

-Don’t bring your existing understanding competitive nature to this sport. This sport is different than anything you have ever done so you need to approach it differently than anything you have ever done. Understand that your greatest competitor or best friend or least favourite person or weirdest team mate can succeed while you also succeed. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. You don’t even have to share and you will get better no matter what. That includes if other people do also. In fact. It’s inevitable. It’s how this sport works. Comparing yourself to others and creating your own hierarchy on where they/you should be at is a huge waste of time and not going to help you. Beat techniques, not people.

-Ask lots of questions. As a white belt you are discovering BJJ and learning how to learn it, not actually developing it yet. It’s heaps of fun and probably your entire obsession right now which is the perfect situation for advancing. You’ve gotta set up the frame work to make yourself no longer be a white belt. Learn how to be a teachable student. Learn how you process information. Learn who needs to deliver this to you. Sometimes it’s not only your coach. Be realistic in your assessment of yourself as a student. If you’re getting in the way of your own learning, no one can help you but you. Trust this old yoda on these ideas you should.

Australia Girls in Gi

In your opinion what do you believe it takes to be successful at BJJ?

The ability to self assess honestly. And to hear and accept feedback without taking it personally.

Who inspires you?

The people closest to me are my biggest inspirations. Dave Hart my coach is this in an epic in this way. He’s shown me that BJJ as a sport for myself & a community can be anything I want it to be, I just need to put in the work. As far as athletes go, Luanna Alguzuir has movement I would kill for. I love her technique. Her game rocks.

What personal lessons have you learnt about yourself since doing BJJ?

Too many to list. So many that they’ve changed me forever. I’m a much kinder person than I was pre BJJ. I’m also more certain of myself. And able to communicate on all levels much much better. This has vastly improved all of the relationships in my life, my working environment and my life. I couldn’t be more thankful for that.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

I see myself touring Australia as the black belt head of Australian Girls In Gi, offering seminars and private lessons to both women and men. I see myself gathering a shit load of knowledge about this sport between now and then and still be 110% driven to find a way to share that knowledge. I hope this vision becomes my life.

Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Dominance MMA. The entire staff there. They are my closest friends and my life. Australian Girls in Gi for being my inspiration. I want to be the kind of leader that group deserves. And they deserve the world. Dave Hart, my coach. The Bear, my partner.

Interview with Kristian (aka DreamKiller) Woodmansee

 

I like to interview people that I find inspirational, I figure if I’m inspired then I am sure other people will be inspired too. I have been training at Drysdale Jiu Jitsu Academy for about a month now and there are many stand out skilled BJJ practitioners here. Kristian (aka DreamKiller) Woodmansee is one of them, he is a brown belt under Robert Drysdale. I haven’t had the chance to get to know him too well but what I do know is that he always greets me with a warm smile, he has kick ass skills on the mats, he is a fantastic coach, I really enjoy rolling with him it is always a lot of fun and I really like his sense of humour – he is constantly cracking me up. Kristian lives and breathes BJJ, he even has his own clothing /gi line. His competition record is very impressive 18x IBJJF Medalist (7x gold, 8s silver and 3x bronze), he is currently ranked #1 brown belt in the world no-gi and ranked #1 rooster brown belt in the world no-gi. So when he agreed to let me interview him I was really stocked and while you read through his answer you will come to realise, as I did, he is not only inspirational, he is also and extraordinary young man – enjoy!

DreamKiller – One who chooses to acknowledge and embrace the fact that others must be crushed to achieve greatness

Dreamkiller

1. How old are you?

I am 26 yrs old.

2. When did you start BJJ and why?

I started training in March of 2008. It was something new and after I took my first class I was addicted.

3. How often do you train?

Currently because of my teaching schedule I am only training jiu jitsu 1-2 times a day, and then lifting weights 3-4 times per week. If I had it my way I would be on the mat all day.

4. How long have you been brown belt?

I am about 3 months away from having my brown belt for 2 years.

5. You are so privileged to be training at Drysdales Jiu Jitsu Academy, I have been very impressed by the level of skill, professionalism and how humble everyone is. What made you start training there?

Drysdale Jiu Jitsu is a great academy, definitely an amazing place to train. “Robert Drysdale” was the first time I have heard about when it came to jiu jitsu. When I became serious and started to make this my career I knew I wanted to train with the best, the move made perfect sense. The rest is history!

Robert Drysdale & Kristian Woodmansee

6. You must have seen many people come and go over the years, what keeps you going?

Jiu Jitsu is my life. It’s the only thing I do, its either teaching or training and that’s about it. For me it was an easy choice to make this my career because it is my passion, but its not for everyone. Jiu Jitsu has given me the best things I have in my life so it wouldn’t make sense to ever stop. You will see me on the mat for the rest of my life.

7. Who inspires you, do you have any idols?

I get inspiration from everyone and anyone that is passionate. Plenty of old school guys that are great black belts, and plenty of young kids that are still blue and purple belts have really impacted me in a positive way. The young ones are so talented and hungry that I envy them. Kids like Edwin Najmi, Mason Monsevais, Rolando Samson, and JT Torres, are what the sport really is at its purest form; I could list a hundred more. You can feel their passion, and they are beyond skilled but they bleed jiu jitsu, and that’s what its all about for me.

8. Do you have any moves that you love to do and get excited when you pull it off?

I am always looking to work on rounding out my game and staying open minded to new things. Any time I can pull something off that I have been working on is always rewarding, but I enjoy setting the bar higher every time I succeed a lot more than the actual accomplishment.

9. You have competed a lot over the years and been very successful, how do you deal with nerves on the day?

I honestly don’t get nervous, for me mental preparation and physical preparation go hand in hand. At the end of the day it’s a journey and my outlook on that doesn’t change regardless of how I perform, the only goal is to do my best.

Gold for the Champ

10. What other advice would you give someone who is new to competitions?

Just have fun. In my opinion if you aren’t enjoying yourself/happy then you shouldn’t even bother. Its amazing to win, and it always sucks to lose, but life goes on after the competition. A good friend of mine said something along the lines of “Just stick with it and keep showing up, the medals will follow.”

11. What are the highs and lows for you with BJJ?

Since everything I do 24 hours a day revolves around BJJ I have a lot going on. I live for one purpose and it is to be the best. Winning an epic title is always a high for me since I put a lot into it. Most of my lows are battles with my ego when I am getting beat on the mat, I have no problem losing when someone is better than me, but when I am lazy or not open minded it’s a hard battle.

12. What personal lessons have you learnt about yourself since starting BJJ?

Everyday I apply a concept of jiu jitsu to life and it’s amazing. A few great ones would be…. Never giving up, and if I just keep moving I will find success. Staying open minded, there is more than one way to do something. Balance is key, you must have two points that counter-act each other to achieve balance (good and bad, high and low, easy and difficult, pressure and speed.)

13. Do you have any advice to others who are just starting out or at a lower rank?

Enjoy it. Stay open minded. If you can only trust and believe one thing I say then let it be this, jiu jitsu will make your life amazing, don’t fight it.

14. In your opinion, what do you believe it takes to be successful at BJJ?

I think for each person it varies because we all have different views. I know what it takes for me and for most we all have a few main ingredients in common.

 Hard work + Consistency + Open Mind + Passion = Happiness and that’s all you need to succeed.

15. What are your goals/plans now?

Stay on my path, train hard and accomplish my personal goals I have set for myself. Looking to complete a grand slam as a Brown Belt which is winning 4 major titles in a row. Pan Ams, Worlds, Europeans, and Brazilian Nationals.   All that’s left is Brazilian nationals. After that I will be focusing on training in preparation for the 2015 ADCC’s.

16. When are you going to come to Australia and run some seminars at AMMA?

Whenever adam would like me to!

Lets book it Adam for the new AMMA!! ~ Tess 🙂

17. Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Everyone. Supporters, family, friends, Patchez, Andi. 3Fu3l for sponsoring me and allowing me to achieve my dream, coaches and training partners.

Thank you for sharing BJJ with me and allowing me to do so with you.

The mighty DreamKiller

Check out his websites below.

Kristian Woodmansee

DreamKiller

DreamKiller Store

Kristian Facebook Fan Page

Kristian Twitter

Tess’s BJJ Training Week 43 – Part One

Been really slack with my BJJ blog entries and to be honest I probably won’t be as regular as I normally have been. Had some great training sessions last week, even though it started off slow with a headache for four days which limited what I did but I finished strong. I have started a new strength training program. I have two courses at the start of 2014 so I need to train up for them which means I will have to cut back on my BJJ ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

I have decided not to do anymore comps this year, I want to concentrate on working on my weakness’s and then get back into the comps again next year. Since I have made this decision I feel a lot more relaxed with my training and my rolling has improved – I think because I am putting less pressure on myself.

Had a great training weekend last week, Friday I did a body weight workout up at the club. Sat I ran our kettlebell class and then I had several rolls. Trushna from Riddlers Gym was up at the AMMA and I had a few rolls with her which was a lot of fun, she is a really nice person. Sunday I had a PT session with Coach Steve we worked on arm drag take downs (love them), some guillotines and escapes and then we wrestled. It was a lot of fun and even Coach Steve said I have improved my movement and defense heaps lately. So I am happy with that.

Monday

Did my strength training this morning, body was tired from my PT session on Sunday but still got through it.

Headed to AMMA and did the beginners gi class with Coach Rory. I partnered up with Riini and we practiced guard pass to knee rides, was a lot of fun – always fun with my bud Riini!

I really wanted to do the next class but all I could hear was my strength Coach Andrew telling me not to do too much! My body felt great, my energy felt great and I was really torn between training and heading home for an early night – it was hard.

Tuesday

Did my body weight workout today at the gym and this afternoon I headed up to AMMA. Before class started I had a couple of rolls with Tim and Jed which was awesome! – There was a few of us rolling before class which was great to see.

Tonight in the beginners class, run by Coach Nathan, I helped assist (I also helped last Tuesday too). Wahoo, I want to help out as much as possible and then eventually start coaching BJJ. A few weeks ago I attended a Cert 1 level for Coaches in BJJ it was run Sean Allan, it was a great course, lots of great information and I look forward to future courses.

After the class I rolled for about half hour and then headed home.

Wednesday

Trained my strength training this morning but I have to work tonight so no BJJ training 😦

Tess’s BJJ Training Week 38

Monday

This morning I did a 30min row kept it at an average of 2.20 split and did 6.3km, so not a very fast pace. I want to work up to keeping it at 2min split for the 30mins.

Can’t wait for training tonight!

Have been starving all day, I can’t seem to satisfy my hunger.

Headed up to AMMA Gym was super tired and had a headache but once I started training I forgot all about it. I partnered up with Geoff (brown belt); he helped me with some finishing touches on an omoplata. Whenever I get in this position I can never seem to finish it off but the couple of tips he showed me will help heaps. Thanks Geoff!!

Had some great rolls tonight. My last roll with Blake was a stand out, it was very dynamic, fast action, lots of back and forward movement between us both – it was a lot of fun!!

It was great to have Coach Adam back teaching and rolling – we all missed him.

Tuesday

Body is pretty sore today, I did a 1km row for a warm up and then I did a mini body weight circuit 5 times through.

Had a PT session with Coach Adam and we worked on how to kill a berimbolo. Coach Adam said everyone at the comps are doing this and I need to know who to stop it.

I then partnered up with Tim in techniques and we worked on guard sweeps when your opponent is standing. Marcelo Garcia is awesome at this; I find his technique is incredible and great to watch. Tim is a great partner to have he is very studious and I always learn well with him, plus we always have fun too!

Tonight with rolling I was very sluggish and felt I wasn’t up to my usual standard. I have had a lot of training sessions since Saturday so I need some rest.

Wednesday

I slept in this morning, I didn’t go to the gym for a workout I wanted to get some rest and get a bit more sleep.

Got my new rash guards today, can’t wait to wear one tonight!

Got to AMMA Gym super tired but again once I started moving I forgot all about it.

We started off with a couple of drills and I partnered up with Dorn to start with but then we kept changing partners throughout the session.

Tonight was all about standing guard pass. The person on their back had to maintain their guard, get a closed guard or sweep – basically controlling the person with their legs, if the person passes their guard they need to roll out and recover their guard. The person standing had to pass the guard and get a better position. I don’t mind passing the guard, I am not too bad at that depending on who I am up against. Trying to maintain my guard though is another story, trying to control someone with my legs I am terrible at – I find it very difficult, frustrating and annoying which only means one thing – I need to work on it big time.

Coach Steve was there watching the class and he was cheering me on from the sidelines. After class I chatted to him for a bit, he is very encouraging something that I need right now 🙂

Coach Steve was saying that because I have lost weight I was being man handled a lot but on the upside my movement was flowing better. Adam then came over and said it doesn’t matter what my weight is, it is my game that I need to get sorted there is no point doing the same thing and expecting different results. Once I get my game sorted then I can worry about whether I should put weight on or not. He also said that I was thinking too much and that I’m lacking some confidence, I told him I had no confidence at the moment and he said he doesn’t understand why because when I am switched on I am very good – it was nice to hear those words from my Coach.

Coach Steve then said when I am dealing with someone who has more experience than me I need to just keep moving, as soon as I stop and think they will capitalize on it. He said if I keep moving and not think about everything so much, things will start to change. He said doing this I will make mistakes but eventually those mistakes will become less and my body will start to know what to do without me having to think about it.

A frustrating training session but a very good one – I learnt a lot about myself tonight.

Tess’s BJJ Training Week 37 – Part 2

Friday

10min row session

Saturday

Headed up to AMMA Gym to run the kettlebell class it was an awesome workout that was partner work…Tyrone was the only one who turned up for it so I jumped in and did it with him. Great class and we worked well as a team to get through it all.

After that I jumped on the mats, there was a great crew to roll with. There was Tim, Clint, Riini, Tyrone, and Daniel we all some great rolls. I tried a couple of new things sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t all in all it was an enjoyable session.

Sunday

Organized to have a PT session with Coach Tyrone, we practiced sweeps from half guard and butterfly guard, some basic stuff which I needed. It was an awesome session, I thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt heaps! Thanks heaps Coach Tyrone!!

Phil (black belt) and Geoff (brown belt) came up after that and we all rolled together, helped each other and had a great laugh! I felt very lucky a purple belt, brown belt and black belt to train with, it can’t get better than that! Awesome training session!

A good finish to what I thought was going to be a shit training week!

Tess’s BJJ Training Week 37

Monday

New day – still disappointed but I also need to realize this is a learning curve, I have a long journey ahead of me before things start to fall into place for me as a blue belt.

Did a 6km row today at the gym this morning. Tonight at AMMA Gym Coach Rory ran the class, the class was great we practiced drills for 10min rounds and then had a few rolls to finish off. Coach Rory had some pretty cool tunes playing too.

Tuesday

This morning I did some weights haven’t done them in ages, so it’s good to get back into it again.

Tonight’s class was great; it was run by Coach Nathan. We practiced guard armbars – back control – double armbar – disengage. I partnered up with Danielle and Ellie, it was a lot of fun. Had a few rolls after class, I kept trying to work on side control escapes.

Wednesday

No training tonight – I got free tickets to the Michael Jackson Immortal Cirque Du Soleil, awesome show, a lot of fun! It was a Thriller, thriller night!

Thursday

No training due to nothing but being a slack f**king shit!

My motivation for training is zero, not because I don’t enjoy it, I love BJJ. I just feel like I’m sitting in limbo at the moment, I know the best thing for this is to keep training and work through it but every time I train I get frustrated that I am not getting anywhere but the reason I am not getting anywhere is because my training hasn’t been as consistent as it should be. I feel so overwhelmed with what I should be doing. I don’t know what kind of BJJ practitioner I want to be or should be. I feel I have so much to work on, I don’t know where to start. I have so many goals but I don’t know how to get there. My brain feels scattered because I am probably over thinking everything way too much. I do this all the time with everything and that is one of the reason I get someone else to write my strength programs for me.

Pan Pac’s is only a couple of weeks out so if I do shit I only have myself to blame. I need to stop having this mental battle with myself, I snap myself out of it, writing everything down helps me.

Note to self:

Tess stop feeling sorry for yourself, nobody wants to read how you are a sooky la la! From now until the end of the year you are to train your arse off. You will sit down with Coach Adam and figure out some of the mumbo jumbo in your head so you are not so overwhelmed. If you want to see improvements you need to pull your socks up, stop whinging like a baby and start opening your mind to possible learning outcomes, once you do this your skills will start to improve/grow and your horizon will look clearer.

Tess’s BJJ Training Week 31 – Part 1

Monday

Feel great today, had a terrible migraine most of last week and only had a couple of training sessions.

I got to the gym this morning to do a rowing session – 5min Tabata and 5min distance. Felt great afterwards.

I have 5 weeks until Nationals so I need to get my butt into gear.

Had an awesome training session tonight, I partnered up with Dorn for techniques, we practiced some sweeps then we rolled heaps, each roll was a lot of fun. Rolling with different people I have noticed that depending who I roll with is how active it will be. Some people I roll with it is always so dynamic and then others it is more at a slower pace – I guess I what makes it so fun.

Tuesday

Body feels great – I did my weights this morning and I felt strong today even though I haven’t done them for a while.

Shit training session tonight, had the wrong mindset. It started off with a terrible PT session with Coach Adam; I was frustrated before I even started. Techniques wasn’t much better, everything was irritating me. After techniques I hung around for a couple of rolls and then I headed home, disappointing.

Wednesday

By the time I got to work today I only had time for a 1000m row, pull-ups and tuck-ups. Body is still feeling good. I am always worried when I have terrible migraines that they will return, so far so good.

Hopefully tonight I will have a better session at AMMA Gym.

There are some nights at training, and life, where you feel great and you pull off some super, awesome moves.

Some training sessions and you think “yeah baby I am on fire!!” you can do no wrong, and you rip the mats up like a ninja. Why can’t I roll like this all the time – you get sweeped and in mid air your turn your body and land straight into side-control. You feel like yelling “FREAKING AWESOME!!” did someone get a picture of that, cause that would have to be the “move of the night!” Then you realize as you look around that the only person that’s excited is yourself, even the guy your rolling with missed it – as my beautiful little niece would say “ohhhh maaannnn”.

I almost didn’t go to training tonight, can you imagine if I didn’t go to training I wouldn’t have gotten so excited about pulling off some cool shit. I love lots of movement when rolling, being locked down into a position and not being able to move annoys me. I hate it, girls are bad for this, when you get stuck in someone guard and no matter what you do you cannot break their legs open but at the same time the person isn’t doing anything with their guard, they are not trying to go for things they are just holding you there – there is nothing enjoyable about that. What I love is movement, when you are rolling with someone and everything is flowing, not only for yourself but for the other person too, you both try for submissions sometimes you get it, sometimes you don’t – if you don’t get it, you give it up and start the flowing again – they are cool and fun rolls. But like everything in life you have to have the good with the bad and just because my likes and dislikes are what they are, doesn’t mean everyone else’s are going to be the same. Generally the dislikes and the things you get frustrated with are the things you need to work on – I get this with my clients all the time, they hate a particular exercise but after repeatedly doing it at each session, working on the technique and their strength they start to enjoy it more and look forward to seeing new improvements in this area, same goes with getting stuck in someone’s guard for 5mins.

Tess’s BJJ Training Week 28

End of week summary

Training this week was great – it started off strong, training Monday and Tuesday night, I took Wednesday night off to spend some time with my Daughter, I trained Thursday night but didn’t roll my hips were super tight making it hard to walk, let alone roll. I had a massage on Friday with Sheldon; I haven’t had one for a while so it felt awesome to get rubbed down. Weight training this week was a light week and I also did some cardio sprints. All in all a good training week, next week is going to be better and stronger.

Monday

I partnered up with Phil (brown belt) and Vince (blue belt) and we practiced some moves to rescue yourself from when someone has side control on you. There was sweet choke that we learnt, I will have to remember and try out. After technique we rolled, I had about 7 rolls all of them a lot of fun.

Tuesday

PT session with Coach Adam was fun we mainly rolled, but we also practised the choke from the night before and we had a lot of fun and laughs.

Class I partnered up with Reece (blue belt), I really enjoy partnering up with him we always have fun and his skills are awesome so it makes technique class a lot easier. By the way, he also won gold and silver at the last competition, which I forgot to mention in my last blog, sorry Reece.

Rolling was a lot of fun again and I had about 7 or 8. I had some awesome little battles!

Saturday

After I ran our Kettlebell class I jumped on the mats and had a few rolls for about an hour. It was a lot of fun, I wish I could have stayed longer but I had to get some things done.

Sunday

I decided I have to get some more training in for the Nationals and will head up to the AMMA on Sunday’s for extra rolling.

I got there about 11am and Helaina (white belt), Ben & Ben (both blue belts I believe) from the MMA Clinic were there and also Jesse Taylor (MMA fighter and brown belt). For a while it was just 5 of us then Coach Adam jumped on the mats too. We all had a lot of fun and it was great to roll with some folks from another club. Helaina & I had a lot of fun, she is training up for the Australian Cup so she wanted to get some extra rolls in with someone she doesn’t normally roll with. We also rolled no-gi, which I love and I haven’t rolled no-gi for ages so it was a lot of fun to get back into it again, but not much help for my Nationals training as that is going to be a gi comp.

Coach Adam, Me and Jesse

Thanks to the crew who came up it was a lot of fun!

Helaina, Ben, Jesse, Adam, me and the other Ben was taking the pic