I'm doing this from my phone..

Alriiiight.. I'm intrigued as to how this turns out.

I'm also going to keep this as the briefest blog ever, as my auto correct is already driving me mad..

Updates:

I am getting back into photography. Well, attempting to. More specifically, fighting photography. The last set of serious pictures I took were at ADCC in Nottingham a couple of years ago (see blog entitled ADCC). But now, I'm trying to do it on a more regular basis. Here are some shots I've taken recently at training at Fightworx Academy: ok, I've attached pictures but have no idea where they will appear. Whatever. There are also some pictures of some Forca Luta t shirts. It's a new and upcoming MMA brand owned by one of guys I train with. So check them ooouuut.

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Second update. After some (polite) nagging about the lack of women's bjj stuff in UK mag Jiu Jitsu Style, I currently find myself in the process if writing an article about women's jiu jitsu in the UK and world scene. It will be in the next issue of Jiu Jitsu Style, so keep your eyes peeled! />


And finally, both my sponsors have some amaaazing stuff due out really soon. Scramble are in the final stages of releasing their much anticipated Vale Tudo shorts which look siiiiiiiick. They have also found a good quality bjj belt manufacturer and so they aim to start producing scramble belts very soon (they've been talking about this for a while,and have received a few samples from other companies, but the quality wasn't up to scramble standards- so you know these will be the sheeeeet- see sample pic I've attached, somewhere).

And, Pony Club Grappling Gear are looking to release 3 different t shirt designs along with their funky yellow and black spats, all at the same time (see pic). The t shirt designs include statements like "No bullshido, hespect", as well as glittery gold "I heart jiu jitsu". Ny favourite, which I'm VERY excited about is the Genki Sudo T shirt. Face it. Who wouldn't want one of those?

Oh, and superfinally- I'm on instagram. Find me. I'm "shebeastbjj".

Right, that's it. I have mobile-phone-texting-hand-cramp.

End.

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A quick update

Hi again,

I thought I'd update on a handful of things that have happened since I last wrote. First 2 quick ones:

1) 2nd tab ahoy..

Eeeeee!

I've been a blue for a year and a half now and the second tab was the reassurance and motivation I needed to know I was progressing. I know I've improved since getting my blue, but it's nice to know that your coach knows that too.

2) I got a freakin' WAVE

I've been wanting to get my hands on one of these since I saw the preview pictures. Honest opinion- It's the best gi I've ever worn. Now, I know I'm sponsored by Scramble and some people are going to assume I'm biased, but I'm not a liar. Nor am I brainwashed. I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions. If I didn't think this was the best gi ever, I'd say "Yeah, it's really... nice. The rashguard is perdy". But I'm not, it's genuinely the best fitting, best designed, comfiest gi to roll in I own.

Despite the (awesome) rashguard lining, it's still SO light! I'ts almost as light as my rio koi, which is crazy light. Because of the lining I'm limited for where I could put patches. But, if there's a will, there's a way...

Representin'

So yeah. Awesome gi, I'm not a biased jerk. What was next?..



3) I was in Jiu Jitsu Style!


Well, sorta. A few pictures from the recent Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu seminar ended up in the magazine. At the start of the seminar (when everyone was registering their names) Cyborg asked me for a roll. Seymour was on hand to take some shots of me flying through the air, but luckily none of those shots ended up in the magazine. Instead, here I am looking puzzled and tangled up in my own gi sleeve. Faaantastic.




END.

New blog in 2 mins. Exciting news coming..

Pony Club Grappling Gear

Alriiiight.

POOONIIIEEESSS!!

Hello again. So soon after another post you say?. I can tell you're impressed.

Anyway, I have news!

In addition to my sponsorship with the very very awesome (I-love-you-so-much-please-don't-ever-drop-me) Scramble


I am now a very proud sponsored athlete of
 Pony Club Grappling Gear.

This is an awesome clothing brand (started earlier this year) aimed at women in BJJ/MMA. Fed up of brands presuming you'll like their gear because they've slapped the label "girls" on their usual stuff? Or, (in my case) fed up of seeing everything designed for girls in being plastered in baby pink and heart and flowers and VOM. .

I was my friends, I was. PCGG is a refreshing new brand, with designs being kitsch and playful.  Best of all? It's created by a girl. So no more baby pinks and baby blues making me want to vomit up my soul whenever I see them. Win. PCGG is not exclusively for women though. Oh no no. That would be reverse sexism. Or, inverted sexism. Whatever. They make unisex sizes in all their shirts as well. Hoorah!

Checking out patches

Har Har 

So, they sent me some lovely t-shirts and a bunch of patches to get sewing on my gi's (my Mum hates me). Super soft shirts, and the patches are awesome (the logo was designed by Mr Meerkatsu himself).

The patches are craaaazy good. PCGG are doing an offer right now that has worldwide shipping for $5 on patches. I forget the discount code and what you have to do but it exiiissssts.

Wait, here it is.. enter the promo code: PONYPATCHONLY in the coupon bit where you make an order.

They've got big plans so get involved girls and (pony loving) guys. Woah. That sounded wrong.



WWW.PONYCLUBGRAPPLINGGEAR.COM


Thanks to PCGG for the sponsorship, can't wait to represent the next time I compete :)

End.

IBJJF comes to the UK

Hello again.

So, this weekend was a freakin' busy one in the world of BJJ with the IBJJF London Open, Miami Open, and European Nogi all taking part over the same weekend. This was the first ever European Nogi, and only the second ever London Open to be held in the UK, so I was keen to get involved with any event with the prestige of the IBJJF. 

I competed at the European Nogi (my second ever Nogi comp after I competed at Grapplers Quest in Coral Springs last year).

My buddy Seymour designed an UH-mazing "SHE-BEAST" logo, which Scramble plastered over one of their new ranked rashguards and handed over to me to wear. Look how freakin' badass it is..

BOOM

So I got to wear that bad boy to the European Nogi. I'm so grateful to Scramble and Meerkatsu for teaming up to produce this. It just shows the support for womens BJJ in the UK, when a top UK brand makes a custom designed rash guard for a girl (and a measly blue belt at that!). Very thankful indeed. Cheers guys :)

Enough of that. Back to the competition. 

No videos, sorry. You'll to read through my blabbling instead.

In my division there were only 3 of us. One girl didn't make weight, which left me with one fight to get gold. Now, I'd done my research. By research, I mean some casual facebook stalking/ googling (oh shut up, you totally do it too). The girl I was left with was a 4 tab blue, and she'd medalled at the European Gi last year. Eeeexcellent. You've gotta fight tough girls to get better..

I lost by 2 advantages. It was a disappointing fight, as I got caught in her guard, gave away 2 advantages when trying to do a standing guard break (but fell on my butt and jumped back up before she could get points for a sweep). I did that twice, thus, 2 advantages to her. We were brought back to our feet, and knowing I was 2 advantages down, I pulled guard (WHY?!). No, I take that back. I've been working my ass off when it comes to my guard, and I felt much more comfortable pulling guard at this competition. I managed to almost pull off a deep half sweep, and a flower sweep, but one sweep went out of the matted area, so no points. Sad times.

My biggest fear was getting caught in a closed guard. I'm used to gripping up and standing to pass in the gi. So, all in all, I was happy with the fight. I didn't get my posture broken, and I neutralised her trying to escape her hips or grip my arms. I didn't feel in any real danger. So, a loss, but a good one. If that makes sense. Every cloud, n'all that..

My face in this picture summarizes my feelings regarding this fight..

So I got a silver. A shiny, default, silver.

Sexiest default medal, ever.

Being the keen bean I am, I tottled over and registered for the absolute (I'd paid £60 to fight, and I was going to get my moneys worth!)

Now a little recap; I'd had a 6 hour coach journey from Paignton to London to get there. I left at 00:01 Sunday morning, got there at 6:20, and in that time I got about 2 hours sleep. I was running on adrenaline for the first fight, but come 2/3pm I was a dyyyyyying, and the absolute was due to start at 4:40. I really wasn't feeling up for it, but I figured I might as well give it a go (..such positivity).

There were 9 of us in the absolute (I think). I had 3 fights, (won 2, lost 1) which meant I had earned myself another silver.

A quick breakdown:

Fight first

The first 2 girls I fought had got gold and silver in their weight divisions (light and middle). First up was a middleweight girl. I've discovered that my wrestling is chronically bad. I knew it was, but standing in front of an angry looking Eastern European chick was the moment I really realised my wrestling chronically bad. After attempting a couple of pitiful single legs, she pulled guard. Luckily, I managed to get my knee up so her guard popped open as soon as she hit the ground. I got double unders, passed, knee on belly, and then mount.

I was working for an americana but she rolled to her side so I switched for an armbar (something I previously wouldn't do, for fear of not submitting, and ending up on my back). She was very quick to stack me up, so she ended up in my closed guard. My favoured hip bump sweep saved the day, and I got mount again. She got out of mount, and sat back for a footlock. Holy hell, a footlock. I mess about with them at training, but thought "nnnnnnnoooooooooooooooo!" and grabbed her head so she couldn't sit back. The joys of nogi meant I could wriggle my sweaty little foot out without too much trouble. I didn't rack up points for giggles- I wanted to win! I followed her up and  ended up in side control when the bell went. First fight won, 13-0.

Second fight

This time I was up against the girl who won gold in the lightweight. I'd seen her submit her first opponent in the absolute in literally seconds. Game on.

I tried to work my stand up more, going for some arm drags that I'd been working on at training. Unfortunately the girl had obviously been working the same technique. There were moments when we looked at each other in a "heyy, that's what I'm trying to do" kind of fashion. She got bored quicker than I did and pulled guard. I got my knee up again (WINNER!). Knee slice pass, and I was in side control. I swear to god, I have never been so frustrated trying to keep someone in side control. She wouldn't stop wriggling. For a lightweight, she was ridiculously strong, and she managed to get to her knees and grab my leg to try and drive me over a couple of times.

I managed to sprawl and get her back on her back. Well, I thought I had, but a quick glimpse at the score board and somehow I was down by one advantage (that she must have got for grabbing my leg? She was nowhere near putting me on my back though, so..?). I thought, there's no way I'm losing this fight when I've spent about 3/4 minutes moving from side to north mount, so I gave her some shoulder pressure of doom to try and keep her still long enough for me to get points for a pass. I got there in the end! She managed to regain, but luckily I pulled off my jumping guard break, and passed again. She didn't stay still long enough for me to attempt any subs, but a second win 6-0 (0-1 adv).

The final

I faced off against the girl who beat me in my division again for the final of the absolute. I had planned this scenario in my head. I was going to pull guard, in the hope of sweeping to get on top, and to avoid getting stuck in her guard again. Unfortunately, I'm freakin' slow, so she pulled guard super fast. Great. Stuck in closed guard. 

I didn't really know what was best. I conversed with myself in my head whilst posturing and stopping her from trying to isolate an arm. Being such a close fight last time around, I was hesitant to go for a jumping guard break in case she got an advantage again, and that was all she needed to beat me in the first fight. I figured I'd trying to get double unders instead. In my infinite wisdom, I put one arm under first. I'm an embarrassment  I know. The other hand was just a teeeny tiny bit slower than the first, but she grabbed my arm and went to wrench on an armbar. I managed to slip my elbow back past her hips, and put enough pressure on to quickly snatch my arm back. One advantage to her. Bollocks. That didn't work. The remainder of the fight I half heatedly attempted my jumping guard break, but never fully committed incase I got swept. In the dying seconds I got underhooks, but she made her hips heavy and I could get my hands to meet, to stack her up. I lost (0-1 adv). In a weird way, I felt like it was a good loss. I felt fairly safe (apart from the armbar moment..) sat in her guard. I left knowing what I need to work on, which is what it's all about..

This is not the best position to attempt to obtain double unders from. Fact.

Bluurrrrrrrrrrred

The level of jiu jitsu from the girls at this competition was insane. I hadn't seen anything like it before. Within the first 10/15mins of watching the girls fight, I'd seen chicks pulling off flying armbars and another girl choke a girl out cold with a deep darce. I know it wasn't cheap to enter, but it was a totally different pool of girls to fight (I was one of a handful of British girls in the blue belt division) and it because of the title of "European Championships" it had attracted some tough girls who have medalled at bigger comps in their home countries. In previous years, I've fought the same girl 5 times in the same year at smaller UK competitions. Not that there is anything wrong with the smaller competitions (they're much cheaper, and run fantastically well) but if you're fed up of fighting the same girls/no girls/being shoved into an absolute because there are ZERO girls, then I reckon it's worth missing out on 1 or 2 smaller ones, and saving your pennies for something like an IBJJF one. I was skeptical at first, but after competing, I'll definitely be doing this and The London Open next year.

Another thing..

Living so far away from London, it's a massive deal trying to get a team up to an event. I went alone, and the day before my buddy Sam traveled alone to the London Open. He lost his first fight, but was positive about the experience and enjoyed it nevertheless. It's very strange not having your team there at an event.  I was lucky enough to have the awesome guys from Mill Hill and Matt from scramble cheer me on, as well as Seymour taking some pictures, but Sam was totally alone in a stacked blue belt division. Sam's a beast, and I know that he'll continue to smash at any other comps he does this year. So well done dude :)


I mentioned that the Miami Open was on this weekend too. Congrats to the Avengers and Avengers girls who I trained out in Miami with, especially Amie, Pereira, Ricardinho, Frans, Mestre Deninho and of course, Mestre Cyborg (and anybody else I forgot!) Oss, fightsports familia :)

Special thanks and well done to:

The guys from Mill Hill who competed and cheered me on- Chris, Dan, James, Windsock, Jack, all the Andys' and Nick Brooks (who I saw very briefly) Win or lose, you all put on an awesome performance guys!

Scramble Matt- for cheering me on and being awesome

Seymour- for favouring me in your picture taking duties, and being awesome.

I can't be bothered to spell check this. The End.

Oh, hello there..

Yes, I'm back. Well, sort of back. Let's see how long this lasts. Since I last wrote a blog, I've been teaching science full time. I didn't get the memo that the teaching career saps away your time and your soul and so, I've barely had enough time to eat and shower, never-mind write a freakin' blog.

I'm going to attempt to summarise the past few months in a few paragraphs. Wish me luck.


1) I moved to London. That's right, the big smoke. Cool stuffs occurred whilst I was in London. I trained at Mill Hill (Roger Gracie Academy) and my coaches were frickin' badasses (Nick Brooks, Dan Strauss, Oli Geddes).

Since training in the city, I went to seminars held by:

Mauricio Gomes:

De La Riva:

That's right bitches. Not one, or two, or three, or four, or fi.. BUT ELEVEN black belts on the match-ee..

and Michelle Nicolini (held at the lovely London Fight Factory). 

Leoni, Michelle and Me

Sexy Picture by sexy Meerkatsu

It's been awesome, especially as we tend to get forgotten about back in the West-country. Sad times..


One of my highlights of my time in London was getting my first tab on my blue belt from Nick Brooks.

Ta-daaaah

He welcomed me into the club, and spent a lot of time and effort focussing on improving my guard, and I'm very grateful for that. He arranged for me to be taught in smaller groups with club ninja Chris Hearn, meaning that I essentially got spoilt. But, if anyone asks, none of that actually happened, because girls belong in the kitchen, and not on the mat.. 

.. Ahem.
So that was my time in London. I've met some badass people at Mill Hill. Having the pleasure of training with the one and only Meerkatsu has been a pleasure. He's a fountain of BJJ gear knowledge. A fountain I shamelessly exploited. Any advice on gi's, he's your man. He also has really frickin' boney shins.

PLUS, he makes honeybadger fightwear..

Evidence as to why girls prefer pictures BEFORE rolling..

What else you ask?

Well, I'm home now (Yaay). You might not care, but I do. Look how pretty home is..

Ahhh

And so I'm back training at my old club where my jiu jitsu journey began (Fightworx Academy under black belts Darren Yeoman and Raphael Dos Santos). 

I also plan on making routine drop ins at Gracie Barra Plymouth with black belt Tom Barlow and his guys (whom are lucky enough to be having their academy re fitted as we speak).

Here's Fightworx:

Sexiest gym in the UK, without a doubt. (Shamelessly stolen picture). Don't care.

2 more things:

I tie dyed a gi. Forget "The Ring". "The Ringworm" is where it's at..

Oh, and I got my belt embroidered :)

Ohh, yeaaah.

I'm training my butt off for the IBJJF Euro Nogi Championships next month. I'll keep you updated on anything interesting that might occur before then.


Aaaaaand finally, you should buy some scramble stuff. Sexy spats, hunky hoodies, and soon to be IBJJF ranked rash guards, and a frickin' lush gi.

Click on the pretty picture below to get to the website.

Do it do it do it.

Ok, so let me explain the importance of that pretty picture.

When (not if, when) you order some Scramble stuff, pretty pretty please do it through the links on my blog. 

It will take you directly to their website, but when you buy something the guys at Scramble know that I sent you. Yes. It's essentially, magic. 

So please, do it via my blog otherwise I won't get fed. 


..Thaaaanks.


P.S I've posted a heap of links around the blog. If it has scramble on it and you can click it, DO IT. 

Until next time..

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ADCC in pictures

I haven't written anything in forever. I am ending my silence with some pictures of ADCC from September. It was UHmazing watching all the big names fighting. Was even better that the stadium wasn't full and I could wander around and find the best seat, depending on who I wanted to watch fight. Anyway, I digress.

First up, my previous coach Tom Barlow vs Jeff Glover.

Now, I'm a fairly laid back kinda girl. I like my funny. I'm all for people wanting their fights to be entertaining to watch for the public (it is afterall, what we are there for). I'd seen a few fights of Jeff's before and thought he's coooool. After seeing him fight Tom my opinion had swayed from cool to twat. Right from the start, Jeff tried to humilate Tom. Turning his back to him, doing some lame baiting his leg shit. It angered me on quite a deep level. If you want to be entertaining, smash the shit out of someone then tap them. Did Jeff do either? No. Prick. Here he is, failing to pass guard.

Sorry about that. It was like I was re-living it..


On a lighter note, the ladies fights were frickin' AWESOME. Michelle Nicolini in particular stood out for me. I want her butterfly guard, please. In general, I'm not gonna lie- USUALLY the mens fights are more entertaining than the ladies. I'm not going to lie. But I reckon they were pretty close at this event. Here's Kyra taking some bitches arm home..

Here's Nicolini with her butterfly guard trying to sweep the UK's own Yas Wilson. Was good to see a share of UK women representing at ADCC. Hopefully that'll continue.

The final between Michelle and Kyra was AWESOME. I was 2 rows from the front and took about 6 bazillion pictures of that fight. It was so back and forth. Nicolini so very nearly finished the fight with this armbar..

..Which got even tighter..

Kyra managed to escape and then they both found themselves scrambling for each others feet..

My knowledge of toe holds is fairly limited so I spent the whole time grimicing and them bending each others feet around..

The stoof up again.. Michelle took Kyra back down again...

Then Kyra sank in some some rear-naked-choke-but-not-from-the-back-and-I-had-her-arm-triangled-up-out-of-the-way kinda, thing, which forced Michelle to tap.

Kyra, stick choking Michelle..

Happy Hoger..

But yeah- AWESOME fight.

Other highlights of the competition included... Marcelo Garcia (duh.)

 Finishing Viera in the final with this slick triangle..

..and having us all panicking when Kron nearly finished him with a tight guillotine

Galvao wins, a lot..

Cyborg latching onto a knee..

 Happy Mendez and sulky Mendez

Cheery Gabi

..And Joao Assis squeezing some guys head

End.