grappling with life on the mats
The week of February 22 – 28, 2021 is recognized as National Eating Disorders Awareness Week by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).
*Content warning: the following post discusses disordered eating & exercise habits.
Disordered eating & exercise habits are a product of mental dysfunction—not ‘healthy habits gone too far’. Grappling taught me to value the benefits of nourishing my body for performance over monitoring the scale.
keep reading!I am STOKED to announce a new partnership with Reign Total Body Fuel. Head over to Instagram to enter my WINTER BLUES giveaway!
keep reading!Tap Cancer Out is the grappling community’s most charitable movement to support cancer-fighting organizations.
Learn about how grapplers of all experience levels worldwide can channel their passion for the sport into life-changing community action.
keep reading!The first time I jumped into a BJJ tournament, I was as novice as they come–maybe 2 or 3 months into taking classes? NAGA was
keep reading!Grappling is therapeutic. It can also be stressful, frustrating, and time-consuming. These tips can help get you to the mat when you need it the most.
keep reading!Female black belts are still a rarity in our sport, and it is even more extraordinary to find a woman who is the owner and head instructor of her own BJJ academy. Juliana Fontoura gave me a peek into the rewards of instructing and gym ownership, as well as how being a female in leadership sets her academy apart.
keep reading!When I meticulously drafted my plans for 2020; including competitions I hoped to enter, seminars I would travel to, and nutrition and strength-building programs I would follow to meet those goals… I expected to hit some bumps in the road. But the challenges I anticipated coming across were far more manageable–balancing my workload, nursing injuries, maintaining focus during practice.
keep reading!In the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community, you’d be hard pressed to find a grappler who hasn’t come across the Arm Bar Soap Company label with their promotional presence among the sport’s top athletes. But will a luxury soap make your jiu jitsu any better? The short answer is no; but it does promise to keep you in the game longer by preventing skin infections before outbreak–allowing you to stay on the mats and off the sidelines.
keep reading!I have dropped serious cash on my home fitness equipment–and this list only includes the items I consider the most essential in my workout routine. I consider it a worthwhile investment due to the fact I have been able to completely replace membership to a commercial gym, and I put in a ton of hours with my home workouts.
However, you don’t have to spend a fortune on getting started–most importantly, you need to consider what you’ll actually use, and the intensity & wear you’ll put your gear through before purchasing top-of-the-line equipment. That’s why I’ve also included some budget & DIY suggestions so that you can access all the workouts that I do without the upfront cost.
keep reading!Supporting small businesses is more important than ever–and an amazing way to preserve the grappling community by helping fellow fighters succeed. These are just a few shops I have purchased from that have high-quality gear & accessories you won’t find anywhere else.
For the female fighter who’s used to unisex styles and products geared toward male athletes, I wanted to take time to highlight the shops that cater to women in the martial arts community.
keep reading!