Rachel Bond

i was kicked in the crotch tonight. first time that has happened and i wasn't wearing my lo bloo!! damn. Wearing it even in training now.

So, I should say that I am new to watching women's fighting. I have only very recently took an interest in watching women's fighting, obviously because it is something I am training in myself now. Ive been blood thirsty for information regarding women and fighting..My opinion then, is taken from a very limited experience or awareness of different styles of fighting and different ways of reporting this fighting.I am also an artist and so please note my mind is interested in real life facts but also the importance of fantasy and imagination. I heard of Ronda Rousey from a joke made by a friend. I was joking about my new found Muay Thai skills and how i was going to kick his ass..He referred to me as a 'Ronda Rousey.' I first thought he was trying a play with words about the roundhouse kick (is that really her name?) Then I thought perhaps she was an Anime character..haha..Anyway, I looked her up and found a fight video and saw that she was real and a serious fighter. I already didn't like being compared to her (not my fighting skills of course, the comparison was made as a joke just because she is a name now resonant in popular culture and so an easy reference for anyone who knows anything about women's fighting.) But no, I didn't like it because I don't like being compared to a media invention. By that I mean, I don't see Ronda Rousey as a person, a fighter, but more as a type of character that world media have picked up as sellable. In the fight I watched, I saw the 'walk down' in which she was snarling and acting as a 'Tank Girl.' (I was a big Tank Girl fan of the comics by Hewlett and Martin during the 90s) 'Tank Girl' was created out of sci fi and a lack in the market for a 'butch, hard, fighting girl' She was a pin up of the riot grrrl movement that was rocking around feminist music and punk rock at this time also. Riot Grrl was all about female empowerment in music ( see Bikini Kill for e.g.)...Ronda Rousey would have been elevated by that movement as she tick s all the boxes of a Grrrl powerist and on the surface that seems a very feminist place to be, a live warrior, 'Ronda Rousey - a lone womans fight to the top of the world' and for her to be placed on the cover of sporting magazines is a testimony to her blonde and beautiful power..right? I grew up in the 70s WWF wrestling was the big thing..a fighting circus, a charade, a grotesque spectacle of male aggression, dominion and good vs bad . I used to love the 'Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks' and I booed and cheered with my brother and tried to ask my dad whether the whole thing was just a big joke..He was a patriot. Of course 'Big Daddy' was real. No offence to WWF fans, non meant, but you know, come on! So this walk down was just that. Ronda growling and fiercely entering the ring where she was about to dominate and win for the cause of brute power and female strength in the Ronda Rousey way of course, for 'Herself and her rise from her poor background'. Anyone can do it if they have what it takes? Ive also just watched a series of documentary about wrestling and female bodybuilding (Louis Theroux) So forgive me if all the links i make are to do with this recent line of series watching!...So, Louis' series does concentrate on the male gaze and involvement with 'powerful' women i.e. the physical. It introduces an idea that some men love the actuality of being submissive to these powerful women...the link I make is that Ronda Rousey does fulfil the fantasies of some male idea of beauty and sexuality. Ronda is traditionally speaking attractive to those liking a blonde, white, aggressive type. I say this because I wonder how much of her 'fame' is about this, rather than a rightful place of a winning fighter. The 'heroine' is an archetype...the media has a role in recreating the symbols that its consumerist public want to worship.... I didn't like the fight. Im not into MMA or wrestling or these types of fighting sport. They don't do it for me. With reference to MuayThai, I have been much more interested in the fights of Kaitlin Young who I consider (from only a few MMA fights Ive seen, in which she went in and finished her opponents in minutes) to be a real powerhouse fighter. Kaitlin is too, traditionally beautiful but there was no trace of the circus about her. I am interested in this site as a source of media for Muay Thai. I found an interview with Kaitlin here, I read about Sylvie's experiences here. Their involvement with reporting to and on behalf of the readership is what makes it real. I become aware of the truth of women's fighting, ambition and struggles here. Ronda Rousey may well be the 'most talked about' athlete but I believe there is a popularist, financially - led interest in her. As an Archetype, the sport hero is interesting. The God's of ancient Rome still boasting their achievements after all these years. Did they really exist?? Do we still strive to be the superhuman? To be a solo super strength crushing everything inferior in its path? Only some of us can make it if we have what it takes. Only some are chosen?? Real fight, I believe, is in exploring other qualities of greatness. So, I'm never going to beat 'Ronda Rousey' in a million years. Id no more like to fight her than I would like to fight Achilles himself and even he had a human weakness. I'm only really interested in those who can teach me how to win the fights that I hope to have in the real world. 'Ronda' represents to me all those men who like that i talk about fighting because they think it means I am trying to create a sexually dominant character for myself and so ultimately for them. I doubt that Ronda would tolerate that association but I don't want it either...should Sylvie or Kaitlin be on the front page of a sporting mag that might cover the story of their endeavours?? Are any of us really fighting to be 'at the top of the world?' I don't know - but I never read sports magazines anyway..its all advertising and bullshit. I have a copy of Amir Kahn's(UK boxer) latest interview in a magazine. I used it to inspire a video I made at work of me knocking out Khan with a kick to his head via our green screen facility...haha... Im just saying... Dont believe the hype! *post edited*

I'm pretty sure the guy i trained with on fri was actually going commando/ loose boxers..eee...i did hit something squishy with a wonky teep which was embarrassing but he got me back with one to the boob later on :D thankfully we were both going at very low power..ive taken the advice and now 'padding out' combos to get accuracy and speed..im even slowing that down as i was landing moves at the right speed but bits of technique were missing trying to keep that speed up...something i wouldn't have known had i not taken the power out...this partner was unique in that he was a male training with no power. he said he saves all his power for the bags.it was still great to train with him as he is tall enough to stretch all my kicks out. i am also more focussed on setting my own practice and not looking for any outside approval of it. at first i was too consumed with the idea that i wanted some approval or encouragement from trainers. my trainer seems to be letting me get on with it which i taking as a good sign. being concerned how my training 'looked' seems a bit ridiculous now and with more control over what i am doing i feel a greater sense of accuracy that feels good. its much better to feel it rather than try and make it 'look' it.

Tonight i trained with a youngish lad about 16/7 i think. he was a great partner in that he was strong but not so much as to over power me or overwhelm. we both kept an eye on technique rather than going for power. i was really impressed with his endurance in the combos. i realise that of course not just one partner can teach you everything...im finding that changing partners regularly is keeping it fresh and each has something different to offer..ie in this case i was learning from his ability with breath control and stamina, maintaining a good speed and pace. i would like to think i can offer something in return although I'm not sure what that is yet :) So together with the female partners i trained with earlier in the week i feel its been a good balance. My female partner was very strong with power and challenging in terms of pad work. I'm always wowed by strong power levels even though I'm learning about reducing mine in favour of control of my movements and breathing technique.

Tonight i grabbed the first male partner i could see..he was looking a bit lost so i bagged him...it turned out to be his very first night! So i went easy on everything except my kick cos I'm still working on that roundhouse. Anyway it was an experience. I was ok with it cos i had lifted weights and gone swimming earlier and was pretty tired anyway...my coach says to me its not a sprint. Its a marathon. so i can see why at first i was dead keen to see just how hard i could hit everything and now its naturally calmed down and tonight was just hanging in. Its all about experience i suppose i was being greedy for the best experienced fighters to train with and maybe it just goes around...ive also discovered that being whipped with a female's toes is not as gross as being whipped by a males..haha i don't know why...its just euww.

ive ordered one. my coach was on at me to get a metal one and even the thought of that sounded painful. so, i have no excuse not to spar now - I'm going in :ninja: also are there any other promos offered for chest guards?

removed post

removed post

thank you for the vid. my club has a guy up for a fight in manchester soon. I'm looking forward to seeing a live fight....i really like Iman Barlow..her kicks are amazing.

removed post

wow how was the fight? she's from a small town in the midlands, england i love that she's come out of there. its otherwise famous for making pies :)

removed post

I never breathe properly. I take one big breath and try to do everything with that... I don't know why I do this but the noise thing does help to exhale.

removed post

removed post

top lady!

removed post

removed post

im not sure if this has been posted before as I'm fairly new to the forum. id like to hear what people think about the positives/negatives of each of these experiences. do people think women should train together exclusively or to also train with males? has anybody had difficulties in choosing either partner? do any males think there are problems training with females?

removed post

louise le cavalier: lalala human steps.. Louise le Cavalier (principle dancer: lalala human steps.) I would recommend watching 'human sex'in which lecavalier displays some great movement, strength and dynamics that represent a fight between people. Another good examples of fight dynamics in contemporary dance are company DV8.Their piece 'Monochrome Men"looks at latent violence within homosexuality....:) These companies are from the late 80's early 90's which is when I was dancing and fully engrossed in dance scene. Louise LeCavalier is my favourite of all dancers. I went to see her perform in Leeds with her new company and by the end of the show it felt like my whole body wanted to explode. I would like to offer this as an example around ballet as ballet has many contemporary forms outside of its traditions.Swan Lake by M.Bourne for example is an all male contemporary ballet. The freedom from tradition has allowed many creations of dance around fight dynamics. Its not all about en pointe and pink tutus. :)

i have trained in ballet. I find it useful as it has strengthened all of my muscles, i have good flexibility and range for stretching joints. i have an understanding of directing the body, good co ordination, balance and experience in learning routine ( good for combos). also a thorough ballet training should offer some study of physiology. i am ashamed to say i missed most my physio classes and so missed a wealth of information that would inform ballet and muay thai. An awareness of muscle groups, bones etc would be amazing knowledge. I think this is only offered in advanced levels. Mentally, ballet is great for discipline of mind. Practically for training routines and also for remaining focussed. awareness of warm up importance, spatial awareness, timing, rhythm. Obviously the legs and feet feature predominantly in both forms for example I can throw good knees because I understand how they 'look' as a dance aesthetic.Working your partner/opponent is also something dance experience helps with in terms of movement through fight space and improvised movement/leading movement. Energy is channelled in dance and in muay thai. This is a skill that is practiced in ballet. In muay thai I've been taught to fight from centre..'centre' is also where ballet is brought from.See Martha Graham's practice for work on the use of 'centre' in ballet and M.Cunnigham's practice of 'centre' as a dance form. The rotation in the joints especially the hip joints for kicking as mentioned above is also a ballet skill. the use of the mind to visualise movement is present in both forms. The main difference i find is that within dance it is more usual to work with partners in a fluid way...ie they are allowing you to move them around for e.g..Obviosuly fighting is about an opposition of forces..which does occur in dance of course but dance will explore the dynamics of both fluidity and opposition. Great dance can be made form one partner refusing to move and causing momentum in their partner...which is in some way similar to fight partners opposing each other s force. 'ducking' blows or moving out of the way of punches and kicks is also something that contemporary ballet will explore...moving out of the dance partners movements to create dance. Both dance and muay thai are improvisational even though they both have definite routine. the improvisation skill will come in when deciding how to attack, which moves to make. On a downside..in ballet I was taught to work from centre in 2nd position. 2nd position is where the hips are turned out (as we do for kicks)but the feet are heels together and then rotated in line with the hips to an open position (its a lot easier to do or see this than describe in type!) Every dance movement falls BACK into centre and 2nd. This is find impedes my muay thai practice because of course we are fighting from centre, but in stance. Stance is completely different from 2nd ballet position and so if you're like me and trained to always go back there you have to mentally check that and make sure you fall in stance. Its hardly a big deal tho when you think of all the positives. I would recommend ballet to anybody. Its great for lots of things but I would say that cross training both at the same time may be confusing. You may need a very agile mind to keep all the movements separate. I describe muay thai as a dance, an art. both disciplines are beautiful to watch.

removed post

removed post

since my last post i have been advised to apply for physio, to continue using ice packs and anti inflammatries and stretching exercises to deal with tendonittis. This condition is common amongst 40 + women. ​i am therefore returning to training and going to dose up on some painkillers before i go. the nurse said it could take a year for my tendon to heal and then its not likely..its a condition you ve got to live with. im not exactly happy about that its very painful and inhibits my practice on the left side. ​I'm just going to see how it goes. if the tendon snaps..ill have to deal with that then, but it doesn't look like it will at the moment. im not sitting on it for a year tho and doing only gentle stretching exercises which is what they suggest. they also suggest a heel instep in my shoe. :(