Well, how does one begin a guest post? Carefully, I think. The topic I’m choosing to introduce myself with is why I am both a woman and a mixed martial arts fighter.
For those of you unfamiliar with MMA, let me give you a little background. MMA is a form of fighting that incorporates elements of martial arts, boxing, muy thai fighting, Brazilian style fighting, etc. It focuses on striking with fists, elbows, feet and knees, as well as submission style ground fighting, pinning opponents, etc. It has become sort of famous for how violent it looks and the high rate in injuries it can cause. It tends to result in injuries, ranging from the very minor to sometimes major ones. So, I guess you’re thinking, “why would anyone (male or female) choose to do this stuff?” Well…
I came to MMA primarily through boxing. I began boxing in high school. I took it up for a number of reasons. Firstly, boxing was a sport that fit my body type. I am 5 ft. 10 in., and go (now) about 170. I enjoy working out and weight-lifting. I didn’t do it initially because I wanted to lose weight or be healthy. I liked the results it produced.
Also, I put up with some harassment in high school, particularly from girls, and boxing gave me a confidence and stature that I liked and enabled me to stand up for myself. When I went away to college, I starting going to a gym initially for boxing and martial arts (I have my green belt in shotokan karate). The gym offered classes in MMA techniques for both men and women. I took up MMA with no desire to compete against other people or in actual matches (which is totally fine). Lots of MMA practitioners do not actually fight. They just train for health or self-defense purposes. A trainer at my gym suggested that I start sparring with other women at the gym, and I did. It grew from there. Now, the gym will sometimes sponsor exhibition fights – people who train at the gym in a friendly fight to promote the sport. I am not a professional and don’t intend to be (what with the whole law school thing). I compete in matches because I enjoy it, because it keeps me fresh and on my game, and because (here comes that word) I find it empowering. So, why do I, exactly? Let me try to articulate a few reasons:
1.) Being strong is awesome. I mean physically strong. I’m aware that, as far as empowering women in the long run goes, increasing our physical strength is not high on the list. But I always deeply internalized the idea that women are WEAK. Weak in a whole mess of ways – physically, mentally, emotionally, too. For me, the building up of my physical muscles, endurance, stamina, and body in general was an amazing experience. Don’t take this as a put-down of anyone who doesn’t lift weights or build up their bodies. I am not stating across the board that physical strength to something to be strived for. But for me, the realization that my body, itself, is a source of strength and power and skill, was a huge thing for me.
2.) MMA is a great sport in that, unlike some others, it is not especially weight obsessed. There are absolutely some MMA fighters who become fixated on a particular weight class and fight to stay in it (and will use really wonky forms of weight control to do it). However, especially in women’s MMA, the trainers really do not emphasis weight, loss or gain. They emphasis learning what your body type is, how it responds to particular kinds of training, and learning its limits. Then, they tend to train you within those limits. For example, I am tall and very long-limbed. I am also on the thin side for MMA and do not weigh a great deal. My training is a lot less of boxing and strength and much more flexibility exercises, grappling, and floor-based fighting styles. I get a lot of submission and chokehold training too. A larger woman with a higher weight would likely get more weight training with an emphasis on boxing, striking, and martial-arts styles. These differences work because there are multiple ways to win an MMA fight. You can knock out your opponent, make them submit through a hold, or just go to a judges’ decision. So really, the job of the trainer is to help you discover the skills that work best for you, and to train you well in them.
Now I now that some of you are likely unconvinced. You might think that MMA is barbaric because it’s pretty violent. And it is. I pull no punches here. Fighters get choked, punched, pinned down, kicked, thrown down, have their limbs twisted, and other stuff. Lots of times, people bleed (usually from the head, where the skin is thinner and easier to split). Noses and fingers and toes get broken. People get stitches. I’ve been injured several times. Yet I keep doing it, and I greatly enjoy it. Why? It’s a complex question.
I guess the first part is that I do not inherently view violence as a bad thing. I am not a pacifist, believer in non-violence, or anything of the sort up front. I don’t embrace the theory that because a sport is violent means that it shouldn’t be played. I also believe that simply because MMA is violent or bloody doesn’t make it wrong for women to participate in it. The criticism that it is savagery is really a sort of insult. A fight can last approximately 15 minutes (with breaks in the rounds). The crowd does not see the weeks (sometimes months) or training and planning the fighters have invested in this short time. We train hours on end to get ready, and our coaches and trainers invest a lot, too. To suggest that because it is brutal or violent, the fighters are not well-trained or prepared is false. Each fight represents a giant investment in a fighter’s time and energy.
Secondly, MMA is not savage because it looks crude or rough. Martial arts are praised for how graceful or elegant they look when practiced a lot. However, martial arts shares a lot of goals and teachings with MMA overall. Martial arts emphasize neutralizing the opponent with minimum harm (which, yes, MMA teaches as well). They emphasis striking critical areas of the body and using momentum to turn your opponents. MMA applies the same teachings, just in a different manner. Just because it looks crude or like play wrestling doesn’t make it so. So really, I don’t believe that the violence poses a substantial barrier to women fighters like myself.
Lastly, isn’t MMA dangerous? Yes. But all sports are. And just because great danger appears to be present does not mean it actually is. You might be surprised to know that serious injury rates in MMA are extremely low. This is for a bunch of reasons. First, serious injuries are minimized when the fighters are well trained and prepped for the event. The worst injuries occur in unsanctioned fights with untrained fighters. If your trainer or coach (and you) all prepared correctly, the risk of injury is low. In addition, the referee is there to ensure serious injury risk is minimized. MMA refs can stop a fight at any time, for any reason. They are there solely to ensure that the fighters are safe the entire time. They are required to stop a fight if they believe that one fighter cannot adequately defend themselves. In short, MMA, despite how it looks, is incredibly safe.
So in closing, what do I want you to know about MMA and female fighters? I guess it’s overall, that while what we do might not be your personal cup of tea, we’re doing something that, at least for us, is a form of having power. I think I’ve discovered that it is awesome when you realize that what this amazing body you have (yes, it is) can do (regardless of what this is), the moment is amazing. And being able to use mine all the time, to fight and win and push it in new ways, it outstanding. My chosen method was Mixed Martial Arts, and I’m glad it was. So this is why.
Everyday I walk past a YMCA with a big “Free Boxing Lessons!” sign in the window, and everytime, I think, That sounds awesome; I should do that. And never do.
Next time I walk by, I’m going to pop inside and ask how. Thanks.
1. You sound like a badass. Awesome.
2. The thing about MMA not being brutal and savage – I take your point that for the participants it’s an art form and a way of life and seeks to minimize harm, but I think that critiques of MMA as savage are not so much about the two people in the ring as about the fans. I had a guy roommate for a while that would invite people over to watch UFC matches, and while I have the utmost respect for the *fighters* as people and as athletes, the guys in my living room were basically looking at it as live-action Mortal Kombat. “Yeah, go for his eyes!”-type encouragement. So their enjoyment of the sport seemed savage to me, revelling in violence for violence’s sake, while the participants in the fight just looked like amazing athletes.
Sorry if that doesn’t make a lot of sense.
@Yvan: I do think you’re right about people looking on MMA as some kind of live-action Mortal Kombat, but I think the testosterone poisoning can be just as bad for other sports. Look at English football fans…they’re so violent they’re often banned from sports venues in other countries. And that’s a non-contact sport!
Drahill, I loved this post because I studied martial arts for years, for many of the same reasons that you do. I love being physically strong and the confidence that gives me. Knowing that I can put up a fight if I need to makes me a lot less intimidated or fearful in my day-to-day life. In a world that likes women to be weak and fearful, martial arts go a long way to breaking us out of that bind.
(Although I agree that the injuries suck–I retired from karate because I was sick of constantly nursing broken or bruised ribs/toes/fingers.)
I have most def. seen fans who really take the sport as an opportunity to satisfy, I guess I would call it, their own blood lust. I think in all sports, there is sometimes a belief that fighters represent the fans or what they want (or the entire country, as we just saw recently). It’s not MMA per se – I think it’s pretty easy to find examples of fans getting too passionate in most sports areas (especially those judged to be uber-macho).
Most MMA fighters, even the women, are extremely aware of the “thug culture” that many believe MMA is a part of. Lots of fighters go out of their way to correct that image and are the nicest people ever. The UFC, which is the largest professional MMA organization in the country right now, is very strict about codes of behavior and how to treat fans. Some MMA fighters are jerks – that’s a given. But I was shocked myself when I first started to find that practitioners are, overall, a really nice and self-aware group. it’s cool.
“1.) Being strong is awesome… for me, the realization that my body, itself, is a source of strength and power and skill, was a huge thing for me.”
yes! changing my perception of the function of my body from ‘looking pretty’ to ‘being able to do stuff’ was an amazing realization for me, and marks a much healthier self-body-relationship. i don’t even engage in any organized sport or regimented physical activity, but feeling competent and strong because i can ride my bike up hills, or hike trails is effing fantastic.
this post gives me another reason why MMA is one of the best sports out there. It takes true skill to get out in the “octogon”, and I have always admired the female fighters. I wish they got more publicity, and that other women in this country would see that you don’t need to be waif like to achieve status in our culture. I wish I was an MMA fighter, but not sure my 30 something year old body could take the hits.
You rock!
Drahill, I would like to applaud:
“for me, the realization that my body, itself, is a source of strength and power and skill, was a huge thing for me”
I found exactly the same thing, and I still find that discovering the strength, power and skill of my body (yes I’ll say that word) empowering.
Having a healthy active body is for me, a tenet of my personal feminist philosophy.
(I’m not MMA athlete, but I play other sports.)
Hey, as long as the participants are consenting adults, no one else has any right to judge them. I seriously doubt whether there’s a problem with excessive violence. My understanding is that athletes have to be disciplined when they play any sport, although people do lose it now and again. But, as was pointed out above, the fans are another story.
Drahill, was it hard for you to learn to hit or kick another person? I do kickboxing workouts, which are my favorite kind, but no one else is involved, and I feel like I’d have a mental barrier to actually striking someone else, since females aren’t supposed to do that.
@MM: I feel like I’d have a mental barrier to actually striking someone else, since females aren’t supposed to do that.
You’d get over it quickly. Especially if they’re hitting or kicking you. At least, that was my experience. And the women I’ve sparred with always punched/kicked me harder than the men.
Excellent post. I’m a big fan of MMA, and have found that a lot of MMA “style” workouts do really well for me. I’ve never trained officially, and I don’t know that I will but the draw for me in watching is the skill and athleticism of the fighters. Also the Husband what Rules has a long history with Martial Arts and Wrestling, and with him filling me in on what exactly they’re doing I’ve developed an even great appreciation.
I’m kind of your opposite in that I’m short and stocky (5’4″, built like a fireplug) and one of the things that has long driven me crazy about being a woman who works out is the fact that no one cares about my strength, just that I “looked” right. At my strongest and fittest people would tell me I shouldn’t lift so much because I’d “get big” and all that crap.
PS One of the nicest guys I’ve ever known was a Pankration fighter, so boo to the thug stereotyping.
Oh, and thank you Harpies for inviting Drahill to blog!!!!
This explains to me a bit of why my younger sister enjoys sparing so
much. I couldn’t tell you off the top of my head what sport she does but after a broken collar bone, broken fingers and toes and two skull fractures I asked why she still does it. Her answer was always a smile and a, “You won’t get it unless you try it.”
Could be since she’s younger she has a hard time articulating responses. But this was very informative! Thank you for sharing the experience!
Awesome post, Drahill. It’s great to see a woman talking about enjoying being strong – women, rather, considering the comments. I’m more like GeekGirlsRule size and build-wise, though my strength comes from gymnastics and dance. I’ve always felt something of a disconnect between how people think I should look and how I want to be and feel. For me, there’s nothing quite like knowing what an amazing instrument my body is and being able to control it to the extent required by whatever discipline I choose.
Thanks for posting this. I absolutely believe that all women should be able to at least protect themselves or know what to do should (heaven forbid) they encounter threats of assault.
I studied capoeira for 2 years and it was the best fun I ever had. Always was curious about MMA but was wary of the apparent thug culture and the violence. I think I’ll give it a go now.
Totally agree that it is awesome for a woman to be physically strong.
You go Drahill!
Great article, Drahill! I LOVE watching the MMA fights on TV when I can catch them–and I’m usually very good at figuring out who’s going to win the fight
. But I don’t see female fighters on TV very often, which is really disappointing.
I’m fascinated by MMA and I’d love to try it, but I have a lot of mental and physical hang-ups to deal with before I take the plunge. I’m similar to your body type, at least in height–I’m around 5’9″ and have long limbs–but I’ve never been the least bit muscular or athletic, and I always perceived myself as fairly frail. So I’d definitely have to build up some physical confidence. I’d also have to get around the fear of hurting someone…but there is something about direct, hand-to-hand combat that I find really beautiful and exhilarating.
Thanks so much for such a great post Drahill. You’ve put in to words what may female martial artists / MMA fighters were thinking.
I’m heading out to Thailand on Saturday for ten days of intense Muay Thai training followed (potentially) by my first fight. I found making the transition from hitting pads to people quite mentally challanging. But my trainer and I pared it back to the basics and, through his patience, we reached the point where I really enjoy being in the ring.
Like you say, half the journey is about training and figuring out what works for you and your body, and that’s the part no one else really sees. But when you get to the point where you see your body transforming, it’s such a great feeling.
I’ve worked out in the gym for years but never have I seen the results that I have from the past six months.
Two years ago I hadn’t even tried martial arts. Now….I’m hooked!
It’s a sport that I encourage all women to try. With so many different martial arts to choose from, there’s a type for everyone.
Thanks once again, Olivia.
(@oliviabevan)
Hi Drahill, I’ve also put a link to your post on my own martial arts blog: http://girlswhograpple.wordpress.com/
Thanks, Olivia.
Great post!
With my background (coming from a very traditional school of non-sporting Tae Kwon Do), I was trained to be somewhat suspicious of MMA and other “sport” styles (due to injury risk, philosophical differences, and mild martial arts snobbery). It was a nice surprise to find that you enjoy it so much and get so much empowerment out of it. Hope you keep training.
You’re right on the money with how you can’t judge the sport because it *looks* crude; that’s not an accurate picture of either intent or effect. Some of the most graceful-looking traditional martial arts moves seen in demonstrations are, when performed on a person at full speed, incredibly violent.
Maybe I’ll try an MMA workout sometime. Thanks for shining some light on a frequently misunderstood subculture.
I’m an actress, currently training with a program started by David Mamet (most recent film, Redbelt about MMA.) Mamet’s theory is that learning a skill (any skill – dance, language, crochet, painting, martial arts…) only increases your capacity to learn more skills – very important for an actor to be able to learn new things quickly.
In this vein, part of the training is a beginner class in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu, which I am *loving*. I am very slight of frame and not at all physically strong and I now realize it’s really important to learn the basics of some kind of hand-to-hand technique from a purely self-defense position.
A writer from Black Belt magazine came by our class to see how martial arts training was helping actors, and he brought some issues of the magazine for us – I asked him why no female cover models, and he said he didn’t think there were that many female MMA fighters… I think that should change.