Grappling talk

 photos/video of Marie

Lori's Chat With Our Grappling Chick

Lori: I notice from your website that you have extensive
training and high-ranking belts in several different martial arts.
 Which training have you found most useful in the grappling arena?

Marie: The only thing that has helped me really in grappling is
grappling it's self. There's nothing you can do to get better at
a sport or an art other than that thing. Weight training has helped
me in the strength and calisthenics in that being able to last while
fighting. But as far as training in different styles, I do different
things so that I stay in good shape and am a well rounded fighter.

Lori: Femalemuscle.com is, of course, a bodybuilding site. What type
of training do you do in weeks leading up to a match?

Marie: I don't really do anything different when a fight comes up.
I always train hard and mix up my training no matter what. I think
I am harder on myself than anyone else is including my coaches. Unless
I am training and pushing all the time, I don't feel like I am doing enough.
I always push to do the best and be the best. My body just wont stop.

My training, however, consists of grappling, boxing/kickboxing, MMA,
calisthenics, swimming, weights and drilling moves.

Lori: We have many young readers on our site as well as their parents.
When can a young girl start grappling and what martial arts are the best
place to start?

Marie: It depends on how mature the child is. I have seen children as young
as 4 starting off. If a child is able to have some control and pay attention
without falling down or running around and can listen to what the instructor
says, then I would say 4 or 5 is a good age to start them. They may not pick
up on everything as fast as the older children, but at least they are learning
something. I believe the most important thing a child can learn in the martial
arts BEFORE they learn any techniques, is respect, discipline, self confidence,
and control. These things will make or break a child.

As far as what style ...... It depends on the child's interests.
If he/she wants more wrestling base, then they should go with grappling,
or judo. If they want more kicking and punching, they should be put
in karate, boxing, kickboxing and so on. If a child is not interested,
then their not going to do well and will lose interest. I myself have
found a passion in the martial arts and know that I will be doing it for
the rest of my life. For other people, it's football, hockey, or baseball
or anyother spot that is out there.

Lori: Tell us about your toughest fight.

Marie: Good question ...... umm ...... I would probably have to say
the first time I lost in a grappling match. I was fighting with the
Gi in a tournament and had fought a really tough Japanese chick that
pretty much manhandled me the whole match until she tapped me out with
a cross Gi choke. That sucked!

Lori: What are the most important physical skills that a grappler
needs to become one of the best?

Marie: Endurance is number 1. They also need to be technical,
have good balance, and speed.

Lori: Can you explain to us the scoring system in grappling? Is
it a submission sport?

Marie: I hate the scoring system!! I don't believe in the point system
at all! If Im going to fight, then let me fight until the other person
gives up. I know the reason why they don't do this is because of the time
frame of the tournament, but still, I hate it!

Basically you get points for a takedown, a pass, top, side, and rear mount,
and knee on belly. And of course, some give advantage points, which means
that if the score is 0-0 at the end of time and there is no submission,
then the person that tried a submission, will win. And then there's winning
by an actual submission. Some tournaments have different points for each
thing and also some tournament don't give points for others. The rules
depend on the tournament. Each is different, but not by much.

Lori: Have you seen a growth in female grappling over the years?
Where do you see the sport headed in the next 5 years?

Marie: Honestly, I haven't followed female fighting much at all.
I do my own thing and concentrate on want I do. Iv fought in the
men's division for so long, that Iv just been keeping track of
them. But, in the last year however, I have noticed A LOT more
chick fighters breaking through and Im now able to fight with them.
In the next five years, I see the chicks of today's fighting shooting
through the roof. Chicks have so much to offer and show that in the
next 5 years, I seen chicks being just as big of a deal as the men who
fight .... if not bigger.

Lori: Are the women grapplers as competitive as the men?
What are the major differences between men and women grapplers
physically and psychologically?

Marie: HELL YEAH THEY ARE!!! I would say that chick fighters or
MORE competitive than the men. Reason being is because we are "chicks,"
we have to "prove" ourselves that we can do what men do and more than
a lot of the times .... we do it better!

The only difference between men and women physically in grappling
is the men's strength. Almost every match you watch with men fighting,
they are always trying to use so much strength to muscle their opponent
around. Look at a chicks fight .... not often will you see a chick
grunting and groneing. If you take the muscle off a male fighter, most
of them wouldn't know what to do. (not male bashing here, it's just
the truth)

Lori: What are you favorite moves and what are your major
strengths as a grappler?

Marie: I think my favorite moves would have to be any type of an
arm bar from many different angles. And most defiantly the guillotine
...... because it's easy for me to hit it time after time.

Um ...... major strengths ..... I would have to say my size and
my balance on the ground.

Balance holds a strong position in the ground game. You have to be
able to move your body to balance out your opponents and also have to
be able to feel the other persons positioning to counter it out.

Because I am smaller, it's harder for people to put moves on me because
of 1. There's not much of me to lock up and 2. Im pretty flexible and squirmy!