Tag Archives: jiu-jitsu

Joy and Lyzz: A Tale of Two Tall Ladies

13 Wednesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Women's BJJ

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We bring you a story about two best friends, Joy and Lyzz, who go by the name of HoesNKimonos on Instagram. Lyzz is a brown belt* and Joy is a purple belt and they have a pretty unique relationship. These two ladies are a ton of fun, so we decided to do a joint interview and also individual stories on both of them. Here we go with Part 1.

Tell us a bit about HoesNKimonos. Where did the name come from?

We were driving to the Worlds in 2015 and discussing Ralek Gracie’s comments about women in jiu-jitsu and his music video “G in a Gi”. It is a very long car ride from Sacramento to Long Beach and somewhere along the road we decided we should make a rebuttal song “Hoes N Kimonos”. We had a lot of fun coming up with our own rap lyrics (neither of us rap, just to be clear) and even though the song remains unfinished, the spirit of the idea remains and we have been the HoesNKimonos ever since.

Do you train together?

Joy: Yes, as much as possible. We met each other on my first day of BJJ class. Lyzz was super friendly and asked if I would be back to train. Lyzz was elated to have another female in class (especially one the same weight class) and always made a point to partner up with me, make me feel welcome, and help me along with the techniques. Lyzz had been training for about 6 months before I started and had a lot of other previous martial arts experience so she was always a step ahead and able to help me along, and make me feel less dumb when I didn’t understand something. Today we continue to partner up in class, drill outside of class, help each other prepare for tournaments, travel, and compete together. Lyzz has always been my main Hoe!

Lyzz: Oh Joy! You’re MY main Hoe! Hoes that train together, stick together! Through thick and thin, sweat and chokes, giggles and guillotines.

How would you describe your personal relationship? Tell us something great about each other.

Joy: Lyzz and I are pretty much doppelgänger, grapple twins, etc. We are so much alike in so many ways it’s very surprising. Lots of people assume we are sisters and even people we know will still call us by the wrong name sometimes or get us mixed up. One of my favorite things about Lyzz is that she is a really bad texter like me so I never have to feel bad if I forget to text her back. We are both pretty scatter-brained and cut each other a lot of slack in that area. It is great to have someone who understands. She is also a really reliable secret-keeper and I can tell her all my dirt. Lyzz, your turn!

Lyzz: Thanks Girl! To echo Joy, we both love grappling and we are both trained in working with insects. Sisters from another mister. One of Joy’s greatest attributes is how friendly she is to everyone at the gym. She believes in the best of people and is the gym’s supplier of honey. Sweet both inside and out!

Who is a better cook of the two of you?

That is really tough because we are both pretty good cooks. We have our own specialty dishes. Lyzz makes amazing sushi and Joy makes some bomb carrot cake. Since Lyzz has a rad husband from Croatia who makes really cool Croatian food, we think Lyzz takes this one.

Would you participate in a beauty pageant if someone asked you to?

Of course! We both love to dress up and show it off. Participating in a beauty pageant would be super fun and now we really hope we get asked (hint hint)!

You both have great hair. Jiu-jitsu women complain about hair loss and breakage during training. How do you keep your hair so fabulous?

Thank you! We both keep it pretty simple for training hair-styles. We do ponytails, simple braids, buns, etc. I think lots of conditioner is key along with a healthy diet that includes lots of collagen. We both rarely use a hairdryer because we think letting it air dry after class is a bit gentler.

Who would make a great President? Lyzz or Joy? Vice President?

Joy may be the slightly more organizer/decision-maker type so Joy will take the President role and Lyzz will be there to back her up when people get sick of her bossiness and impeach her.

If you could choose two black belts to be your parents temporarily, who would you choose?

We think King Gordon Ryan would be the world’s most fun dad so we will go with him as our pops. Hopefully he would dress us up as his royal princesses and we would follow him all over NY trolling other black belts and eating tons of pizza.

To balance it out, we would need a really solid, responsible mom like Bia Mesquita to keep us grounded and make sure we are not missing too much training. She would make sure we get signed up for all the big tournaments plus Leticia Ribeiro would now be our BJJ grandma!

Being tall ladies, you are perfect A2Tall models for Fenom sizing. What do you want gi companies to improve in tall sizes? What is the most important thing in a gi?

Fenom has always been one of our favorite gi brands. In fact, almost every gi we have ever bought has been Fenom gi. Other companies could take a page from your book and realize that not all tall ladies are thick ladies. The A2Tall Fenom makes is suited for the tall and slender type but is cut roomy enough for some hips and butt. It is important that the gi keeps its shape and doesn’t shrink too much over time especially when we are crunched for time and throw it in the dryer. We think the most important thing in a gi overall is the fit. If it is not comfortable, you will avoid wearing it. We want a gi we can look forward to throwing on.

Do you think people who quit BJJ are losers?

Joy: No, not at all. BJJ is a special hobby and it is not meant for everyone. If jiu-jitsu does not fit with your lifestyle and you do not enjoy it, there is no point in continuing other than to know some basic self-defense. There are many other martial arts to try or other active hobbies in general that are good for your health and well-being.

Lyzz: Hardly! Don’t call it quitting; call it taking a break. I have heard great success stories of those who have taken breaks for 8-25 years and eventually made it back to the mats! I believe there is hope in everyone to start or come back to BJJ. They just need the right people and the will to learn #OneOfUs, #WeArentACultYouAre.

What is something you are really bad at?

Joy: I am really bad at the jump rope. We jump rope to warm up for boxing class and no matter how much I practice, I trip and fall like I have never done it before.

Lyzz: Despite being one with water on the mats, I do not know how to survive with water surrounding me. I am like a sad wet cat trying to paw paddle my way back to safety.

In a tandem bike, who would be in the front and why?

Joy: Lyzz would be in the front because I am afraid of cars and would be terrified to bike through Sacramento. My eyes would be firmly shut in the back the whole time and I would be only good for peddling. Lyzz knows all the good spots around Sacramento so she would navigate us to a nice place to eat or a quiet park, so I could open my eyes.

Lyzz: Most days I think I would be in front so Joy can navigate without having to look at the road. Joy has difficulties multitasking with electronics and I fear we may crash at the helm of Joy.

Cats, dogs or babies? Who would you watch if asked?

Cats, especially really fluffy cats who purr a lot. Babies are too loud and dogs need too much attention. Cats are nice and chill and would not mind when we are gone training for a while.

What makes you really happy?

Jiu-jitsu of course! We both do this sport for the love of it and the friends we make. There is no better way to decompress at the end of a long day and reconnect with people. Other than that, we like to be fed, dress up, go dancing, or just laze around and talk. Sometimes the simple things are the best things!

*15 days after the interview was published, Lyzz was awarded her black belt in BJJ. Congratulations!!

Judoka Chiharu “Gigi” Davis

11 Monday Mar 2019

Posted by in Women's BJJ

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We had the pleasure of interviewing judo black belt Gigi Davis. She is USA JUDO certified judo coach in Texas, Registered Nurse, and Japanese-English medical interpreter. According to Gigi she wasn’t athletic, hated exercising and had no interest in judo initially. She started training in high-school and joined the school team just to hang out with her good friend. She ended up becoming a judo black belt, a competitor and an instructor! Gigi lived for over a decade in the United States but two years ago moved back to her homeland, Japan. We wanted to learn more about her international family, training, and life in two very different countries.

How did you find your way to the United States and why did you move back to Japan after so many years here?

I had been dreaming of working abroad since I was a high school student but had no chance to make it happen until I was in my 30s. In 2004, a huge tsunami devastated Indonesia and I had the opportunity to join DMAT to go to Banda Ache, Indonesia as a tsunami task force. I was quite confident to complete the mission because I had been learning English in a tutor school and thought I would have no problems there.

However, I was totally shocked because I could not understand international medical teams conversation in the medical team meetings. I realized my English skill was not good enough to complete tasks and work globally. After I completed the DMAT mission, I decided to go to the United States to improve my English. I set my final goal in the U.S. to obtain my RN license. In fall 2005, I went to the States as an international student and started learning English and strategies to pass NCLEX test.

The reason we moved back to Japan is for our children. They have two heritages, Japan and American. They have right to keep both cultures and receive education in Japanese and English. My son and daughter attended Japanese school in Dallas every Saturday but it is quite hard to maintain basic Japanese. Besides, both my husband and I are Registered Nurses and saw the dark side of the U.S. My husband is a psychiatric nurse and he took care of so many people suffering from drug abuse, domestic violence, and severe depression. I was a RN working in the recovery room and I saw a lot of gun violence victims. Well, we have some of the same issues in Japan except for gun shootings. In addition, my hometown is in the countryside and have plentiful nature. Children can walk by themselves, have more freedom, and there is less crime. Therefore, we thought raising our children in my hometown would be much less stressful.

Dallas, Texas
Hofu, Japan

Why did you decide to train jiu-jitsu in addition to judo?

Since I started coaching judo in the United States, I realized that more than half of children lost their match by newaza (groundwork when both competitors are on the ground after a throw or attempted throw). I understood the reason. Children cannot throw a perfect Ippon most of the time because of their immaturity of throwing techniques and the match is decided on the ground. If a child does not know ground technique well enough, they instantly lose the match. This is why I started BJJ with my kids. Today so many judo athletes have both judo and BJJ black belt. If we would like to go to a world level championship tournament, we better learn BJJ and judo.

Your whole family trains judo. Is it hard or easy when everyone has the same hobby?

It is fun to practice judo and BJJ with all the family members. Nothing is hard except coaching. Coaching my own children is challenging because I see my children as athletes on tatami but they see me as “mother” all the time. I mean they would like to think I am their mother no matter where they are. Therefore, I sometimes do not coach my kids on tatami and ask someone else to do it.

How much does it cost in average to take judo classes and jiu-jitsu classes in Japan?

It is extremely cheap to take judo lessons in Japan. Our team charges children only $19 per month per child. This is average cost to learn judo. Jiu-jitsu is a bit higher. I have been paying $40 per month for myself and my kids train for free. It looks great financially but we face several problems. All coaches are volunteers and they do not receive any pay or reward from their team. On top of that almost every week they have to work as a volunteer at tournaments. The coaches have too many responsibilities for their judo team and receive no compensation.

What do you think is harder, jiu-jitsu or judo training?

I love both judo and BJJ. I don’t feel neither is hard. Jiu-jitsu is more difficult than judo for me at this time because I am a white belt in BJJ instead of a black belt in judo.

What is the biggest difference between Japan and the United States in general?

I love Japan because most people are really polite, honest, and kind. Safe environment allows us to let our kids go outside freely. No gun violence (only in Yakuza – Japanese criminal organization) makes all parents comfortable letting kids go to school without being concerned about gun shootings. However, Japan still needs some improvement. People prefer using cash instead of credit or debit cards. We still need to work on making our country more foreigner-friendly. I see lots of issues that still need to be resolved but I also love Japan as it is now. Japanese people respect their culture and try to maintain it.

I also love the United States. People are very funny and respect individuality. People are free and living their individual life. I like that a lot. I am just happy to have the opportunity to live in both countries.

If someone wants to visit Japan, what is the one place they should visit for sure and why?

I truly recommend to visit rural areas of Japan like my hometown. Most foreigners like to visit urban cities like Tokyo and Osaka or they visit historical cities like Kyoto and Nara. However, rural Japan has numerous sight-seeing spots. People are really nice. Please visit my hometown, Yamaguchi prefecture, it is really beautiful! People can enjoy historical areas, our beautiful ocean, and nature as well. You will like it!

Do you have any other hobbies?

Yes, I do. I used to love all kinds of board sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding, and surfing. Today I love fishing, climbing, and hot yoga!

11. Tell us something most people don’t know about you!

I was a judo champion in my hometown when I was 17. It is equivalent to a state champion in the U.S. I got first place in -52kg division and went to All Japan Judo Championship. I won my first match but lost the second one. I made it to the top 24 in Japan.

Designing a Gi

05 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by in Business, Women's BJJ, Women's Gis

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This is a story about the gi design process. This is also a story about an unusual relationship. Fenom Kimonos is a Dallas based company run by Triin, the designer who works for Fenom is Agnes. These two Estonians are childhood friends, one lives in Dallas, the other one in Pärnu, Estonia. A couple of years ago the ladies reconnected and a new professional relationship took off. Two friends living thousands of miles away and working on making classy women’s jiu-jitsu gear, how cool is that?

It all starts with a vague idea, and the most annoying request a designer can get: Make something pretty! Sometimes we know what we want to do, sometimes we know what we definitely do not want to do. This time it started with a desire to do a flower design that stays away from the widely used Asian and Hawaiian influence in BJJ designs. So instead of looking far, we looked at our beautiful Estonian cornflower (rukkilill) and decided to go with the nordic vibe.

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The best way to showcase the national flower was to incorporate some folk patterns and our signature F. First it seemed like an impossible task. How can you mix a geometric shape with our curvy F and make it look like a cornflower?

Estonian folk patterns use a lot of geometric shapes and colors, each having a specific and mythological meaning. Even the tiniest islands and counties have their recognizable color scheme and preferred patterns. Mothers have taught their daughters for centuries how to knit, crochet and embroider these patterns, keeping the skills alive. We wanted to honor our mothers’ and grandmothers’ effort, and make something meaningful not just for us, but for all girls and women.

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We decided to focus on the octagon (kaheksakand), also known as an eight-pointed star or cross, which is one the most significant and widely used shapes in our patterns. It represents dawn, and a new start, it brings good fortune and protects us, our souls, and our homes.

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The designer went to the drawing board and came back with a few design concepts. Some were scrapped right away, couple of more tries and there was something that caught our eye. A few more tweaks and color changes, and three best ones emerged.

F-rahvusmuster-4 (1)-01We were going back and forth, arguing if light blue or dark blue would look the best in real life on the gi. After we finally picked the two favorites, the design got sent to the factory in Pakistan for the test embroidery. Sometimes the design looks awesome on paper but not so good when embroidered. This time we were pleased with the test and didn’t change anything about the F. The embroidery looked beautiful and delicate, crisp and cool, just like we had hoped for.

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More back and forth discussions, since there was no clear winner. Eventually we picked our favorite, drew up the full gi design, added a few more design elements and sent it to the production. Now the waiting started. A few weeks of nail-biting and the prototype was ready! But oh no, something unexpected happened. Contrast stitching…. this was not in the specs! Somehow the factory decided to do blue stitching. After a complete mild panick attack, the more we looked at it, the more we actually liked the contrast stitching. Some mistakes are not all that bad after all!

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So there you have it. This is how the whole process works. It looks simple but it’s not easy. It takes between 3-6 months to bring out a new product. Delays are normal, some ideas never make it to the finish line and that is okay too. Over the years we have realized that this is part of the process, you just need to get used to it and not fight it.

Now we are anxiously waiting for the DHL truck to deliver the new gi shipment so we can take product shots, update the website, test the gi out on the mat, and see if it is going to be well received by the customers. We hope you like it. Thank you and stay Powered by She!

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Just in the Nick of Time

07 Monday Mar 2011

Posted by in Business, Products

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Just like every small start-up company out there, we constantly deal with things that go wrong. Everything ranging from product specifications, vendor management and late shipments. Fortunately, we’ve been blessed with a solid base if supportive and happy customers willing to forgive our shortfalls when we drop the ball every now and then.

During our most recent scramble to get orders out, one particular situation stood out from the rest. Melinda Bringham of Virginia ordered a Fenom Lotus Gi for her daughter Becky’s birthday! The women BJJ goddess was in our corner and instructed the United States Postal Office to get the Gi to Becky a few hours before her birthday party!

We thought it was a great story so we asked Becky’s mom Melinda to tell us about her daughter:

Becky has been training for 2 years under Pat Tray of Trident Academy ( www.tridentmma.com ) and has been actively competing since May 2010.  She has excelled in the sport very quickly and is now competing in the advanced divisions for her age group.  She has competed in Junior Grappling Tournaments ( www.jrgrappling.com ), NAGA, The Good Fight, and US Grappling up and down the east coast.  She is an Honor Roll student  and also is a member of her middle school volleyball team and wrestling team but still makes time to train for 2 hours sessions 4-5 times a week in her favorite sport of BJJ.  She is very lucky to have a few younger girls to train with at Trident Academy but she likes to train with the older boys to sharpen her skills.  She has never let gender be a barrier for her.  She quietly sets personal goals and has the drive and determination to achieve and excel in everything she does.  I have watched my daughter gain self confidence and inner personal strength through her BJJ training.  She now has her sights set on the Pan Am Games!

We would like to thank everyone at Fenom Kimono’s for ensuring that the kimono ordered for her 13th birthday arrived only hours before her birthday party!  She was thrilled that it fit great and she finally has a kimono that works for her size!  Most kimonos are way too wide and too short for her.

The birthday girl rocking her new Fenom Lotus.

Becky with friends and family.

Becky receiving her orange belt!

Fenomenal Woman: Cheri Muraski Grapples On

07 Monday Feb 2011

Posted by in Fenomenal Women

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As we go through our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, it’s so easy to care about things that just don’t matter. We get so caught up in the “sport” aspect of BJJ and forget about the spiritual side of the martial art. We forget to appreciate the internal struggle we face as we experience victory and defeat, and the deep relationships forged as a result of this common ground. These relationships in turn make dealing with life’s hardships a little less painful.

Cheri Muraski of Fort Collins, Colorado reminds us of exactly what is important and she inspires us beyond measure. When we received the nomination email from Cheri’s friend and training partner Rossie Shaffer, we couldn’t wait to share her inspiring story with everyone.

World meet Cheri.

Fenom: Hi Cheri! Tell us about yourself and your BJJ training life. How did you get started? How long have you been training? Where do you train?

Hi my name is Cheri. I’m 31 years old and I train at Mcmahon BJJ in Fort Collins, Colorado and hold the rank of blue-belt. My two sons Ryan and Christian train BJJ. My 9-year old son Ryan started when he was six. My husband started after him, I started after my husband, followed by Christian. I actually was not thinking of training but shortly after Kevin started he came home and said “let me show you this arm bar I just learned” He tackled me and armbared me. (My husband and I have always been competitive with one another) when he armbared me I was unable to get out. Shortly after that happened I signed up. We have been training ever since.

Fenom: How do you balance your regular family life with BJJ? What are some of the challenges and rewards?

We have always been lucky enough to train as a family. The kids classes are scheduled right before the adult class so we are able to just stay there. Kevin had been self-employed and I have been lucky enough to configure my work schedule around class. We were training about 4-5 times a week. Three months ago Kevin passed away suddenly.  After he passed I thought I would never be able to return to BJJ. This was something we always did together. I have always felt close to our school but now I consider everyone there family. I can’t even begin to tell you the love and support our family has received. I now train 6 days a week and double up my training 2 out of those 6 days. BJJ is the only thing that helps right now emotionally and physically. My coaches and training partners at Mcmahon BJJ and our sister school Easton BJJ mean the world to me.

Fenom: Do you think all women should compete? Please explain your answer.

I am just starting to get in the competition scene. I have competed three times to date. The most recent event was the Fight to Win tournament in Denver, Colorado where I took first place in Gi and third place in No Gi! I am also planning to compete in Pan Ams this spring. My advise to other women is to train when ever you can and just have fun. I think all women should at least  try it once. Step onto the mat without the pressure of winning or loosing. If you win awesome, if you loose you’ll at least know you had the guts to give it a shot.

Fenom: Can you share some of your short and long term goals for your personal BJJ journey and your family?

My long term goal has always been to get my black belt. However without Kevin here I am just trying to make it through the next minute so I can’t really say.

Fenom: If you could name the one thing you love most about training BJJ, what would that be?

Without a doubt, the people. It doesn’t matter if I walk into our school or one of our sister schools, I always feel welcome. The growing women’s BJJ community in our area gives me a whole new way to enjoy the people. We just started a women’s only class on Sundays at Easton BJJ and it is awesome! A special thanks to my coaches Tessa and Finnie McMahon, and Alistair Macdonald for encouraging me to be better.

Fenom: Cheri, thank you for letting us share your story with our readers. You are an inspiration to us all and we’ll be on the look out for you as you rise through the ranks! See you at black belt!

In memory of Kevin Muraski.

Kevin Muraski

 

Fenomenal Women

13 Saturday Nov 2010

Posted by in Fenomenal Women

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We all know at least one woman in our immediate circle of friends and training partners who brings a positive vibe to our lives. This woman keeps us looking forward to showing up to train as much as possible. Regardless of rank, competition history, or skill level, we believe these women should be applauded and appreciated for just being who they are. We’ve decided to do just that.

Every month Fenom Kimonos will profile a woman selected by her peers in an interview we’ll post on our blog, website and social media channels. We’ll highlight what makes this woman special and send her a free women’s BJJ gi for making our world a better place — on and off the mat. If you know a fenomenal woman, send an email to info@fenomkimonos.com with a short list of reasons why and we’ll take it from there. Here’s a few ideas on what we think makes her fenomenal:

  • she studies full-time and still makes time to train
  • she’s married with children and manages to get on the mat
  • she works full-time or part-time and trains consistently
  • she helps out with kids class
  • she helps out beginners and makes them feel welcome
  • she makes you feel better about yourself immediately after she kicks your butt.
  • she is a beginner and is a joy to teach.
  • Bonus idea: she’s an awesome cook 🙂

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