surprise super-workout

So that was a little crazy last night, just saying.  I had already trained an hour at my Muay Thai class in the morning.  My plan was to go to my academy's women's BJJ class (an hour of fairly light technical drilling and rolling), rest and hydrate for half an hour, and then try the later one-hour MMA conditioning class for the first time.

But no.  First off, the women's class was cancelled, so everyone who showed up for it was funneled into the 90-minute mixed class.  Longer and heavier training than I expected, and there went my 30-minute break before the next class!  But I had a fantastic class.  It was my first time grappling with a girl I'd known only from Muay Thai; she never mentioned before that she's trained judo since she was 13.  So exciting!  I have an instant new favorite takedown training partner.  Plus it was the night for the bow-and-arrow choke -- very funny.  I almost never use that move, but somehow I got it on two people last night.

Now, of course, going to a class that ends when the next one begins will make you late for the second class. I almost backed out of trying the MMA class under the reasoning that it's unacceptable to be late the first time you show up to something.  But judoka girl is completely irrepressible and also wanted to try the new class, and together we had strength in numbers.  So we requested to join in late, were admitted, and only then did I discover that the one-hour listing on the academy schedule was wrong.  Really, this was a 90-minute class as well.

Again it was a great class -- quality work on boxing, kicking, takedowns, AND grappling, plus sparring with good partners.

I'm very glad I went, but I was expecting a lighter night by far!  It's a tired and sore morning!

showcase report

So it's a new week and a new summer season, and Doom Maidens' second NYC Wrestling Showcase is in the books. I've had the chance to catch up on sleep (a little!); Damien has been working furiously to process all the excellent new video footage; Clobberetta vs. the Bulk was released Monday; and my match with Dominique came out just last night!

So in light of all that; I think now's the time for me to take a breath, look back, and offer up my report on the weekend.

First of all, I've got to say that putting on this event wasn't easy. I want to say a HUGE thank you to Rachel Sinclair, who spent 16 hours at the airport on Friday while the airline *tried to find her plane,* and Dominique Danger, who got a big scare when her hotel was almost unable to honor her reservation, for both showing up Saturday in game face and ready to fight. Thank you too to Lady Jaye Diesel for taking two tough matches on short notice when Allana was sidelined with an injury. And thanks to our generous sponsor who helped make this happen.

Now, best of all: the matches! We opened up with Rachel vs. Joe Jitsu, in which Rachel demonstrated her scissoring skill much to Joe's dismay.

My match with Dominique followed, and I was *very* happy with how this one went. This was a big challenge for me as I'm just coming back from a broken foot, and Dominique would count as one of the toughest opponents I've faced on any day! Not only did my foot hold up, but we both worked super hard and had a very fun, exciting, awfully sweaty match.

Jaye Diesel vs. Jay was next. The Showcase was my first time meeting Lady Jaye, and I have to say I did envy her shoulders. The match was a neck-and-neck close battle between two quite skilled grapplers. Jaye's matches sadly can't be released on video, but we respect her need for discretion, and it did create a special treat for our live event attendees.

Doom Maidens' own Amazon Annie next took on visitor Sherry Stunns, and I do believe Annie was surprised by Sherry's undaunted tenacity and fierceness when faced with Annie's superior size and technique. Excellent job, Sherry! And Annie too, of course. A close fight.

Next came the grudge match of the event: Clobberetta vs. the Bulk. These two had been trash talking each other for the last month, and I know they'd both been backing up the smack with dedicated training. So I'm very proud of both of them for their hard work, the big gains they've made in their grappling games, and the great show they put on Saturday. However, one of these two giants did get cut down to size...

Sherry vs. Rachel was our penultimate fight, and this one was a match like no other we've seen at Doom Maidens. I've never before witnessed two ladies who could be quite so playful and friendly while also trying to squeeze each other's heads off. Also, props to Rachel for the cutest sport shorts I've ever seen.

Aaaaand finally, our main event! Dominique and Jaye Diesel took to the mats, each bringing significant muscle and BJJ tournament experience. Jaye learned the disadvantage of wrestling in fishnets when every bit of slipperiness counts, but friction didn't hold her back *too* much. The match was so close it had to be decided in overtime.

After the show, wrestlers and guests hung around to chat and a few casual matches and impromptu extra videos took place. Rachel issued a challenge to the newest Doom Maiden Orlandoe -- or maybe it was the other way around; I don't know how these ladies started fighting -- and I tussled with Joe Jitsu.

After a much needed sushi feast with Amazon Annie and Hanz Vanderkil, Clobs, Damien, Joe Jitsu, his wife Mischa, and I headed out to the Stimulate dance party for a late night of celebrating. So much fun and so exhausting! I slept in on Sunday and really had to hustle to get to our second day of shooting.

Unfortunately on Saturday, Sherry had mysteriously fractured her elbow. She's not sure how it happened and it didn't even bother her until later that night, but she and I had to put off our planned match together. Really too bad! Rachel and I got to roll, though, and that was a fun match. Dominique also gave the Bulk a "birthday bashing." Way to go, Bulk! Over 50 and you've still got it -- the ability to get physically demolished by ladies, that is! And after everything was all over, Clobberetta and I had a quick, for-fun roll just to let off all the event-managing steam.

She and I headed over to the Folsom Street East Leather Fair afterwards to work late volunteer shifts and totally exhaust ourselves. It's too bad Joe and Mischa, who're the organizers of KGB (Kinky Grappling Boston), had to head home early Sunday or we would most certainly have hauled them along. Hot, hot evening sun, and the smells of leather and sunscreen really make for a perfect summer experience. Made *more* perfect by the following long walk through the West Village to the best gelato place in New York. That was *the* way to top off the weekend and treat myself after a job well done.

Now most of our guests have already left, and the rest will be headed out soon. So in conclusion, I'll say safe travels to everyone left with a journey to make, and THANKS AGAIN to all of you who made our Showcase weekend possible.

the big day is nearly here...

It's less than a week until the NYC Wrestling Showcase, so you might think that all my energy would be focused on preparing for the big event, but that would just be too easy! Things have been fiendishly busy in my wrestling world of late, in all kinds of ways.

It was quite excellent to have Jenny Sjodin visit NYC over tha past week. We shot a competitive mixed video, Jenny vs. Jay, between her and one of my own favorite grappling rivals, and she and Amazon Annie got to mix it up pro-style in a match for Southern Belles, to be released at a later date. Right in the middle of her visit, Clobberetta and I left on our whirlwind session trip to Virginia Beach. So sadly, Jenny and the Doom Maidens didn't get a chance to train together, but we did manage to get together for delicious drinks and a lovely night out on Sunday after Clobs's and my return.

We've also been working here to get the newest Doom Maidens up and running with their wrestling careers. Just tonight we shot a debut video match between Orlandoe and Ivy -- very intense and *exhausting* action! It will available no later than tomorrow. [ETA: It's available now!] The ever-quarrelsome Clobberetta was also in attendance and also planning to fight tonight, but she was denied! Since her original plan to challenge Annie was foiled by some unfortunate illness on Annie's part, she intended to take on the smaller Orlandoe and Ivy both together after their match. But time ran out, and the 8 o'clock studio renters started knocking on our door. Clobs may need to take her frustration out on *everyone* at training tomorrow.

And of course in the midst of all this, I *have* been preparing for the Showcase. This is going to be such an awesome event with such a fabulous crew of wrestlers. I just drew up the full list and schedule of fights for the weekend a day ago, and *damn.* We've got Clobberetta, Annie, Sherry Stunns, Rachel Sinclair, Dominique Danger, Allana, and myself all fighting. My personal picks that I'm really excited to see are: Annie vs. Sherry -- because I know Annie is out for blood, looking for a "decisive win" in this one, and I wish Sherry all the luck in the world fending her off! Clobberetta vs. the Bulk in their super heavyweight grudge match. And Dominique vs. Allana in their clash of the bodybuilders.

Despite the excellence of the Showcase fights, with so much talent in town we couldn't stop at just seven matches, so we'll be shooting on Sunday too -- a very full weekend! Dominique and Clobberetta will be rumbling, and Mark, my best-ever video victim, will be returning to suffer torment from Sherry and a special, MMA-style beating from me! Among still other matches...

I myself have been having to train very smartly to be ready for my fights next weekend, and I'll have to redouble that this week. I'll be coming off an injury, and I'll be ready to fight and thrilled to get back in action, but this is definitely the most challenging situation I've faced since I've been wrestling.

I'll be going against Allana, Sherry, and Rachel at various points in the weekend, and at the Showcase itself I'll be facing Dominique Danger. I'm excited to get a chance to grapple with all these new ladies but definitely most worried about the Dominique match. This is a 200-lb, seriously strong bodybuilder, who can *move* and trains legitimately in BJJ. I've seen her in action before, and power is the word for it. Holy shit. This isn't any kind of warm up match. I'm going to have to be at my absolute best, and I plan to be.

Enough talk! Sleep, and early morning academy training tomorrow!

Last Weekend's Tournament Report!

May 6, 2009, 10:09 p.m. --

So now, belatedly, which is an unfortunate trend with my blog posts, I have an account to offer of my tournament last Saturday. This was a no-gi only tourney, so it was smaller and quicker than most of them, but it was still a fun, full day.

The adventures began even before I arrived. Going out on the train, I made a new friend, which is to say another tournament competitor recognized me as a fellow fighter and latched on. This was pretty amusing; the guy was just out of college, very new to grappling, and unbelievably excited about everything. I got to hear all about the intense water-fast, weight-cutting program he’d put himself through for this tournament and his involved strategy for winning it all. Good guy, and it’s fun to know people and cheer them on between your own matches, but, holy shit, this one was, I repeat, excited.

So, arriving at the event, I found that there were a lot of women there, more than I’d expected, but they were divided up into many weight and skill classes. I ended up with only four total women in my advanced flyweight division and five in the absolute division. There was also a freestyle wrestling tournament going on in the same huge warehouse-like convention center. Fun to see that side-by-side with the grappling.

My division rolled around. Unfortunately, I got no advance notice of this, so I went into my first fight totally cold and still subconsciously in warm-up mode. So that was not my fight. In fact, the other girl rather demolished me – but she only won on points, and I found out afterwards that she had a 20-year martial arts career, 12 years of grappling, and is training as a pro kick-boxer. So I didn’t feel too badly. I would have had another match for third/fourth, but my opponent was injured in her first fight and had to forfeit. So in advanced flyweight, I took third based on survival credit.

Then there was the absolute division. Sadly, the way the bracket worked out I ended up facing the same girl again, again in my first fight. She still had her 20 years of experience, but at least this time I was warmed up. I am very pleased that I was doing much better in this match. The score was much closer, and I had the lead for a while…but she went for a footlock, which she’d tried before and I’d managed to escape. I wasn’t worried; I went to perform the same escape, but then there was an audible pop from my ankle. For that, I had to tap.

Everyone was pretty distressed (“Was it your knee?!?!” “No, it wasn’t my knee…”). But I iced the ankle for a few minutes and felt all right to go in for my third/fourth fight.

My opponent this time was much heavier than me (170 lbs), but also much younger – only 13. Some of these advanced kids can be amazing; they’ve started training young, and they can easily have been at it longer than I have! So in this match, my opponent took me down with a very neatly done hip throw and took side control. I got my hips out, hooked her leg, and executed the escape to take her back.

I don’t remember how she recovered guard, but I managed to pass, take side mount, and finally gain mount to win on points. A more legitimate third place finish in absolute, so that was pleasing.

Meanwhile, in between matches I’d discovered that one of my opponents from the Providence tournament was at this one as well. We got reacquainted; she was very interested to hear about my March trip to the Atlanta competition and wanted to get in on future long distance tournament road trips. She also got to meet my eager young buddy from the train. They got on very well. Apparently they follow the same water diet.

So that was my tournament. An acceptable showing and more stock for my trove of experience. I made it back to the city in time go for a lovely but unwise walk on my compromised ankle and get a badly needed dinner.

Quiet weekend -- but stolen bike!

April 6, 2009, 1:43 p.m. --

My weekend -- Well, I did NOT go to the NAGA tournament in New Jersey this weekend, and on the one hand that's sad because apparently it was a huge, successful tournament with 80 competitors in the womens' divisions and I'm told some people were actually asking for me and wondering where I was.

On the other hand, I didn't feel like I'd had enough training time between Atlanta and Jersey to really improve my game, I'd been desperately needing a couple days at home to get about 20 things done, and I am so goddamn intensely sore after just training and lifting at the gym this weekend that I think my body needed recovery time more than it needed a tournament.
So overall I'm pretty pleased with my quiet weekend. My no-gi academy class on Saturday was fantastic. I've been irritated lately with a lot of the instructors' emphasis on sparring and endurance training almost to the exclusion of teaching techniques. And the same instructors have very "figure it out yourselves" or "skip it entirely" attitudes toward takedowns, which I don't find helpful at all.

So I was thrilled to find we have a new guy teaching who, wonder of wonders, balances technical drilling and live sparring, has some kind of method to his takedown instruction, and is furthermore very pleasant and detailed in his teaching style. Definitely going back to the same class next Saturday.

As for the 20 things I needed to do, I only got done about three of them, but it wasn't for lack of working. And at least those things are done. You can see them, actually; they are new photo galleries for my VeVeLane.com website -- The Boxing Gallery, The MMA Gallery, and The Fashion/Portraits Gallery. These came from my questionable black-eye photoshoot, but nonetheless, there are some lovely images, and I'm proud of both the photos and the gallery construction!

A few other tidbits about the weekend --

Good Things: Went out to two lovely dinners in Manhattan, which included trying two new restaurants and exploring one new neighborhood (during one of the warmer rain showers of April so far); enjoyed a long and thorough lift for legs and biceps on Sunday; finally got confirmation that my sessions/tournament trip to Chicago and Milwaukee in May is a go (yay!); and had a great time taking my bike out in the first nice biking weather of the year.

Bad Thing: The bike got stolen. Fucking NYC bike theives. I'd be more pissed off about it if the rest of the weekend hadn't been so nice. But apparently, since I have no proof of ownership, I can't even file a token police report. Actually, it IS pretty annoying.

- VeVe