#graciestrong

[runnerslane]

Just 4 years ago we came together as a community in support of a devastating time at Saugus High School. A nightmare no child, parent or teacher should ever have to face while getting an education. Let’s continue to face the issues that needs remedy for a safer place for all of us. Always #saugusstrong. #graciestrong #dominicstrong (at Saugus Canyon, Santa Clarita, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck8ut8hJyGq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kristinastancil]

Day 2: Least Favorite MMA Fighter

Okay, this may seem very hypocritical of me but I cannot stand Brock Lesnar.  He was blah to me as a wrestler, and he marries this woman that I haven't been able to stand in a long time.....i cannot stand the wife and it might be why I hate Brock. 

She's a kickboxer and former WWE (WWF) Women's champion and first she disrespects Bruce Lee, a martial arts legend and then disrespects female wrestling.  I cannot stand this chick.  I've always wanted to get in the ring to beat some respect into her.

Give it a few years and she'll be hopefully the first person I choke out!

 I know from reading Gracie Magazine ( @graciemag on twitter ) that he studies Gracie Ju Jit Su but I can't stand him.  I think he's entirely overrated due to his size.  At least in the WWE he had a background that he'd worked his entire life to build.  He was a multiple time NCAA All American at the U of Minnesota amongst many other awards he'd collected since he was a young boy.   Then he gets with this manipulative and disrespectful bitch and bam.  He spits in the face of his entire career because essentially he signed his death warrant with the WWE.  They've both had their legal problems with the company due to breach of contract and SHE was even forgiven and given a second chance.  This is how she was able to hitch her wagon to yet another wrestler.  Not that I have any love for her ex husband Mark Mero but I have a long memory when something angers me.

I've held a grudge againist "Mrs. Lesnar" since I was 16 and she uttered "Bruce Who?" when she was working out for the Miss Slammy competition.  As if SHE is better than the great Bruce Lee.  I'd like for her to try MMA or even kickboxing.  I'm sure Gina Carano and especially my new hero Kyra Gracie would teach her some respect.

[kristinastancil]

Fight Like A Girl, Getting Gracie Strong

I just increased my mat time this week with another practice session!!!

I also have an article on my All Voices page about girls getting Gracie Strong.  In my class, I've only met Kendra and Risha, although there is a junior instructor who is female and the other junior instructor's wife also trains.  I've never met them though.

I had a problem in my private session because of how intense, in your face, Gracie Ju Jit Su is but after thinking about it for a long time I realized, if I can get used to guys grabbing me, body slamming me, or slamming me off the top rope, then I should get used to how close you are to your practice partners or opponents.

I also realized that this could be why its easier for a girl to take the class with a good friend or a spouse.  First position takes some getting used too.

So I decided to take some #GracieStrong initiative and use this blog to help girls who want to get into MMA or Gracie Ju Jit Su but are self conscious about the positions.

One of the guys, Scotty I think pointed out to me that when you get on the mats, you can't think about guys and girls.  Gracie Ju Jit Su is a team sport.  The better you are, the better your training partner is, and ultimately, the better your team is.

Sure, it is in your face, and even Mestre Rener Gracie makes jokes about the almost intimate closeness that training presents you with but if your trainer and fellow students are professional then you'll be fine.  It does take getting used to but, don't worry, the first time you are presented with first position as a girl, you're not the only one who has those thoughts.

If you are teased, don't feel bad.  It's just because of the look on your face when you see what you have to practice, especially if your professor or instructor is guy. I'm sure I amused the hell out of Chesley a (Gracie brown belt) mentor of mine when i asked him why he didn't warn me about first position.

Don't be afraid to ask for advice.  Senior students, especially those who dedicate a major portion of their life to Gracie Ju Jit Su will help you.  Twitter is a great place to find senior students and even members of the Gracie family who will offer encouragement and advice.

I am currently training and planning on attending the World Championships next year, hopefully as a blue belt, (i think this is the second belt) to meet my Gracie Strong co-horts, and saving money to attend Kyra Gracie's class next Summer.  Hopefully, I'll have at least a semester of Portuguese 101 before hitting the mats with the Queen of Gracie strong herself in Rio.  If I screw up or do something exceptionally well and she goes Portuguese on me I wanna know what's being said.

[kristinastancil]

Update

I really need to put a schedule together for days that my oldest is at his father's so that I can get extra stuff done while he is away.

Today I have a three 250 word each essays to write for one class in grad school that is due today.  One is easy because I have seen "The Untouchables," starring Kevin Costner, Robert Di Nero, Andy Garcia, and Sean Connery.  I can write a 250 word essay analyzing the movie and a fellow students response.

However, of all the other movies people have mentioned, I have never seen any of the other movies except for the Godfather pt 1.  Unfortunately, I watched it when I was 16 and I haven't seen it since.  If it wasn't cheating, I'd tape a convo with my friend Dexter Babin and use him as a source. He is a walking dictionary on the Italian mafia.  My mom has Road to Perdition so I was able to borrow that.  Scarface (1932) is on NetFlix and hopefully someone writes on Resevoir Dogs because I've had that on my Queue for quite sometime.

The only problem is that I am now fighting a sinus headache from the sudden drop in temperature over the last few days.  Yesterday I was side tracked after going into beast mode at the gym by watching The Twilight Saga "Breaking Dawn Pt 1" for the second time, but the first time on dvd.

I spent almost two hours on the gym.  I am primarily working on my legs due to the upcoming police PT test, but since I know Gracie Ju Jit Su is a grappling art I am putting time in on rebuilding my arms that I haven't worked on in a while.  I am a little ahead on my goal.  I've dropped to one soft drink a day and in the last week I've lost two pounds. That's a half of a pound more than my #Graciestrong goal set by Evolution Training.

I should work on my schedule tommorow and since Wednesday I'll be in Thibodaux all day sitting for Oral boards and doing my PT test then I guess everyone will know where I'll be and what I'm doing.

I've already decided what #GracieStrong slogan I want.  I saw an Evolution training shirt that said "Never Surrender" which seems fitting for a #GracieStrong attitude and being from a military family.  If I decide to do any pro bouts, I doubt I'd do MMA but there is a song called Never Surrender that I'd like the band Gilgamesh to cover and give it a more rock/punk edge to it because Corey Hart is to pop for a fight song.

[kristinastancil]

Gracie Strong ( #GracieStrong on twitter)

I'm doing well trying to get #GracieStrong

I'm logging my food and fitness on Livestrong.com.  Gracie Strong isn't just a catch phrase, its a way of life.  It's not just training in Gracie Ju Jit Su but its reteaching your body to eat the right foods in the right amounts.

It doesn't hurt if you feed your mind as well. I'm reading Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, Sociopaths, Serial Killers, and Other Deviants by Jeff Mariotte, and Alphaville by Prof. Mike Codella (a Gracie blackbelt.)  You can follow Prof Mike on Twitter @codellaacademy  The variation in the subject matter can be explained by the fact that I am a graduate student in Criminal Justice and Terrorism Studies.

If my mom hadn't got sick I would have put in at least another hour and a half in the gym and then tonight an hour doing no gi Gracie Ju Jit Su at Evolution fitness.

So tonight, I'm stuck home and I'm going to do some Calisthenics since I can't hit the gym or the mats.  There are no days off when it comes to the committment and dedication of becoming Gracie Strong.