I'm always up for trying new sports but it doesn’t always mean I'm any good at learning them as I found out when I had my first ever Kung Fu lesson! It was pretty special, as I learned with Master Zheng Xiaohong from the Shaolin Temple. He and one of his students Wang Jinlei spend three months in … [Read more...]
Your thoughts on Badass female fighters in films?
I was writing about Kung Fu for work this week, which of course sent me looking for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for research. That came out in 2000 when I was still actively fighting in MuayThai. I still remember the excitement of seeing the fight scenes when Michelle Yeoh took on Zhang Ziyi. … [Read more...]
Do you throw up after working out?
Warning: this post contains vomiting references! Aisling Daly pre UFC Dublin PIC: Twitter Jerry McCarthy Yesterday morning Irish MMA fighter Aisling Daly was interviewed on Newstalk radio as part of a segment on ‘body-shaming’. They somehow ended up talking about training so … [Read more...]
Catherine Costigan on what to eat for MMA
As a 21-year old manager in one of Ireland’s largest surpermarket chains, Catherine Costigan should have been overawed. Looking back now, she says martial arts kept her confidence up. That same confidence is evident as she talks about the training and nutrition which keeps her MMA … [Read more...]
Irish MMA fighter joins FSE
Monday mornings can be depressing sometimes but this morning I woke up to a Twitter-feed popping with exciting news for Irish MMA fighter Aoife Murphy. You may have seen an interview Aoife did a this blog in September when we discussed the challenges of finding fights in Ireland, and how … [Read more...]
Women in sport blogging their passions
PIC: Photographer Re Wiksrom via her TumblrIt's been four months since I did a round-up of some great women sports bloggers or social media fans, not quite sure how that happened. Tsk TskBut Jo Kadlecek gave me a gentle nudge yesterday, so here we go: some of the female sports bloggers and sites … [Read more...]
Catherine Costigan on MMA, surgery and ignoring age limits
PIC Catherine Costgan MMA for Invicta Energy, passion, enthusiasm and a huge grin – this is what I took away from meeting Catherine Costigan a few weeks ago. And when we spoke on the phone, she had so much more to say I had to keep asking her to slow down so my scribbling could keep … [Read more...]
Ilonka Elmont and her MuayThai charity in Suriname
You’ll see many exciting ring-entrances in fighting sports today but one of my favourites has always been Ilonka Elmont’s. Originally from Suriname in South America, she moved to Holland as a young girl and represented both in her fighting career. Competing across MuayThai and kickboxing at 50 to … [Read more...]
Can MuayThai change girls’ lives?
Mod, trainer at Elite Boxing, Thailand kicks pads - inspiringYou know how so many boxing films are set around the mean streets of some nasty city and our hero gets saved by the ring? Well, this week's video is a real-life version of that with a Thai twist.Plus heroines of course ...Elite Boxing Gym … [Read more...]
Aoife Murphy, MMA and making weight
Michigan USA - Aoife (rear, right) training with Invicta fighters at Scorpiion Fighting System Team SFS When male fighters grow up big and tall, promoters rub their hands with glee. But for Aoife Murphy standing at 1.83m or bang on six foot is simply a problem. The small number of … [Read more...]