Features
Grappling Beauty, Nikki Garcia
interviewed by Linda Clark
31-year-old nurse tech, Nikki Garcia is ½ Dine from
Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is a single mother of two
daughters, Dominique (12) and Nia Monet (8). Nikki is
a submission fighter and trains out of Jackson’s Mixed
Martial Arts in Albuquerque. We asked her to share
some background information on the sport for those not
familiar as well as her personal experiences.
The actual name of the sport? Well grappling has been
called submission fighting, submission wrestling, and
probably the most familiar, “Jui Jitsu”. My coach Greg
Jackson has formed his own style called “Gaidojitsu”,
which is a combination of wrestling techniques, street
fighting, and Jui Jitsu techniques. There are two categories a competitor may compete in, “Gi” and “No-Gi”.
If you are unfamiliar with the term “gi”, you may know
them as the white outfits with the colored belts. At Jackson’s where I train, we train with “No-Gi” and we do not
have “belts”.
I kind of just found grappling one day. I was at a fitness
gym and passed by an aerobics room where I noticed
people rolling around in Gis. I stopped in to take a look,
the instructor Dr. R, filled me in and I was hooked. This
was my first “dojo”, this “dojo” was very traditional, we
wore Gis and bowed to each other all the time. This style
of “Jui Jitsu” was very similar to Judo. I then met a young
man by the name of Adrian to asked me to check out the
dojo he went to, “Jackson’s”. I went to a couple of classes
and was completely drawn to the style and atmosphere.
I’ve been going ever since. I’ve been
training for about 2.5 yrs and have been active for about
2 years.
What piqued my interest? I love to compete. I’m a
competitive person, I love sports, and I’m an athlete, but
grappling has something that I just love. Its hard for me
to put it into words. Grappling is my passion...it is a part
of me. I love everything about it...my team mates are like
brothers to me, some of the most awesome people I have
ever met. I love to push my body and mind to its limits,
accomplishing things I never thought I could ever do.
I love to teach it more than anything, when I can share
something I love its a great feeling. Martial arts/grappling
has changed my life. I love it because it saved me...my
coach, my teammates and the sport have had nothing but
a positive impact on my life. It has effected all aspects of
my life...as a mother, a student, a friend, a person, and
employee. Its the best sport in the world!
Training is not always “peachy keen”, it has its ups and
downs, and you have your good and bad days. When
I feel frustrated, or discouraged I visualize my hand
being raised, the feeling and sense of accomplishment...
my mom and dad telling me that they are proud of me...
hugging my teammates when I win...visualizing being
known as the best, a champion.... telling my children
“mama won!”.... I visualize hugging my coach and telling
him “I did it Coach”... I visualize receiving awards and
thanking people that have helped me get to where I’m at
and where I’m about to go. I also tell my self It’s now or
never, and what ever happens in the end, I will be able
to tell me self that I did it and I tried. I’d rather grow old
knowing I gave my all and tried my best, than to say I
never tried at all. I think of my brother who passed away,
he’d be so proud of me! I think of my children, I must be
a good example for them, I want them to grow up strong
women. More than anything...I want to be a champion.
All these things motivate me.
When I compete in grappling tournaments, I compete in
Class B weight Class, 120-134lbs . . . also known as Light
Weight. I was ranked No. 1 in the World on grappling in
my weight class for the 2005 season on Grappling ratings.
com. I have not been able to compete as much this season, as I have been a little low on funds! I am currently
training for my first MMA
Garcia
www.redhoneymag.net
Archive Edition 2013
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