WHAT DOES YOUR SPORT MEAN TO YOU BEYOND COMPETITION?
BJJ has been one of the things that has kept me the most grounded and has helped to shape me into the person I am today. There are so many elements of BJJ that translate into our daily lives; resilience, persistence, discipline, humility, and the list goes on. It teaches us how to deal with being uncomfortable, and how to handle lifes’ wins and losses. As fun as competition is, the BJJ journey is so much more than that.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE DEMANDS OF YOUR SPORT WITH YOUR PERSONAL LIFE?
It definitely isn’t easy. I find that having a structure to my week makes it a lot easier to deal with, as I can map out how everything is going to fit in with one another. Also having rest days as required is important to avoid burn-out. It took me a long time to understand that it’s okay to listen to my body.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING ATHLETES LOOKING UP TO YOU?
The BJJ journey is one full of ups and downs. There are times where you will feel on fire (cherish these), and times where you feel like you are going backwards. In those times, as hard as it feels, don’t let it break you. Keep showing up and you will break through the slump eventually. It also really helps to try and analyse why you may be going through the slump; is it due to lack of fitness? Lack of focus? Lack of motivation? Or maybe due to holes in your skillset? If you can find the answer, you can begin to address it and move past it.
CONTACT EMILY
Do you have another sponsorship opportunity for Emily? As an elite athlete, her work ethic is obviously second to none and she's a pleasure to work with so get in touch to discuss any opportunities you have to support her BJJ career!
