The earliest memory of the "competitive rush" I have is racing the
neighborhood boys around the block on my light blue 10 speed Schwinn.
After that, I started playing tennis, and was enrolled in every dance
class my mother could find. My dad was a distance runner. He started bringing me to his shorter 5k and
10k races. I was always moving. Swimming in the summer months, skiing
in the winter. I started with one brother, and along the way picked up 4
more. Needless to say, my life quickly became survival of the fittest.
My house had at least one sport going in the backyard at all times.
If you couldn't keep up, you were left behind. Since I was the only
girl, I fought harder to stay off the bottom of the pile.
To balance out these rugged boys, my dad kept me active in my dance
classes. The more time I spent at the studio, the more I spent
helping the younger kids. I found myself
enjoying the time teaching the younger kids.
I eventually had my own class and continued teaching while earning a BFA
in Dance and Choreography at George Mason University. Once I graduated I followed my dreams of
living in a big city, New York City.
It was there through several twists and turns, that I found Muay Thai.
The movement was similar to the modern dance I had grown to love, and the
athleticism reminded me of the sports from my earlier years. After a few
sessions, I was hooked. Strength and beauty tied together with focus and
discipline. I was already a certified personal trainer at the time, and
decided to dive into really learning and understanding the martial art, so I
could instruct others. Eventually my dance career was left behind, and I
started competing in amateur fights. It took me all over the country and
eventually outside of the states.
There
weren't many female fighters out there at the time, and I am happy to have been
a part of paving the way for the next generation. I am now a 2x WKA
Professional World Title holder and couldn't be prouder.
I have been a trainer in New York City for over 15 years focusing on
Muay Thai, with a variety of clientele. I teach group classes for both
adults, and kids ages 5 and up. Through even more twists and turns in
life, I am going back to school to pursue a second Bachelor's Degree in
Nursing. I have also rediscovered my love of teaching younger kids and
getting back to some old fashion fun of moving and playing with the twists of
modern times. This is where FitTykes was born.
Certifications:
- Certified Muay Thai Instructor by Grandmaster Chansadeth
- SFG Level II Instructor
- National Primal Move Instructor
- TRX Group Suspension Training Course
- AFAA Group Fitness Instructor
- Post Rehab and Conditioning with American Academy of Health and Fitness Professionals
- Esquerre Fitness Group Advance Stretching Techniques
- CPR and AED Certified
Accomplishments:
- Internationally Ranked Competitive Thai Boxer
- 2x WKA Professional Bantamweight World Champion
- 2 WKA US Championship Belts
- WKA Regional Championship Title
- Member of the US Team to the International Muay Thai Federation Amateur Championships on Bangkok, Thailand
- Silver Medal 2006 WKA World Championships
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