Soft and Savage
Soft and Savage: Finding Myself Again Through MMA and Motherhood
I Walked Into the Gym as a Mom—Not Just an Athlete
I walked into the gym with a toddler on my hip and my daughter holding my hand.
We were all there to train.
My daughter—for her very first class
My toddler—just there to survive on snacks while I hoped to get a round in
And me—stepping back onto the mats for the first time in five years
Not just as an athlete.
But as a mom.
This moment felt bigger than training.
Because I made a decision:
I wasn’t going to let motherhood be the only version of my future.
I chose both.
To be soft at home—and savage on the mats.
How My Martial Arts Journey Started
I started martial arts at 16 years old.
My dad told me if I wanted to succeed in MMA, I had to start with Jiu Jitsu—because it was the hardest discipline to learn.
So I committed.
My life revolved around training:
Leaving school early for afternoon classes
Staying for evening sessions
Spending weekends at open mats
Competing regularly and cutting weight
I didn’t just train Jiu Jitsu—I lived it.
Motherhood Changed Everything
Then life shifted.
I got married. I got pregnant. And suddenly, my role changed.
Training looked different:
People were hesitant to roll with me
Competing was no longer an option
My body was changing, and I had to adjust
Soon after, my husband and I made the decision to move states to be closer to family.
It was the right choice for our life.
But it meant leaving martial arts behind.
Losing My Identity After Kids
Without access to a gym, I shifted into strength training—and fully into motherhood.
I poured everything into my daughter, then later into my son. Our family felt complete.
But a part of me felt missing.
Because martial arts was never just a hobby—it was part of my identity.
It shaped:
How I think
How I move
How I handle challenges
Even how I show up as a mom.
And I couldn’t ignore that anymore.
Starting Over as an MMA Mom
So we made another big decision.
We moved back home—back to where my martial arts journey began.
But this time, everything was different.
I wasn’t just an athlete chasing wins.
I was a mom rebuilding a part of myself.
Balancing Martial Arts and Motherhood
For five years, I was fully a Jiu Jitsu athlete.
For the next five years, I was fully a mom.
Now—I’m learning how to be both.
I’m rediscovering myself as a martial artist, expanding into striking, and finding a new rhythm that includes my kids, my training, and my growth.
This is what balance actually looks like:
Showing up tired but still training
Bringing your kids along for the journey
Letting both identities exist at the same time
Soft and savage.
What Being an MMA Mom Has Taught Me
Being a mom hasn’t made me weaker—it’s made me stronger in a different way.
I’ve learned:
Patience through chaos
Emotional control under pressure
Resilience on the hardest days
Motherhood and martial arts aren’t opposites.
They build each other.
Why “MMA Girl Diaries” Exists
I created this space for moms like me.
The ones who:
Feel like they’ve lost a part of themselves after having kids
Want to feel strong again—mentally and physically
Are trying to balance motherhood with their own goals
This is a place where we embrace both sides:
The softness of motherhood
The strength of showing up anyway
You don’t have to choose between being a good mom and being a strong woman.
You can be both.
You Can Be Soft and Savage
If you’ve ever felt like you lost yourself in motherhood…
If you’ve wondered who you are outside of being “mom”…
If you want to feel strong, confident, and capable again…
You’re in the right place.
We’re building something here.
A space where:
Strength doesn’t mean losing your softness
Growth doesn’t mean leaving your family behind
And being a mom doesn’t mean losing who you are
You don’t have to harden to be strong.
You can stay soft—and still be savage.