Full Noise Traveller – Intro
Kia ora, I’m Kiera, I come from Art of Combat (AoC), a small but mighty gym in Aotearoa, New Zealand’s Manawatū. I am a white belt (3 tabs), training for about 2 years now.
My team at Art of Combat
Where it began
My intro to combat sport was boxing. I started at the end of high-school, after looking for a sport to fill the void of NZ high-school rowing (iykyk). I loved boxing, I loved the physical push and found peace in the practice, there was always something to learn! But after a head injury following a pretty hearty kite-surfing accident I decided to redirect my focus to something that didn’t risk such frequent head knocks.
A few years later I was really missing combat sport and having watched UFC Sundays with my flat and then watched the boys demonstrate some moves (attack the clothes horse in the living room during the breaks) I thought I’d give BJJ a go. So, I went along to an intro session where I wiggled along a mat in a funny outfit and since then I’ve been hooked.
I travel a lot for work (mostly within NZ, but occasionally I get to go a bit further afield) which is sick but meant that from the start of my Jits training I was often away for weeks – months, so I decided I’d better put on my big girl spats and visit some local gyms.
I’m not gona lie I found it super intimidating to rock up to a random gym as a fresh white belt (especially as I am often one of the only girls in the gym), but I’ve always been made to feel so welcome and after an awkward round of hello’s we’re all happily crushing and choking each other like old friends.
Team Viti Blacktip in Nadi, Fiji
The Manawatū Wāhine Open Mat crew (Girls if you’re ever in the region come hang out!)
Gym count
NZ – 8
Aus – 1 (Albury/Wodonga),
Fiji – 1 (Nadi)
Tonga – 1 Judo gym (Tongatapu)
But this year I’m taking it up a notch!
I’ve taken the year off work to complete my Masters thesis so once I finish collecting my data in Tonga, I’m going to work online while travelling and training around Europe!
After a quick stop in Malta I’ll be starting my trip in Estonia at the Globetrotters beach camp, where I can’t wait to be humbled both on the mats and in the surf!
From there I’ll be mat surfing, making my way (in no particular order) through Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, England, Ireland, Scotland … and anywhere that promises good coffee, fun training partners and pretty views – recommendations welcome!
So let’s go full noise!
Stats
Month – 0
Gyms Visited – 11
Current location – New Zealand
Thesis Progress – 30%
Danger Level Gain – 0%
Practice Packs – 5 (can you tell I’m an A type?)
The gym list (in order of visit):
- Art of Combat (Palmerston North, NZ) [HOME]
- Albury Wodonga Brazillian Jiujitsu (Albury, Australia)
- Viti Blacktip Jiujitsu (Nadi, Fiji)
- Axis (Rolleston, NZ)
- WahiBJJ (Fielding, NZ)
- East side (Auckland, NZ)
- Upper Hutt BJJ (Upper Hutt, NZ)
- Workshop (Wellington, NZ)
- Alliance (Auckland, NZ)
- Coast BJJ (Albany, NZ)
- Tonga Judo Association (Tongatapu, Tonga)
