Written by Ema Gramnjak, Translated by Gwenllian Jenkins
Let me give you some context. It was October of 2022, and Aberystwyth University Kickboxing society started their regular training sessions. After “the Plague,” the society had some issues running like they used to, due to kickboxing being a contact sport. This year the committee was at full capacity and we finally had multiple coaches to run the training sessions as well. With the sense of normality being restored, one of our coaches, Esteban Lanza Valenciano, got the bright idea to bring back in-club tournaments.
Becoming a recreational kickboxer
I started kickboxing in my first year, however, the training could only run for a month before another lockdown kicked in. I didn’t get to experience much in such a short period, but I knew I wanted to come back to it whenever the club would start up again.
Going into my second year, it felt like we all got to hit a reset button. It was then when I could be an honorary fresher and live the student life the way it was meant to be lived. I picked up multiple societies, including kickboxing again. It was wonderful. I was learning a new skill, I was exercising, I found a friend group through this shared interest - which made for a really fun 22nd birthday party, and socials were a blast week after week.
Like I said though, I was only kickboxing recreationally. The fear of getting hit intertwined with the fear of hitting and potentially harming others is a big thorn in my side. This fear stopped me from sparring, as well as trying out for the Fight Squad, our championship team. The society did great in Leeds last year, actually, we came back with two first places and a third finalist. It was inspiring, yet the fears were stronger.
Getting over it
I felt like I had to change something. I don’t consider myself a cowardly person, I have no problem speaking my mind and standing for what I believe in. However, when it comes to physical confrontation, my flight response really kicks in. Because of this, I was happy to continue just training for the sake of cardio, but then the tournament was announced.
Esteban, from our coach team, was the main organizer. He’s been with the society for all three years of his studies. Last year he was absent because he did a year in industry, before coming back to his third year in Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence. Before joining the society, he also did Taekwondo for over two years, as well as MMA and self-defence the year before enrolling in university.
I asked him what led to the tournament. He told me that ‘the sports centre moved our Sunday session to the dance hall and gave us a two-and-a-half-hour slot. We were discussing what to do with the time and someone brought up the idea of a tournament. We thought it would be a great way to let the members gain more adequate fighting experience.’ There were a couple of issues that came up the closer we got to the tournament, but in the end it went ahead, and Esteban was proud with the way the committee pulled together to make it happen.
About the fight
The tournament took place on my birthday. I got a day off work so I could join the Sunday training session and enjoy myself. Then, the tournament was announced. I was displeased, but I was still going to go and watch my friends beat each other.
That didn’t go quite as planned because I ended up being peer-pressured into entering the tournament. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t take much to convince me, however my heart was racing like crazy. I literally never sparred before the week of the tournament. Yet now I had to. And to be honest, it didn’t go well. I got a panic attack in the middle of sparring my friend and benched myself for the rest of the training session.
The next day was a bit better. I knew who I was going to face so I practiced with her the most, to ease my mind and get comfortable. She was a great help. A lot of girls dropped out of the tournaments, so there were only three of us in the end. As I understood it, I only had to face my friend. Once I lost to her, because she was far more experienced than me, I was going to be done for the day. That felt easy enough, so I started to gain some confidence.
The tournament finally rolled around - happy 23rd birthday to me. Due to how small the women’s league was, our fights went first, which meant my fight took place right off the bat. Nonetheless, I felt ready enough. I practiced with the friend before, so our fight felt like just another fighting session.
Let me tell you, though, she hits hard. And her kicks are worse. I was completely knackered by the end of round one, after she knocked the wind out of me with a straight hit to my chest. She won, of course, and I couldn’t be prouder. Not just with her, but with myself, as well. For my first fight ever, I really held my own. It’s unlikely I’ll enter more tournaments, but just training and seeing my progress gets me excited. I’d recommend kickboxing to anyone who wants to feel themselves improving, but also to expel any repressed rage.
Y tro gyntaf i mi ymladd (yn swyddogol)
Gadewch i mi roi ychydig o gyd-destun i chi. Mi oedd hi’n fis Hydref 2022, roedd gymdeithas cic-focsio Prifysgol Aberystwyth wedi cychwyn eu sesiynau hyfforddiant wythnosol. Ar ôl “Y Pla”, profwyd ambell broblem gyda rhedeg y gymdeithas fel y bu yn y gorffennol, gyda chic-focsio yn gamp-cyswllt. Eleni mi roedd yna bwyllgor llawn, yn ogystal â nifer o hyfforddwyr ar gael i redeg y sesiynau hyfforddi. Gyda’r synnwyr o normalrwydd yn cael ei adfer, cafodd un o’r hyfforddwyr, Esteban Lanza Valenciano, y syniad ardderchog o gychwyn yn ôl twrnameintiau rhwng aelodau’r clwb.
Bod yn gig-focsiwyr hamddenol
Mi ddechreuais cic-focsio yn fy mlwyddyn gyntaf, rhedwyd yr hyfforddiant ond am fis cyn i’r cyfnod-clo nesaf gychwyn. Yn anffodus, ni chefais lawer o gyfle i gael profiad llawn o fewn y camp mewn cyfnod mor fyr, ond un peth oedd yn sicr, fy mod i’n awyddus i ddychwelyd iddo pryd bynnag y byddai’r clwb yn ail-gychwyn.
Wrth ddechrau fy ail flwyddyn, roedd hi’n teimlo petai pawb wedi gallu ail-ddechrau ar eu profiad. Dyma pryd cefais y cyfle i fod yn las-fyfyriwr anrhydeddus, a byw y bywyd myfyriwr fel y bwriedir. Fe wnes i ymuno mewn sawl gymdeithas, gan gynnwys cic-focsio unwaith eto. Roedd o’n anhygoel. Ddysgais sgiliau newydd yn ogystal a chadw’n heini, a fe wnes i grŵp o ffrindiau trwy rannu’r diddordeb yma – bu’r parti pen-blwydd 22ain yn andros o hwyl o ganlyniad, a mi oedd y digwyddiadau cymdeithasol wythnosol yn llawn sbri.
Fel y dwedais, roeddwn ond yn gwneud cic-focsio yn hamddenol. Roedd yr ofn o gael fy nharo ynghlwm a’r ofn o daro ac o bosib gwneud niwed i eraill yn ddraenen enfawr yn fy ystlys. Tan bod yr ofn yma wedi fy rhwystro rhag sbario, yn ogystal a chystadlu am y Fight Squad, neu i fod yn rhan o’n tîm pencampwriaeth. Cafwyd canlyniad anhygoel i’r gymdeithas yn Leeds y llynedd, enillwyd dau wobr gyntaf a thrydydd yn y rownd derfynol. Roedd hyn mor ysbrydoledig, ond roedd fy ofnau yn gryfach nag erioed.
Dod drosto fo
Mi o’n i’n teimlo bod rhaid newid rhywbeth. Dwi ddim yn meddwl fy mod i’n gachgi o berson, dwi’n gyfforddus yn siarad a rhannu fy marn, neu sefyll dros beth dwi’n credu ynddo. Ond, pan mae’n dod i wrthdaro gorfforol, mae fy ymateb hedfan yn cicio mewn. O achos hyn, ro’n i’n fwy na hapus i barhau i hyfforddi yn unig ar gyfer cadw’n heini, ond wedyn trefnwyd y twrnament.
Esteban, o’n tîm hyfforddi, oedd y brif trefnwr. Mae wedi bod yn rhan o’r gymdeithas am y tair blynedd o’i astudiaethau. Llynedd, roedd yn absennol gan ei fod wedi cymryd blwyddyn allan i weithio o fewn y diwydiant, cyn dychwelyd ar gyfer ei drydydd flwyddyn o fewn Cyfrifiadureg a Deallusrwydd Artiffisial. Cyn ymuno gyda’r gymdeithas, bu’n gwneud Taekwondo dros ddwy flynedd, yn ogystal ag MMA ag hunan-amddiffyn y flwyddyn cyn astudio yn y brifysgol.
Am y frwydr
Fe wnaeth y twrnament ddigwydd ar fy mhen-blwydd. Cefais y diwrnod i ffwrdd o’r gwaith er mwyn ymuno gyda’r sesiwn hyfforddi Dydd Sul a mwynhau fy hun. Yna, trefnwyd y twrnament. Ro’n i’n anfodlon, ond dal yn bwriadu mynd i wylio fy ffrindiau yn cystadlu yn erbyn ei gilydd.
Ond gwnaeth y cynllun yma ddim gweithio, cefais fy mherswadio gan ffrindiau i gystadlu yn y twrnament. Er doedd dim angen gweithio’n rhy galed i fy mherswadio i ddeud y gwir, ond roedd fy nghalon yn curo mor gyflym. O’n i erioed wedi sbario tan wythnos cyn y twrnament. Ond yn awr roedd yn rhaid i mi. Ag i fod yn gonest, mi aeth o’n wael. Cefais ymosodiad panig yng nghanol sbario i fy ffrind, a rhaid i mi eistedd ar y fainc am weddill y sesiwn hyfforddi.
Aeth y diwrnod nesaf ychydig yn well. Gwyddai pawb pwy oeddent yn erbyn, felly fe wnes i ymarfer llawer gyda fy mhartner i dawelu fy meddwl a theimlo’n fwy gyfforddus. Roedd hi’n gymorth enfawr. Yn y diwedd, mond tair ohonom o ferched oedd dal yn y gystadleuaeth gan fod cynifer wedi dewis peidio cystadlu yn y twrnameintiau. Fel y deallais, roedd ond angen i mi wynebu fy ffrind. Unwaith y bydden i’n colli yn ei herbyn, gan ei bod hi llawer yn fwy brofiadol na fi, mi fyddaf wedi gorffen am y dydd. Roedd hyn i weld yn weddol hawdd, felly dechreuais magu peth hyder.
O’r diwedd daeth diwrnod y twrnament – pen-blwydd hapus iawn i mi yn 23. O ganlyniad i’r nifer fach o fewn adran y menywod, ein brwydrau ni oedd gyntaf, a oedd yn golygu mai fy mrwydr i oedd yn cychwyn y cyfan. Er gwaethaf hynny, ro’n i’n barod. Cefais sesiwn ymarfer gyda fy ffrind cyn y frwydr, er mwyn i’m brwydr teimlo yn union fel sesiwn ymladd arall.
Gadewch i mi ddeud wrthych, mae hi’n taro’n galed iawn. A mae ei chiciau hyd yn oed yn waeth. Ro’n i wedi blino’n lân erbyn diwedd y rownd gyntaf, ar ôl iddi gnocio’r gwynt allan ohonof gyda thrawiad yn syth i fy mrest. Hi enillodd, yn amlwg, a ro’n i mor falch. Dim yn unig gyda hi, ond gyda fy hun hefyd. Am y frwydr gyntaf, fe wnes i sefyll fy nhir go iawn. Mae’n annhebygol y byddaf yn cymryd rhan mewn mwyn o dwrnameintiau, ond mae hyfforddi a sylwi ar fy natblygiad yn fy nghyffroi. Mi fyddaf yn argymell cic-focsio i unrhyw un sydd eisiau teimlo eu hunain yn datblygu, ac wrth gwrs gwaredu ar unrhyw ddicter.