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By Astrid Bidanec  If you have a dream in your heart and you are willing to do whatever it takes, the day will come when you reap the rewards. Believing that it is never too late to follow your heart, one amazing young women, did just that and then some. Jenna Marie Bernick, more affectionately known as Tuffy in the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) world, has just joined Team Apocalypse. Proving that age and experience are not the only determining factors, she is making her dream of becoming a professional MMA fighter true at 32.
Photo courtesy of Jenna Marie Bernick, a.k.a. Tuffy
Tuffy in fighting mode
 Seeking the tutelage of Lana Stefanac, team captain of the Ladies of Pain, Tuffy showed everyone that where there is a will there is a way. She can now benefit from the experience her team mates on Team Apocalypse share with her, as well as being under the wings of the Ladies of Pain since these two teams recently joined forces to aggressively advance the status of women fighters in MMA. Photo courtesy of Jenna Marie Bernick
Tuffy's first customized pro fight shorts While Tuffy is putting everything on the line by diligently focusing her training on kickboxing now rather than teakwondo, she is also battling the aftermath of two extensive back surgeries, proving once again that she has the will to win and overcome. Knowing fully well that the path to the octagon can be long and unpredictable, she continues to work as a loss prevention agent while furthering her education at school. She draws her inspiration from well known MMA fighters like Lana Stefanac, Chuck Lidell, and Elaina Maxwell, but admires men and women in the octagon alike. One of her goals is to help increase the spot light on female MMA fighters.
"I basically respect any women in MMA. Even though it’s a sport dominated by men, I think that women belong in the cage or ring just as much. Especially, if they have the heart to train and do what they love to do," she explains.
Sponsorship is another issue on her mind. Since having a sponsor would allow her to spend more time at the gym it would help her become a better fighter and advance her career. Without sponsors she is forced to continue making a living as a Loss Prevention Agent.
Becoming an MMA star is not a purely selfish goal however. Tuffy believes in making a difference and wants to follow the example set by the Chicks that Kick who raised funds for the Yellow Brick house. Using her MMA career as a tool to give back is very important to her: "If I was able to be involved in something like that I’d love to be part of it. I believe that helping the community is an awesome thing."
Her advice to any woman interested in MMA is: "I have changed the way I eat, have changed the way I do a lot of things in my every day life to become more healthy. Cardio is a big thing with MMA and if you don’t have good cardio well then not sure what to tell you…lol. Also having friends and family to support you is a great thing also. There was a time in my life where I thought I’d never be able to get back into a sport because of my surgeries but I didn’t let that hold me back. I have more drive to succeed and make the most of what I can."
For more info on Tuffy you can visit her MySpace page. |
