Sophia McDermott Drysdale | Graciemag

Meet the Drysdales, black belt champions Robert & Sophia, in Mexico February 21-22

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:13:16 +0000

Sophia and Robert Drysdale. Photo: Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu

Get the chance to train with both Robert and Sophia Drysdale of GMA Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu. Robert is an ADCC absolute champion and both are black belt world champions, Sophia having earned the title of first female black belt in Australia.

The duo will be travel to Prohamos BJJ in Mexico City, Mexico for a camp from Feb. 21-22.

Don’t miss the seminar with Robert on Saturday, Feb. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be gi and no-gi. On Feb. 22, Sophia will teach a gi and no-gi seminar as well from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The camp will have rates for each event and a dual rate as well. To reserve your spot, go to http://www.eventbrite.com/e/entradas-robert-y-sophia-drysdale-en-mexico-14657499977?aff=efbevent

For more information you can email seminarios@promahosbjj.com

Learn more about Robert and Sophia Drysdale at www.drysdalejiujitsu.com

The post Meet the Drysdales, black belt champions Robert & Sophia, in Mexico February 21-22 first appeared on Graciemag.

Sophia Drysdale & Mackenzie Dern help spread Jiu-Jitsu to women in Mexico, Las Vegas

Thu, 14 Aug 2014 17:03:16 +0000

Training at the camp in Mexico City. Photo: Personal Archive

Jiu-Jitsu is growing so rapidly and more and more opportunities are coming up for athletes to compete, to attend seminars and workshops.

Recently, Sophia McDermott Drysdale of GMA Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu in Las Vegas, NV and Mackenzie Dern of GMA Megaton Jiu-Jitsu in Phoenix, AZ visited Mexico to train and share their knowledge amongst some lucky ladies. In attendance were students of Jiu-Jitsu who traveled far and wide from all across the United States and Latin America to attend the eight-day camp.

Purple belt Itzel Bazua, who is a pioneer in the sport for women in Mexico, organized the event to help build awareness of Jiu-Jitsu in Mexico and give others the opportunity to learn from two experienced black belts, World and Pan Am Champions.

In between the morning and night training there was time to do some sight seeing such as visiting the temples and Teotihuacan!

The previous month Sophia McDermott Drysdale, with brown belt Ronda Andrews, also taught a camp at the MA Supershow at the Venetian in Las Vegas. The event was organized by brown belt Shama Ko, who is the founder of the very successful support group, Girls In Gis which brought over 80 ladies from all across the United States who were all there to share and learn and make friendships regardless of affiliation or belt rank.

It is great to see more events being held for women and all Jiu-Jitsu practitioners as a whole. Stay tuned for more info for big camps and events that Mackenzie and Sophia are involved in.

Check out more of Sophia’s adventures at www.drysdalejiujitsu.com

Girls In Gi Sophia McDermott Drysdale5 Sophia & Mackenzie Mexico 2014 (18) Sophia & Mackenzie Mexico 2014 (8) Sophia & Mackenzie Mexico 2014 (13)

The post Sophia Drysdale & Mackenzie Dern help spread Jiu-Jitsu to women in Mexico, Las Vegas first appeared on Graciemag.

Video: Sophia Drysdale demonstrates a triangle submission from closed guard

Fri, 25 Jul 2014 16:18:52 +0000

Australian black belt Sophia Drysdale of GMA Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu in Las Vegas, NV has put together an instructional for a position that goes back to basics. With all the excitement over worm guard and berimbolos, referring back to the closed guard is never a bad decision.

Here, Sophia offers a way to secure a triangle submission from the closed guard by breaking an opponent’s grip on your lapel in the process. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Learn more about Sophia and Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu at www.drysdalejiujitsu.com

The post Video: Sophia Drysdale demonstrates a triangle submission from closed guard first appeared on Graciemag.

Two-a-days from May 19-25 at the Zenith BJJ Worlds Camp will prepare you for gold

Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:47:36 +0000

From May 19-25, you can prepare for the 2014 World Championship with the Zenith BJJ team in Las Vegas. The Worlds are less than a month away but with two training sessions a day with some of the biggest names on the competition mats today, you can iron out any wrinkles in your game.

Recently Zenith BJJ held the Pan Am training Camp which was a huge success with students from all over the world coming to train. It is time to train up for the World’s and Zenith BJJ is hosting their first World Championship Camp and some some big names are heading over to the Drysdale Jiu Jitsu Headquarters in Las Vegas to help teach it..

The main professors are Robert Drysdale and Rodrigo Cavaca, with special guests also contributing: Gilbert Durinho Burns, Kit Dale, Diego Borges, Rafael Domingos and Sophia Drysdale.

This star studded camp is going to be so jam-packed with knowledge and classes will be catered for lightweights and heavyweights while Sophia will be the head of the women’s program. So far students from Canada, Australia, Europe, Brazil, Mexico and throughout the Unites States have registered to participate.

This camp is open to all schools regardless of affiliation.

For Zenith BJJ affiliate members the cost is $150 and for non-members the cost is $300.

The academy is located at 2000 S. Rainbow Blvd. #108 Las Vegas, NV 89147.

For more details and/or registration please call 702-258-0048 or email :sales@drysdalejiujitsu.com

Check out more from GMA Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu at www.drysdalejiujitsu.com

The post Two-a-days from May 19-25 at the Zenith BJJ Worlds Camp will prepare you for gold first appeared on Graciemag.

Sophia McDermott Drysdale leads another all-female open mat for 95 ladies in Australia

Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:42:57 +0000

Sophia and the Australian Girls in Gis camp. Photo: Personal Archive

The weekend of Feb. 15-16 was a huge weekend for women in Jiu-Jitsu. Almost 95 women joined together to participate in one of the largest women’s BJJ event in the world! The event organized by purple belt Jess Fraser was a weekend camp that was open to all women of all ages and all levels from any academy.

It was a weekend where everyone could get together and learn and share experiences with no politics and no competition. The head instructor, Australia’s first female black belt, Pan-Am and No-Gi World champion Sophia McDermott Drysdale, taught two sessions each day and gave advice about training during pregnancy. She also shared how to deal with the changes both physically and mentally of being a mother and an athlete.

Australian Girls in Gis is a huge community that provides support to all female Australian athletes and as a result, the overall standard of women in Jiu-Jitsu has increased dramatically.

“It is great to see the sport growing so rapidly where there are almost 100 women on the mat at one time,” says Sophia.

In July, Sophia is scheduled to teach a camp in Mexico alongside Mackenzie Dern.

For more information about Sophi McDermott Drysdale and her home of GMA Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu in Las Vegas, visit www.drysdalebjj.com

Sophia McDermott Drysdale4 Sophia McDermott Drysdale. Sophia McDermott Drysdale.2

The post Sophia McDermott Drysdale leads another all-female open mat for 95 ladies in Australia first appeared on Graciemag.

Sophia Drysdale to host largest women’s Jiu-Jitsu camp in Australia Feb. 15-16

Fri, 24 Jan 2014 17:09:10 +0000

The largest women’s Jiu-Jitsu group in the world will be hosting their fourth female-only grappling camp on Feb. 15 & 16.

Leading the camp will be the first Australian female black belt, Sophia McDermott Drysdale who now lives in Las Vegas, NV with her husband Robert teaching and running their school, GMA Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu.

Sophia is an international competitor who has won titles at State, National, Pan Pacific, Pan American and No-Gi Worlds. Her teaching experiences extend from gymnastics to personal training to Jiu-Jitsu seminars and classes.

The camp will have over 100 girls attending. Those in attendance have the opportunity to “train with some top female athletes, learn new skills, meet new friends and generally have the greatest girls grappling weekend of all time, all in the land down under in the Summer time!”

Everyone is welcome to join no matter the experience level or team and affiliation.

For more information go to www.australiangirlsingi.com

The post Sophia Drysdale to host largest women’s Jiu-Jitsu camp in Australia Feb. 15-16 first appeared on Graciemag.

Video: Sophia Drysdale teaches a triangle finish from spider guard

Mon, 05 Aug 2013 16:13:35 +0000

The first female black belt from Australia who now lives in Las Vegas, Nevada is a leader for the women in Jiu-Jitsu. Wife of Robert Drysdale, she teaches and helps run the GMA Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu academy. This spring she returned to her home country for a string of seminars.

Check out Sophia teach a finishing technique from spider guard:

The post Video: Sophia Drysdale teaches a triangle finish from spider guard first appeared on Graciemag.