About Me

LIFE ON THE MAT
Jonna B.


I lived an ordinary life crawling my way to the top of the corporate ladder  of retail marketing, until I realized that life is not all about the glitz and glamour that the moneyed life brings.  In a snap, I found myself sharing stories and knowledge in front of wide-eyed college students, enjoying every bit of time I spend with them.  So much so, that I never felt the passing of time as an educator for more than two years.

My life got spiced up the moment I discovered Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in 2006.  I was awarded my blue belt (second female homegrown blue belt in the Philippines) by Master Fabricio Martins of Equipe Fabricio Brazil in April 2008.  I train with my Aussie coach, Stephen Kamphuis, a 2nd degree black belt in BJJ and a 2nd dan black belt in Judo who owns two dojos in Manila.

Doing BJJ is more than a sport; it’s a way of life.  I have learned to embrace it and let my life revolve around it, which made me drop my unhealthy habits to get fitter and stronger.  Among the oh-so-many BJJ moves and positions, I find myself enthralled by armbars and playing in the guard.  I strive to train 3-5 times a week.

Academe and BJJ aside, I write and pick up my Nikon once in a while to enhance my creative persona.  I am a slave to QISH, my 3-year-old Siamese cat who thinks that he is human — that, or he sees me as one big cat slave.  I am also a stage mother to a mischievous rescued cat RUE, who has a budding modeling career. They are both PAWsome Cats who blog.

Qish, the Siamese

Rue, the mischievous rescued cat