Before she ever even hit the mat, someone had already doubted her potential. Someone close to her. “He told me the idea of me being a world jiu jitsu champion was not going to happen. He said, it’s very hard for you to get that good,” recalls Alexis. And Alexis Andrade didn’t care for that. Out of the gate, Andrade had aggressive goals in a male-dominated sport, but she was confident she would become a Jiu Jitsu World Champion.
Since then she’s trained in Brazil with some of the best, flown to New York to train at Marcelo Garcia’s headquarters and, most impressively, has a resume of winning matches including:
2014 White Featherweight
IBJFF Houston Open Champion
IBJJF Pan American Championship Finalist (second place)
IBJJF World Championship –Winner
2015 Blue Featherweight
Dream Jiu-jitsu Baddest Blue Submission-Only Champion
World Jiu-jitsu League Los Angeles Champion
IBJJF Houston Open Champion
Why P4
It takes commitment. Alexis trains at least four to five hours per day, sandwiching her full-time job between training sessions. Which is where the effectiveness of P4 Energy has come into play. “I felt an immediate intensity to get up and go. It doesn’t hit you all at once like other supplements; it wasn’t a short-term surge of adrenaline. It was like, I’m awake and ready to go. Of course I also feel really good about it since it’s NSF-certified for sport. I don’t have to question it,” says Andrade.
“Endurance is a huge factor so I have to be able to go the distance and stabilize. After work, coffee wouldn’t help because it dehydrates you and you crash. With P4 there isn’t any crash,” says Andrade.
The First Encounter
Alexis took an interest in Jiu Jitsu in 2012, fresh out of college. But it was a rocky road getting started. She really couldn’t get acclimated to her first gym, “I was the only female on the mat and I just wasn’t comfortable. The first class I ever took in Fayetteville [Arkansas], there were about eight guys, and they were huge. I don’t know how well developed my intuition was at that point. I had to keep saying,’Don’t hit my mouth,’ because I was a dental student at the time and that’s all I could think about. My first practice, my muscles froze up because you feel like this scared little cat. And after a month I felt like I wasn’t really progressing so I gave it up for a while.”
Finding the Right Gym
Alexis emphasizes the importance of finding the “right” gym as an integral part of your success in this sport. “Months later I found another gym in Bentonville,” said Andrade. “I came to Inferno, and there were already two girls on the mat. The guys were very kind and patient with me. I tried it out and it was like… done. I was in.” Despite the fact that this gym felt like a great fit for Alexis, there always seem to be members at any gym who can make adjusting to a team very difficult. “Females have high territorial issues. One girl just kept choking me out over and over and over again,” recalls Alexis. Between that and her attitude, Alexis thought, “This girl wants to kill me.” But Andrade was determined and committed to pursue her goal.
Inspiration from Brazil
After just three active months in the sport, Alexis signed up for a week in Brazil to train with some of jiu jitsu’s best. And it was intense. No longer than one hour after landing, her team was on the way to their first training session. “In Brazil, they get up, go to work, [and always] pack their gi’s. Both the kids and the parents. It’s not a sport there; it’s a lifestyle. Jiu jitsu is something you learn to protect yourself and your family. It’s a high-bond situation. When you trust the person enough for them not to hurt you, that bond is formed. Fellow grapplers are in control of their strength, so it’s very humbling and trusting. I don’t trust people very easily, and that helped me be really compassionate to people.”
The Benefits of Jiu Jitsu
“As a female injiu jitsu, yo’re in a position where you take control of your own personal space. You either say ‘no’ by technique or you invite it in for your advantage.” A practice that Alexis also sees reflected in relationships. Alexis isn’t currently in a relationship, and she credits her experience on the mat for why she doesn’t feel like she “needs” one. “It’s the idea of being aware of all your senses. Being present. I don’t need anything that doesn’t suit or serve me.”
Alexis encourages females with any interest to explore their potential. “It’s gentle enough for anybody to try. And you learn how to deal with stressful situations. I’ve always been a happy person, but I’m a much calmer person now. I’ve learned a lot, like never to hold onto victories or losses and know that it’s all a journey.”
Andrade already has the coordinates for the next stop on that journey. “My goal is to be a black belt by the time I’m 30.”
From the Team at P4, we’re confident Alexis has the Power to Prove Everything.
