Kayla Patterson

“Just a Small Town Girl, Living in a Jiu-Jitsu World”

Kayla Patterson

It's not easy to pack up, leave everything you know, and move across the country. It takes a very special person to be able to do it. For Kayla Patterson, her journey is just beginning, and her small town roots only serve to fuel her dreams of greatness.

Coming from a tiny little town in Tennessee, Kayla has overcome many obstacles on her journey. She opens up about leaving a toxic training environment, finding mental strength, and how Jiu-Jitsu changed her life.

She is a two time No Gi World Champion, two time EBI vet, and the newest member of Legion Jiu Jitsu competition team. Let's get to know Kayla Patterson.

Name: Kayla Patterson

Age: 28

Team: Legion Jiu Jitsu

BJJ Tees: Where are you from, and where do you currently train?

 Kayla: I'm from Dyersburg, Tennessee. I train at Legion Jiu Jitsu in San Diego, California.

How long have you been training?

8.5 years.

How did you first get involved in Jiu-Jitsu?

I ran track and played soccer in high school, but when I was 19, I got in a car accident and fractured my knee. I got super fat. I started at a boxing gym to lose weight, but saw Jiu-Jitsu while I was there, got super interested, and tried it out.  

You recently made the move to California to train. What sparked this move?

I saw other athletes making the move and having success. Also, my loss at EBI. I didn’t really have a camp for it, and didn’t feel super prepared.. I decided, if I really want to make a go for it, I need to buckle down. 

Did you have any hesitations about making such a big move?

The idea of moving cross country was scary, and being away from family. I knew I was going from being a big fish in a small pond, to being a small fish in a big pond. I had doubts about my own abilities. I think anyone who has to make a big jump is going to have doubts. It’s just about overcoming them. 

What has your experience been so far?

Oh my god. Do I even know what Jiu-Jitsu is? I feel like a white belt some days. It’s been a great experience. It’s been what I expected. Every session, I’ve expected it to be exactly what it was. I’m just working on grinding to get to the same pace as everyone else. It's just like lifting. You’re gonna be sore for a while until you get used to it.  

Everyone is very encouraging. I feel very inspired by all the girls and guys. It's empowering to be surrounded by so many women. I’m the nail right now. One day, I’ll be the hammer.

It feels good to be a student again. I’ve been instructing since blue belt. Now, I just get to absorb. You take for granted what it’s like to be a student. 

How much do you train every week? What is your daily schedule like?

Right now I'm training in the morning every comp class, lifting, and then maybe more Jiu-Jitsu (depending on laundry). Then I work on weekends. 

Do you have to follow a strict diet?  What are your favorite foods to eat?

No. I’ll cut out a lot of starches like bread, pasta, and pizza, (my favorite foods). I’ll moderate. I try to have a colorful plate with meat and veggies. If I try to get too strict, I can get too OCD and I’ll end up starting from scratch a lot, so I still let myself have things that I like.

What are some of the challenges you have faced along your journey as a competitor?

Starting out was hard, because I didn't have other female partners. Like a lot of girls, I was the only female at my gym. Guys didn’t always know how to roll with a girl. Then, when I competed, I put a lot of pressure on myself. I would feel like I let myself, my coaches, and my teammates down if I lost. Instead of focusing on having fun, I worried about disappointing people.

I competed at featherweight for two years and basically starved myself. I was maybe eating 600 calories a day. I won No Gi Worlds twice, but nothing in the gi. I had to work on being healthy and strong, instead of focusing on having a small number. 

The jiu-jitsu life is challenging. It takes a very special person to do this. 

I left my old gym in the past year. It was really hard to leave. I trained there from white until brown belt. It was a very toxic environment. It was almost like a cult. My instructor did not recommend training at other gyms  because, “The best training is here, why would you go anywhere else?” If you tried to train somewhere else, he took it as a personal attack. He was like a rockstar and he needed groupies. 

I realised that a true coach/good person will encourage you to expand and learn, but also offer a stable home to come back to. They want you to succeed, and want to help you have whatever you need to do that. 

Things are much better now.

What motivates you?

I’m from a really small town. For most people, the goal is graduate high school, have babies, then repeat. There is not a lot of initiative. I wanted to be different. I always thought there was something outside of Dyer County. I didn't want to become my mother. I'm the total opposite now. 

Do you get nervous before you compete? What do you do to get mentally ready?

I get so nervous. I pee about seven times before each match. My hands start sweating and shaking. I slap my legs just to wake them up. For a while, before every match, I would sprint to the ref because I had to be first. (This is my OCD coming out again.) It would throw me off if the other girl shook the ref’s hand before I did. Usually I don’t sleep well the night before. I see the names in my bracket, all of their accomplishments, and feel like I don’t belong. I just try to breathe. I put headphones in, but usually don’t listen to anything. I muffle the outside sounds and just stretch. This keeps people from talking to me. 

What is your favorite submission?

It used to be the armbar, but lately I'm loving the loop choke. 

Who are your inspirations in Jiu-Jitsu?

So many. Angelica, Andre, Josh Hinger, Nikki Sullivan… the list is too long. The girls back home inspired me, the white belts, seeing them work hard. It gave me a sense of purpose.  

What are some of your goals for the future?

Obviously to win the Worlds. I want win at brown and black belt. To keep training, and eventually go on to teaching. I want to help share Jiu-Jitsu and empower people. I want to travel to small towns where they don’t have a lot of women in Jiu-Jitsu and inspire the girls there. 

Do you have any hobbies outside of Jiu-Jitsu?

I don't have a lot of hobbies. I like to lift weights. Recently, going to the beach is my hobby! I love hikes and being outside. I enjoy watching stupid comedies. I want to learn how to surf. 

Do you have any embarrassing stories from your training or competition?

I don't know, I do embarrassing stuff all the time. Sometimes I face plant while trying to be a show-off. I usually laugh at myself before anyone else has the opportunity to, so it’s fun for me too. 

Is there a pivotal moment that sticks out in your journey?

Most of my moments come from tournaments. At purple belt, I beat Danielle Alvarez at the No Gi Worlds 2014. She then beat me at an Atlanta open, then arbarred me again at another tournament. I realized I was too much in my head. I expected to lose. I started talking to a sports psychologist and working on my mentality. I learned a lot from that loss. 

What is some advice you would give to other guys or girls who want to be competitors?

Just do it. Lol. It’s gonna be scary and nerve-wracking, and you’re gonna question yourself a lot, but just go for it. 

For new people: start to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. 

Anything else you want us to know about you?

I’m safe, no-one’s killed me yet. I have not been to Mexico…

Do Jiu-Jitsu. It’s great. It’ll make you a better person.

Before Jiu-Jitsu, I was such an asshole. I partied a lot as a teen. I got so high one time, I called my dad ‘cause I was on the bathroom floor tripping and i thought I was dying. Jiu-Jitsu taught me humbleness and that I’m not totally indestructible. Had I stayed home, I would either have 20 kids, or be in jail, or both. There is literally nothing to do back home, so you find fun wherever you can. Jiu-Jitsu tamed me for sure. 

Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Thanks to my sponsors BJJ Tees and Kingz. Thank you to Glory BJJ, who helped me a lot to get out here. Thank you to Josh for extending the welcome, and to Atos for being awesome and welcoming. 

You can follow Kayla on Instagram @kaylapattersonjj .