Rayna Vallandingham started her journey in martial arts on the age of two. At 6, she earned her first black belt. And two years later, she received her first world championship — her first of 13 world taekwondo titles.

Now 20, the Indian American taekwondo grasp has continued to mature each out and in of the dojo. Sadly, oftentimes the remainder of the world has but to evolve as shortly. “[Growing up,] you all the time had these ‘courageous’ boys who would tease and say you kick like a woman,” she says. “And now that I’m 20, nothing’s actually modified. As a black belt, you’re all the time taught that you just’re solely supposed to make use of your martial arts and self-defense. So I might simply stand there. Nevertheless it’s unhappy that folks really feel the necessity to do this.”

Vallandingham spends about two hours per day practising martial arts; as well as, she logs a number of energy coaching periods. She’s additionally parlayed her success into a number of jobs: a martial arts teacher, battle choreographer, and content material creator with greater than a million followers on TikTok. (Should you haven’t seen her whip a pair of nunchucks or backflip in a swimsuit or night robe, you’re lacking out.)

Like anybody who ventures onto the web, with followers come trolls and anger, notably from old-school martial arts traditionalists who disapprove of her Gen. Z method.

Unsurprisingly, she’s unapologetic about the best way she expresses her artwork and makes use of her podcast, The A THREAT League, to vent frustrations and discuss store with co-host and choreographer Samantha Lengthy.

“I’m doing one thing that’s probably not been accomplished earlier than, within the sense of taking martial arts and adapting into content material creation,” Vallandingham says. “That’s the place some the hate comes from. And I’ve simply determined to decide to that and feed into it and be true to myself and who I wish to be. Hopefully that may encourage lots of people to be genuine to themselves as properly and never care about what different individuals say.”

Nonetheless, there’s a high quality line to Vallangham’s finesse with the spoken phrase, particularly as an envoy to the immortal icon of martial arts: Bruce Lee himself. She says she acquired the chance to work with the household representing the worldwide icon after they acquired a glimpse of a few of her viral martial arts social media exhibitions. Now representing her childhood idol, she is aware of the accountability of being of the feminine artists to be honored with this partnership.

“It was such an enormous blessing, and only a cultivation of all the pieces I’ve dreamt of, as a result of I all the time noticed that for myself— to make an identical affect that he’s had on the world ever since his profession flourished, even it was for a brief period of time,” she says. “His affect goes to encourage generations and generations to return and, and he impressed me and so I might love to do this for all these little women on the market who’re instructed that they’re not robust sufficient to dominate a sport like martial arts.”

Her mission assertion, she says, is to be the feminine Bruce Lee. Her Profitable Technique to realize that features staying true to that mission—even when means saying no to alternative, whereas persevering with to unfold out her skillset, studying losses, and nonetheless having enjoyable as a “newbie.”

1. FIND YOUR PURPOSE, THEN STAY TRUE TO IT

My recommendation to somebody who’s offered with a chance that they don’t actually know how you can navigate is to take a seat down and write precisely what you imagine your functions and objectives are. Take this chance that you just’ve been given and suppose, “Does this align with this and this and can it get me to the place I’m going?” If it doesn’t , then I’m an enormous believer that all the pieces is supposed for you and can by no means go you by. That can all the time resonate with you.

So if you happen to’re offered a chance, and you’ve got a foul feeling in your intestine otherwise you really feel one thing unfavorable brewing within you, I’d try to avoid that, even when it guarantees you fame, cash, something like that. In the long run, it’s simply not value it—imagine me, all the pieces will work out for the higher. And shortly, you’ll see that you just’ll begin attracting issues that actually align with who you’re and what you need.

As soon as I used to be as soon as provided to do a voiceover for a personality on a present, that it didn’t align with my values. To me it appeared like type of a racist tackle a martial arts spin off. I used to be like, I may very well be into rewriting the story of what it takes to be a feminine martial artist, however the authentic isn’t aligned with who I’m and who I wish to symbolize. So though it had the potential to be big, I needed to flip it down.

I additionally acquired provided a contract to be with WWE, and though it’s to not say that I might by no means do it, it simply didn’t align with who I used to be on the time. I’m going to construct my profession.

First, I wish to be an motion movies. I’m going to proceed doing what I’m doing with content material creation and paving that path after which return and possibly write my very own story there. So there’s been so many instances the place I’ve needed to reevaluate what’s vital to me and what I wish to symbolize on this business earlier than transferring ahead with these alternatives that clearly would catapult me.

2. RAYNA VALLANDINGHAM KNOWS HOW TO FIND VICTORY IN DEFEAT

I used to be conditioned to profitable for a extremely very long time, as a result of as a 7-year-old black belt, no person was actually on my degree. However as I grew up, and I took a while from martial arts to concentrate on college and determine what I wished.

After I went again [to taekwondo], I wasn’t on the high anymore. It was actually troublesome being in that setting as a result of it was new to me and one thing I had by no means skilled. You don’t keep in mind having to work up from the underside. In order that was one of the crucial defining moments in my life, as a result of I might’ve mentioned, You understand what, time handed, it’s simply not for me anymore and left it there.

Nevertheless it grew to become motivation for me to work even more durable to get again to the place the place I used to be profitable once more. However even then, I imply, after a few years of tirelessly working and understanding that I deserved that when politics nonetheless comes into play, errors do occur, I didn’t prepare exhausting sufficient.

And I went to World Championships. And the shape was nice. I used to be nailing all the pieces.

After which I went to do the final flip, I slipped and fell. Issues like that occur. I acquired up. I used to be all the time instructed, and I all the time did lose with grace. It was by no means like a query for me is like, what, that’s, that’s completely high quality. Simply motivation to work more durable. However I acquired up, , I used to be like, okay, that occurred. Let’s simply be sure that doesn’t occur once more. So simply getting again within the dojo working even more durable.

I wouldn’t be who I’m as we speak with out shedding as a result of by saved profitable, it could have been too simple for me. By now I might have slacked off and grow to be lazy. So I’m grateful for these moments, as a result of it’s provided that starvation and actually reignited that spark inside me to maintain working exhausting. And it’s not as a result of I’m competing with anyone else. It’s as a result of I’m competing with myself. And I do know the usual I’ve for myself as properly.

3. RAYNA VALLANDINGHAM DIVERSIFIES HER SKILLSET…

Some martial artists concentrate on their craft a lot that they oftentimes neglect to develop themselves outdoors of martial arts. I’ve all the time been blessed with unimaginable mentors who’ve instructed me that I must be good in entrance of and behind the cameras.

It is advisable to be a worth in each single room you stroll in. Even ranging from a younger age, I used to be all the time investing in these completely different facets and proceed to take action. I like choreographing, educating, performing, doing stunts, and each single a kind of falls below the umbrella of my ardour—martial arts. It’s enjoyable to have the ability to have all these completely different retailers to go to. It’s additionally important now to develop your arsenal, particularly in such aggressive industries. And on the similar time, simply to really feel fulfilled for your self.

Earlier than I might simply stroll right into a conference heart the place a match is going on and really feel very assured. Now I really feel as if that I can stroll right into a room with producers and administrators and really feel simply as assured.

Assembly those that I’ve seemed as much as my whole life working with individuals I’ve seemed as much as my whole life doing issues which are fulfilling for me with the ability to make my very own schedule, calling individuals having individuals come to me and little women come to me and ask me Rayna, how did you do that, or Reina you impressed me a lot, is it’s unimaginable, it’s, it’s, I don’t know how you can clarify it, when you will have a ardour for one thing and different individuals will start to acknowledge that inside you. It’s actually particular and it’s actually transferring. And I’m persevering with to have these little glimpses every day.

4. …BUT STILL HAS FUN BEING A ‘BEGINNER’

I thrive off of the adrenaline of making an attempt one thing new and turning into nice at it. Nevertheless it’s additionally the belief of you don’t must be nice at all the pieces. You possibly can have one factor that’s your objective and keenness and motive for all times. However you possibly can produce other issues which are simply your hobbies that you’ve got enjoyable with. You should be in contact together with your internal little one to have the ability to have enjoyable with various things.

And I’m actually studying that myself. I took dance up this yr to have that outlet of simply having enjoyable and to even be a newbie once more at one thing. To me it’s really a terrific ability to have to only be a newbie at one thing and be taught from there. Whether or not you’re 30, 40 , 50, it doesn’t matter.

Take pleasure in not having the strain of getting to be good. I believe that if you happen to’re an athlete, or no matter chances are you’ll do if you happen to’re nice at one thing, what that looks like of getting to be good on a regular basis. So I might say that it’s extra vital than you suppose simply to have the ability to get on the market and take a look at one thing new. And simply be OK with no matter occurs. It’d find yourself turning into one thing you’re nice at, or it’d simply find yourself being one thing such as you falling off a skateboard each 10 minutes. Nevertheless it’s so enjoyable—it’s actually vital in life to to have the ability to giggle at your self as properly.

5. RAYNA VALLANDINGHAM WANTS TO BRING OUT THE BADASS IN EVERY GIRL

There’s nothing extra womanly than simply being badass—that encapsulates all the pieces {that a} lady is.

However I utterly perceive that it may very well be troublesome to really feel whether or not health is for you in what actually nonetheless is a male dominated business. It’s not all the time simple to go to a health club for the primary time and have all these guys lifting heavy weights and going by means of their bro discuss. Typically everybody trying and looking at you, particularly if you happen to’re the one lady there. It may be actually exhausting.

Should you want a spot to start out, I might 100% suggest simply beginning out in your personal dwelling.

Placed on some music and dance, attempt a Zumba class. Something that you just like and genuinely get pleasure from, give it a attempt.

It doesn’t must be weightlifting. There’s so many various avenues on the market. You possibly can take self protection, jiujitsu, martial arts—I like to recommend these! Dance, run, stroll, even go to Disney and stroll to twenty completely different rides, that’s going to be a exercise. Something you actually get pleasure from, it’s vital to capitalize on in your health. And be artistic too.

You possibly can even purchase some nunchucks and swing them round. I used to be working with an MMA athlete, and he began enjoying with nunchucks, and was like, Oh, my God, that is gonna be my new exercise. Simply getting within the health club and combating can grow to be so monotonous at instances. There are such a lot of completely different alternatives so that you can develop your self. You’re worthy of investing in your self and actually discovering that as a result of it’s value it.