If you happen to be an active user on TikTok, then you very likely have seen this lovely fighter pop up on your For You Page taking some “kanabo kisses” on her cuisses. With a growing number in followers (220.4K as of date of posting), it doesn’t surprise me her videos and exposure as an online creator have been on fire lately due in part of recently being featured in an Unilad post.
Her TikTok offers a variety of quality entertainment that is sure to please everyone’s taste – it is the chaotic good (or neutral) kind you can say. Among the array of crab walk videos, being hit with soup cans, dance off’s, un-armoring with such grace and beauty, her account has also been the hot hub spot for answering and providing accurate information about the steel fighting community. Topics of such include how to do armor repairs, what supplemental training is best suited for fighting peak performance, what to look for when building a kit, where to begin…any question that comes to mind as a beginner Ashley surely has the answers for you in her TikTok videos.
Ashley is a delightful person with enthusiastic energy that can be felt from a mile away. You can feel this radiance when she is with her community during social gatherings, as well as exerting said radiant energy in her shield punches when in the list fighting.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING FOR ARMORED COMBAT?
I went to my first practice in 2017
DO YOU HAVE ANY BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE IN MARTIAL ARTS OR OTHER SPORTS?
Golf was the only sports team I didn’t get cut from in high school. I started lifting heavy in 2014 but had a hard time getting interested in any other sports.
HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT ARMORED COMBAT AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN?
I got inebriated at a Renaissance festival during my last weekend of living in Michigan. I don’t remember my conversation, but when I woke up the next day I had plans to go to a practice in Minnesota. So two days into living in MN, I met my team and best friends.
DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU FELT IN YOUR FIRST FIGHT? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE?
I felt terrified. I hated the actual fighting portion, but I love how it made me feel afterwards. I went from panicked, terrified, and out of breath, to laughing and walking on a cloud. It took me a while to love the actual fighting itself, but from day 1 I knew I finally found an appropriate channel for my rage.
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERED WEAPON? DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE?
I rock a shield and falchion because there’s nothing that I love like punching people in the face.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME POSITIVE ASPECTS THAT COME FROM THE SPORT?
The sense of community, camaraderie, and somewhere productive to channel my frustrations.
WHAT IS YOUR FIGHTING STYLE – IF YOU HAVE ONE?
In melees I don’t get very good highlight reel clips because I’m more focused on opening up my opponents for my teammates. Is “sand trap that punches you” a style?
DO YOU THINK FIGHTING CHANGES WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON? HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOU PERSONALLY?
I do. I think it’s made me much more mellow. I’ve always had a pretty impressive temper, until I started fighting. I’ve been cooler, calmer, and more collected. I haven’t reached Lebowski zen yet, but I’m working on it.
WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE SPORT?
DON’T BUY ARMOR YET. Learn, try things on. I know the pressure is high to get a kit as soon as possible, but take your time and learn your stuff. Also, go at your own pace. You don’t have to dive right into this sport and instantly make it your whole life. Let that happen naturally (and it will).
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO FOR THE FUTURE OF ARMORED COMBAT SPORTS?
I look forward to more women’s teams in the Midwest. We’re lonely. We want you. Join us.
ANY FINAL WORDS YOU WANTED TO MENTION?
Go clean your gambeson.
Go and follow Ashley’s TikTok account!
