Mama Said Choke You Out!

Once a figure and bikini star, Monique Ricardo now balances life as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, instructor, fitness model, and mom.

- Steve Mazzucchi

WANNA HEAR A FUNNY STORY? In 2009, while working a BSN booth at an expo, that year’s NPC Bikini Class F champ wandered next door to a North American Grappling Association competition.

“I’m pretty sure my opponents didn’t take me very seriously,” Monique Ricardo recalls with a laugh. “They were probably like, ‘I’m gonna beat this girl with a full face of makeup and lashes.’ ”

Ricardo promptly won a gold medal—then went back to her booth gig. All in a day’s work for a woman who’s made a career out of defying expectations.

Now a four-time IBJJF (International Brazilian

SHOULDER PRESS WORKS: ANTERIOR, LATERAL DELTOID Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder level and set feet shoulder-width apart. Brace your core and drive the weights up and overhead until your elbows are fully locked out.

Jiu-Jitsu Federation) world champ, Ricardo is also an instructor at husband Eddie’s Cobra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Plano, TX, a Better Bodies fitnessapparel model, and a devoted mother to two young sons, Max and Michael.

Monday through Friday, she’s taking the kids to school, hitting the weights, picking the boys up, taking them to class, teaching BJJ, practicing it herself, cooking, and, because the whole family’s so active, doing multiple loads of laundry. Throw in photo shoots and competitions, and it’s a heckuva hustle. But with proper prep, routine, psychology, and recovery (see sidebar, next spread), Ricardo thrives. And ever since she got into BJJ 11 years ago, she’s been hooked.

“I did some classes in 2008, and Eddie was like, ‘You have some talent, the way you move. I can make you a world champion,’ ” she says. “And I thought, ‘This guy’s just trying to hit on me.’ It ended up working every way.”