St Kilda mixed martial arts world champions live, work and play together

THESE St Kilda gym owners are not only partners in life, but are also national and world champions in mixed martial arts.

Livia Gluchowska restrains fiancee Lachlan Giles with a knee bar. Picture: Josie Hayden

ST KILDA martial arts gym owner Livia Gluchowska, who gets a kick out of her chosen sport, is encouraging others to put their best foot forward.

Coach and athlete, Gluchowska has been practising Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for seven years, following a successful career in gymnastics, in which she represented Australia and Poland.

“I was just looking for something to do to stay fit … and de-stress, so I went to classes and absolutely loved it,” she said.

Now, at 32, the Prahran resident is a three-time world champion, two-time Asian titleholder and 11-time Pan-Pacific winner.

Training twice a day, six days a week, for up to two hours at a time, while working as a physiotherapist, Gluchowska said her favourite part was the relationships she built.

“You become really close to people that you pretty much become a family.”

She said running her Absolute MMA St Kilda gym, along with her partner Lachlan Giles — jimself a Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and Australian Jiu-Jitsu Grand Prix Champion — was a long-held ambition.

Operating for two years, the gym offers mixed martial arts, Muay Thai and kids’ classes, which Gluchowska said had become a hub for competitors.

She said they currently had members aged between five and 75, and encouraged everyone — regardless of age or ability — to give it a go.

“I want people to be involved and fall in love with the sport like I did, and know they can belong somewhere no matter their nationality, age, gender or sexual orientation.”

Gluchowska said they were hosting a “Super Seminar” next month to showcase their athletes’ skills and raise money for the women’s team to compete at the World Championships in America in November.

On show will be six female world medallists, who will each teach one of their best moves.

Gluchowska said the event was aimed at everyone, in particular beginners and those interested in the sport.

The two-hour seminar, which includes a Q&A, is on Sunday, August 6 at 12.30pm at Absolute MMA St Kilda — 30 Inkerman St.

Tickets, which can be bought at the door, cost $30.

For more information, visit absolutemma.net.au or call 9663 9122.

Gluchowska and Giles are this week’s Caulfield Glen Eira Leader Senior Sports Stars. For more stories and to nominate go to localsportsstars.com.au/leader. With thanks to our 2017 partners Sportsmart, SportsTG and Gold104.3.