Our Story
Tough Cherry is Me: Female Athlete and Supporter of Women in Sports
About me - Amy
I’ve always felt like a bit of an outcast. Lanky and long, with frizzy curls and a fringe, that’s how I’d describe myself growing up. Add to that the fact I loved sport, watching it, playing it, competing in it.
My first experience of competitive sport was swimming, and I loved it from a young age. But like a lot of girls, I hit 13 or 14 and things changed. Friends stopped training, sessions got quieter, and eventually I pressed pause too.
What I didn’t realise then was that closing the door on swimming was just the start of something new.
Why make aesthetic sportswear for women?
My love of sport has always pushed me, physically and mentally. When I came back to it, I threw myself into rugby and martial arts. That’s when things got tough.
Finding a girls’ rugby team with enough players to train properly wasn’t easy. Starting martial arts often meant being the only woman on the mats. Getting to the gym usually meant heading somewhere out of the way, often not the safest-feeling environment.
In a space dominated by men, I felt the pressure to prove myself. I held myself to a different standard, one that took away from simply enjoying movement, feeling strong, and showing up as myself. What I wore became purely functional. Something to sweat in, something to lift in. Confidence took a back seat.
If I struggled to find a kit that fit properly, performed under pressure and actually made me feel good, I knew I wasn’t the only one.
Tough Cherry is born
Finding a women’s rash guard that truly fits the female body shouldn’t be a challenge. Neither should finding compression shorts that stay in place, don’t ride up and still look good. But it was, and still is, a shared frustration for so many of us. That’s when Tough Cherry took form.
The Tough Cherry mission:
Creating the next generation of women’s sports compressionwear
For me, feeling good on the pitch or on the mats means wearing something that reflects who I am. Something designed for my body, that works with my strength, not against it.
That’s why:
- We design rash guards that stay put
With waistband grip and durable, responsibly sourced materials built for contact sports like grappling, MMA and rugby.
- We create squat-proof grappling shorts
That move with you, not against you. Ready for every scrum, sweep and spar.
- We build functional fightwear
That works just as hard as you, so you can go into every training session and competition with confidence.
Helping other female athletes find their home
I found the support I’d been craving for years at a new gym. A place where women support women, and everyone shares the same goal to improve and push further in their sport.
The incredible people I’ve met along the way have shaped what Tough Cherry stands for. They’ve inspired us to build something so much bigger than a sportswear line.
We continue to support our growing community through events like Grapple & Glow, creating informative content, and building a roster of incredible brand ambassadors, just as committed to providing new opportunities for women and girls as Tough Cherry.
Discover Tough Cherry Compression Wear: Designed by Women for Women
Whether you’re gearing up for a grappling event, or preparing for the rugby season ahead, you’ll find a kit - and a community - that’s made for you. Explore our activewear by sport, or checkout the newest releases.
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New Releases
New Releases — Women's Combat Sports & MMA Gear | Tough Cherry UK
New Releases
