Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Helps Woman Overcome Post Traumatic Stress

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

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From navitabjj.blogspot.com

I’m going to go ahead and tell why I started [BJJ]. I’ve never written about it mainly because it’s not the easiest to talk about. My senior year of high school I had a close friend that I had known for 7 years try to rape me. He was bigger, stronger, and would have succeeded but when he went to pull off my pants I caught him in the groin with a knee. After it all happened I went through a pretty bad year, was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress, and even after I started college, I rarely left my dorm room unless it was to go to class or work. Sophomore year I knew i couldn’t keep it up and started to look for self defense. A friend of mine had an MMA fight and he suggested I look at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I found a school ten minutes from my University and wandered in after emailing the man that ended up being my coach for 4 years.

There are plenty of reasons why women start; self-defense, interest in martial arts, social aspect, getting in shape, etc. Whatever the reason Brazilian jiu jitsu is a great way to achieve these goals, make friends, and be in a low pressure situation.

 

 

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Helps Woman Overcome Post Traumatic Stress

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

____________________________________________

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Helps Woman Overcome Post Traumatic Stress

From navitabjj.blogspot.com

I’m going to go ahead and tell why I started [BJJ]. I’ve never written about it mainly because it’s not the easiest to talk about. My senior year of high school I had a close friend that I had known for 7 years try to rape me. He was bigger, stronger, and would have succeeded but when he went to pull off my pants I caught him in the groin with a knee. After it all happened I went through a pretty bad year, was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress, and even after I started college, I rarely left my dorm room unless it was to go to class or work. Sophomore year I knew i couldn’t keep it up and started to look for self defense. A friend of mine had an MMA fight and he suggested I look at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I found a school ten minutes from my University and wandered in after emailing the man that ended up being my coach for 4 years.

 

There are plenty of reasons why women start; self-defense, interest in martial arts, social aspect, getting in shape, etc. Whatever the reason Brazilian jiu jitsu is a great way to achieve these goals, make friends, and be in a low pressure situation.

The Life Changing Benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

____________________________________________

By Sally Arsenault

Contributor – Martial Arts

A few weeks ago a reporter from the local newspaper came to write an article about our women’s BJJ class. It’s mentioned in the article that I started BJJ after I was robbed at gun point for the second time. For months after that robbery, I felt panic rising in my chest when any man in a hoodie walked towards me. It brought home the famous quote from Gavin de Becker in The Gift of Fear, “At core, men are afraid women will laugh at them, while at core, women are afraid men will kill them.”

 

Still, over time I forgot to be afraid. Normalcy crept back into my life and I didn’t need jiu jitsu to feel safe anymore. One of the main reasons I tried BJJ was to protect myself but that’s not why I stayed. I stayed because at [BJJ class] I feel like I am at home with my brothers. We all work together in a friendly and positive environment with a sincere desire to help each other to reach our full potential.

 

Benefits of Jiu-Jitsu for Female Students

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

____________________________________________

Benefits of Jiu-Jitsu for Female Students

Excerpt from Wareham BJJ

When it comes to a single style of martial arts for self-defense, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or BJJ, stands out in its practical approach to realistic situations. This is especially true when it comes to self-defense for women.

The first step to avoiding potentially dangerous situations is awareness. When it comes to dealing with an actual physical confrontation, however, the reality is that most women will be faced with a larger, stronger male attacker who is trying to control / assault them. In this kind of sudden situation, the likelihood of avoiding close contact is slim even if the student is trained in striking.

This is where BJJ comes in. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is designed to deal with situations in which a more powerful opponent is grabbing, holding, or throwing you to the ground and attempting to control you. BJJ empowers women with realistic skills to survive such encounters, and ultimately escape or overcome the attackers whether on the feet or in a ground fighting scenario.

Five Reasons Women Should Train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

____________________________________________

Five Reasons Women Should Train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

 

1. In most cases women do not fight back or assert themselves. BJJ conditions women to become comfortable fighting back through sparring in class.
2. BJJ teaches women how manage the strength of a man by providing techniques and ways of moving that are designed to allow a smaller weaker person to effectively defend herself against a larger person.
3. Women are naturally empathetic; we think and feel at the same time. BJJ allows us to recognize what our opponent is doing while giving us tools to counter those movements. It gives us a space to learn to start to become neutral in how we feel in order to effectively balance ourselves physically. We become more open to finding ways to work efficiently with others.
4. Equality on the mat is similar to driving a car. It doesn’t matter what size you are, what you do for work, age, confidence, athleticism- all are things that become meaningless. The only thing that matters is how effective you are. Just like cars on a road- it doesn’t matter if you’re an expensive Lexus or a ten year old beat-up clunker, you still have to stop at the red light. The mat is a place where everyone is equal.
5. It’s fun!

 

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is Great for Busy Women

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

____________________________________________

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is Great for Busy Women

 

Before I started Jiu Jitsu, I would go to a gym, spend thirty minutes on an elliptical machine and use some of the weight machines. I tried yoga, Tai Chi, and worked with a personal trainer. I can’t see myself ever going back to that type of exercise after doing BJJ. Grappling isn’t just great exercise; it’s a method that involves both mind and body. I used to listen to music or watch tv while at the gym, even in a yoga class; my mind would wander to the lists of things I had to do once I left. My eyes were watching the clock, and as the minutes ticked away, I would feel pressure of the other daily chores that were being left on the side while I took an hour to exercise.

 

A BJJ class is time away from the rest of the ten million things any working mom or busy executive has on her mind. Two hours at a spa or a massage might be relaxing, but your body will not grow stronger, become leaner, and you don’t have the social interaction you have with your teammates. Another plus, is BJJ is economically reasonable. For what you would spend on one massage, you could train at a good school 2-3 times a week for an entire month; and look better and feel more balanced as a result.

 

In a BJJ class there is no time to think about the to-do lists or worry about what else we should or could be doing. BJJ keeps you moving- even when you think you have nothing left and you can hardly move, the adrenaline takes over when you spar and your body gets pushed to new levels of fitness and strength. It’s one of the few forms of exercise that benefits us both physically and psychologically. From start to finish a BJJ class requires 100% attention. As soon as my feet hit the sidewalk outside the door, the errands and chores pop back into my mind, but for two hours I’ve had a break from the rest of my life, and I’m looking forward to coming back.

 

Great Reasons for Women to Train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Western MA

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

____________________________________________

Great Reasons for Women to Train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Excerpted from Jiu Jiu’s Blog 4/13/13

1. For better or worse, women are more likely to be noticed or remembered by their instructors or teammates, even as a first day white belt.
2. Women are often sought out by jiu jitsu gyms.
3. Women grapplers will often be sought after by other women grapplers, and there is often an instant camaraderie based on the fact that they’re women in bjj.
4. Women are often given special treatment at their gyms when they start, some being exclusively paired with upper belts.
5. There is more room to make a name for themselves at higher levels because of the low number of women in the sport.

 

Jiu-Jitsu is a Great Stress Reliever for Women

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

____________________________________________

 

Why Women Should Practice BJJ: Jiu-Jitsu is a Great Stress Reliever

From Gracie-Barra, Carlos Gracie Jr.’s Blog “Jiu Jitsu for Everyone”

December 12, 2012

 

When I first started jiu jitsu, I realized how much better I slept. I used to have to read or watch tv to take my mind off the list of a thousand things that needed to be done. When I started jiu jitsu, I was not only more relaxed at night, my mind stopped racing. In jiu jitsu our bodies use muscles we didn’t know we had, and we push past the barriers of exhaustion because our adrenaline is high and we’re enjoying what we’re doing. Carlos Gracie’s blog states:

“In an article released by the American Psychological Association about women in the United States, it says that 8% more women are reported to be more stressed as opposed to their male counterparts. Most commonly, stress results to obesity as 31% of women admit resulting to eating as a way to relieve their stress.

Stress can lead to insomnia. The numbers prove that women are more likely to suffer from stress, as an adverse effect sleep can also suffer. While the easiest way out is popping a sleeping pill, exercise and the right diet can easily improve one’s sleeping behaviors.”

Exercise through jiu jitsu relaxes our mind and body. While I’m on the mat, nothing else exists. I don’t think about what I have to do once I leave or wonder if I left water in the dog’s bowl. BJJ takes a full commitment- physically and mentally. You could go to a spa; that might be relaxing, but jiu jitsu will relieve stress and the exercise will help your body look better and feel stronger.

 

Why Women Should Learn BJJ: Women Need to Learn to Defend Themselves

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

____________________________________________

Why Women Should Learn BJJ: Women Need to Learn to Defend Themselves

From Gracie-Barra, Carlos Gracie Jr.’s Blog “Jiu Jitsu for Everyone”

December 12, 2012

There is a long standing notion by some members of society that women are weak. This thinking is backwards, and false, and is certainly incorrect on many levels. Women are not weak individuals; however society has falsely etched the stigma on women. In the United States alone, an alarming 1 in every 6 women has been sexually assaulted. This number is a conservative figure. Other sources suggest that 1 in every 4 women suffer assaults. Regardless of the number, it is also a woman’s responsibility to learn how to fend off their attackers. BJJ will teach you how to be aware of the situation, the basic anatomy of an attack to women, and how to properly disable attackers. Avoiding attacks and confrontations should always come first.

 

Jiu-Jitsu for Women Vs. Men

Women’s jiu jitsu is available at Team Link in Northampton, Ma.

http://www.TeamLinkNoho.com or 413.584.5465 for more info

30 DAY FREE TRIAL PROGRAM AVAILABLE

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by Steven Kelliher, Demand Media

You can find woman fighting professionally in boxing, kickboxing and a host of other combat sports, but it is arguable that no martial art truly evens the odds between men and women quite as much as Brazilian jiu-jitsu does. Jiu-jitsu emphasizes technique, skill and resourcefulness over speed, agility and power, meaning women excel just as easily as men in the gym. Unlike other combat sports, it is not a rare sight to see women grappling with and getting the better of larger men on the jiu-jitsu mat, proving that the core tenet of the style has been preserved over the decades.

Technique Over Strength

The core tenet of Brazilian jiu-jitsu posits that the smaller man or woman can overcome a larger and stronger foe by utilizing superior grappling technique and using the opponent’s body against him or her. Other martial arts stylesand combat sports value technique, but the scales tend to tip disproportionally toward the faster and more powerful person. In jiu-jitsu, fighters rely on the connection between their mind and body and the finesse of their techniques to catch opponents off guard and to exploit openings they see in their opponent’s attacks. This core tenet puts men and women on far more equal terms than most other sports.

Training Methods

If you walk into a legitimate jiu-jitsu school with a quality instructor as a woman, you will not be treated any differently by the instructor or your male peers. Men and women train the same way in jiu-jitsu schools. Classes usually begin with technique demonstrations and drills and end with live rolling sessions. In truth, women tend to excel in the technical aspects of the style earlier than men because they are forced to use all of their skills to maximum effect to negate the physical advantages of their male training partners.

No Egos

Many professional fighters have egos, but those who consider themselves true martial artists usually display none of the egotistical behavior common in most sports. In the jiu-jitsu gym, students with oppressive egos will be tied into knots and humiliated by more skilled students that don’t appreciate their attitudes. In effect, this process of self policing in quality martial arts schools generally makes it an inviting atmosphere for students of both sexes and all levels, from beginner to expert.

Considerations

Jiu-jitsu training differs from other arts in the physicality of the style. Training partners are in close physical contact throughout the session and often find themselves in positions — guard, full mount and others — that some women could find uncomfortable or threatening if they don’t know what to expect. It is important to do your research on the style before beginning training and to find a gym with an instructor and training partners you feel comfortable with.