February | 2013 | BJJ in Edmonton & Area

For the fairer sex, the idea of getting involved in the combative arts may have been somewhat of a taboo, in years gone by, but more and more of the forward-thinking societies of today encourage the involvement of women in sports such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

BJJ for women is starting to get recognition from many in the Martial Arts Community as a simple yet effective method of Self Defence. Husbands, Boyfriends and Fathers everywhere are now encouraging their Wives, Girlfriends and Daughters to train in BJJ to not only learn to defend themselves, but as a fun hobby that they can share together.

One of the common fallacies which should be addressed from the get go, is that of how women think they stand to lose a fair bit of their femininity if they get involved in the combative arts, particularly in the form of mixed martial arts, but that is exactly what it is, a fallacy which needs to be incinerated.

A woman can be just as effective in the combative arts, as their male counterpart, without having to pack on the pounds and build lean muscle mass which would ultimately take a chunk out of their femininity, so women need not worry about strange developments in places they would like to keep as feminine as possible.

This is not to say the training regimes will be conducted in the absence of some strength training, certainly more in the case of those who are bit more serious about their craft, but if a woman does abdominal exercises to strengthen their core, for instance, they will not see the same kind of development as a male doing the same exercises.

In the case of the woman, their core will strengthen but the appearance of the stomach will be far from looking like a defined set of six pack abs, unless an extraordinary amount of extra emphasis is placed on the abs so as to amass those kinds of developments, but the time which the overall training regime requires for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will not allow such developments, so there should be no such worry.

The importance of learning something like BJJ, becomes all the more defined when the consideration of just how useful it can be beyond the competition comes into play, since women could really use the type of skills that could help them in situations such as those which require some self-defense.

For more information on Women’s only BJJ training click here.

Still not convinced? Check out what Erin thought about her first class… you may relate:

The clothing you wear on the street will differ from what you wear in the martial arts training hall. Be aware of the limitations of blue jeans or a heavy winter coat. If you are wearing a scarf, it can be used against you in a choke, tie-up, or unbalancing move. Shoes or boots are good for kicking, since you don’t have to worry about getting your toes or ankles busted. However, they also slow you down, particularly if they are bulky. It is a good idea to train in street clothes once in a while, at least enough to make you aware of the limitations.

Your clothing and the way you stand can also restrict the use of your hands. For example, a verbal argument, if handled appropriately, will buy you time. But you must still be ready for the physical attack. If you cross your arms over your chest in an attempt to assume a non-threatening stance, don’t interlace your arms. Cross them straight, so that you can quickly come off with a strike, grab, or defensive move, without running the risk of your hands getting entangled in your own arms. It is not recommended for you to keep your hands in your pockets, it’s unlikely you will be able to withdraw them fast enough before your opponent makes contact.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu offers specialized training in dealing with Standing and Ground Self Defense situations where someone may be trying to use your clothing against you. By consistant training in BJJ you will be able to not only use your Attackers atire against them, but your own clothing as well.

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