Women and BJJ – Good Combination for Self Defense?

After a heated discussion about which martial art would be best suited for women and their self defense, we decided to put together an article to hopefully start the discussion and hear some feedback on their thoughts. For women it is not if you need to learn self defense tactics, but when. We have all listened and we hope we have heeded the advice of officials who deal with these types of crimes; Be aware of the current situation you are getting into, be aware of those around you, avoid certain areas at night, stay within large groups of people around you, or better yet stay with your friends. Your safety starts with these tips.

Let’s review the tools available, but they are known to have problems; A stun gun is a battery-operated handheld device that sends electrical current to an assailant, a Taser can send wires that are electrified to immobilize at a distance. These tools are effective because using them will help you run away from the attacker. Remember, the laws differ in various states. Aerosol pepper spray is considered one of the most effective self-defense tools for women. This is very likely to stop, or at least discourage, an assailant due to blindness, coughing, and choking. What bothers many women about this is that you have to be very close to the assailant, and if it were me, I would want to put as much distance as possible between the assailant and me. Other tools include the persuader or kubotan to hit, and knives, keys or whistles. Again, to be successful, you must be close to the attacker. A woman could easily be overpowered in a situation like this. We’ve all heard a lot about guns lately. I think you can make up your mind on this suggestion. I’m not going to touch gun rights with a 10 foot pole.

Well, now we are in the main gist of this article; women and Brazilian jiu-jitsu and if it would be an effective way to protect yourself. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a form of martial arts that can easily be used for self-defense. It can also be found as one of the many styles in the sport of mma. At this point you’re probably thinking, that’s a men’s sport, no, not really. The reason you think that is because the women who are part of the sport are not as well known as the men, but below are short biographies of two women who are champions in the sport. There are many disciplines for mma, that’s why it’s called mixed martial arts. Within jiu-jitsu alone, there are many defensive tactics that you can become very adept at by going to bjj training, taking private lessons from a qualified instructor or attending seminars.

First, you will build confidence, self-esteem, and a healthier body. If you ever come face to face with a situation like the one we’ve covered, you’ll want these traits to take root in you. Some techniques that are part of Brazilian jiu-jitsu are perfect for women seeking self-defense techniques. If you are a small woman without much strength, the time it takes to learn and practice these techniques will develop the physical and mental strength you will need to dominate an attacker. The time and effort will be well spent, trust me.

The bottom two women have competed at the highest level, won championships and returned a lot to the world. bjj community.

Hillary Williams is from Arkansas. She is a middleweight in bjj which is around 150 lbs. She was born in October 1988 and is a competitor by nature. She has always been involved in sports in one form or another, from volleyball to soccer, and from softball to golf. She was always active, and during the offseason of her regular sports, her goal was to stay in shape to be ready for the start of the next season. So she decided that training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with two experienced trainers would be the best option for her. She was eighteen years old and she loved her first experience with bjj. Once again, in such a competitive spirit, she began competing in local tournaments with the other girls and occasionally ventured out to compete with men. Always wanting to train with the best, he searched the US for the most training possible, eventually going to the source of bjj, Brazil. He began to win 1st place in many of his competitions; She was then awarded her brown belt, the highest ranking colored belt which later qualified her (officially) to teach lower ranking students. Hillary was awarded her black belt in 2010 and later won the World Championship combining the women’s brown and black belt division. Hillary is now studying at the University of Arkansas, combining her studies with training, making time for some kickboxing. Hillary has a website where you can ask questions about self defense, bjj, med school, horses, puppy adoption, she does it all.

Kyra Gracie was born on May 29, 1985 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His main fighting styles are Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, and wrestling. She is a second degree black belt, the highest common belt within bjj and represents an expert level of technical and practical skills. She is now an instructor. Kyra is currently training for her debut in mma. He has also entered the world of fashion with his own stylish clothing creations, all designed with a mma theme. One of her goals is to become an inspiration for young women to follow in her footsteps. She runs a girls-only camp where she trains them in a variety of techniques included in mma specifically Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Kyra Gracie is a member of the renowned Gracie family, yes, the one that created our jiu-jitsu. You can find links on his website to many other sites where he appears.