I was texting with my friend after class the other day about how all the rounds with the women at our gym are super tough. I jokingly said, “I wonder if that means we’re the rest rounds since every other round is challenging???” To which she quickly replied, “I know […]
Many competitive Jiujiteira view weight cutting as a necessary evil of the sport. I used to cut weight before every competition, even the local ones where there weren’t enough female competitors to create weight classes. The first time I talked to my coach about cutting weight I thought, “Maybe you […]
As soon as I got off my call with Mary Aldana, the only thing I wanted to do was put on my gi and get on the mat. If it had not been 6:00 am, I just might have! Mary’s enthusiasm about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and her resilient spirit echoed in […]
To all the girls/ladies/women/she-beasts who are nervous about rolling with the guys, I see you: the jiujiteiras who only want to roll with women, who stick to the ladies-only classes. You could be new and not used to mix-gender sports. Maybe you’re just starting to notice that the boys are […]
Triangles Everywhere Triangles Everywhere provides a trusted space for LGBTQI Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners to connect and be themselves. Kimberly Serratos, an admin and founding members of Triangles Everywhere , sat down to chat about the group and her experience with them thus far. In the […]
As different areas begin reopening, returning to BJJ is on the forefront of every practitioner’s mind. However, as eager as we all are to get back on the mats, remember that going back to training now after several months of lockdown will not be the same as returning after missing […]
Only a small percentage of people understand what it is we do, this sport called Jiu Jitsu. Very few get it for what it really is; many others portray it as violent or find it invasive. I’ll admit it I too saw it this way, but now it is one […]
It’s a tough time to be a BJJ addict, amirite ladies? Many of us have been out of the gym since late March or early April. Some of us, like me, are still out because our life circumstances prevent us from going back safely, even if everyone is just doing […]
We all want our training partners to feel comfortable and safe entering our gyms: I am writing this essay under that assumption. I have been a BJJ practitioner of 7 years. I also manage my gym so I am often considering the culture of our gym and crew, how […]
