Meet the ladies behind JiujitsuHairProbs, Madisson Larson and Sophie Gomez. Both reside in the Pacific Northwest –Madisson is in Oregon and Sophie is in Idaho. You may or may not have seen their booth at tournaments. Their mission is to create safe and fun environments for anyone and everyone who […]
I feel great! This is a sentiment often expressed by BJJ practitioners after a training session. Despite grueling warm-ups, intense drills, and challenging spars, at the end of class there is usually a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. This is not surprising since physical activity has been linked to improved […]
I remember the day I decided that I wasn’t going to quit Jiu-Jitsu. A week earlier, black belt Kristine Felts had visited my academy and after one of the most challenging rolls of my life, we stopped to talk in the parking lot. I was a purple belt at the […]
Following in the footsteps of female world champions that came before her and under the watchful eye of Leticia Ribeiro, you will find Mariana Rolszt. Within the first year of earning her black belt from Leticia, Rolszt successfully fought her way to the top at the IBJJF Brazilian National Championships […]
Jiu jitsu gives you the challenge you need, not the challenge you want. One reason it provides so much personal growth is because we cannot hide from ourselves, jiu jitsu’s demands, and the truth BJJ mirrors. For true change and true growth, we must clearly see who we are in […]
It takes a certain type of woman to forge her path in what is considered to be a man’s world, but when it comes to the business world and being on the mats, Ann-Marie Bernitt is boss. Her petite structure and sweet demeanor will have you fooled. But make no […]
Not all women want to learn jiu jitsu, but it would be safe to say that a large percentage of women want to learn self-defense. The great thing is, not all self-defense is physical. In fact, self-defense starts as a mind-set, not on the mats . You don’t need to […]
This is a phrase that is often heard among jiu-jitsu practitioners implying that their participation in jiu-jitsu has similar effects to going to therapy. While these effects can definitely be experienced, it is important to clarify the distinction between something being therapeutic, which is when something has a healing or […]
“Why didn’t I do better?” “I should have done this instead of that.” “…not good enough.” “Why am I even doing this?” Chances are, if you compete, you have said something along these lines to yourself. The more invested you are in competition the higher the stakes feel, so the […]
The BJJ competition scene is particularly tough for jiujiteira who fall into the Heavy and Super Heavy divisions. Competition is scarce and the matchmaking is rarely balanced due to limited weight divisions. The Heavy division for Grappling Industries is anyone over 165 pounds. IBJJF has a Heavy division for ladies […]