On April 24 th , Girls in Gis was hosted by Alchemy Combat Club (Dark Horse BJJ) in Denver, Colorado. Forty four females of all ages from all across Colorado and one from out of state came together for this event and six of them began their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey. Purple belt Ashley Bilak with the assistance of Tina Wu and Jennifer Lambert Davis taught a spinning guard pull to a spider guard sweep…a pass to knee on belly where you push the knee and hook the arm…and a step over arm bar.
Instructor Ashley Bilak has been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) since 2012. She began her journey because she wanted to do something fun to stay in shape and as a, woman the self-defense aspect of martial arts always appealed to her. She immediately fell in love after her first class and eight months into it she began competing.
According to Ashley, “BJJ brings a lot of benefits for females. It helps you to stay in shape, teaches you how to defend yourself against a bigger, stronger person, and helps to build confidence. I recommend BJJ to newcomers because whether your goal is to take a few classes or become a major competitor, you will have a lot of fun and make great friends. Sometimes you just have to take a risk and the reward will be greater than you ever imagined.”
Ashley took a huge leap of faith, making a life changing decision, and chasing her dream in order to further her BJJ training. Choosing to leave home and venturing out on her own to Colorado for better training was a tough decision. She relocated leaving friends and family in Alaska to plant roots in Colorado so she could work towards her goals. She is a woman of courage and determination. It was an honor to have her host this event. For Ashley BJJ is not just an outlet, but a way to spend quality time with her boyfriend a fellow purple belt at Dark Horse BJJ. Her goal is to someday win a major championship and that day isn’t too far off based on her tournament scene performances.
Dark Horse BJJ were gracious hosts to Girls in Gis. No matter where the events are held, it is like the ladies have been training with each other for years. The environment is comfortable and comforting. The Girls in Gis experience is definitely an excellent event for first-timers to attend. The women bond on a level you would have to see to truly understand. The hosts were very attentive to those in attendance. Thank you for opening your doors and supporting these grass roots efforts in BJJ once again. We appreciate that you came out to learn and grow with us. See you next time around!