Grief changes over time. It is brutal and brings you to your knees over and over. Nothing cures grief. The loss just integrates into your life and becomes true. Often in death and loss people turn to their spiritual practice for solace and answers to cure their grief somehow. After […]
As a parent we all want what is best for our children. We want to provide them with as many opportunities to learn, grow, and develop into their best possible selves. By exposing them to a wide variety of activities they can find outlets that will aid them in living […]
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 […]
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 […]
Well, you did it! You put your hand to the plow and didn’t look back. You got your ribs popped and your knuckles swollen, and you survived. You passed the tests, calmed your nerves, and although you’re exhausted, you earned your new belt!. If you are like me, the first […]
They say that age isn’t a number, but an attitude. If that’s the case, then Elaine Beiersdoerfer knows how to age well. At 72, and a grandmother of seven, this blue belt may be better known as the Jiu-Jitsu Grandma. Elaine started jiu jitsu at the age of 69. […]
We all know the cliche. Those who do not learn from the past… So in that vein, here are two scenarios I was totally clueless about when I was less experienced, and the lessons I have learned from them. It was not about me. Here’s a shocker. The big white […]
I have a little journal that surfs around my gym bag. I’m a messy, inconsistent person, so I don’t always write in it, but in the weeks leading up to my blue belt test, (aside from techniques I was trying to make pretty,) I wrote down some in-the-moment feelings […]
It all began with the new girl. She showed up a few months into my BJJ journey, slightly bigger than me and somehow already wearing a matching set of colorful rashguard and spats. I pictured myself patiently teaching her the one move I had learned, giggling at how awkward […]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is growing in popularity, and for good reason. The self-defense, health benefits, and friendships formed on the mats— the list of benefits could go on and on! While this sport has been male-dominated for quite some time, women are finding their ways to the mats in […]