...because they want to?

6/6 But bottom line- I do marital arts for fun and a bit of fitness. It doesn't mean I'm not serious, focused and technical! I just want to do this as long as i can and bring as many along as want to come along. Compete! Don't compete! Come train:)

#bjjwomen #bjj #grappling #jiujitsu #bjjblackbelt #bjjblackbelt #jiujitsulife #blackbeltwomen #grappling #confidence #selfdoubt #womensgrappling

1/6 I'm a black belt and have never competed. It's something I feel self-conscious about on occasion. I have this sneaking suspicion sometimes that not competing hurts my credibility as a black belt or meant wearing previous belts I'm not as good as others of my rank. I don't think we should feel that way though!

So why do I feel this way?
#bjjwomen #bjj #grappling #jiujitsu #bjjblackbelt #bjjblackbelt #jiujitsulife #blackbeltwomen #grappling #confidence #selfdoubt #womensgrappling

Kind of annoyed with everything i write lately. All of the things I've written sound sort of the same. Maybe shouldn't share my thoughts😭 Maybe i will embrace being the overthinking and self-doubt correspondent?

#bjjwomen #bjj #grappling #jiujitsu #bjjblackbelt #bjjblackbelt #jiujitsulife #blackbeltwomen #grappling #confidence #selfdoubt #womensgrappling

5/5 In the same way, it's not shameful to consider others in the words you use or jokes you tell. (Especially if you then expect them to be comfortable in a sport like jiu-jitsu!) Like with tapping out and restarting in jiu-jitsu, in life you can start over, change it up, try to handle it better immediately.

#jiujitsu #blackbeltwomen #bjjwomen #jiujitsulife #selfdefense #safespace #politicallycorrect #encouragement #bjj

4/5 My hope is that wherever you find me, I will do everything in my power to contribute to a place being safe. Generally being considerate of others and listening and changing when I've done something offensive are top priorities. We talk about humility in jiu-jitsu. Leave your ego at the door. Tapping doesn't mean you've lost. Don't try to win practice.
#jiujitsu #blackbeltwomen #bjjwomen #jiujitsulife #selfdefense #safespace #politicallycorrect #misogyny #encouragement #bjj

Back to teaching after a little while being just a student again and I'm...

#bjj #bjjwomen #blackbeltwomen

@timmymac
Screenshot 5-7:

#bjjwomen #bjj #grappling #hobby #bjjblackbelt #bjjblackbelt #jiujitsulife #blackbeltwomen #grappling #womensgrappling

@timmymac

Seven screenshots (2 toots) instead of 11 toots...but here's what i think i might post. Maybe?

1-4 here:

#bjjwomen #bjj #grappling #hobby #bjjblackbelt #bjjblackbelt #jiujitsulife #blackbeltwomen #grappling #womensgrappling

I wrote about how sometimes the word hobbyist makes me feel like I'm not a real #jiujitsu person, but I realized it's a problem of #selfconfidence, not the word. Glad I didn't post it! 😝

The only good part:

When I started jiu-jitsu, I certainly didn't know that there was this distinction. I only wanted to learn this weird, perfectly exhausting human puzzle game. *Everyone was bigger, I wasn't any good at it, and it didn't make any difference.* Life was good.

#bjjwomen #bjj #grappling #hobby

Teaching and getting "caught" teaching.
That second photo expression😂

I think i was fixing my hair or having an - oh shit that's on camera- I hope I don't look goofy- moment... which then creates a decidedly looking goofy moment...

I'm helping people out but I guess I don't expect to be seen😂 Or maybe it's a sign #teaching is becoming more natural - it feels weird when it's pointed out?

📷by my instructor
#bjj #bjjwomen #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsu #jiujitsulife #blackbeltwomen #fitness

Waking up this morning like - i can move my big toe again, today's gonna be a great day! Lol. Time for open mat😂

#bjj #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsu #jiujitsulife #blackbeltwomen #bjjwomen #grappling #fitness

7/7 end🧵
The author is a kickboxer and boxer but i think all women who do any #combatsports for fun or professionally would enjoy and relate to much of it.

Seconds Out: Women and Fighting https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55843975-seconds-out

#bjj #blackbeltwomen #bjjwomen #jiujitsu #fitness #womensfightingsports #boxing #muaythai

@bookstodon

6/7
#Tears are often seen as a weakness or loss of credibility in male dominated spaces- this is a better explanation of tears in training:

Quote from Sylvie von Duuglus Ittu (of There is Crying in Muay Thai): "isn't a response to anything directly but more the general need for release after feeling quite pressured and bottled up by being ineffective in any varying degree for the past hour, minutes, days, weeks, years, whatever..."

https://8limbsus.com/blog/crying-muay-thai-emotional-training

#bjj #bjjwomen #jiujitsu #fitness

5/7
She takes a much needed swing at the #transgender hate/panic as well, exposing it as policing women's bodies. They test for xx chromosomes - she notes women are tested for testosterone but men aren't tested or banned for higher natural testosterone. Michael Phelps wasn't banned for his long arms and flexible joints or Ian Thorpe for his flipper feet.

#bjj #blackbeltwomen #bjjwomen #jiujitsu #fitness #womensfightingsports #boxing #muaythai

4/7
#MentalToughness is a great section set up by the question: "How are emotion, empathy, and vulnerability connected to the drive, focus, and aggression required of a fighter?" The three part definition of the term was useful too: the ability to understand yourself and your capabilities and to own them.

I always appreciate calling attention to the knowledge gap in medicine - science/health research generally is one size fits all with male as the default.

#bjj #bjjwomen #jiujitsu #fitness

3/7
Hilariously mentioned early on are #writers that #write passionately about boxing but don't really do it - Ernest Hemingway, Joyce Carrol Oates, Norman Mailer. The #Hemingway week at the gym - ouch😫 Also there's a beneficial discussion of #masculinity - the ideas of gyms or sports becoming diluted (by women's participation) and the idea that masculinity needs to be carefully guarded - is proof it shouldn't be preserved.

#bjj #blackbeltwomen #bjjwomen #jiujitsu #fitness #boxing #muaythai

2/7 Seconds Out by Alison Dean

There are good discussions on a variety of things - self-defense (myths, studies, she has the same misgivings I do), blood (period=bad; man's face bleeding=impressive; woman's face bleeding=unacceptable), tears, existing/working in male dominated spaces/sports.

#bjj #blackbeltwomen #bjjwomen #jiujitsu #fitness #womensfightingsports #boxing #muaythai #selfdefense

🧵1/7
Not so much a review as some notes-

This is as much a memoir as about fighting itself. The subjects are woven together perfectly. She knows what she's talking about historically and experientially. Far better than The Gift of Fear or whatever is generally recommended in #selfdefense and women in sports.

#SecondsOut: Women and Fighting https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55843975-seconds-out

#bjj #blackbeltwomen #bjjwomen #jiujitsu #fitness #womensfightingsports #boxing #muaythai

Trying to read #TheGiftofFear because it is so often recommended in #selfdefense and #martialarts spheres. Gotta say the first two chapters feel a bit like #selfhelp (or b*llsh*t). I'm a skeptic & put off by the individual solutions to systemic problems tho. Seems very bootstrap libertarian American. I'm more skeptic humanist collectivist. (Also Oprah and the CIA finding it useful creeps me tf out, lol.)

#bjj #bjjwomen #blackbeltwomen #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsu #jiujensu

2/2
I was someone for whom the COVID isolation was a huge relief. (Also i haven't visited another gym since before). Social stuff is hard and suddenly there was a very good reason to lean into my tendency to stay away from things. It gets exhausting- coming out of my shell, being "on," faking confidence badly.

But I want to learn things and i miss one or two people i do know.

#bjjwomen #bjj #socialanxiety #blackbeltwomen #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsu #bjjseminar #introvert #introvertproblems