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BJJ For Women

~ Women's BJJ Blog: Interviews, Jiu- Jitsu Events and All Things Fenom

BJJ For Women

Tag Archives: women’s brazilian jiu jitsu

Girls in Gis Anniversary

03 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by fenomkimonos in Women's BJJ

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anniversary, fenom flyer, fenom kimonos, girls in gis, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu, women's open mat

Women’s jiu-jitsu open mat Girls in Gis got started in Houston, and the first DFW area event was held in December of 2009 at Alvarez BJJ. On November 11th, women and girls once again are gathering at the same place to celebrate the 9-year anniversary of Girls in Gis. The highest ranked women in 2009 event were purple belts; this year there are five black belt instructors leading the open mat. The first open mat at Alvarez BJJ attracted 25 women and girls which was unheard of at the time. It was so unusual to see a group of women training that even men stayed and watched.

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The instructors are Fabiana Borges (Gracie Barra), Danielle Alvarez (Alvarez BJJ), Chelsah’ Lyons (MG Dallas), Karen Lingle (Genesis) and Nathiely de Jesus (Rodrigo Pinheiro BJJ). In 2009 Nathiely and Danielle were white belts, Chelsah’ and Karen had not found jiu-jitsu yet; they started training in 2010 and 2012 respectively. All these ladies are now black belts and high-level, decorated competitors with world champion titles in gi and no-gi. At that time Fabiana was a multiple time Brazilian National Champion in different belt levels, had been a black belt for two years, and was on the move to the US to join Gracie Barra American Team.

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Girls in Gis 2015
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From 2009-2015 Girls in Gis event flyers were exclusively designed by Fenom. The font on the first flyers was abandoned in the middle of 2010 and replaced by the swirly font that is used by GIG until this day. The flyers were provided free of charge to help the women’s BJJ organization that had yet to produce income. Years later when GIG started earning profit from t-shirts, patches, gis and participation fees, it was time to hand the flyer design work back to the organization.

Lots has changed over the years. During first years of GIG, all events were free of charge, less formal, and organized in Texas. In recent years GIG chapters have opened up in a dozen states, and most events require a suggested donation in addition to online registration. Brand ambassadors help schedule, oversee and run events. Thousands of women and girls have participated, some have quit training, some are on break but many more are still training and rising in the ranks. The goal the get more women into jiu-jitsu has been achieved, the number of female black belts have sky-rocketed, and tons of other women’s open mats all around the country have sprung up. We wish Girls in Gis a very happy birthday and can’t wait to see what happens next!

Women Only BJJ Camp in Estonia

22 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by fenomkimonos in News and Events, Women's BJJ

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Tags

eesti bjj, estonian bjj girls, fenom kimonos, tallinn, women's bjj, women's bjj in estonia, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

Estonian BJJ Girls group, spearheaded by Laura Mallene, is organizing its very first women only BJJ camp in Tallinn, Estonia at the end of April.  The number of ladies taking up BJJ in this tiny county has grown exponentially in the past few years and they have displayed outstanding results at international tournaments. The camp welcomes jiu-jitsu women from any team and at any experience level for a fun weekend of learning, sharing and friendly rolls.

Helin and Liisi

  • Camp instructors are: Purple belt, Liisi Vaht, who is the highest ranking local female and 3D Treening women’s class instructor. She is 2017 IBJJF European Championship feather weight bronze medalist and 2017 Nordic Open gold medalist.
  • Purple belt, Helin Paara, who has been training BJJ since 2003 and took home gold medals at 2016 IMMAF European Open Championships and 2016 Finnish Female Fight Cup absolute weight class in purple/brown/black belt divison.
  • Blue belt, Kadri Vilba, who is the 2017 national champion in women’s wrestling and also an active MMA and BJJ competitor.

Don’t underestimate the skills of these ladies; Helin and Liisi have a very unique style cultivated by SBG Estonia head coach Priit Mihkelson. He is the innovator of Grillkana position and has spent years on developing his open guard game. Due to high demand, Priit Mihkelson will be teaching at the women’s camp as well. His teaching style is very detail oriented and highly entertaining at the same time.

The camp costs 15.00 euros for one day and 25.00 euros for two days. Travel from Finland, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania is relatively short and inexpensive and for budget conscious travellers, the gym, Korrus 3, is offering overnight stay for a minimum donation of 5.00 euros. Don’t miss it; it’s a quaint place to visit and learn jiu-jitsu.

More info about the camp on Estonian BJJ Girls FB page.

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Dr. Kim Freeman, PhD

26 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by fenomkimonos in Fenomenal Women, Women's BJJ

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

dr. kim freeman, female black belt, fenom kimonos, indiana jiu-jitsu, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu, women's jiu-jitsu

Dr. Kim Freeman, PhD is a four stripe brown belt, a mother and a philanthropist. She will be teaching a co-ed BJJ seminar in New Albany, Indiana, on March 12th and took some time off her busy schedule to talk about her life and training in Indianapolis. Everyone meet Dr. Freeman!

What do you do in real life besides training jiu-jitsu?

Currently I am a sales representative for the life science microscopy company, Olympus. I always loved science and knew it would be part of my future. I went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Cell and Structural Biology while minoring in Chemistry.

I started graduate school in New York but had to take time off for the birth of my daughter and relocation after the 9/11 attacks. After settling in Indiana, I re-entered graduate school and attained my master’s degree through Purdue University in a Cell Biology program, specializing in Lipid Biophysics.

My Ph.D. is through the Indiana University School of Medicine in Medical Biophysics, specializing in Biomolecular Imaging. My doctoral worked focused on deep tissue imaging of the sympathetic (think fight-or-flight) nerves in the heart and how they changed with myocardial infarction (damage from a heart attack). Most of my imaging work used a Olympus multiphoton microscope so when the position with their company in the area became available it seemed silly not to apply. I never would have guessed that I would end up doing what I am doing; life leads us in strange ways sometimes.

Work, family and jiu-jitsu keep me fairly busy. Every month or two I sneak in some philanthropy though. This month my daughter and I packed food for the needy. In April I am helping frame and wall a house for Habitat for Humanity. Giving back helps a person appreciate what they themselves have.

You have been training for 17 years. How do you stay motivated to keep going? What setbacks have you experienced?

Setbacks; there have been a few! I started training towards the end of 1998 at a small gym in NY. The overall attitude towards women in jiu-jitsu was very different back then, at least amongst the lower belts. Most all of the brown and black belts I met or knew were very encouraging though. I do not know how many times I’ve “quit” jiu-jitsu. Too many to count probably. I’ve had some severe injuries that kept me off the mat for months at a time. Most of the injuries were caused by lunkheads not controlling themselves or purposefully going rough to shake me away from the sport. There was a lot less control in the sport back then. Leaders of the gyms were blue belts, not black or brown. There is a certain refinement that comes with vesting years into this sport. That refinement is much more noticeable in schools led by higher belts. That was a luxury not many had back then though.

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I took about a year and a half off for having my daughter. I was in a school that did quite a bit of warm ups, cardio and drilling so I was able to stick with that for several months before having to leave the mat. My daughter was born a few weeks after the 9/11 attacks which left us without jobs, or prospects of jobs. We picked up and moved to the Midwest. I joined my current gym in the spring of 2002 and have been with Indianapolis Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ever since.

My then husband did not adjust well to family life which really limited my training time for a few years. My teammates were by my side though and after separation and divorce, I was able to get back on track with BJJ which has helped me discover how strong women can be. I bet most people take extended breaks from jiu-jitsu throughout training. Life happens. What matters more is that you come back to the sport. That you keep returning; persevering in the face of difficulty.

The motivations to continue on change constantly. As you progress in your jiu-jitsu journey, you grow and develop as a person. Therefore, the motivations for continuing the sport need to develop with you. Sometimes it is to overcome some internal demons, sometimes it is to prove something to others, sometimes it is for the comradery or it could be because your mind and body have learned to release stress when in the gym. After a while, it becomes a regular part of who you are. It is less motivation to stay in as it is an existential need to complete who you are as a person. BJJ transcends from something you do to being part of who you are. I don’t have a set motivation to keep going in jiu-jitsu, it is fully integrated into who I am. It is not the entirety of my being, but it makes me whole as a person.

What does your family think about BJJ? Does anyone else in your family train?

No one else in my blood line family trains. My daughter has been on the mat a month here or there, but has never stuck with it. My extended family has shown support now that I have climbed my way through the ranks which I am very thankful for. My nuclear family is not fond of it though. My jiu-jitsu family has been my lifeline. I am very grateful for all of them.

Do you enjoy competing? Do you remember your first tournament? What is your biggest accomplishment and what are you most proud of?

I used to compete quite a bit. My first tournaments were actually against men because there weren’t other women in my divisions. Especially after moving to the Midwest competing was limited. My divisions were empty most of the time and when there were other women, we did not have the luxury of weight classes or divisions. I took a few severe injuries because of it. My last tournament left me with some mild but permanent hearing loss. I have retired from competing because of that.

As for pride, that is a double edge sword. I think attaining my blue belt was amazing. I was under Marcio Simas at the time, back in 1999. I felt invincible, strong, and proud of this accomplishment. As the years progressed, I have been less proud of each belt. Not that they weren’t deserved, or unwanted; more because each was seen less as an insurmountable obstacle and more as an expected achievement. I have achieved more than most people every will, at my young age of (cough, cough, mumble). I expect myself to do more and go farther still. Am I glad to be doing it? You betcha! Would I continue without belt promotions? Sure thing. I just expect to achieve certain goals so it doesn’t seem like something to be prideful about.

Tell us a little bit about teaching jiu-jitsu. How often do you teach?

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I’ve taught at a few workshops and am starting to do a few seminars now. I really enjoy seeing young timid newcomers blossom and grow strong. This past weekend I did a workshop for new to the mat women. Four of them could not easily do a somersault at the beginning of the class. By the end of class, they had learned a few techniques, felt safe on the mat, rolled their first matches, and left smiling. They gained a touch of confidence and a little bit of awareness. Who knows if they stick with it? I hope they do. If they choose to though, I will be there for them to lean on.

Do you have any other hobbies besides jiu-jitsu?

There is something other than jiu-jitsu? I keep myself pretty busy but nothing I would call a hobby. I volunteer quite a bit for my community, helping take care of landscaping and the political mumbo-jumbo my condominium association has to deal with. Also, there is always something to do when you have children. My daughter is in the school band so I help there quite often. Before that there were sports or Scouts to keep up with. I’m a routine blood donor, having given over 10 gallons of blood or blood components throughout the years. When possible I go to my gym though. My jiu-jitsu family keeps me centered, humble, and encouraged.

Last words.

I greatly appreciate the support from Fenom! I had actually sent an email to a prominent gi company long ago about tailoring a gi towards women. The response was lacking, at best. It is great to see how women are not only becoming accepted in jiu-jitsu but encouraged and honored as well. There is seemingly no limit to what can be accomplished when people support each other and work towards the greater good.

Better tomorrows come from the actions and decisions we make today. Jiu-jitsu is a wonderful forum for this. BJJ tears away what we are not supposed to be and provides a supportive community to lean on while we gain the strength and perseverance necessary to be leaders in this world. Where we are today in jiu-jitsu seemed unfathomable just a few short years ago. Just imagine what it will be like in a few more.

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Black Belt Corner with Jill Baker

27 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by fenomkimonos in Fenomenal Women, Women's BJJ

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

bakersfield bjj, female black belt, jill baker, messy hair we don't care, socal wbjj, white to black belt, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

jillfamilyWe interviewed Jill Baker in 2012 when she was a brand new brown belt, and  had become the main organizer of SoCal Women’s BJJ Open Mat.

Last year in September she was promoted to black belt by Jean Jacques Machado. She called the promotion day a really special yet terrifying one. The striking tall beauty was kind enough to make a second appearance on our blog, and answer a couple of questions for the Black Belt Corner series. Enjoy!

Which belt level has been the most challenging for you?

For me, white belt was absolutely the most challenging belt. When you start training, jiu-jitsu is daunting. The things you don’t know are overwhelming in comparison to a few lessons a week. I remember learning a move and practicing it and then going, “OK got it! But then what do I do?” I didn’t compete for my first year or so, and then when I did, I could not win a match to save my life. I just did not have any pieces glued together. I got my blue belt after almost three years of training, and that is when I felt like things began to make sense.

What advice do you have for women who think about quitting?

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When women have the courage to start jiu-jitsu, I let them know that it is a life changing move. There will be highs and lows, tears and celebrations but if they persevere through the first year, they will never be the same person they were before they trained.

They will be better athletes of course but more importantly, they will be better problem solvers. They will be better stress managers, better wives, moms, teachers; just better at life because of this sport. No exaggeration.

I am so thankful that I had the teammates, and my amazing coach to get me through the weeds of the first years, so that I could learn the life lessons that are communicated through my involvement in this sport. Training has become an outlet for me. It’s a place I go to when I’m stressed, when I am tired, when I am sad or starving. Most days I really feel like jiu-jitsu solves all of these. It is also the place I run to after a great day. When I am happy, jiu-jitsu feels just as good. It makes me feel productive, and accomplished; it let’s me think about nothing but what is happening in the moment.


Check out Jill’s upcoming SoCal Women’s Toy Roll in Bakersfield, CA. Bring an unwrapped toy to make a child happy, and get some rolls in to make yourself happy!

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Hemp Belt Giveaway!

28 Tuesday Jul 2015

Posted by fenomkimonos in Products, Women's BJJ

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Tags

belt envy, bjj, fenom kimonos, hemp, hemp belt, white to black belt, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

Some people say that belts and stripes are not important. Do you agree or disagree? We disagree. The wear and tear on your belt shows the hard work, hours on the mat and your dedication to jiu-jitsu. Stripes show your progress and that you are a step closer to your next goal. Why shouldn’t we be proud of it?

Let’s see the most worn out, unrecognizable color belts out there. Is your belt falling apart at the seams? Do people ask if you are a gray belt? Do you sometimes hope that no-one grabs your belt when rolling so that you don’t have to see the white filler slowly ooze out and hear the dreaded ripping sound? Has the belt served you well and is soon ready to be displayed in a shadow box to enjoy its retirement years? If so, send us a picture of your belt for a chance to win a brand new Fenom hemp belt.

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Photos can be submitted on Facebook, Instagram or via email. Winners will receive a belt of their choice in any color and size. Five random winners will be picked on August 2. Good luck and happy training!

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Black Belt Corner with Lana Stefanac

19 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by fenomkimonos in Fenomenal Women, Women's BJJ

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

lana stefanac, white to black belt, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu, world champion

Tragedy and hurt usually come when you least anticipate it. Lana Stefanac talks about the good, the bad and the ugly in her personal life, career and training .

What was the most difficult belt level for you? How did you overcome the challenges?

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There was never really a specific belt that was most challenging for me although I would say that the most fun was blue just because of the numerous, and aggressive fights I had at tournaments. Of course, black belt is the best, and the most challenging due to the range and level of competition.

The most difficult challenge I faced during my competition career was funding my training and competition. I did MMA to make money, not because I loved MMA itself. As it turned out, I was relatively good at MMA which made the pro fighting more attractive to me. With that being said, MMA is not a good way to make money unless you are those one or two females at the top in the big cards. I would never tell someone, male of female, to quit working and train MMA because it is not a sustainable way to live or survive. Again, MMA was just another route I took to attempt to help fund my BJJ career, and it worked okay but it did not provide me a good life nor means to do this.

For me, my life revolved around BJJ, and the journey to my black belt which I reached ultimately in 2009 when I got my black belt from Randy Bloom (there has always been ridiculous rumors surrounding him) on the podium after I won double gold at the Worlds. I was proud to receive my black belt from Randy because I respected him greatly as a person which is not the case with many other “high lever” black belt men.

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In 2011, I gave up competing to pursue my career in law enforcement. I have often joked that this was my retirement plan. Funny enough, during the training academy I sustained a very bad injury which required surgery, and rehab for nearly a year. This was my biggest challenge in that not only was I crippled for so long but that ultimately I was released from the department due to a subsequent injury resulting from the initial injury. This was the most devastating obstacle combined with having lost my mother to long battle with cancer just prior. My mother was, and is, a driving force in my soul to succeed at what I do. My heart was broken from the loss of my mother, and then shattered yet again when I was released from the department what was supposed to be the rest of my life, due to the injury. These obstacles have been the hardest things for me to overcome because I gave up the love my life, BJJ, to go into a career that I could be proud of, only to be released from one while having lost the other.

I have not competed actively because I intended to go back into law enforcement once my injury was fully healed. I have stepped away from hard training, and competition to stay injury free. This is hard, because again, I gave up one love to pursue the other, and the latter ultimately removed me from BJJ competition.

How I overcame this tragic course of events is that I continue to teach, and develop my techniques, and share them with others who are actively competing. For now, this will have to suffice for me until I make my next course of action as far as sustainable, and viable options for career are concerned.

What advice do you have for women who have a hard time in training, and think about quitting? Does it get better when you earn your black belt?

Life is hard, and it is a journey that is full of accomplishments and heartbreak combined. Things do not ever get better when you get your black belt; they actually get worse. The good news is that challenges come at you even faster, and with more aggression as a black belt.

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Jiu-jitsu is a life choice that is supposed to help you overcome weaknesses in your life. If it does not do this, you are doing something wrong or not seeing it for what it is. When you start training BJJ, your goal should be to reach your black belt, and then your larger goal is to be that you NEVER QUIT.

This is the saddest, and most disgusting thing I have seen in both men and women that they quit like punks. There is no end point. Jiu-jitsu is a life-style. Once you commit to it, you should be devoted until you are no more, and until you no longer draw a breath. This is not to say that you will compete forever but it is to say that your journey will change just as mine did. The end result of all this is that you use your failures to motivate you until failures aren’t failures any more but rather obstacles that you know you will overcome eventually.

2015 Worlds in Photos

04 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by fenomkimonos in Women's BJJ

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Tags

messy hair we don't care, white to black belt, women's brazilian jiu jitsu, worlds 2015

2015 World Championship is over, and athletes have returned home near and far. Some travelled home feeling pure joy and happiness; their dreams of placing on top of the podium came true. Others had to deal with disappointment, sadness and the realization that a gold medal may never be attainable at that belt level. All the sacrifices, dieting, extra conditioning and early morning drills did not pay off this time. Someone else had a better day. Thank you to all the ladies who stepped on the mat, and fought technically outsanding fights. You have brought women’s jiu-jitsu to a new level.

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Women’s BJJ Tournaments

06 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by fenomkimonos in News and Events, Women's BJJ

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australian girls in gi, competition, girls' jiu-jitsu, sophia drysdale, wbjjf, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

Women only tournaments are popping up everywhere. Garra Jiu-Jitsu Darra is hosting a girls’ and women’s white belt and blue belt tournament on May 9th in Brisbane, Australia. Cash prizes for blue belts are $200 for the first place, and $100 for the second place. Two weeks later, on May 24th, Australian Girls in Gi is hosting their 4th annual tournament on the West Coast of Australia, in Perth. It is a round robin style tournament for girls, and women of all belt levels.

On May 23rd, 16 female blue belts have a chance to win cash prizes at BJJ Top Tournament in Burbank, California. First place gets $300, second place $150, and two third places receive $80 each. A few weeks later, on June 13th, Texas-based Women’s Jiu-Jitsu Federation is holding its 2nd Annual Southern Regional Championship, in Justin, Texas. The tournament benefits three charities: Hope For The Silent Voices, Rescue Her, and Restore Her, and offers both gi and no-gi divisions to girls, and women of all belt levels.

If competition is not your cup of tea, please check out Sophia Drysdale BJJ Camp in Edmond, Oklahoma on June 6-7. She is offering two days of training for a hard to beat price of $70. Enjoy!

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Train Like a Girl 7

12 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by fenomkimonos in Women's BJJ

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

girls jiu-jitsu, like a girl, messy hair we don't care, strong woman, training should be fun, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

The best training partners are happy training partners! Spread happiness, and train like a girl!

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Check out more inspirational women’s bjj photos in Train Like a Girl 6, and Train Like a Girl 5.

Train Like a Girl 6

22 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by fenomkimonos in Girls' Jiu-Jitsu, Women's BJJ

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

girls jiu-jitsu, messy hair we don't care, strong woman, training should be fun, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

A good laugh, a long sleep, and training like a girl cures everything!

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Check out more awesome women’s bjj photos in Train Like a Girl vol.5 and Train Like a Girl vol.4!

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