Why More Women Should Practice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Kathryn Hawkes
| 2 min read
Brazilian Ji Jitsu is an excellent workout, combining both anaerobic and aerobic exercises, but it’s not just a good physical workout. Often called “kinesthetic chess”, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is also a mental workout of knowing an opponent’s next move, anticipating it and countering it.
The principles of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are that a smaller, weaker person can defend themselves against a larger, stronger person. Many practitioners use the sport for self-defense.
Zander Heinen and Fabio Lima, founders of 313 BJJ in Detroit, say anyone at almost any age can perform Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and that many participants develop friendships.
“We’ve had people from five years old to over 70,” said Lima. “It’s not solely martial arts; it helps with fitness, character, health, weight loss, self-esteem, even PTSD,” said Lima.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has grown in popularity for both men and women. Increasingly women are turning to classes for self-defense, empowerment and fitness.
- Self-defense: In six months to a year, women can effectively defend themselves in any number of situations by learning to take the fight to the ground. Using leverage and proper techniques, someone of any size is able to defeat their opponent without hurting them.
- Empowerment: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teaches women to love their body for what it can do, because it doesn’t require being big, strong, or tall. It’s all technique. Women are able to feel empowered with increased mental, physical, emotional and spiritual strength.
- Fitness: While Brazilian Jiu Jitsu doesn’t necessarily require strength it is still a workout, and requires endurance, because it is both aerobic and anaerobic, it burns calories, up to 700 in an hour! It is also good for joints and muscle because it requires a lot of stretching.
Heinen and Lima offered some advice for anyone who may be thinking about starting to practice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: “Don’t be shy!”
There are many studios throughout Michigan, many offering beginner all the way through advanced classes.
Photo Credit: MartialArtsNomad.com
