A Travel Guide to Training in Thailand: Phuket Top Team

By Meg

First day of a week-long jiujitsu vacation at Phuket Top Team.

Phuket Top Team (PTT) is a renowned Muay Thai and jiujitsu gym on Phuket island in Thailand with a friendly atmosphere and full schedule of classes. The gym operates just off Fight Street, formally called Soi Ta-iad, but Fight Street has earned its nickname for the countless rows of Muay Thai and MMA gyms up and down the road. Smoothie stands selling protein boosts, healthy restaurants, and spas also line the street, and fellow fighters smile and wave to each other while passing. The environment supports and compels fighters to succeed, and everyone is there for the same goal: to push, fight, and improve.

Muay Thai is available at just about every gym, but jiujitsu (especially gi jiujitsu) is less common. PTT and Tiger Muay Thai are the two biggest jiujitsu gyms on the scene. Sarah and I chose PTT, because it offered more gi classes and a few more hours of jiujitsu. Here is some practical information we collected during our week-long trip.

Get Around

Americans and citizens from other designated countries (found on the Thai Embassy's website here) don’t need a visa for their first 30 days in Thailand. Just be sure to pick up an arrival card before going through customs. If you’re planning on training in Thailand for more than 30 days, the gym will usually help arrange a long-term visa for you.

While living on Fight Street is fairly budget-friendly, getting there is a different story. A taxi between the airport and the street costs anywhere from 600-800 baht. If you travel at night, the cost gravitates toward the higher end. Sarah and I arrived at Phuket International Airport at 2:00 AM. To make things easier on ourselves, we had opted to have a taxi pre-arranged by the gym, which quoted us a price of 1,000 baht. The taxi driver waited for us at the arrivals gate (despite delayed arrival time), stopped by a 7-Eleven for snacks, and showed us to our room for only 800 baht. Expect the ride to be about 50 minutes.

Once on Fight Street, everything you need is within walking distance, and walking from one end of the street to the other may take about 30 minutes maximum. Get around a little quicker or explore outside the street by renting a motorbike. Motorbike rentals are available at PTT for 200 baht per day. For a month-long rental, rates hover around 2,000 baht in the low season and 3,000 baht in the high season. Ask for a helmet with your rental and remember to always wear it. It's common for foreigners to be pulled over and fined for not wearing helmets.

Meg with Professor Olavo Abreu.

Train

All information listed below is subject to change and can be checked at phukettopteam.com.

• When to Go: Consider training during the low season from June to November. According to the PTT coaches, the low season is significantly less crowded while still providing plenty of training partners and an intimate atmosphere. Alternatively, during the high season from December to May, jiujitsu classes sometimes host upwards of 50 people in a mediocre-sized gym with one coach.
• Price: There is a long list of pricing options available at PTT. For reference, a single class is 300 baht, one day of all-inclusive classes is 500 baht, and one week of all-inclusive classes is 3,000 baht.
• Classes: PTT offers Muay Thai, jiujitsu, wrestling, MMA, and strength and conditioning. Brazilian jiujitsu classes are usually led by black-belt Professor Olavo Abreu twice a day.
• Vibe: Despite often being the only women in training, Sarah and I felt welcomed the majority of the time. Most people were friendly, helpful, and chill training partners. After hearing intimidating stories about other gyms, this atmosphere was a big relief and a fun experience.
• Extra Costs: You might need to buy a few extras while training. Water is overpriced at the gym, and a large bottle costs 20 baht compared to the 13-baht large water at Family Mart down the road. Tape is also available for 80 baht in case of injuries.

Wrestling class coached by NJCAA collegiate All-American Derek Heckel.

Eat

We do not recommend buying the gym's meal plan. The food was delicious, but buying a meal plan limits you to eating onsite or else wasting that money. Many meals can also be bought cheaper offsite. After we arrived, Sarah and I bought bread, peanut butter, Nutella, oatmeal, yogurt, and other goodies to keep in our hotel room. This allowed us to eat breakfast and lunch in the room most days, which saved a lot of money and time. There are several small convenient stores along the street where you can stock up.

When you get bored of peanut butter, check out the stretch of restaurants and smoothie stands. For a boost of energy, grab a protein shake. Just look for a stand with jugs of protein lined up on the counter. Here are just a few restaurants we tried during our week-long stay:

• Ali's BBQ: My favorite restaurant by far, and a popular choice with everyone. Ali's offers clean, healthy foods like pitas, salads, chicken breast, yogurt, steaks, and more on an extensive menu.
• Tony's: Another popular venue with a large menu. The food was fine and reasonably priced but nothing to rave about, and the service was unfriendly. Nonetheless, it's an alright place to grab a bite.
• Cocoville Phuket Resort: We were told this hotel served fantastic breakfasts, but when we tried to go, the place was closed. I'm not sure if the venue was under renovation or what, but it might still be worth a shot.
• Anchan: We tried Anchan for dinner and breakfast. The alfredo and curry dishes were delicious, but the American breakfast was meager and overpriced. Sarah got the oatmeal pancakes, however, and thought they were tasty!

Enjoying a post-training meal at the gym's restaurant.

Sleep

As part of the training package, we chose to stay in an offsite budget room at 3,000 baht for one week. The onsite budget rooms seemed fine but, according to the website, don't provide air conditioning or private bathrooms. I did get to see the shared bathrooms, though, which are used by everyone using the gym as well. Despite that, they looked clean and well-kept.

The offsite budget option was hosted by a hotel called Baan Khun Yui. Air conditioning, a mini-fridge, hot water, and a television were provided. Guests also have access to a fully equipped shared kitchen and a large washing machine, which costs 30 baht a load. Also - drumroll please - the hotel has a modest swimming pool where we could unwind in the afternoons between training.

Relax

Don't miss out on the opportunity to ease sore muscles with an authentic Thai massage. The incorporation of stretching to a deep massage works out knots and tension, and just plain feels fantastic after hard training. We tried several spas for different services during our stay. Maria’s near PTT gave my favorite massage for 250 baht. Another popular venue is Wan Massage, where Sarah and I received lovely facials. The family of sisters who work at Wan were extremely friendly and enthusiastic about their work.

Here are some prices we found for various services:

• Thai and Oil Massage: 250 baht
• Gel Manicure: 400-500 baht
• Pedicure: 200 baht
• Facial Scrub and Mask: 400 baht

These prices required some bargaining, and a 50-baht discount is typical. Keep in mind everything is more expensive during high season (December-May) and cheaper during low season (June-November).

Fine sands, clear water, and six-pack abs on Karon Beach.

Play

Training is the goal, but on Sunday the fighters will play. PTT is closed on Sunday for rest and relaxation, so take advantage of the free day to see Phuket outside Fight Street. A 20-minute taxi (for 300 baht) or motorbike ride will take you to the night market, where you can buy everything from knock-off watches and phones to quirky T-shirts and knick-knacks. Also head toward the back of the market to find the food court: a plethora of Thai food and sweet treats like chocolate-covered bananas.

Another nearby destination is, of course, the beach. Phuket's fine sand and clear water can't be missed. Kata and Karon are both nearby beaches good for sunbathing and swimming. Kata is the smaller, less developed of the two, so we chose Karon for our beach trip. After a 25-minute, 300-baht motorbike taxi, we arrived at a long beach filled with people. Unfortunately, there was a large amount of trash, probably both dropped by tourists and washed up by the current. Besides that detail, the beach was wonderful. If you go, be aware there are no motorbike taxis available for the return trip. We had to hire a car taxi for 400 baht to take us back.

If you don't have time or energy to leave Fight Street and still want to blow off steam, there are a couple of sports bars along the street where you can get a drink and meet people.


Meg started jiujitsu in 2012, got her blue belt in 2013, and has competed in five competitions.

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The Bitch versus The Flirt

By Liz

How can a woman training jiujitsu be taken seriously, but not come off as a bitch? How exactly does one manage to be friendly, but not be misinterpreted as flirty?

As women, we can’t avoid the fact that we have to constantly negotiate the flirty versus bitchy personality dichotomy.

One of my close guy friends from the gym told me recently, “I thought you were a bitch when I first met you. You would barely look at me, let alone talk to me! I remember one day in particular we got to roll. I thought you were so awesome. I was really impressed by your beastly jiujitsu. I was like, damn that girl can roll! But you were kinda rude to me. You barely even acknowledged me! You acted like you were better than everyone else.”

I don’t remember the particular interaction that he was talking about, but I do remember feeling shy during my first year at that gym and not wanting to come off as a flirt. I also wanted to be taken seriously.

I didn’t know how to interact with the guys at the gym. I felt so much more comfortable with the women at my gym, and we would often talk with each other in the locker rooms after class. But with the guys, I was intimidated, sometimes creeped out, and sometimes just plain shy. I didn’t talk to them much during my first year at the gym. I wanted to keep to myself, but also self-conscious of my female-ness and didn’t what to come off as a flirt.

Now, three years later, I’m much more comfortable being friendly with everyone at the gym, and as a result I’ve attracted more than one unwanted (and wanted) admirers. I have also been accused by more than one person of being a flirt. I still have not successfully been able to master the skill of being nice but not too friendly, and being serious but not a bitch. If anyone has any advice on this matter, please do comment below. It’s one of the many challenges we face on the mat as women.

Doing jiujitsu is an activity that makes most people feel incredibly vulnerable at first. My experience has taught me to act the same way around the girls and guys--with genuine compassion and respect for the person standing in front of you. Not as an object, but as a human being with fears and insecurities just like yourself, as a person who just wants to be loved and accepted like everyone else in this world. Have fun, be a genuinely nice and caring person, and treat yourself and others with the respect and value they deserve, and everything else will fall into place.

How do I come off as serious and build respect from people at the gym by going my hardest without coming off as a total spaz--or worse, a total bitch?

Some people say the way you roll reflects your personality. I think this is true to a certain extent. As much as I hate to admit it, people have pointed out to me my passivity on the mat and in life. And I think they might be related.

Training partners often accuse me of not rolling hard enough or not being aggressive enough. Deep down, I really appreciate this because I know they’re just trying to push me to be the best I can be and they know I’m holding back. They believe in me and they know I can do better.

If am really honest with myself, I know that I am holding myself back during rolls much of the time. I know this because I roll harder at competition. This is mostly normal. I simply can’t train hard 100% of the time. But part of it is also a mental block holding me back from going as hard as I possibly can.

Sometimes with other women at the gym, I don’t go as hard as I can or should. Some of the women have called me out on this, and I love them for it. And I always go harder with them after they call me out on it, and I think they respect me a lot more after that… at least they tell me how proud they are of me when I roll hard.

Sometimes people at the gym don’t push people as hard as they need to be pushed. Women and men go light with smaller people because they don’t want to be that aggressive bully that everyone hates, myself included. But there is a delicate balance that can be struck. When you believe in other people, especially beginners, and push them hard, they will push back hard and will learn from it. They will appreciate that you pushed them to their limit. I love it when people push me hard.

One day I subbed in for the women’s class coach when she was sick. I went through the normal class routine, but in the last 10 minutes, we did some guard passing and sweeping live training. I pushed them hard, sweeping or submitting them every 30 seconds. But soon they responded with vigor and aggression, even managing to pass my guard a few times. We all left with smiles on our faces. In the classes previous, the coach had never let them do any live training, thinking that they couldn’t handle it.

I advocate for what Meg was talking about in her post last week: not spazzy, out-of-control rolling, but controlled, aggressive, and strong sparring. You will build respect from everyone around you for this, no matter your size or sex. Don’t hold yourself back because they’re a girl, or they’re a white belt, or they’re smaller than you or they’re your friend. Play your game and play it hard. Leave it all out on the mat, don’t hold anything back. Because all we have is this moment. 

So give it your all, because our mats don’t have space for people who are going to hold themselves back. The same goes for life: stick up for yourself with the controlled and respectful strength and confidence you know you have.

The same goes for the bitch versus flirt persona: treat yourself and others with respect and confidence, and others will follow in your example. Take the class seriously, roll hard, be friendly, and express genuine care for others. Your high expectations for yourself and others will show, and those around you will strive to meet the high standards you set for them--both on and off the mat.

Liz started jiujitsu in 2011, got her blue belt in 2013, and has competed in nine competitions. Although she is from California, she is currently training and coaching jiujitsu abroad. She’s learned through training that it's better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.

Email us at liz.meg223@gmail.com with your questions or comments, and we will post our answers in the next blog post! Look for our posts on Sunday night EST every other week (every second and fourth Sunday of the month).

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How to be a Dick in BJJ

By Meg

Recently I looked up online how to be a dick in jiujitsu. Not as a self-aware journey to not annoy anyone in my gym, and not to find “dos and don'ts” on the mat, but to find an actual guide on how to be a dick.

The Google search only told me to wash my gi and trim my nails, which is not at all helpful. I'll explain.

I was venting my frustrations on a fellow coach the other night. In two of my three rolls, I managed to catch larger blue belt guys in submissions, which they immediately muscled out of. One of which was my favorite escape--the bicep curl armbar escape. Good job on being stronger, brah.

So my teammate and I discussed “little-person” BJJ games. He observed most smaller jiujitsu players are mean. Many of them have spiky, suffocating, or merciless games that leave opponents feeling bruised and massacred.

But wait. Ryan Hall, Marcelo Garcia, and Caio Terra aren't dicks. They are notoriously friendly. I wouldn't label them as dicks on the mat either--rather, they are assertive, aggressive, and insistent in their jiujitsu.

So why, when I apply that behavior to myself, do I think I'm being a dick?

It could be gender issues. Women are supposed to be sugar and spice and some other crap. Anything to the contrary labels us as "bitchy", and when I do proper knee on belly pressure, that's not sweet cookie-ingredient material.

I could be taking the description of BJJ as "the gentle art" too literally. How can I be gentle and flow while cross-facing so hard? Does the gentleness apply to rolling with the angry guy with his balls in a twist because I tapped him out?

I suppose the reason doesn't matter. What I'm going to do about my frustration matters. I've changed a few small pieces of my game in the past few weeks, and here are the lessons I've learned.

How to be a Dick in BJJ

AKA

Tools to be Assertive, Aggressive, and Insistent

• A heavy cross-face is a great tool to pass guard and keep a top position. Apologizing, however, is not necessary. Stop it.
• Do not just place your knee on your partner's stomach. Bury your knee into their sternum and watch them open up. Voila.
• The body has lots of pointy ends. Elbows, knees, wrist bones, knuckles... Find some sensitive spot of your partner, frame, and push with those pointy ends to get them off you.
• Do not bypass chances to practice technique because your partner's a lower level and you feel obligated to let them practice first.

Guess what? It's not much, but these few tools have been working. While I've gotten one wary look after a mean cross-face on a spazzy white belt, I've also received several other compliments on my improved game. The comments have helped change my previous idea of being a dick in jiujitsu to cultivating an effective little-person game.

More to come in future posts about conceptions of nice versus bitchy in the gym. For now, here's to a future with less sugar and spice, and more cross-face.

Meg started jiujitsu in 2012, got her blue belt in 2013, and has competed in four competitions.

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Preparing Your Body for Competition

By Liz

How should I train for competition?

After finding a training partner of (relatively) similar size and strength to yourself, work out a consistent training plan together at least two months before the competition to strike a good balance throughout the week between:

• Drilling with little to no resistance
• Drilling with 50% resistance
• Positional rolling with 100% resistance
• Sparring for at least 6 minutes with 100% resistance
• Some weight training or cross training (such as CrossFit, rock climbing, kickboxing, pole dancing, weight lifting) on the side is also recommended

Three weeks before the competition, write up a game plan with two submissions/sweeps and two escapes from each position. I call this my “game plan.” Write out in detail exactly how your game plan will be executed (e.g., “grab the sleeve at the elbow with your opposite arm…”). Frequently review these notes before training and practice envisioning yourself executing your game plan. Drill these moves and these moves only in the three weeks leading up to the competition and avoid adding new moves to your repertoire. Try to execute your game place during live sparring. The night before the competition, imagine yourself successfully executing your game plan. Always end your “meditation” sessions with a submission.

What is the best way to cut weight before a competition?

Don’t attempt to cut more than five pounds while preparing for competition. Remember if you cut weight, you will probably be significantly weaker than you would be if you eat and drink the appropriate amounts during the days leading up to the competition.  

If you decide to cut, follow these rules:

• Be careful if you have had or have an eating disorder because this can be a trigger
• More veggies and less white bread, rice, and pasta
• Use protein shakes or smoothies to substitute for meals
• Don’t eat out at restaurants (those over-sized American portions can be detrimental)
• Cut down on refined sugar intake
• Cut down on drinking your calories. Best to avoid alcohol, sugary coffee drinks, soda pop, and Gatorade.
• FIBER, FIBER, FIBER (lots of vegetables, beans, flax seed, and fiber supplements), especially during the week before the comp. Laxatives work too but make you feel like shit (no pun intended). Supposedly you carry around up to 5 lbs of crap inside you at any given time so getting some of that out will help when you weigh-in.
• Drink lots of water up to 24 hours before weigh-ins. If weigh-ins are the night before the comp, stop eating and drinking water 24 hours before weigh-ins and make sure you’re hydrated the night before the comp. If weigh-ins are immediately before your match (at IBJFF tournaments, for example), then stay well-hydrated the day before the comp, but don’t drink or eat anything the morning of the comp (unless you are confident that you will make weight, of course).

What about the day of the competition? What should I eat, and what should I bring?

Pending your weigh-in situation, eat a normal and healthy dinner the night before. My go-to is a baby spinach salad with chickpeas and fried eggs. For breakfast the morning of, eat something with chia seeds! Put them in your oatmeal, eat chia seed pudding (coconut milk + honey + chia seeds is my favorite), and/or drink Kombucha with chia seeds. I also usually drink a five-hour energy shot, but any kind of pre-workout mix or drink with caffeine in it, like coffee or Red Bull, will do. Experiment with all of these things during competition training beforehand so you know what works with your stomach. 

Don't drink too much water before and after your matches! You don't know if you'll have another match coming up soon and competing on a stomach full of water is the worst. Stop drinking water 1 hour before your first match.

Key things to bring:

• Snacks to munch on before your matches start (my favorites are bananas, raspberries, and honey)
• Water (for yourself and to share with your teammates)
• Coconut water (which naturally replaces electrolytes)
• Flip flops
• Extra contacts (I once had to compete with one contact in because one of my contacts fell out during my first match)
• Tampons
• Bring food, a protein shake, and Gatorade for once your matches are over
• A change of clothes, including a clean bra and underwear
• Deodorant
• Camera
• Tasty snacks to share with your teammates once their matches are over
• Your favorite pump-up playlist! I like to listen to the same playlist before jiujitsu training in the months leading up to the competition. On the night before the competition and again when warming up before my matches, I listen to the playlist with my eyes closed while I envision my game plan in my head. Here are some song suggestions to add to your own playlist:
• Roar by Katy Perry
• Fight Song by Rachel Platten
• Shake It Out by Florence + the Machine
• I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift
• Watch Yo Back by Trina
• Beautiful by Akon
• Get Back by Ludacris
• Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
• Halo by Beyonce
• Set Fire to the Rain by Adele
• Womanizer by Britney Spears

And always remember:

Liz started jiujitsu in 2011, got her blue belt in 2013, and has competed in nine competitions. Although she is from California, she is currently training and coaching jiujitsu abroad. She’s learned through training that vulnerable people are powerful people.

Email us at liz.meg223@gmail.com with your questions or comments, and we will post our answers in the next blog post! Look for our posts on Sunday night EST every other week (every second and fourth Sunday of the month).

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Training Safely: It's Okay to Say No!

By Meg

During my first year of training jiujitsu, I rolled with everyone. I saw the spazzy or Jurassic-sized men as challenges. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, right? I certainly didn't back down from any man. Doing so would have marked me as weak and unable to keep up, which was a proud and self-inflicted pressure. I was always injured. Every month there was a twisted knee, fractured finger or toe, or biting neck pain.

In other cases, I just didn't want to be rude, and this stands true for many female jiujitsu practitioners. We can be hyperaware of others' feelings and generally aim to please. Have you ever been asked to roll by a person you were scared of, maybe by someone who has injured you before, and you still said yes? I hope you kicked his ass, but it's more likely you spent the entire time balled up protecting your limbs and just wanting it to end.

What would happen if you told him no? If you said, "I'm taking a break right now, but thanks." Or even more to the point, "Thanks, but I'm just rolling light today." It's very unlikely that he will walk away crushed and downtrodden. He probably won't even think twice about it. Not only do you avoid high risk of injury, but you also retain your enjoyment of jiujitsu.

The thing is, a spazzy and larger partner is not just harmful to your physical health. The damage goes even further than that.

Story time, fellow BJJers. Let me tell you about my moment of enlightenment with Ryan Hall. I visited his gym in DC soon after I received my blue belt, and since I was a fellow “hobbit" we had a couple rolls. I was nervous. I tried to armbar him and forgot the arm. Otherwise, it was a great experience and he leg locked me a lot.

When our roll ended, he looked me dead in the eye and said, "You need to start rolling with people your size."

He told me the more you train with people bigger than you and who overwhelm you with a size and strength advantage, the more rigid your game becomes. Your body's instinct to defend itself kicks in, and your muscles strain and brace, creating stiff, choppy movements instead of technique that flows. For example, instead of working to retain guard, you slam your elbows down and tense to protect your ribs from your partner's flopping guard pass.

Ryan could tell I had no regular hobbit-sized training partners after six minutes of rolling with me. He stopped me again the next day to stress the importance of choosing training partners carefully. If you ever visit Fifty/50, take some time to talk to him and especially his wife, Jen, who is also a black belt. They both have valuable advice.

To a point, your coach should be looking out for you. He or she should be able to spot the UFC enthusiasts who are fresh on the mat and raring to rip your ankles off, and then any match between you and said spaz should be stopped. If this isn't the case, consider having an honest talk with your coach about your safety.

Nonetheless, your coach will not always be there to protect you. Learn to say no for yourself. If someone approaches you for a roll, and he looks angry and out for blood, say no. If he is your friend but 30 kilos heavier and sloppy, say no. Even if you are in the middle of a roll, and your partner starts Hulking out and flipping you on your head, tap and bail.

Too proud to bail? Prepare for injuries and bad habits that you will almost certainly develop. Who's accustomed to being unable to bridge people off of you, so you don't even bother trying escapes? Yeah, I'll raise my hand here.

There's a chance all of your partners are bigger than you. No problem. You probably have a list, however short, of training partners you feel comfortable with. When it comes time to roll, take control of your own training and grab one of them.

It's okay to say no. Avoid being dramatic or accusatory. "No way, Bruce Banner, go smash someone else!" This is not okay. Spazzes and giants have feelings, too. A simple, "No thank you," will suffice and everyone goes home happy.

If you and I are similar, it might take a starry-eyed conversation with a BJJ legend, plus one more brutal stacking and neck injury to really get the point. It's an important lesson to learn though, because while it's thrilling to submit the big guy or triangle the resident misogynist and watch him flail until he taps, your health and the health of your BJJ game are much more important.

Meg started jiujitsu in 2012, got her blue belt in 2013, and has competed in four competitions.

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Email us at liz.meg223@gmail.com with your questions, and we will post our answers in the next blog post!

Women Warriors: We Need 100 Times More Heart

Most people don’t know what it’s like to be marginalized, but have you ever looked around the room and realized you were the only woman there? Or perhaps the only [insert your identity here] person? If the answer to this question is yes, then you know at least a little bit about how it feels to be in the minority.

A male friend asked me one day, “What’s it like to be a female jiujitsu practitioner?” I responded, “Well, try to imagine what it would be like if it was the other way around. What would it be like for you if jiujitsu was a highly female dominated sport? If all of the moves were designed for a female body type and you were usually the only guy in a class full of ladies?”

Picture this: In your gym of over 50 female members, there are only five other male members at the most. All of the coaches at your gym are women. You can expect on most days you will be the only male in an average class size of 15 women. There will be one or two other men there if you’re lucky, who may or may not be of a similar size and strength to yourself. Every single person you roll with that day is 10-60 pounds lighter than you. People around you are constantly making jokes about periods and boobs.

The coach addresses the class as “ladies” and yells out encouragements such as, “Let’s go, girls!” She may or may not awkwardly look at you and add, “And gents!” at the end once or twice. All techniques shown during class are designed by and for women. When people go to pick partners, you find yourself without one and have to ask the coach to pair you up with someone. You end up getting paired up with two women half your size.

During drilling, you constantly adjust your gi and rashguard, which don’t fit you quite right because they’re designed for a woman. Your partner’s hand slips to your butt and lingers for an awkward second. She apologizes and moves on, but you wonder if she had intentionally just copped a feel. The coach references vaginas several times during class and threatens the other women fiercely, “Remember don’t be a dick on the mat! Nobody wants to be a dick.”

When you tell other people you practice jiujitsu, their eyes get big and say, “Isn’t that a women’s sport? I don’t know any men who do that! Are you gay?” When you start to get friendly with one of your teammates, everyone assumes you’re dating and accuses you of being a flirt. When you tap someone out, they say it’s only because you’re stronger. When you attend a competition, you are the only one signed up in your division, and they won’t let you compete in the female division. When you get the chance to compete, there are only three other men in your division, so even if you go home with a gold medal, you feel like you don’t deserve it. When you get promoted, you can’t help but wonder if it’s only because you’re a man.

This is what it’s like to be a female doing jiujitsu. Just replace the above body parts with the appropriate anatomy and you get the idea.

This is why we created this blog. We are absolutely in LOVE with jiujitsu. Our teammates are also our best friends, and we couldn’t live without our training times or our training partners, both male and female. In fact, most of the men in jiujitsu are awesome, and the mats aren’t complete without them. And to be honest, being in the minority is part of what makes it so thrilling.

However, being a member of such a marginalized population in a highly male-dominated sport like jiujitsu means that there are a lot of challenges that are often not talked about. A lot of women don’t have any other women at their gym to talk to. Some women don’t want to admit to the other women at the gym their feelings. Some people just like to read blogs, and it helps to realize: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

We want to share our love of jiujitsu with the world and also express our happiness and frustration. We hope to bond with the female jiujitsu community over the unique challenges we face. From having boobs and periods to questioning our abilities and belt levels, women confront a myriad of physical and emotional barriers in jiujitsu.

Let’s face it: As women, we need 100 times more heart than men in order to succeed in this sport. In this way, we hope to offer mutual help and support to our BJJ sisters around the world. Part of this will involve an “advice column” portion that will answer your questions. Some of the topics we plan to cover in the coming weeks include:

• Looking out for safety: it’s okay to say no!
• Love and sex with people at the gym
• Competing with men
• Periods, farts, and tears - oh my!
• Rolling aggressively- am I a bitch?

You can look for our posts every second and fourth Sunday night EST time.

Your authors are both blue belts and coaches in male-dominated gyms. We are both American and have trained in the United States and abroad. We have both competed several times in national and international tournaments. We are long distance besties but usually get to spend about three weeks a year training together, and those three weeks are the BEST.

We want your questions and feedback! Email us and comment below!

Our email is liz.meg223@gmail.com.

Love,

Liz and Meg