My life according to belt. Chronicles of a 30's something female Jiu Jitsu practitioner.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Anger Management Momma

I guess I should introduce myself first. I am new to blogging...while I have dabbled a bit in it, my lifestyle doesn't really allow for any type of consistency. Having some sort of consistency is a big part of the issue for me. I am a schedule lover. I adore lists, organization, and details. I detest chaos, spontaneity and unplanned surprises. While I thrive on schedules I am keenly aware that the more hectic my schedule becomes the more stressed I am. Undoubtedly it is due to lack of quality "me time". While I made a resolution three years ago to fix the issue- my hectic schedule is only just now allowing me to do so. Pitiful, I know- but Hey, at least I am doing something now.

I signed up for Jiu Jitsu. There are several different things that appeal to me.

1. The physical aspect. I may be completely out of shape, short, and chubby- But I am ridiculously strong still and I know it. Since Jiu Jitsu doesn't rely on strength, I am hoping to get my flexibility back. It is one physical sport that I cannot immediately dominate- because it is not based on strength alone, but endurance.

2. Essentially it is a physical chess game. Come on, who doesn't enjoy continuously outwitting their opponent. Let's face it- after repeatedly mentally sparring with kids all day long, a girl could use a little competition.

3. Being honest- the fact that one day I may easily be able to beat the ever living hell out of my hubby at the drop of a hat is insanely appealing. Hell, it single handedly may be the very motivation carrying me through.

I have never considered myself to be a girly girl. I do not wear Pink. I do not need to fix my hair or put make up on to have a good time or go run an errand. I do not require weekly manicures. Crying is not a normal reaction for me and most likely never will be. I grew up competing with boys in various aspects and assumed that practicing the art of Jiu Jitsu would be no different.

Oh to the detestable surprise. Boys don't want girls in the Boys Only Jiu Jitsu club. Being that I live in a small, backwoods area I am extremely limited to my Jiu Jitsu resources. There is only one dojo that is willing to train girls within my driving area. At least they say they are willing. They seem to be quite willing to take my money every month- However none of the guys actually want to run drills or roll with me.

Knowing that my Anger Management plan is seriously in jeopardy of back firing I started researching women in Jiu Jitsu. I was thrilled to find tons of women across the country that not only practice Jiu Jitsu, but also regularly beat the crap out of the local boys they train with. One blog in particular caught my attention. The author has experienced similar situations and has dedicated an entire blog to helping herself and other women work past the stereotypical gender issues. I highly suggest any female- or male interested in upping their Jiu Jitsu knowledge read up on BJJ GRRL. The advice given is priceless.

Since our local class is small and only meets a few times a week I most likely won't have a lot of new information to post. But should anyone out there be going through similar circumstances- know that you aren't alone.

4 comments:

  1. Awesome: first Leslie inspires you to head over to train with her, then to start a blog. :D

    Speaking of inspiration, seeing as you inspired the BJJ blogger map I just set up, would you like your details to be on it? More info here.

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  2. yay! welcome to the club lol :)

    funny, when I first started it was Leslie's blog I found too. I think there is a conspiracy here somewhere :) *grinz*

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  3. Thanks!! I am super excited to be meeting other females that are as addicted as I am. WE can't all be crazy right??

    The blog Leslie has is super informative- it is the perfect place for anyone to start- If I know any girls thinking about starting up with Jiu Jitsu I refer them to her blog for resource..

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  4. Hello! Welcome to the wonderful world of BJJ. Training simply does wonders for the mind. What kind of dance did you teach? I trained in classical ballet for many years, and I use ballet to warm up for BJJ.

    The women's blogging community is extremely supportive and alive. When you start to think, "Oh, no one is going to understand this..." Worry not, one of us has been there, and done that.

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