Sunday, January 30, 2011

The Women of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

I grew up with four brothers.  All of my early life they told me over and over that I couldn't do various things with them because I was a girl.  Girls don't play sports.  Girls can't play manhunt.  Girls aren't allowed.  Not because they were jerks, but because they were young boys.  So early on, it was ingrained me me that, girls can't.  

I never played sports, I never went camping, never got dirty.  Girls didn't do those things.  That is until I stumbled into Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

I went to my first class thinking it was going to be something like karate.  I expected to be punching and kicking the air, and of course the second I saw what it actually was, I thought, 'I can't do this!'.  But as it turned out, I  could do it.  Not only could I do it, but I could do it just as well as the boys, and even more than that... I loved it!  I wish I discovered it years ago.

Jiu-jitsu has taught me so much.  It has given me more confidence and drive, and it has completely changed the way I feel about being a woman.  I can be both, strong and beautiful.  Fierce and feminine.  And as a mother to a young girl, I am most grateful for these lessons.  No one will ever tell my daughter that she can't do something because she is a girl, not that she would believe them anyway.  =)

I have also discovered the wonderful women in the sport.  Almost every one I have come across has been sportive, encouraging and inspiring.  Either through direct contact, or over the internet via blogs, Facebook or email. (And some of the guys too!)  It seems as though there is almost an unspoken sisterhood among the women who train.  Black belts to white.  All weight classes and body types.  We are all women who train, and that alone is enough.  I feel bless to count myself among them.

Anyway, I made a little video tribute to the women who train because I do nerdy things like that.

18 comments:

  1. Awesome!

    I see my busted foot made an x-ray appearance, lol.

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  2. Nice job Stephanie! Thanks for including Logan and me. I like the quotes (I see my body as an instrument, not an ornament)

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  3. Stephanie, this post is wonderful! I totally agree. We are women who train. Such a simple, yet reverberating statement.

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  4. Stephy-- thank you SO MUCH! OMG! this is the BEST highlight video I've ever seen! And really it should be included on EVERY academy website for EVERY possible womens' program out there... SO motivational! I love it and love you for making it...

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  5. Thanks guys! I'm glad you like it. =)

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  6. This is fantastic!! Really encouraging to see so many other women in the sport, and a few familiar faces. :-)

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  7. Wow! That's a wonderful motivational video!

    And I agree with Family Mat-ters, I love that line, too!

    "I see my body as an instrument, not an ornament"

    Great one!

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  8. Aaaaand... that hospital pic is going to come back and haunt me for a long time! :D

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  9. Haha! BJJGrrl's bloody grin made the compilation. Good stuff!

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  10. Elyse - hehe - Sorry! I had to add it to the video! =)

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  11. Awesome job!! Everytime I watch that video I want to get to the nearest mat and grapple!! Love it!!

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  12. LOVE IT! and i love the line about the changing tides.

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  13. I love it! Thank you! Plus, I'm in it! :)

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  14. @Kintanon: Lol, yes, my bloody grin made the cut. And the still shot above is me getting choked out. (But check out those arms!) :P

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  15. Wow. Stunning. Just stunning. I am uncharacteristically speechless. That actually brought tears to my eyes.

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  16. Just watched it four times in a row. Not getting any less awesome. Holy crap.

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