Gracie Barra Mansfield | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Category: Dojo Diva

5 Reasons Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is Ideal for Self-Defense

Hello, from Dojo Diva (Kristen Lamb) at Gracie Barra Jujitsu Mansfield, the definitive Brazilian Jujitsu instruction in the Fort Worth/Arlington area. As a well-known author, part of my brand is martial arts. I’ve been in some form of martial arts since I was four. I studied Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Japanese Jujitsu, boxing and now Brazilian Jujitsu. So, whenever one of my fans is curious about martial arts, they come to me.

Which is the best form of martial arts for self-defense?

I know everyone has an opinion, but unless they answer Brazilian Jujitsu? They are wrong 😛 .

KIDDING!

Okay, only partly.

After studying so many other forms of defense, why am I partial to BJJ? I will tell you.

#1—Brazilian Jujitsu Gives Us Options

If someone tries to attack me and I have been trained in a striking sport or a combative, then I am trained to punch, kick, strike (obviously) or even go for eyes or throats. Not that this is bad, but it isn’t always necessary.

It’s overkill.

In Brazilian Jujitsu I am taught all kinds of options that will stop the attack and the attacker without doing any physical harm.

If I am involved in a dispute and I break someone’s nose and arm, yes I’m “safe.” Then the cops are going to show and then???

Er…

It’s gonna get sticky (aside from the blood). If I have to deal with police, which would I rather defend/explain?

That I pulled the attacker to the ground and wrapped him in a choke that harmlessly rendered him unconscious?

OR…

Do I want to explain how I took out an attacker’s knees and he may never walk again?

And I know that if we are defending from a legitimate attack, we generally don’t have to fear criminal prosecution. We DO, however, need to expect the civil suit suing us for damages. It WILL happen. Then we are going to have to explain why crushing someone’s larynx was an appropriate use of force.

Now, with Jujitsu, if an attacker is SO overpowering that I need to use more force (I.e. dislocating a shoulder)? I can. I HAVE that option. BUT, I have A LOT MORE options that actually will do little more than hurt for a day or two.

#2—Brazilian Jujitsu is Ideal for a Small Person

FACT 1: Most people do NOT know how to fight.

FACT 2:They REALLY do not know how to fight on the ground.

FACT 3: Almost ALL fights go to the ground.

Even if the fight doesn’t go to the ground, BJJ trains us to TAKE it there because it is our DOMAIN. On the ground? Size matters far less.

As a 42 year old 5’3″ female? There is only so hard I can hit, kick or punch. If I am against a far larger opponent, one who might even be under the influence? It is going to be REALLY TOUGH for me to hit or kick in a way that will make an impression. But, the smaller you are? The better the throw. It is all physics and since my center of gravity is lower? I can devastate a larger attacker and gain the advantage in a fraction of a second.

Brazilian Jujitsu is a rapist’s worst nightmare. Most attackers’ go-to move is to drag a potential victim to the ground and then use body weight and strength to pin the person for the attack. If the “victim” knows BJJ? That attacker just sealed his fate. The ground is PRECISELY where we want to be.

#3—Brazilian Jujitsu is Known as The “Gentle Martial Art”

People practice BJJ into their 70s. Guess who’s one of the most targeted groups for violent crimes? Women and older people. Train in Jujitsu, and the attacker will quickly realize…this is going to be a VERY bad day.

#4—AGAIN, Brazilian Jujitsu is the GENTLE Martial Art

Remember, I am older. I had to give up the striking sports because they were simply too hard on my body. BJJ keeps me fit and limber and I don’t have to worry as much about shattering a hand by punching some blockhead.

But let’s go back to self-defense.

In case you don’t know? Punching and kicking can hurt MORE than just the attacker. We can be the one who ends up with broken bones and dislocations. I was in a fight years ago and by punching the person attacking me? I ended up with two cracked bones in my hand. Not saying BJJ is pain and injury-free, but fighting is not like Hollywood.

Punching and kicking HURTS.

A LOT.

NOT FUN.
#5—Brazilian Jujitsu is Ideal for Children

Bully THIS!

Aside from being able to defend themselves from potential kidnapping or sexual assault, bullying is a problem as old as time. But, remember that litigious society we mentioned in the beginning? If your child has to defend him/herself from a larger attacker, what’s going to go over better with the school officials? Our kid bashing a kid’s face in, or an arm-lock to hold the bully in place (without injury) until a teacher can arrive on-scene?

I know we all have our favorites and I love the other sports too. But I will say that for those who practice a different discipline, I highly recommend adding BJJ to your toolbox. You stay safe and let the criminals be the ones in trouble…NOT YOU.

Stay Frosty,

Dojo Diva

March 1, 2016
Ten Reasons to Fall in Love with Jiu Jitsu

It’s coming up on Valentine’s Day where we show appreciation, adoration and affection for who and (today) what we love. We take time to articulate WHY we get that warm fuzzy feeling when that special someone (or something) crosses our mind. Thus, I want to talk about Jiu Jitsu and why I LOVE Gracie Barra Jiu Jistu in Mansfield, TX.

I am in withdrawal. I have actually been healthy, but my poor Spawn has been bringing home a string of seriously contagious bugs (I.e. stomach flu) and managed to infect Hubby and my mom and, because I LOVE my BJJ peeps?

I am nice enough not to share the experience of praying for death in the middle of the night with a stomach ache.

Yeah I am classy like that.

But here is me.

Last night I was woefully looking at pictures of all my BJJ friends who I miss DEARLY and it made me really start thinking about why I love them and Jiu Jitsu and I have come up with the TOP TEN REASONS to Fall in Love with Jiu Jitsu.

10. If you train as a family it is not only legal to arm bar your spouse, GF/BF, child…but encouraged 😀

9. It’s legal to choke people.

Unlike that guy who’s honking me at a RED FREAKING LIGHT because I was refusing to block an entrance to a school just so we all could WAIT at the RED LIGHT…closer. Choking him? Totally illegal.

Bummer 🙁 .

Really, Buddy? Just freaking REALLY.

8. You learn that real friends still love you even after using you as a human Swiffer.

7. It’s really awesome exercise.

So you sleep better, feel more relaxed (probably because choking people legally can be cathartic), and it limbers up those muscles that get tight from sitting at the computer on Facebook too long.

6. You make friends without the aid of alcohol.

Face it. When you get to be an adult, making friends is no easy task. When we were kids, it was as simple as, “You have a bike? I HAVE A BIKE! OMG! We must be best friends!” These days, for folks who aren’t into a bar scene, finding a way to socialize is no simple deal. But, with Jiu Jitsu? No problem.

Of course, you can add alcohol later. Sometimes helps *limps away*

5. You make REALLY good friends.

As in friends who can and WILL beat up anyone who messes with you. Yeah, dude at the light revving your car and threatening me? I am looking at YOU. I know people who will omoplata that sass right out of you.

4. Jiu Jitsu is similar to Fight Club and you have friends…you don’t even know you HAVE.

Seriously. I wear my Gracie shirt everywhere. It’s like those Barbie shoes my mom had to sneak in and steal and burn so I would stop wearing them because I’d long ago outgrown them but they were just TOO AWESOME.

Anyway…

One day I’m in another town having lunch. They guy at the counter is all, “Oh, you do Jiu Jitsu.” *wink, wink* *gives me extra brisket then slinks back in shadows with a knowing smile*

I feel part of Project Mayhem already. We meet, beat each other up and the only difference is we aren’t planning on taking out the credit card companies and we are encouraged to tell others about ~~Fight Club~~ Jiu Jitsu.

3. There IS a certain BAD@$$ Factor

And what is NOT to love about that? Hey, I’m a 41 year old MOM who drives an SUV. I need all the help I can get. It can be tough when you get older. You don’t want to be ridiculous, but you might not quite be ready to talk about fiber supplements with friends. BJJ helps us create that nice MIDDLE ERA where we are still kind of…okay incredibly cool even if we are “old.”

2. You get to hang out with Professor Young.

Well worth paying for. This guy is AMAZING. You cannot be unhappy being around the guy. NOT KIDDING. Having a bad day? Spend three minutes with Professor and you will be all better. It is weird and if he goes missing, we know he’s been abducted by either the government or the pharmaceutical companies who are going to study him.

1. You can protect yourself and those you LOVE from harm.

Woe be to the bully who messes with my kid or frankly anyone I care about. Love is a verb and what better way to express love for another person than volunteering to get beaten up multiple times a week all so you can keep THEM safer?

THAT is love.

Awwww. Man, I get all choked up at that.

Happy Valentines! I love you all. I miss my BJJ Brothers and Sisters. There is SO much to love about Jiu Jitsu that one little post cannot convey what you simply have to experience for yourself. Gracie Jiu Jistu is not a sport or a hobby or a workout…it is a LIFE. And a very cool and rewarding one at that.

WE LOVE YOU! To show our love, if you want to check out the BJJ experience come by and get a free month. My plan is to be back this coming week. Kid was up sick coughing last night again and I was all, “I’ll get you a pony of you STOP THAT!! I miss Jiu Jistu 🙁 ! You’re killin’ me, Smalls!”

What are your thoughts? What do you love about Jiu Jistu? How does it simply make your life all better? Am I right about Professor? YOU CANNOT BE IN A BAD MOOD AROUND THE MAN! It’s science.

Happy Valentines!

~Dojo Diva

February 12, 2016
10 Ways to Accelerate Your Jiu Jitsu Game

Image via Gracie Magazine

At Gracie Barra Mansfield, we bring you the best Jiu Jitsu training in the DFW area. But Gracie was not always a thing in these parts. I recall training in traditional Japanese Jiu Jitsu back in the early 90s. No one had ever heard of Jiu Jitsu. Texas was firmly Tae Kwon Do country.

Then the Gracie family brought us into a new era for martial arts with the UFC.

Who were these little guys from Brazil who were just laying waste to competitors? Year after year, the Gracie family decimated the competition and it became clear fairly quickly that if a fighter did not cross-train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, that fighter didn’t stand much of a chance in the octagon. If the fight went to the ground—and against a Gracie it ALWAYS went to the ground—then it was GAME OVER.

Since the Gracies took the world by storm, Jiu Jitsu has become a far more common sport which we love to see because we believe in Jiu Jitsu for everyone. Jiu Jitsu studios abound. As we like to say in Texas, “You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting one.” I have no idea who came up with this saying or why anyone would want to swing a deceased feline…but Texans do all kinds of weird things.

Case in point.

Looks legit.

Suffice to say that while Jiu Jitsu studios might be common, I can tell you from experience that there is nothing quite like going to the source.

I began my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training at another dojo, but after training there a year, I felt I needed something more. When I took a trial class at Gracie Barra Mansfield? No comparison.

Now that I’ve been in Jiu Jitsu long enough I’ve found my goals have shifted from, “OH DEAR GOD JUST STAY ALIVE!” to thinking more strategically. For those who spend any amount of time in Jiu Jitsu, you will find that there will be periods of plateau, where you just don’t seem to be improving no matter what you do.

I used to think that was just being a white belt. But, now that I am a blue belt, there are days I feel I might actually know what I am doing and then…*screeching brakes*

Thing is, we are often our own worst enemies. Thus today, I’d like to share with you some tips from the masters over at Gracie Magazine to help you always be improving your Jiu Jitsu game.

***

You’ve been training for a while now and despite all your efforts, you don’t seem to be improving a lot on the mats.

So, we decided to compile 10 valuable pieces of advice to get you back on tracks and have your game improving by the day.

1. Be Curious

Speak up when you have a doubt and you need your Professor or instructor to explain it. Many times, the devil is on the details and a quick explanation is all you need to have that technique clarified.

2. Keep a Notebook

Write down what you learned every week and then revise. Find your weakness and the ways to overcome them. Don’t trust in your memory alone, specially if you are a beginner.

3. Have a Game Plan

When you are a beginner and it’s time to spar, don’t just ad lib as you go. Have a plan and aim for your specific targets with specific techniques. Leave improvisations for further ahead in your learning process.

4. Know Your Limits

Don’t mix toughness with stupidity. If you are injured, don’t make it worse by training before it’s healed. If you are caught, tap and live to train another day.

READ the rest of the article at Gracie Magazine…

Thanks for stopping by the blog and hope you enjoy the tips. Please join us for a free trial. I did it a year ago and it was the best decision I ever made. If a 41 year old mom can have fun and find new life with Jiu Jitsu, you can too!

See you on the mats!

Dojo Diva

February 1, 2016
Three Ways to Lay WASTE to Bad Habits & OWN Your Goals in 2016

Ah, the NEW YEAR is upon us! 2013! Wait, 2015? Dang it! I’m a mom. Hold on *looks at phone* There it is. 2016! *rewrites check* Dang it. Gracie Barra Mansfield, the premier learning center for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield area hopes you enjoyed the holidays and we hope you will join us for the New Year.

Maybe try something cool! Different! Exciting! Get in shape AND learn to be a a bad@$$ at the same time!

Whether you’re a longtime BJJ student or a newbie. Never been to class or need an armed escort to drag your lazy tail TO class, there are some ways you can adjust your thinking and your approach to help ensure you reach your goals.

No I am not a black belt yet, but I am a master at laying waste to goals..

Thing is most people fail before they ever begin. Science has proven again and again that the mind is far more powerful than the body. Our minds actually give out long before our bodies do. If we’re having a tough time reaching those goals and getting in shape? Often it’s because we started out training the wrong muscle. We need to begin with the one between our EARS.

One of the reasons that I am a huge fan of Jiu Jitsu training as opposed to other forms of fitness is that Jiu Jitsu trains us to be strong, but also TOUGH.

There really IS a difference.

Toughness is a matter of the MIND. It is a domination of the WILL. It is subduing the ego and pressing on in spite of odds, in the face of discomfort. In our modern climate-controlled world, toughness is easy to get lost. We have AC when we are hot, heaters when cold. Cushions in our shoes. We work at desks and not with our hands. If it hurts, we stop. If we are hungry, we eat. Nothing exactly wrong with that, except that the most successful people in ANY area of life are TOUGH.

Becoming a S.E.A.L. is less about who is in the best shape or we’d just recruit from the Olympics. In business, the people who do the best are those who, when faced with crippling setbacks…stay cool. They remain positive. People who do the best in their marriages or with their children or with their finances have mastered the art of pressing through pain.

That is ALL in the mind. Today, we are going to go through some easy ways to get started because you can start this TODAY and it will help you with any kind of goal.

TIP #1—Self Talk

Did you know that the human mind cannot tell the difference between a truth and a lie? That is why it’s not only important what we say to others (family, spouse, kids) but to ourselves.

Additionally the brain has a really weird way of only beginning to LISTEN at the first ACTIVE verb. This is why all goals should be phrased in the positive.

If you SAY:

Don’t forget your keys.

Your brain will HEAR:

FORGET your keys.

Thus, if you make a goal of:

I don’t want to be fat.

Brain hears:

Want to be fat.

If you SAY:

I don’t want to be broke.

Brain HEARS:

Want to be broke.

Get in the habit of speaking in positive action. I don’t want to be fat becomes I want to be lean and fit. I don’t want to be fat and tired becomes I want to be trim and have plenty of energy.

Do this with regular stuff. Instead of, Don’t forget your phone say Remember your phone. Try this on your SPOUSE, YOUR KIDS, PETS AND COLLEAGUES!

See! At Gracie Barra Mansfield…we also offer MIND CONTROL!

TIP#2—Baby Steps are Steps

Another way we self-sabotage it we overwhelm ourselves instead of piecing out large goals into small manageable actions and then giving credit that we ARE moving forward. We feel that because we aren’t seeing HUGE changes, then what we do doesn’t matter.

But I am here to tell you that glaciers carved the Rocky Mountains and they move at an inch a year.

I am a three-time best-selling author. A blog post I wrote a couple days ago had 15,000 views in a matter of HOURS.

But guess what? I didn’t start that way. My first blog had 35 visits and 33 were me checking my own site (not knowing I was counting as a hit *head desk) and 2 were spam bots. But I kept showing up. Day after dat after day.

My blog stats. The first year registering (smallest bar) is 6,700 views…TWO YEARS into blogging.

Last year in January I was a one-stripe white belt who’d just gone into remission from four months of Shingles. My resolution? Make blue belt by 2016. It was ugly. I got injured. I got sick. But it was just baby steps. Day after day. One grappling session at a time.

TIP#3—Set Up a System of Accountability

Gracie Christmas Party!

Our brains do better with accountability. Has to do with mirror neurons and getting dopamine rewards when you show up to class versus having to hide from your Jiu Jitsu pals blowing up your phone wanting to know WHERE YOU AT AND U BEST BE DEAD, PLAYAH (which is weird because that text is from a 41 year old soccer mom taking BJJ with you).

Stop listening to so much FloRida!

Anyway…

Time and again, research demonstrates that people who set goals and then who have people and a system of accountability are far more likely to succeed. Why I love BJJ is I love the people. If I don’t show? Trust me, they notice. It’s different than being a faceless person slinking unnoticed in and out of a gym.

In the end, these tips WILL help but we do have to fall in love with the process or nothing will work. It’s easy to fixate on a black belt or a fit body or a fat wallet or a bigger house and what happens is we lose steam in the inevitable Span of Suck.

Every goal worth going after WILL have what I call the Span of Suck. If you write a book? You get the bright idea and writing is SO FUN…until it isn’t. Then there is the long slogging to finish. Want to lose weight? First days in the gym are great. The Span of Suck is the next months or years of doing the same things day after day and being RELENTLESS.

Jiu Jitsu is awesome training for learning to BE RELENTLESS. Making RELENTLESS a HABIT. A STATE OF MIND. A RELIGION. Be relentless in BJJ, relentless in your career, relentless in love and LIFE. Sign up today and learn self defense, get fit, make friends, but the toughness training? The training to be an UNSTOPPABLE FORCE OF NATURE? THAT is the beauty of Jiu Jitsu.

REAL Cardio

At Gracie Barra Mansfield, you are part of a team. You are not alone.

We hope you will come join us for some free classes and fall in love!

Happy New Year!

~Dojo Diva

January 5, 2016
Introducing Holiday Combatives Training—Yule-Jitsu

Gracie-Barra Mansfield, Texas is all about serving the greater community and we believe Jiu Jitsu is for everyone. But, we also believe in innovation, which is why we are the ONLY dojo in the WORLD to offer martial arts to keep you safe specifically during the holiday season with—Yule-Jitsu.

Yes, you read correctly. Yule-Jitsu. Because let’s face it…the holidays are trying to kill you so why not CHOKE THEM OUT?

Maybe you think I am nuts. You’d be correct. Maybe you think I simply want attention and blog content. Also correct. But here’s the thing.

Millions of people are killed by their own Christmas decorations EVERY DAY, but more so during Christmas. In fact, holiday decorations are the LEADING cause of death among all people of all ages in EVERY country according to an article I just published on Wikipedia.

But how much of this tragedy could be prevented with just a little bit of preparation? How many other forms of martial arts have been blind to this vacuum in combatives training?

NO MORE.

We at Gracie Mansfield could not allow this kind of reckless irresponsibility to continue, so today I bring you the foundational moves of YULE-Jitsu.

The Fir Mount Escape

The unthinkable happens and you are attacked by your own TREE. This escape is named The Fir Mount escape namely because I really dig clever word play. This escape will work on more than just fir trees and is effective on any evergreen real or artificial.

Maybe you are hauling in that “natural tree” and trip over the cat. Maybe you have too much egg nog and lose your footing. Maybe your home is invaded by a burglar with a record and since he is on parole? He cannot have a GUN and so he uses a TREE.

You are trapped. WHAT…DO…YOU…DO?

Remain calm.

The key is not to panic. If you feel wetness, it is probably not blood. If it’s a natural tree, likely you just spilled water down your leg…or you’ve wet your own pants. But the thing is? Stay calm.

The force of being crushed by your own tree probably will not kill you, but it will give you really awkward carpet burn that could lead to serious marriage counseling.

Breathe. Create distance. Work your hands between you and the offending spruce to get the weight off your chest.

Shrimp out.

You should now be free from your tree and can now change pants.

Holiday Light Choke Escape

Holiday lights. We love them. Strands of lighted beauty? Or ELECTRIFIED AESTHETICALLY PLEASING DEATH ROPES? All perspective. Again, DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE YOUR ENEMY. That is a foundational teaching of Yule-Jitsu.

Some see eight tiny reindeer. In Yule-Jitsu you learn to see the STAMPEDING HERD OF INFLATED NYLON ‘MADE IN CHINA’ DEATH.

To demonstrate this escape, I’ve had my two assistants help me with an active attack scenario.

Let’s say you are forced to decorate a tree with young people. A teen who is supposed to be helping but is listening to music videos on YouTube. His little sister is enamored with decorations and thus not paying attention.

Meaning when trouble comes sniffing you better be a BEAR WOLF OF YULE-JITSU…because you are on your own.

In a vain attempt to keep the lights from twisting into one giant mangle only good for throwing in the trash, you get the bright idea to “loop” the Electrified Aesthetically Pleasing Death Rope (E.A.P.D.R.) around your neck. Then something goes horribly wrong…

Trouble. First, assess if there really IS trouble. Can you simply slip free of the E.A.P.D.R.?

DEFINITELY trouble. Again, remain calm.

Before creating Yule-Jitsu my first instinct was to simply gnaw through the E.A.P.D.R. Let’s just say that is a really bad plan. Using a knife? Equally bad plan. Throw water on it to lubricate and wriggle free?

No, though I thought that would work too.

WHICH IS WHY WE NEED YULE-JITSU…

Create space between your throat and the E.A.P.D.R.

Work free from the choke.

E.A.P.D.R.s are a genuine threat. No one is required to register them, get a permit for them and I am proof any idiot can be in possession of these so please. Practice your Yule-Jitsu.

Moving on to the final move in Yule-Jitsu. This move is helpful throughout the year but VERY useful during this time of year.

The Dreaded Holiday Salesclerk

The Hair Iron Throw (or H.I.T.)

Ladies, you know what it’s like. You are shopping for gifts and if your hair is curly, some salesperson at a kiosk with a flatiron is after you. If your hair is straight? The assault will come in the form of a curling tool.

Some fools see a mall? I see a poor tactical position with no cover. YULE-JITSU TRAINING.

Though this move was developed to take out an enemy with a mad hot hair tool, it is also effective against clerks wielding perfume, cheaper cell phone plans, artificial hair pieces and wrinkle creams.

Again, my assistant is helping me demonstrate the Hair Iron Throw (H.I.T.).

Notice my assistant sees the coming threat and is immediately in her ready stance.

Trap the attacker’s hand. This keeps your hair straight (or curly) and also keeps the hot iron contained so you don’t get burned as you further execute the H.I.T.

Rotate the arm. Again, this creates more space to keep your hair the freaking way you STYLED IT WHEN YOU LEFT.

Also it will throw the attacker off balance and this permits a much smaller person to take out a far larger aggressor. Children who study Yule-Jitsu can also help maintain a parent or guardian’s current hair style and keep any adult from purchasing some overpriced “Ionic Tool” and why do we need IONS in our hair anyway?

Follow through. Notice as she rotates, I go over. Maintain control and finish. Keep control of the hair tool during the H.I.T. Finish the move as needed.

Practice your Yule-Jitsu and you can LIVE to see Valentines. If not? According to my imaginary stats you will be dead by the end of this post anyway.

Stay safe! Know your Yule-Jitsu. Merry Christma-Hana-Kwanza-kah from Gracie Barra Mansfield!

What are your thoughts about Yule-Jitsu? Are you shocked there has been such a glaring hole in self-defense? Are you even MORE SHOCKED that people like me are allowed access to computers? Do we need other forms of holiday inspired martial arts?

We love hearing from you! Come join us for a free month of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and we will throw in some Yule-Jitsu for FREE!

December 14, 2015
The Burden of BJJ Beautiful—Our Dojo Goes Hollywood

BJJ Beautiful

Last night our dojo was blessed to take part in an extraordinary event. A camera crew filming for a nationally televised show (Mann vs. Mann) used our dojo for a show. At first the plan was to include the students in the show. Upon hearing this, I did what any reasonable person in this situation would do. I woke up early and made a pot roast so that my husband would have dinner…and then listed our house on the market for sale because HELLO?

Um HOLLYWOOD???

Of course, I should have known better. It never happened. We were made to stay off camera. Why you ask?

I’d heard rumors of such a phenomenon but only thought it was that…rumor. It hasn’t had a name until ~~I needed a blog~~ ~~post~~ NOW.

BJJ Beautiful.

Apparently there is something about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that just makes one unusually attractive. I know! RIGHT? It seems ludicrous at first, but think about it. Why are there no GRACIE JIU JITSU MOVIES? We have Kung Fu, Karate, Kempo, Aikido…but not ONE grappling flick.

Sure, you could be thinking it’s because trying to shoot sweaty men rolling around on the ground grunting and hugging each other isn’t nearly as dramatic as a Jackie Chan scene where he kills five men with a two swizzle sticks and a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

But I think there is something FAR more nefarious at work here. NO, NOW I KNOW there is.

Like I said, we students were supposed to be in the show, but then, the stars were “running late.” UH-HUH. OR, they didn’t want to compete with…THIS!

Oh MY GOD, BECKY. LOOK at her CHOKE!

Brangelina? TAP OUT!

The reason there are no Gracie Jiu Jitsu movies is because Hollywood would implode. There, I said it. The 500 pound gorilla in the room. I called him out and arm-barred him. You’re welcome. Because my BJJ Brothers and Sisters have suffered in silence long enough.

Maybe you thought something was wrong with you. Maybe you thought that people were backing off because you probably should have washed the gi after Day Two. Maybe your grappling partner’s neck was red because of beard burn. But maybe, just maybe, it was an affect of BJJ Beautiful. That being that close to so much attractiveness…has consequences. Real physical consequences.

Flying too close to the sun, man.

And you probably think I am crazy and you’d likely be correct. But here is some proof. First, the KIDS.

Girls don’t need TIARAS! They need tap outs!

Child stars? Just redo your resumes….

Still not a believer?

I was documenting the filming of the show and captured THIS!

And THIS…

Did you see it? See what I am talking about? EXACTLY! You didn’t see it! Not ONE good straight-on shot of Professor Young’s unusually attractive FACE!
Granted, it could have been me being too distracted doing my own head shots just in case an agent called…

She can ACT, TOO!

More likely, it was because Jiu Jitsu makes you unusually attractive. Can’t you see? They couldn’t have the STUDENTS in the shot because then the fans might love us, but it would have been totally weird for Professor NOT to be on the show. But they could still SHUT HIM DOWN. I wouldn’t be surprised if they pixilate his face once it airs… *rolls eyes*

Or Photoshop in some boxing. Just saying.

I am breaking this news to you so the truth gets out there. I stayed up all night ~~making stuff up~~ interviewing ~~REAL~~ people affected by being BJJ Beautiful.

Here are just a few of their stories. Their names have been altered to protect the BJJ Beautiful…

Davido Salguerra

Before Jiu Jitsu, I would have never contemplated getting tattooed eyeliner, but when grappling, who wants that mess all over their gi? Try explaining THAT to your girlfriend. If she doesn’t grapple, she has NO clue about what it means to be BJJ Beautiful and she just thinks you’re cheating.

Being BJJ Beautiful is a blessing but also a responsibility. That blue gi enhances my eyes, but it’s my job to take that to another level, just like I do with anything else in Jiu Jitsu.

J. Fabio Pohlak-Sky

BJJ does make you better looking. I didn’t believe it. Friends who were grapplers tried to prepare me, to warn me, but grappling seemed too cool not to take a chance.

I’m glad I did.

Before I signed up for Gracie Jiu Jitsu I never would have thought of becoming a model. Now? What can I say? The future is limitless…

Dr. D’Shawn Mouse

I began in another form of martial arts so I never expected this. I just thought you put on a gi and trained, that ground-fighting was an excellent form of self-defense and a wonderful way to stay in shape. But it was SO much more. Nothing could have prepared me for being this unusually attractive, though my wife loves it.

Delicious-D-Leyva

It’s been an adjustment. I love Jiu Jistu, but I want someone who loves me for my mind.

Jiu Jitsu has always come with its share of challenges. Sprains, strains, injuries. But NO ONE has ever dared talk about the burden of being unusually attractive. It takes an extra dose of humility so that others don’t feel strange hanging out with us. We have to remember that there are others who are beautiful, but not everyone is BJJ Beautiful 😉 …

If you suffer from BJJ Beautiful, feel free to leave a comment and share your story or even how you’ve embraced being unusually attractive. If you are still in transition from another less-attractive sport, call our imaginary hotline 1-555-WER-FULLVCRAP

~Dojo Diva

November 4, 2015
5 Ways to Choke Out Cold & Flu Season

It is that time of YEAR! The weather is changing. Kids are back in school. People are gathering in closed spaces and cooties abound. Yes, even in the dojo. ESPECIALLY in the dojo.
Thing is. Kids are seriously cute. Sign your kid up for Jiu Jitsu and the cuteness factor just increases two hundred million percent.

Don’t argue. It’s science. PROOF HERE.

Then, when your kids are in Jiu Jitsu, they like to make friends. Or, in my son’s case, I think one of his classmates claimed him as her future husband…which totally works for me because HELLO? She does Jiu Jitsu so she’s a keeper.

But, let’s face it, Jiu Jitsu often involves a lot of this…

And this…

This…

OOH! This.

And of COURSE…THIS…

And YES I KNOW I have way more pics of the little kids and the girls and that is because trying to take pics of the bigger boys grappling? How do we put this? Ever see the outtakes where the poor cameraman is accidentally flattened by an overzealous lineman and hospitalized?

EXACTLY. And that is why y’all got a shot of them sitting. Still. Where they don’t BLUR and can’t hurt me.

Anyway. With all this Jiu Jitsu cuteness rolling around, it’s hard to believe that any one of these could be Patient Zero in a gi. These kids are so cute (especially mine), but we need to remember that they are God’s Little Petri Dishes.

I watch my kid sometimes and think I’d be safer licking a toilet than kissing him.

Sigh.

And the adults? We aren’t any better. We are sweating and slobbering as we grapple, spreading the Joy of Germs everywhere we go.

The common approach these days is to SANITIZE EVERYTHING. And that’s cool. Cleanliness is my thing. I am Scandinavian and Norway IS the motherland of OCD. But, I am not a huge fan of relying on anti-bacterial stuff. I like some common sense.

So FIVE TIPS to help keep you healthy this cold and flu season.

#1—Easy on the Anti-Bacterial Gels

I am not saying these are bad, but they are not a cure-all. WASHING our hands actually does a better job because it is the friction that does the best job at getting rid of the germs. So, yeah, gels when in a pinch, but good old fashioned hand-washing just can’t be beat. Wash to the tune of Happy Birthday or if your kid is like my son?

Innagaddadavida.

#2—Jedi Your Germs

Thing is, germs are EVERYWHERE. We need them to be everywhere or life as we know it would implode. Like the scientists benevolently kill one BAD bacteria but then they find they disrupted this chain of events because that bad bacteria was the ONLY one feeding off a bacteria no one ever knew about that made Avon Ladies foam at the mouth and eat their young and WE KILLED IT!

When science starts tinkering with things to “help”, that’s when we get a new Michael Bay movie.

It’s The FORCE. Things need to stay in balance.

Sith germs exist, but so long as the Jedi Germs abound? We’re cool.

Invest in a GOOD probiotic. Modern food doesn’t keep the Jedi germs in high enough numbers in our system. Unfortunately, if you have even REMOTELY paid attention in the last 20 years, you KNOW McDonald’s is OWNED by the Sith.

We have to actively look for things like a GOOD Greek yogurt or even a GOOD probiotic (found in the refrigerated section of Sprouts). I would recommend that you get the probiotic Gummies, but you seriously need the self-discipline of a Shaolin Monk or those are going to be the most expensive gummy bears you have ever eaten in your LIFE…and no, eating an entire jar of them in one night does NOT make you healthier.

It does, however make you poorer and sad. Very very sad.

#3—KALE, BABY!

Yes, well I drank green juice with KALE before it was cool. But now that it’s cool it is easier for you to stay healthy because I used to have to drive 30 MILES to get good, luscious, dark, awesome kale to toss in my juicer and now they sell it at Home Depot and JoAnnes Fabric store so you have NO EXCUSE.

Invest in a Vita-Mix if you can because fiber is great for keeping you healthy. It pulls toxins out of your system.

Kale is loaded in B Vitamins that we ALL NEED. Stress will burn through your Bs like a flash fire and if you don’t replenish them? You get tired, burned out and SICK. Antioxidants also act like tiny Norwegians with OCD who like to scrub your body clean of all the schmutz.

Again, don’t argue. It’s science.

Why I love kale is the body just does better getting nutrients from FOOD instead of a pill. BUT, we should all be taking a good supplement so I HIGHLY recommend vitamins by Megafoods because all the nutrients are from food and captured using cold fusion.

This means your body uses a LOT more (meaning less Technicolor pee—YES SHE WENT THERE!) and you also won’t be belching up the taste of vitamins all day.

#4—Drink Lots of Water

It’s easy to remember to hydrate in the summer when it’s hot. When the weather cools? Not so much. Thing is, germs looooove a dehydrated, acidic environment. They thrive where there is not enough fluid to flush them out.

How much to drink? Take your body weight, divide in half and then drink that in ounces.

And yes, I know vodka IS clear, but that doesn’t make it water and no it doesn’t count toward your hydration intake or make your grappling or dancing better.

#5—DO JIU JITSU

Want to stay healthy? EXERCISE! Yes, wash your hands, eat great, get sleep, take probiotics, but get exercise. The human body was designed to MOVE. Our lymphatic system works as a hydraulic pump (ergo the needing enough water). We need to be hydrated to make the lymphatic fluid more viscous, but then we need to MOVE so that the lymphatic fluid can do it’s JOB, which is to help CLEAN the body…

Because the antioxidants…(those tiny ODC Norwegians) can only do so much and they probably got distracted organizing. So they need help. Lymphatic fluid can do that.

We modern humans sit waaaay too much on our butts, and so we need to GET OFF them and get to a Jiu Jitsu class and help put Cold and Flu Season in a Triangle Choke.

Yes, I went there. I hear your golf clap. YOU! In the back! I have my eye on you O_o. I am going to go make my kale juice and silently judge you.

ANYWAY! Enjoy the fall, have a great Halloween. Enjoy Jui Jitsu and kiss your adorable little Petri Dishes of LOVE. Stay safe and healthy and please, if you are in Mansfield, come join us for a free month of classes!

Dojo Diva OUT!

October 28, 2015
Getting PWNED? Three Ways to Up Your White Belt Game

Dojo Diva here! As I have mentioned before, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is relatively unique. Jiu Jitsu has only FIVE belt colors (white, blue, purple, brown, black) and we are going to stay at white for a long, long time.

In fact, I tell Professor that when I actually GET my blue belt, I am wearing that sucker EVERYWHERE. Shopping. To the movies. Church. Out to eat. I am going to VACUUM the HOUSE in it. SLEEP in it.

He still totally thinks I’m kidding.

But seriously, those four stripes represent so much change and sacrifice. I work from home, so I start working at about 5:30 in the morning and work all day and then I take my son to Jiu Jitsu and assist in his class and then go to MY class and that is a good 60-90 minutes and then I have to come home and cook and lets just say it is a LONG day.

Those four stripes I now have represent countless hours on the mats being made into a pretzel by people WAY bigger than me. They are the cumulation of hundreds of bruises, a broken nose, four broken toes, and more than a thousand lessons in humility and I have loved every second of it because it is hard hard work. In a world that is so eager to hand out awards for “trying” MY DOJO is the place that tests everything I am and tells me the TRUTH.

I either earn it or I don’t.

I will be honest. Sometimes it is hard writing a Jiu Jitsu blog. I don’t feel cool. I don’t have a lot of cool moves to show you because I am still so freaking new even though I have been at this for over a year. Some days I feel like I am hot stuff and other days? I wonder if I ever paid attention to anything. Did ANYTHING Professor say manage to STICK? Sometimes I wonder if I am ever going to get it.

But even though I am no Rhonda Rousey, I am probably a lot more like you. I am closer to where most of you are. If you are thinking of starting Jiu Jitsu I can tell you it is the most fun you will probably ever have in your life. If you are new, you are sore. Buy Ibuprophen at Costo *fist bump* I love you, man. Keep pressing.

Here are some other things I have learned along the way that will help up your white belt game. Truthfully, they probably help the other colors too but I don’t know since I am not there yet.

I think brown belts bathe in the blood of vanquished enemies to make black but I’d have to google that…

Where were we? Oh yeah, TIPS!

Tip #1—Grapple at 40%

I have no idea WHY I didn’t think to do this in the beginning. When I was brand new, I thought I had to go full steam and this is when I actually got the four broken toes and the busted nose. WHY? Because I had ZERO technique so I was just relying on brute force and muscle. I made myself tired and sore and I got injured.

A lot.

And that was stupid and completely preventable.

When you are starting out, feel free to ask if you can grapple at a diminished percentage. There is nothing bad@$$ about being a white belt anyway so why do we feel we have to be all tough? We don’t. Really.

No one is judging you.

I thought people were when I was new. Now? I know better. I see the new white belts and I am all “WHOA! Slow down Cowboy! I don’t wanna get hurt, either!”

I bet I was a real peach to grapple with.

*hangs head*

Anyway…

Just trust me. It does you ZERO good to go full speed with crappy form. You won’t learn and you’re just more apt to injure yourself or your partner. Or you and your partner. Or you and your partner and the people next to you AND the Jiu Jistu Moms watching nearby and then it just gets all awkward when a Jiu Jitsu Mom retaliates with a CHAIR so just BACK OFF and ease up, okay?

And, to be blunt, BJJ doesn’t work that way. It’s easy. Smooth. Like jazz, only with chokes.

Watch Professor. He barely even breaks a sweat turning people into twisty ties.

GOOD Jiu Jitsu is fluid and beautiful. Breathe. FLOW.

Tip #2—Private Instruction is an AWESOME Investment

I don’t make any money off this, so you can take this as an honest opinion and not someone trying to sell you something. Private instruction pays MASSIVE dividends. MASSIVE. HUGE. HUGE!!! In class you just can’t learn what you can learn from on-on-one with a pro.

For MONTHS I would get smashed in full mount. No matter where I went or what I did? Somehow managed to get mounted and game over. I took ONE lesson and now? In the six months since I took that lesson NO ONE has yet to submit me from the mount.

And I didn’t believe it when my instructor said I would own that escape. I had been decimated by it so many times I couldn’t imagine myself having any power in it.

By the way, I am a 5′ 3″ female. Most of the time, my opponents are much bigger, so me being mounted is no small deal. It stinks getting smashed. But, he was right. My small size became my advantage.

Before Lessons—> ROADKILL
After Lessons—> RADIOACTIVE SUPER FERRET

BUT I had to take that time to gain the TECHNIQUE and that NEVER would have happened without that additional investment. It wasn’t even the technique of escaping that was most valuable. In private training, the instructor grapples with you. He did with me. By doing this, he was able to identify then correct all my bad habits that were putting me in the position to get mounted in the first place.

So. Private lessons. You can thank me later.

The holidays are coming. Treat yourself. Treat a family member or a friend.

Tip #3—Beware of Overtraining

One thing that has undermined me a bit is that I AM so eager to belt up. I was going to class a lot and I was also training outside the dojo and I ground myself down. Recently got pretty sick and it forced me to take three weeks off.

But the funny thing was, when I returned, I felt far stronger. In retrospect, before I was forced to take off I was tired. Overtraining had affected my performance on the mats. I was sluggish and my moves were sloppy and forced. With a little rest? My game was far better.

Sometimes, less really IS more.

In the end, embrace the white belt experience. If we are going to be here for a while, might as well have fun and take in all we can :D.

If you are in the Fort Worth-Arlington area, come by for a free month at Gracie Barra Mansfield!

~Dojo Diva

October 22, 2015
How to Handle Injury in Jiu Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is often called the “gentle art” because it can be practiced by any age, but like any sport, injuries can happen. Since BJJ is not a striking sport, broken noses and knocked out teeth are not nearly as common. But, BJJ is physically demanding and comes with its share of strains and sprains. At Gracie Barra Mansfield we offer fun for the whole family in a safe environment, but this is a sport and well…stuff happens. So, when stuff happens. When we overdo it or maybe push way too hard, what do we do?

Preventing Injury

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Since we know we are engaging in a full contact sport, there are some ways we can avoid injury, which is obviously preferable.

Flexibility

Stiff muscles are strained muscles (or torn). I know I work a sedentary job that has me leaning over a computer all day which makes me stiff. This means it is up to me to add in flexibility training (yoga). That 10 minutes of warmup at the beginning of class is the bare minimum to get warm. If you know your flexibility isn’t that great, it would be a good idea to work on this outside of class.

Being flexible will not only improve your rolling, it will help you avoid injury. Supple, flexible muscles and joints have a far greater range of motion and this lessens the chances for injury.

Strength Training

Again, sometimes we need to add in additional training outside of the dojo. When we roll regularly, we are taxing all kinds of muscle groups, but we may not be working them evenly. A good way to keep our bodies injury-free is to make sure we are training all muscle groups. It is easy to overtrain certain areas at the expense of others.

If we work biceps, then we must also work triceps for balance. Work abs? Make sure to work the lower back as well. When I roll I tend to use the right side of my body more (being right-handed). Thus, I need to make sure that I train the left side (at the gym) to avoid overtraining one set of muscles.

Don’t Be a Hero

I’ve talked about this before but it bears mentioning again. When in doubt? Tap out. I used to fight every single submission and, yes, a lot of them I could wriggle free from, but was the pain and soreness worth it? The strained pectoral I have had to baby for months because I didn’t want to admit my opponent had gotten me in an arm bar? Live and learn and move on. This is not the UFC.

Now if I even think someone has a submission, I tap out and war-game how I landed in the bad spot to begin with so I can learn.

White belt is a long…long journey. No need to make it any longer.

Slow Down

Again, we’ve talked about this before, but this is an especially tough lesson for white belts. I am still learning it. When we grapple, we need to learn to do it with control. Going too quickly or lurching or flinging into moves is just a good way to get hurt or hurt someone else.

What to Do When Injured

Ouch.

STOP

I’ve been the idiot who just kept rolling even when I knew I’d probably strained something. In Jiu Jitsu we have to learn to listen to our bodies early. If you think you hurt yourself when rolling, just stop. Better to miss 30 minutes of rolling than a month.

ICE

I HATE ice. It is wet and uncomfortable and whiiiiiiiine. But, ice is key for reducing inflammation. Heat might feel good, but it will make inflammation even worse and when the tissue is gorged with blood and swollen? It isn’t going to heal. This means for a new injury, stick to ice. Wait a good three days before using any heat.

When we injure a muscle, ice shrinks capillaries stemming any blood flow to minimize swelling, and it numbs nerve endings which will help with pain. I use bags of cheap frozen vegetables wrapped in a thin kitchen towel. Peas are my favorite because the bag can be molded to conform to the injured area.

ROTATE ON 5s

If you have a more significant injury, you can use heat after three days, but rotate it with ice. Always start with ice and then end with ice. Five minutes ice then five minutes heat.

5 Ice–> 5 Heat –> 5 Ice –> 5 Heat –> 5 Ice

Heat is good for adding some suppleness back into the muscle. So if you are stiff, feel free to use some heat to get the blood flowing into that area before working out.

We just have to be careful with heat. Heat is going to dilate capillaries and increase blood flow. This is good for getting stiff muscles moving and for getting rid of soreness but if we have a strain or tear we could be doing more harm than good.

ELEVATE

Again, the key to speedier healing is to make sure to contain inflammation. Inflammation is bad juju. So if you’ve injured an area that you can elevate? I.e. an ankle. DO IT.

REST

This is a tough one. Lately, I’ve had a strained pectoral and it has been a serious pain (literally) to rehabilitate. My physical therapist has told me to rest, but I will be the first to admit that I am a lousy judge of when I am okay to get back in the game. I believe I’ve rested enough but…yeah. No.

Take it slow. BJJ will be there when we return.

Natural Remedies

Tumeric can be used to ward off inflammation. I use this for cooking, but it can also be taken in capsule form or made into a poultice to take down inflammation and ease joint pain. I also HIGHLY recommend Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath for soaking away pain.

Just remember that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a fantastic workout that can keep you lean, fit, flexible and healthy. Like any sport, it comes with bumps, bruises and strains but by being careful and listening to our bodies we can ensure we can continue to enjoy the sport for years to come!

September 30, 2015
Grappling for Dummies—5 Tips to Improve Your White Belt Journey

Here at Gracie Barra Mansfield, we are your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu connection. We are here to help you stay safe and have fun doing it. I am Dojo Diva and I am not a real MMA fighter, I just play one on XBox 😀 . Also, I am a 41 year old mother who’s been practicing BJJ for over a year and a half so I am living proof that Jiu Jitsu really IS for everyone.

I’ve taken other forms of martial arts, but what makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu highly unique is that you stay a white belt for a long…long…looooong time. The difference between a new white belt who still has the creases in his new gi and a four-stripe white belt who’s been training for a year or more is pretty amazing.

Especially when you’ve been on the journey yourself.

I am hovering on the precipice of earning my blue belt, which is why I am always hesitant to give any kind of martial arts “advice.” I know I am NOT a black belt and don’t pretend to be. Every moment on the mat is a reminder of all I still have yet to learn.

But, since the most common belt for those practicing Jiu Jitsu is the white belt, I thought maybe I could give some tips to help shorten the learning curve. As much as I love Jiu Jitsu, the simple reality is that not everyone who starts training as a white belt ever makes it to blue. Sometimes it is just life, time, finances, but it could also be burnout or injury. I confess there were times I considered “tapping out” and it had more to do with my mind than anything else.

So I’ve listed the top five things I wish I would have known a heck of a lot earlier and I hope it enriches your BJJ experience and improves your game…

Tip #1 Slow Down

When I started in BJJ a year and a half ago, I had no skills and less smarts, but I did have strength. I used brute force but really all it earned me was far too many minor injuries and I ran out of steam quickly. This made grappling far tougher than it needed to be.

Powering through might work for one round or even two, but after that? I wouldn’t have the gas to continue. In a competition? Though could be a big deal.

Also by going too quickly and relying on strength, I wasn’t slowing down enough to SEE places where I might gain advantage.

Tip #2 Breathe

These days, whenever a newer white belt gets red in the face and sweaty, I make him slow down and remember the breath. Breath is critical for mental calmness that makes for better Jiu Jitsu.

Tip #3 Keep Your Elbows IN

Seems like a no-brainer for the upper belts, but when I was new, I’d get so scope-locked, that I wouldn’t notice my elbows were flared and I was getting arm-barred CONSTANTLY. These days, I am still a white belt and no Ronda Rousey, but I am at least staying in the game. I might not yet be winning as much as I’d like to, but I am holding my own.

I’ve learned in the last year and a half that if I slow down, remember my breath, and keep my elbows in, I can often outlast a far larger and far more skilled opponent.

Tip #4 THINK

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a highly unique form of martial arts. It is not as reliant on size and strength as other forms of martial arts. It is a very cerebral sport and part of the growth process of being a white belt is to mature from being purely reactive to thinking tactically.

It’s hard when an opponent has you smashed in side-control to resist the urge to do SOMETHING! ANYTHING to get out of that seriously uncomfortable place. But Jiu Jitsu is CHESS, not Tiddlywinks 😉 .

Often, just being still and focusing on the breath forces our opponent to change tactics and move. Any movement provides opportunity for a reversal. Once we get more advanced, we can start predicting (or even directing) what that move might be and then using it for advantage.

Tip #5 Tap

Since I am a Type-A overachiever, this was one of the hardest things for me to learn in the beginning. Now? I have no pride. If someone gets the arm bar? I am not going to try and wrestle out of it, because even if I could get out of it? Often I strain something along the way and it isn’t worth the downtime.

These days? The second I feel someone might have the submission, I tap. Then I ask if we can backtrack a bit so I can war-game what I did wrong so that, hopefully, it won’t happen again.

Jiu Jistu isn’t an event, but a process. If we relax and learn to slow down, relax, and pay attention? The journey is far more enjoyable.

We hope you will join us on the mats here in Mansfield. In the meantime have fun and stay frosty!

Dojo Diva

September 19, 2015