This is a open invitation to all women and girls out there: Come train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu!

BJJ tends to be a male dominated martial art, which I can kinda understand. Rolling around, sweating, grunting, and jamming body parts in various directions isn't considered traditional ladylike behavior. I still remember one class when Sensei Ward instructed me in a very matter of fact manner to jam the blade of my hand deep into his armpit. Eventually BJJ practitioners get used to this kind of thing, but to a newbie it can be pretty strange.

Don't get me wrong, I used to be very uncomfortable on the ground. Sometimes I still struggle with it. I prefer keeping people in my kicking range, not up close and personal. However, getting decent on the ground is incredibly important for martial artists and women in particular, in my humble opinion.

The facts are sad, terrifying, and disturbing: 1 in 4 women experience some form of sexual abuse and/or assault. One in four. Wow. But what does this have to do with BJJ?

A few things. First, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu utilizes body leverage and positioning. There is very little strength required. Even a small individual can out maneuver and dominate a bigger and stronger opponent. Also, BJJ teaches you how to deal with someone trying to pin you down. This very practical in self defense terms. I'm not an expert, but I can see many sexual assaults happening from this position. Finally, training on the ground develops confidence and expertise in an otherwise vulnerable position. Most of us have been there, whether in training or even rough housing. Having someone pin you down is scary... Unless you know BJJ and have a few of your favorite sweeps and chokes in your arsenal.

So, if you're female and thinking about training I encourage you to pick Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. If you're a parent with a daughter, I strongly urge you to bring her to our kids BJJ class. Empowerment, confidence, respect, and strength are all tools we can use to end violence against women.