There are many martial arts out there that are relevant for both men and women, and many people of both genders achieve high-level ranks and positions in everything from karate to judo. While everyone is free to learn the martial art they feel most comfortable with, it would often be better if you picked a martial art that was more suited to your body type. For many women, Brazilian jiu jitsu (or BJJ) fits them and their physicality more than other types of martial arts. If you want to be the best and most efficient fighter you can be, here is why Brazilian jiu jitsu might be perfect for you.
Focus On Groundwork Rather Than Striking
Many martial arts are focused on striking with the legs, hands, elbows, knees and whatever other body part you could possibly utilise in order to stop an opponent in their tracks. When it comes to BJJ, the focus is more on getting your opponent onto the floor as quickly as possible so you can begin your efforts to subdue them and put them into a submissive position. Women traditionally have weaker muscle density and strength when it comes to striking and upper body strength, which is why playing to your strengths and eliminating this focus leads to better results in BJJ.
Mental Fight As Much As Physical
Brazilian jiu jitsu is all about trying to outsmart your opponent while on the ground. Figuring out how to trick them into manoeuvring into a position where you can control them better is no easy task, and staying alert while fatigued is tough for even the most athletic of fighters. Learning to keep your mind sharp while fighting and wrestling on the ground will give you a huge advantage over someone who is not initiated in this discipline and who was merely looking for a quick resolution to a fight.
Use Of The Lower Body
Once you get your opponent down to the ground, Brazilian jiu jitsu utilises all sorts of different methods to make them submit and give up. A lot of these techniques involve grappling with your lower body and hips, where women are much stronger and have better chances of subduing larger opponents. Just as mentioned above, if you want to have the best chance of winning a real-world fight, you need to recognise your strengths and weaknesses. BJJ leans into the areas where women are stronger and with continued training, you can become far more efficient and dangerous to anyone looking to take advantage of you.