Personal Development Through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian jiu-jitsu has become one of my most powerful tools for personal development and community involvement. I am a blue belt at Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu Merced under Professor Adam Ferdin, and I also assist in coaching the youth program for children and adolescents ages 5-12.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is a self-defense martial art and combat sport based on grappling. The goal is to gain a dominant position and force your opponent into submission by applying techniques such as chokeholds and joint locks.
Throughout my BJJ journey, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and train with incredible people from diverse backgrounds who share a passion for self-discovery and manifesting their potential in this sport. I am grateful to continue training with and elevating people, especially women and young girls, in BJJ at Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu in Merced.
You can learn more about Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu Merced online. You can also follow my BJJ journey at @mdvbjj on Instagram.
Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu Merced’s
First-Ever Women’s Jiu-Jitsu Event
The United Nations reports that an estimated 736 million women globally, or 1 in 3, have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their life (UN Women, 2024). In a world where personal safety is a real concern, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is regarded as a powerful self-defense tool for women. With a focus on allowing a smaller person to defend against a larger, stronger opponent, women can be empowered to build confidence in their ability to protect themselves through BJJ techniques.
Recognizing this need, I helped spearhead our academy’s first-ever women’s event from planning to execution in March 2024. My co-lead, Bianca, and I aimed to foster a fun and empowering environment to introduce women to basic self-defense techniques. With guidance from our professor, we planned a 60-minute curriculum and ran a mock class to gain feedback before the event. I also designed and wrote copy for our print and social media promotional materials, aligning our marketing strategy with Women’s History Month. During our women’s class, we incorporated ice-breakers and a cool-down reflection with the attendees to encourage camaraderie and a supportive learning environment. The activities were followed by mingling and the presentation of goodie bags before participants left. Twenty-eight women attended the event and we received 20 responses from participants after distributing a survey. 95% or more respondents agreed with the following statements:
“I feel empowered after today’s class in terms of learning self-defense skills.” (95%)
“I feel welcomed and included in this self-defense class.” (100%)
“I believe I am part of a supportive community here.” (100%)
Hosting this women's event was an incredibly rewarding experience, offering an opportunity to foster confidence, connection, and empowerment through jiu-jitsu. Seeing participants leave with new skills, a stronger sense of self-assurance, and a supportive community reinforced the importance of creating spaces where women can feel safe, capable, and empowered to take control of their own safety and well-being.
