At 52-years-old, Maria Howard is not afraid to learn Brazilian jiu jitsu. She started training jiu jitsu when a friend recommended it. She quickly fell in love with it for the self-defense skills and the confidence she gained from it. As a woman who works as a massage therapist and lives alone, she now carries “a quiet confidence.” She’s not afraid to have somebody on top of her, and she knows she can handle herself in any situation.
Maria was thrilled to discover that students of all body types can thrive in jiu jitsu. “Since I’ve started, I’ve had seven or eight different instructors, which is really cool because everybody is so different. I’ve gotten little tidbits from each one.”
Brazilian jiu jitsu is the best martial art for women’s self-defense because it gives smaller fighters the skills to overcome bigger and stronger opponents. It puts you in positions where an opponent can mount you or attack you from standing while you’re on your back. You will learn how to defend yourself, escape, and stay calm when someone tries to dominate you.
Maria pointed out that these are common positions that women need to know how to defend themselves. One of the best benefits she’s gained from jiu jitsu training is the inner confidence from consistent training. “I’m not afraid to have somebody on top of me. I know what it feels like,” she said. “In a stressful situation, that muscle memory kicks in.”
For women interested in self-defense training, she encouraged them to just try it. “Your body will be sore when you first start, and it will take some time to adapt.” No matter what, she urged them to stick with it. “The more you do, even if it’s a little bit, the better it becomes,” she added. “Just because you don’t think you’re doing much, muscle memory comes into play.
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