I’ve been sitting on the sidelines watching my son’s jiu-jitsu classes for months. At one of his first classes, his coach asked me when I was going to try jiu jitsu. Uh. I can’t remember how I responded, but it wasn’t high on my list. Here’s what I was thinking…
- I’m a girl. Isn’t this a guy sport?
- I kinda like my personal space.
- Rolling/sparring with guys I don’t know? Did I mention personal space?
- I don’t want to get hurt.
- I’m too old for this.
- I’m so busy.
All great reasons, right? I thought so, too.
Fast forward a few months. I just finished my fourth week of an intro jiu-jitsu course. It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever tried. It’s awkward. It’s challenging. But I’m actually having fun… and signed on to continue with jiu jitsu beyond the intro class.
So what changed? I’m not sure. Maybe I just had a moment of insanity when I signed up for the intro class. There are a few women in the classes, and they have been welcoming and encouraging. Personal space… well, I’m getting over that. I’m learning to tap early and tap often, to avoid getting hurt.
This week, we learned a move where you use your hips to throw someone over your shoulder onto the floor. When I first saw a demo of the move, I thought there is no way I could ever do it. But I did. And I did it again. And again. And again.
I still have MUCH to learn. But I’m grateful to have found people in this intro class who are willing to coach me through the movements. I thought sparring with the men in the class would be awkward, but it’s been fine. You can now find me listening to jiu jitsu podcasts, watching jiu-jitsu YouTube videos (some helpful, some not so much)… and trying to absorb as much learning as I can from my rolls on the mat.
CINDY DIEHL 