Jiujiteira Magazine August 2021

inspiration: MELISSA LOZANO - no excuses. no worries. no fear.

issue eight | aug 2021

SHUT UP AND TRAIN: 48PAGE

EXPLOSIVE DETAILED REPORT
ON SEXUAL ABUSE AND BJJ

The Rise of Womenmixedmartialarts
page 16

august 2021 cover story 16

Women in MMA 22
26
sections: 30
38
COACH TALK 46
Bow & Arrow Choke
4
BY DAVID SUTTON 34
44
BEAUTY IS A BEAST
Fitness & Recovery

BY VHILENA NELSON

YOGA FOR JIU-JITSU
Pain in the Neck

BY EVELYN SUT TON

OUT OF THE CAGE
We Are Women, Hear Us Roar

BY SAMANTHA SEFF

MIND GAME
Overcoming

BY BRITTANY ALLISON

every issue:

PUBLISHER'S CORNER
Glory and Gore

CLOSE CHOKE
Interview with Vasiliki Aroutsidou

JIUJITEIRAS AROUND THE WORLD

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16

THE RISE OF WOMEN IN MMA
It was only 10 years ago when Dana White

said that women would never fight in the
UFC. Just look at them now.

PHOTO: ELLIOT BROWNSTEIN, EBM

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 3

EVELYN SUTTON is on a mission AUGUST 2021
to uncover and promote the universe
of women in one of the deadliest № 8ISSUE
martial arts in the world.
PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER’s corner

Glory and Gore.

We can all agree women who train Brazilian The much needed exposure came out Creative Director & CEO
Jiu-Jitsu are above average tough, resilient August 12 on social media with an explosive
and cut from a different cloth. Our sisters revelation from ADCC head organizer Mo Evelyn Sutton
who have the audacity to step into the oc- Jassim, where he shares details and names
tagon are at another level of female combat of abusers, victims and gyms who have kept writers
sports evolution. Consider this, if you think a blind eye on this situation for far too long. Brittany Allison
it's hard to thrive in the male dominated Prominent instructors in our community Chris Fletcher
world of BJJ, imagine being a woman in were exposed, some as criminals, others as Charlotte McKinley
MMA. Only 10 years ago, Dana White, Presi- enablers. Jassim's initiative gave women the
dent of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, courage to publicly share their stories and David Sutton
stated that women would never fight in the our community has been in furor since. Evelyn Sutton
UFC. Our ladies proved him wrong.
All the uproar is good and necessary but we Girls in Gis
There is nothing glamorous about putting must not allow it to end there. Words must Samantha Seff
your pretty face in front of a pair of fists, be put into actions. All accusations must Sophia McDermott
elbows, and vicious roundhouse kicks, on be investigated, criminals must be prose- Vhilena Nelson
top of all the arduous Jiu-Jitsu training cuted and banished from the community, Wendy L Jarva
these women endure with willful abandon. particularly in the cases where minors are
I can personally say that as much as I love involved. Any gym or individual knowingly proofreading
Jiu-Jitsu and have ambitions to compete, giving safe harbor to confirmed predators
I could never bring myself to step into must also be blacklisted. We must protect Edgard Esperança
the octagon, especially not in my forties, our women and children at all costs.
unless it's to take photos and interview the photography
fighters. To the incredibly brave women of I received a detailed report (page 47) creat- Blanca Marisa Garcia
MMA — mothers, daughters, wives — who ed by a researcher and Jiujiteira (requested
take on the ring, with all of it's glory and gore, to remain anonymous) who dedicated a year Elliot Brownstein
I offer a respectful bow. We celebrate women of her life collecting data from real women Evelyn Sutton
in MMA with a cover photo from the recent in our community on the subject. We will Lindsay Conley
Bellator match between Vanessa Porto be printing findings from this report in Michelle Chopp
and Ilara Joanne captured by our talented our magazine, every issue, and have made
contributing photographer, Blanca Marisa the entire report available for download on 880 Mc Clendon Street, Melbourne, FL 32935
Garcia from King's Table Studios. our website to help create awareness. Parts jiujiteiramagazine.com U 321.917-1599
of the report are graphic, use your best
August has brought our community not judgment. If you know of anyone who has Subscribe online at JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM. Please al-
only the dog days of summer (anybody else been a victim of sexual abuse in Jiu-Jitsu, low 4-6 weeks for subscription to start. Jiujiteira Magazine is
training in Florida with mid-afternoon tem- or you are a victim yourself, don't be silent, a registered trademark of LuxDei Studio. The contents of Jiu-
peratures at 100° and climbing?) but it also contact us and we will help you get the jiteira Magazine, associated websites, advertisements, articles,
brought light to a very serious issue creep- resources and justice you seek. graphics, photographs and any other published content are
ing in the shadows, the sexual harassment protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, dis-
and abuse women in Jiu-Jitsu suffer. tributed or modified without prior written consent of Jiujiteira
Magazine. Jiujiteira Magazine does not necessarily endorse,
verify, or agree with the content, and makes no guarantees as
to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or usefulness of any
content. Jiujiteira Magazine shall not be held liable for any er-
rors or omissions in the content. ©2021 All rights reserved. Any
reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written
permission from the publisher.

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INSPIRATION STORY BY CHARLOTTE MCKINLEY
PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY MELISSA LOZANO

THERE ARE NO EXCUSES. MLelOissZaANO
Age is Irrelevant.

Cover Girl: Lozano our n a society time, but I always saw people Lozano has the same mind-
was on the cover of where defeat- in the corner of the room or on set going into every tourna-
Jiujiteira Magazine ism is the norm the far side of the mat prac- ment, regardless of whether
NsHhoouvtnedmteubrrePirnrg2o0S62u00biminsisTsuseeixoans. and people ticing the ground game, and I it is a local tournament or an
make excuses always thought it looked pretty IBJJF tournament. She never
more than interesting, very intimidating underestimates her oppo-
they make to jump into.” Fast forward nents, rather she goes into the
commitments, eight years and Lozano is now competition with the mindset
Melissa Lozano a brown belt, and several times that each of her competitors
goes above and IBJJF Masters Champion in has done exactly what she has
beyond to prove that she is multiple divisions. done to get to where they are.
able to do whatever she puts “I imagine that every single
her mind to. Battling cancer is The first time the IBJJF Mas- person I go against has put in
irrelevant. Being older is irrel- ters World Champion earned 100% of their time and ener-
evant. Being a mom is irrele- her title was at blue belt. gy into meeting me with the
vant. There are no excuses. For Lozano, it was a surreal same level of intensity that I’m
experience. “I was completely going to meet them.”
Lozano started her journey aware that it happened and
in Jiu-Jitsu later in life than it felt like I was watching it When training with new
many other people. “It wasn’t happen to someone else,” she people in class, the mindset
until after my cancer diagnosis reminisced. She took gold changes to reflect the situa-
and my breast reconstruction in the Brown Belt Absolute tion. “The first time I grapple
that I decided to give it a try as bracket this year and had a with someone brand new or
a way of controlling my anger different experience. “None otherwise I try to consider it
toward my own body for failing of my teammates could go as a really condensed intro-
me,” she said. Having already because of the COVID regula- duction to who they are as a
done Taekwondo, Muay Thai, tions so it was just me and my person,” Lozano says. Some-
and boxing, she felt she was professor and I was like “Hey! times, people have experiences
ready for a different challenge. Look at this amazing thing that she doesn’t have. Lozano
“I always saw [Jiu-Jitsu] in the we did! Should we eat steak?” references Judo saying it can
corner. It wasn’t one of the Yeah, it was a little bit differ- sometimes “be a hard one to
major streamline sports at the ent, but I’m proud of it.” get over.” However, no matter

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“I imagine that every single person I go against has put in 100% OF THEIR TIME AND ENERGY the outcome of the roll, she refuses to think of herself as a
into meeting me with the same level of INTENSITY that I’m going to meet them.” failure for not winning or hitting something she was aim-
ing for. “The whole “I’m a failure” thing? I think that’s self
taught,” she says. “You really get inside your head. It needs
to be put on a shelf somewhere else. There’s no space for
that in your head.”

Something else she refuses to let get in her head is her
age. Lozano is not someone who started Jiu-Jitsu as
a young woman. She did not start as a child or even
in her twenties or thirties. Lozano was well into her forties
when she started training — and that’s something she
is very proud of. “I think you should really fear the older
people in a sport because they put in the time and they’ve
developed the skills and they have a level of confidence
associated with those skills based on those experiences.”

YOUNGER JIUJITEIRAS are in a different HEADSPACE
than their older sisters. They are “in a very favored position

because [they’re] so YOUNG, [they] might not develop
some of the insecurities forty-year old women

walk onto the mat with regarding their physical
presentation or their EMOTIONAL space.”

Lozano encourages ladies riage presents its own chal-
who walk onto the mat lenges. By the time you’re
in their forties, saying, “I forty, your losses seem
think the mental gains you to outweigh your gains.”
get from Jiu-Jitsu, doing However, the most import-
something that scares you, ant realization is that this
far outweigh whatever inse- is just a mental trap. It’s not
curities you have associated something that is necessari-
with the sport.” ly true or false. Everyone has
the opportunity to change
“Life is hard,” she admits. their life around and derail
“It beats down people. We that mind game. “If trying
go into every phase of it something new is going to
with so much aspirations, give you a new lease on life,
so much hope. You know, then try something new,”
with babies, it seems like it’s Lozano suggests.
never going to be that hard
and every phase of them With more girls training
developing is a challenge. Jiu-Jitsu and more women
And that whole life/work making it their own, the
balance is a challenge. Mar- dynamics of the gentle art

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inspirationMELISSA LOZANO

begin to change. “When I first started, I was
probably the only woman or one of two on the
mat versus yesterday, for instance, middle
of a Thursday afternoon, and we had seven
women on the mat which is half the mat’s ca-
pacity.” Lozano is incredibly pleased with the
amount of women who are joining Jiu-Jitsu.
Her gym specifically, Team Tooke, provides an
environment where women feel safe and are
able to train with confidence.

At first, it felt strange to Lozano once
she realized she was more of a vet-
eran in the sport than an amateur
or newcomer. However, Lozano takes great
pride in the skills she developed along her
journey — one of them the ability to control
the dynamics when rolling and working with
ladies at their own level. “I’m at a point now
where I can put myself in their position at be
like “what do you want to play on me?” which
is super valuable because when I was train-
ing for competitions, most of the time I was
going up against bigger stronger dudes who
wouldn’t want to play a positional spot.”

JM: How long have you been Taekwondo. I have one girl, at the house but they don’t Mom Life: when she's
training? ML: Not long! I’m the youngest of my kids, she work for subs. They don’t nJisoiutb-tursJaiyintsirunagitsiiotnlregsw,hineMrneiflnoisgusra
terrible with dates and years trains Jiu-Jitsu regularly. My really know how to scramble wonderful humans.
so I always have to relate it son trained until highschool off their backs, so that’s kind of
down to how many kids I had and now he’s been hijacked fun. They concentrate a lot on
at the time, what country I was by wrestling. [JM: Evelyn told strenght over technique and
living in. I think I’ve been doing me you beat up a bunch of burn themselves out trying
Jiu-Jitsu for about 8 years. highschool wrestlers?] Oh to hold me in a position, not
they come over all the time realizing I'm just refueling. I
JM: Does your family train because we have mats in love it. I think wrestling is the
Jiu-Jitsu? ML: Yes. I have four our garage. It’s really funny grittier, dirtier cousin to Jiu-
kids. They’re all black belts in because they train wrestling Jitsu. I totally respect the sport.

"Nowadays, women have We’re actually creating a Lozano has made it clear Looking to Lozano as an
already made a large im- craft [that has] an exponen- that women are in the example, age does not make
pact in the Jiu-Jitsu world. tial amount of athletes." Jiu-Jitsu community to you weak. Cancer does not
There has been so much stay. Instead of leaving, make you weak. Being a
change compared to even Still, there is room for im- they are filling up the mom does not make you
three years ago!We’re at a provement. “I hope to see classes at an exponential weak. All of the excuses
point where we have a lot women utilize this sport rate. Many gyms are see- people build in their heads
of females in the same po- to the same extent men ing rises in their female are irrelevant. Face fears,
sition I am: we’re no longer do. In the same numbers base as more women are do something new, and get
the new kids on the block. and for the same reasons.” attracted to the sport.
on the mats. Y

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 9

HAPPENINGS

Russ Miura's

women's no gi classic

PHOTOS BY BLANCA MARISA GARCIA
nown as "The Original" Southern California

Jiu-Jitsu Tournament", Russ Miura's Women's
NoGi classic is a great opportunity for Jiujiteiras to
get together and showcase their Jiu-Jitsu. Tourna-

ments are Round Robin format with beginners
and intermediate divisions, and competitors
are guaranteed at least two matches. Their
mission is to help elevate the local Jiu-Jitsu

community, help students build confidence and grow
through competition experience. The event took
place on August 1st at Next Generation Mixed Martial
Arts with competitors from California. Arizona, Ore-
gon and Nevada in attendance.
Russ Miura is a 3rd Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black
belt, wrestler, MMA gym owner, tournament promot-

er and great support of women's Jiu-Jitsu. Y

Learn more and sign up for the next tournament:
10 | JIUsuJbITfigEhIRteArbjMj.cAoGmAZ/IwNoEm|enJIsU-JInTEoIR-AgMi-AcGlaAsZsINiEc.COM

FIGHT LIKE
A GIRL.

#TRAINWITHCONFIDENCE

ZebraAthletics.com

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 1 1

Jiu Jitsu Hair Problems
No More

STORY BY CHARLOTTE MCKINLEY � PHOTOS SUPPLIED

air. Something that can time to get those hard rolls in, what
be a girl’s best asset, but do women do to get their hair tamed?
a Jiujiteira’s worst enemy.
In a world of females with Until recently, there wasn’t a resource
locks to tame, it’s a won- for ladies invested in Brazilian Jiu-Jit-
der that a resource for su to have a place where they could
taming locks took so long find inspiration for how to style their
to appear, much less a hair. This quickly became a problem,
tournament braid booth. even prompting some women to want
to leave the sport. Struggling with
One thing many women have had breakage and other hair disasters did
to deal with when training is their not seem worth the Jiu-Jitsu classes.
hair. Oftentimes, simply styling
hair in a low ponytail, high ponytail, Enter Sophie Aaron, a blue belt
braid, or bun just doesn’t cut it. So from The PIT Idaho, and Madisson
when training comes around and it’s Larson, a blue belt from American

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Top Team. “I remember specifically ally able to get set up that evening
when we decided to make the Insta- despite their initial struggles.
gram [account]. It was because we
were like, I wonder if there's a social Despite the challenges they faced
media profile where we can look for getting the booth set up, the morn-
hair hairstyle ideas for sports in gener- ing of June 26, 2021, they were up
al. Not even just Jiu-Jitsu,” Larson said. and running.

They created their Instagram ac- Tensions ran high on both days of the
count, @jiujitsuhairprobs, to com- tournament as competitors got ready
bat the lack of information about to compete. Despite that, the braid
how to style hair for Jiu Jitsu in a booth was a haven of laughter and fun.
way that will stay, but remain cute.
One follower even watched them go “And we actually had, I think, three
“from a hashtag to a business.” occasions where we got halfway
through braiding somebody's hair.
They didn’t stop there. May 1, 2021 And then they got called to the mat.
they were slated to be at Grappling So we had to tie their hair up in a bun
Industry’s Boise, Idaho tournament halfway done. They'd run out to the
debuting the first braid booth in the mat and come back and [we would]
history of Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. finish their braids after their rounds.
Due to COVID-19 regulations in the So even that kind of stuff, just hearing
high school, the event was to take about, oh, how'd your rounds go, like,
place in, the tournament was post- oh, they did really well: my hair held
poned until June. up,” Larson recounts.

The night of June 25, 2021, the eve of Despite being Jiujiteiras themselves,
the tournament, Aaron and Larson and having competed before, both
were on their way to set up their Aaron and Larson did not feel a need
booth for the next two days of the to compete, nor did they feel they
tournament, things didn’t go quite were missing out. “The energy was
as planned. really fun to be around,” Larson said.

“[It] was a disaster because it was at The first braid booth in the history
the Expo Center here and then the of Jiu Jitsu tournaments went down
night before they also had some other as a success.
event there. We couldn't get into set-
up the night before. The ticket people Malia Knapp, a young Jiujiteira from
wouldn't let us in. They were trying to Alpha Jiu-Jitsu and Fitness, really
send us all over to go in the back way, enjoyed the braid booth. “It was fun
but we couldn't find the way in. So and I really liked the design that
we were like, oh my gosh, it's been an they did,” she said.
hour and a half. It's not happening.
We can't set up the night before,” Aar- The energy and atmosphere of the
on said. The two ladies were eventu- braid booth was one of encourage-

C HA RLOT T E MC KIN L E Y is a blue belt affiliated under Jean
Jacques Machado. She enjoys armbars, books, and people.
Charlotte has a passion for blending her writing and love of Jiu-Jitsu
together. She is a full time student, works with the youth classes
at Alpha Jiu-Jitsu and Fitness and is a social media guru. You can
contact her by DM via Instagram at @bjj_charlotte

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ment, fun, and all around happi- Aaron and Larson hope to visit And also, I'm a people person, I'm very
ness. Many people were very excited more Jiu Jitsu tournaments in the social. So it's like being around the en-
about the braid booth—especially future. Jiujiteiras across the world ergy and meeting so many people who
the fathers of young girls. have been clamoring to get them we've actually impacted was really
to go to places such as Michigan, cool. I can't tell you how many parents
One father stopped by the booth Florida, and even the UK. “All of our came up to us and [said] you seriously
with his wife and daughter. “His profits are going towards hopefully saved me so much stress today. Thank
wife had me do her [daughter’s] hair being able to travel to other states you guys so much. And that was really
and he recorded me doing her hair and do other competitions,” Larson cool to actually be part of something
so that he could [recreate] it on his said. Doing so would be welcomed more than just hair.”
daughter's hair for competitions,” by many competitors and parents.
Larson recalled. Aaron and Larson are revolutioniz-
“If they’re ever at any of the other ing the hairstyle game of many ath-
Nelly Knapp, mother of Malia tournaments, I’d totally go to them letes and casual practitioners out
Knapp, was very relieved on the day before the tournament [starts] every there. Both their Instagram account
of her daughter’s tournament. “I time,” Knapp said. and their braid booth have helped
was worried about how I'd do her many Jiujiteiras (and Jiujiteiros!) in
hair so it would stay in during the “I think I'm being a part of something their quest to tame their locks. The
matches,” she said. “Come tourna- that has never been done before. And hair and sanity of Jiujiteiras around
ment morning, I knew I didn’t have it was our idea,” Aaron said. Though
to do anything with her hair. [It they might not have been the first the world thanks you. Y
was] way less stress for me. … [and] people to think of the idea, they
I knew she was going to have a cute were the first to execute it. “Actually Follow on Instagram:
do for her matches.” making it happen was really surreal. @jiujitsuhairprob

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COVER STORY

inTthehoctagone Rise of Women e xhilarating and exciting to witness, the evolution of women's
MMA has seen it's share of ups and downs over the past two
in mma decades. Once considered a side show to the male dominated
sport, female athletes are now featured in the main events of the
largest promotions in the world and represent an important seg-
ment of mixed martial arts. Following is a simplified timeline.

Early Days

The first-ever women’s MMA tournament took place in Tokyo,
Japan in July 18, 1995. Russian judoka Svetlana Goundarenko
won the L-1 tournament put on by Ladies Legends Pro Wres-
tling. Two years later, March 28, 1997 the first recorded female
MMA competition takes place in the United States at the Inter-
national Fighting Championship where Becky Levi defeated
Betty Fagan via first-round TKO. Fast forward to 2009, Strike-
force becomes the first major American MMA promotion to

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the most

influential
women in mma

Megumi Fujii

Fujii debuted on August 5, 2004 and defeated
Yumi Matsumoto by submission in 40 seconds.

Chris "Cyborg" Justino

Cyborg is one of the greatest mixed martial artists
of all time, and first rose to prominence in 2009, by
defeating Gina Carano via TKO, winning the first
ever Strikeforce women’s featherweight title.

WO MEN A R E HER E TO STAY IN MMA : Ronda Rousey
VA N ESSA P O RTO RECEN TLY RETU RN ED TO
THE OCTAGON AGAINST FELLOW BRAZILIAN An Olympic bronze medalist in judo, Rousey's
FIGHTER ILARA JOANNE AT BELLATOR 263 submission skills translated well into MMA.
PHOTO BY BLANCA MARISA GARCIA Hitting armbars in less than 14 seconds, Rousey
debuted at the UFC in 2012, where she remained
give women a spot as the main event. undefeated until 2015. She's considered the main
Cris “Cyborg” Justino defeats Gina reason women fight in the UFC today.
Carano wining Strikeforce's first-ever
women’s featherweight title (145 lbs). 25 seconds. A year later, Invicta, the and 11 female athletes are signed. In
largest organization for women in 2015, Ronda Rousey is knocked out
finally, the ufc MMA, debuts their first event. by Holly Holm and loses her title.
Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes
In 2011, after making a statement Ronda Rousey goes on to the UFC became champions soon after.
saying "women will never fight in the and defeats Liz Carmouche for the Nunes has defended her title three
UFC", Dana White announces that inaugural UFC women’s bantam- times since she became champ in
Zuffa, the UFC parent-company, has weight title. She achieves success July 2016. Current UFC women's
purchased Strikeforce. Shortly after, very quickly and remains undefeat- champs in their respective divi-
Ronda Rousey makes her Strikeforce ed until 2015. Women's strawweight sions are Amanda Nunes, Valentina
debut and submits Sarah D’Alelio in is introduced by the organization Shevchenko and Rose Namajunas.

STO RY BY EVELYN S UT TON � P H OTOS BY BLAN CA MARISA GARCIA & EL L IOT BROW NSTEIN

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 1 7

BELLATOR Former Invicta FC flyweight champion Vanessa Porto
returned to the octagon against fellow Brazilian Ilara
Joanne, a.k.a. “Arya Stark at Bellator 263, in a showdown
that Porto won by split decision. Here are the highlights >

PHOTOS BY BLANCA MARISA GARCIA

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cover story women in mma

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 1 9

rise of a warrior Amber Cook-Wesley and Ashley Molina Garzon went to work on what can only be described as a very
intense and exciting kickboxing battle at Rise of a Warrior 30. The young women stole the show and
had the audience out of their seats, cheering and shouting at every kick and punch. Molina won the fight
and took home the belt. Rise of a Warrior with headquarters in Fort Pierce, Florida, is one of the largest amateur
MMA events organization in the state, and is led by promoter Daniel Donaldson. Post-fight, Donaldson made
this statement: "This was one of those fights where I thought to myself, I’m so blessed to have them both on my
card. I can go on and on about how much potential they have as fighters, but I would much rather tell everyone
what great girls they are, not just them, but their families too! The love and support they get from their family
and friends gives you an idea of how genuine and amazing both of them are. FIGHT OF THE NIGHT for sure!
The place went crazy for you guys! Congratulations Ashley Molina Garzon! Proud to have you as a champ!"

PHOTOS BY ELLIOT BROWNSTEIN, EBM

Oscar winner
Hale Berry
steps into
the ring in
"Bruised"

In her directorial debut,
coming out on Netflix in
November, Hale Berry

plays Jackie Justice,
a MMA Invicta fighter

Hale Berry's new movie, Bruised
(due on Netflix Nov. 24), is
showcasing women's MMA like
never before. The drama, also
Berry's directorial debut tells the
story of Jackie Justice, a disgraced
MMA fighter grasping for one last
shot in the ring.

A longtime UFC fan, Berry's
commitment goes beyond the
screen, in fact, she broke two ribs
on the first day of shooting, yet
she chose to work through the
injury to not delay production. "I
didn't come this far and work this
hard to go home", Berry stated.

Shannon Knapp, president of
Invicta Fighting Championships,
shared the news enthusiastically
on social media with a screenshot
of Berry's IG, pointing out: "Check
out what gloves she is wearing."

cover story women in mma

coach talk A favorite of many top Brazilian

Jiu-Jitsu competitors, and one of the

most high percentage gi chokes you
can learn, the Bow and Arrow is a

painful blood choke that attacks the

BOWArrowarteries using your opponents lapel.

123 4 5

bonus!!! Watch the video to 6 Bow and Arrow Choke from Technical Mount:
learn a variation. 1. Start in Technical Mount.
2. Get down low so that your chest puts pressure on
your opponent to keep them from coming up. Reach
your bottom hand under their head to grab and hold
their top arm wrist down (as in a gift wrap choke).
Slide your opposite hand in the space between their
arms and grab their lapel as shown on photo 3.
4. With a firm hold of their lapel, use your other hand
to reach out and grab their gi pants by the knee.
5. Controlling your opponent, sit back on the mat.
6. Finish the choke by swinging your bottom leg up
so that it sits over their shoulder. Cross your ankles.
Pull on their lapel as you extend your legs mimicking
the movement of a bow and arrow.
> For complete details on technique, watch the video
tutorial on: jiujiteiramagazine.com/coachtalk

SCAN THIS QR
CODE WITH YOUR
PHONE'S CAMERA
TO WATCH THE
STEP-BY-STEP
VIDEO TUTORIAL

DAV ID S U T TON is the lead coach and owner of Carlson Gracie
Jiu-Jitsu Team in Melbourne, FL. With over 18 years in martial arts
and currently a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu, David is responsible for
a successful kids, adults and womens' program at his gym.
Contact him at: bjjmelbournefl.com

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girls in gis

why you should

WomenTRAIN with other

t’s no secret that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has Friendship
been a male-dominated sport for quite
some time, but times are changing. People may initially start training BJJ for any number
It seems that now more than ever, of reasons, but ask anyone to list their favorite things
about this sport and they’ll usually bring up friend-
women are heading to the mats in ship. People from every walk of life end up building
droves. If you have the opportunity each other up one moment and choking each other the
to train with other women, you may find next, often sharing a good laugh over it after. For many
that this enhances your experience with this women, there’s a special thrill in finding other women
sport. Here are five reasons why you may who have had the courage to step on the mats and feel
want to train with other women: especially vulnerable together. Amazing friendships
are created when that shared vulnerability turns into
shared strength.

DAN IELLE D UN RUD is a blue belt at National Martial Arts in
Norman, Oklahoma. She is a veteran, military spouse and social
worker. When she’s not training, you can find her spending time with
her family. She hopes to one day start a non-profit program using BJJ
to help people work through the effects of trauma: IG: @danilee_rolls

Shared feel comfortable turning ning. The precision some of look out for each other
Experiences down training or rolling these female grapplers have and build each other up.
with people that make is truly amazing. Training There seems to be much
If you are lucky enough them uncomfortable, you with other women can help less “mean girl” energy on
to have other women to may find that training you hone these skills in the mats, which is a thing
train with, you may find with other women at first a way you may not get to of beauty in this world.
that you have walked enhances your confidence practice if you are con- Most of us want to see oth-
similar paths, which can before training with men stantly avoiding a “smash er women succeed, both
lead to a feeling of secu- as well. and pass” game coming on and off the mats.
rity. Women encounter from men.
some pretty interesting Technique So, there you have it. Just
“quirks” in this sport Building five of the many reasons
that men just don’t run Watching the technicality Confidence you should train with
into, so it can be re- and style that many high-
freshing to find that you er-level female grapplers Finally, women who grap- other ladies. Y
aren’t the only one who possess is a sight to behold. ple happen to be some of
has dealt with them. Jiu-Jitsu allows for leverage the most supportive and JOIN THE CONVERSATION >>>
Having another woman and intelligence to be used encouraging humans you
to train with might also against brute strength. See- will meet. They are moms, WHY DO YOU TRAIN
allow you the opportu- ing a woman of tiny stature sisters, wives, friends, WITH YOUR FELLOW
nities to trade stories absolutely annihilate a daughters, and a thou- JIUJITEIRAS?
and information and larger male is almost stun- sand other roles. They
troubleshoot common Email your answer to:
struggles together. [email protected]

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For women who do not
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er women to train with.
While everyone should

Beauty is a Beast REGULAR
REST IS
Fitness
ESSENTIAL FOR
and Recovery ALL ATHLETES,

BY VHILENA NELSON WHETHER
YOU ARE A
BEGINNER OR

VETERAN.

e are constantly advised
to be active and exercise
regularly. More is not always
better, whether you are training
for a competition or just want
to stay motivated, rest days are
equally as vital as workout days. Rest days
are essential to a good workout routine. Your
body can recuperate and rebuild itself if you
take regular rest. Regardless of your fitness
level or sport, it is an important aspect of
improvement. Skipping rest days, on the other
hand, can lead to over training and burnout.

It is no secret that exercises muscle soreness because A rest day is not about if these stores are not
releases endorphins, reduc- of doing intense back-to- lounging on the couch, replenished. Even when
es stress, increases energy, back workouts without contrary to common you aren't exercising, your
and generally makes you adequate recovery. It is opinion. It is during this muscles require glucose
feel better. However, there recommended to take rest time that exercise has its to function. You can avoid
is a point of diminishing days to allow the muscles to most positive impacts. fatigue by allowing your
returns known as over recover from any damage Rest is critical for mus- glycogen stores to refill by
training. Over training is a sustained during workouts cular building. Avoiding getting enough rest.
condition that occurs when and to allow them to grow. exercise-induced fatigue
you exercise so frequently There are plenty of studies requires rest. Remember It's critical to get enough
or at such high intensity that show that rest days do that exercise depletes the rest to stay safe while ex-
that your body is unable to play an important role in glycogen stores in your ercising. When your body
recover from the stress. You helping us maintain good muscles. Muscle weak- is overworked, you're more
will also experience health and well-being. ness and pain will result prone to hurt yourself or

2 6 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM

make a mistake. Over training puts Cryotherapy floatation tank
your muscles under a lot of stress
and pressure. This raises the danger After visiting a performance and re- The use of high-density saltwater to
of injuries, and forces you to take covery health spa called Zivel located produce a sensory-free environment
more rest days than you intended. in Melbourne Florida, we were able to aid in the alleviation of stress, anx-
It's difficult to accomplish your daily to gain a real inside perspective on iety, pain, and exhaustion is known
routine, let alone challenge yourself why athletes should consider these as floatation therapy. This is another
when you don't get enough rest. options as part of their rest day. We one of the amazing therapy services
were walked through each therapy offered at Zivel and was a personal
Over training reduces performance, service offered by one of the own- favorite of ours. Before entering the
even if you push yourself. Reduced ers, Heidi Crook, and even allowed floatation tank, you are asked to
endurance, delayed reaction times, to experience them for ourselves. shower which is in the room. The
and poor agility are all possible side One of the therapy services offered staff at Zivel provides you with every-
effects. Rest, on the other hand, has is cryotherapy. Cryotherapy can be thing you need, a washcloth, towel,
the opposite impact. It boosts ener- used to treat muscular pain as well soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
gy, helps to ward off exhaustion, and as various joint and muscle prob-
prepares your body for continuously lems including arthritis. It may also Before entering the pod after you
effective workouts. accelerate the recovery of athletic have showered you put your ear-
injuries. If you're an athlete looking plugs in which are also provided
SCIENCE CONFIRMS for a competitive edge and optimal by Zivel. The pod looks like a large
performance, whole body cryothera- egg before the hatch is opened.
Cortisol and adrenaline, two ener- py can help you achieve your goals. Once opened a personal oversized
gy-boosting chemicals, are increased bathtub awaits you. The water is set
by physical activity. Over activity, on At Zivel you are treated like royalty at 95-96 degrees to give the same
the other hand, causes these hor- and provided a soft plush robe to sensation as being in your mother's
mones to be overproduced. You'll change into, knee-high socks, and a womb. It is strongly recommended
have a hard time sleeping well, pair of abominable snowman slip- to float naked, but not required.
which will intensify your fatigue per feet. Once you are in this get-up
and exhaustion. Rest will allow your you are brought into the cryothera- TOP BENEFITS
hormones to return to a normal bal- py room and given a full tutorial on
anced condition, which will result in what to expect. It's done in a "cryo- FROM REGULAR USE
better sleep and performance. sauna" booth where only your head
is left poking out with temperatures FLOATATION THERAPY
Rest days will look different for every reaching as low as -230 degrees • Reduced Stress & Anxiety
athlete. Low-impact exercise, like Fahrenheit. Once you have entered • Optimized Visualization
yoga, is an excellent rest day activity. the cryosauna booth you hand off • Reduced Blood Pressure
Low-impact workouts keep you ac- your robe and stand in place mak-
tive without putting too much strain ing slight rotations from side to side CRYOTHERAPY
on your body. There are of course for a total of three minutes. • Aid in Anti-Aging
other ways to promote your body's • Faster Recovery after Exercise
healing and truly give your body the If you're wondering if it is unbear- • Aid in Fat Burning
rest it needs for recovery without any ably cold, I assure you while it is
exercise at all. These body recovery cold it is not miserable. After the INFRARED SAUNA
methods include float tanks, cryo- three minutes are over you feel • Greater Athletic Performance
therapy, oxygen bars, and inferred refreshed and ready to tackle the • Increased Blood Flow
saunas. These options are not only day. Depending on your needs and • Reduce Post-Exercise Soreness
extremely helpful to the recovery of goals, you should use this therapy
your joints and muscles they are also anywhere from twice a week to SCAN QR CODE
beneficial to your overall health. twice a day. AND WATCH OUR
EXPERIENCE AT
ZIVEL >

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 2 7

Once in the pod, you pull the hatch
down and lay back to begin floating.
Another cool feature of the floata-
tion pod is you can connect your
phone to the pod and enjoy music,
meditation, audiobooks, or silence if
that is your preference.

With 900 pounds of Epson salt, float-
ing comes naturally, making your
body buoyant. All you have left to do
is close your eyes and decompress,
unwind, relax, and let your worries
melt away as the Epson salt heals
your muscles aches, and pains.

As I laid in the tank, I fell into a deep
sleep for about 35 minutes forget-
ting entirely that I was in the water.
The water's temperature is perfectly
providing an enjoyable experience
the entire time avoiding the discom-
fort of feeling cold.

infrared sauna "As I laid in the tank, I fell into a deep
sleep for about 35 minutes forgetting
The utilization of infrared light entirely that I was in the water."
waves to aid in calorie burning,
profound relaxation, improved temperature. Unlike
circulation, pain reduction, and traditional (hot rock or
cellular health is known as an infra- steam) saunas, which
red sauna. This is another unique run at temperatures
performance and recovery thera- well beyond 200°F,
py optioned offered at Zivel. The infrared heat operates
service is done within a sauna booth at a more comfortable
that uses Far, Mid, and Near-infra- temperature of 100°-
red rays to provide a broad range of 150°F, as a result, it's
health advantages. This treatment less likely to obstruct
should be used 1-3 times per week, breathing and is more
depending on your needs and goals likely to be manageable
("Services – Zivel", 2021). An in- for the whole 60-min-
frared sauna is a wooden box with ute session.
infrared heaters that are used to
detoxify and heal the body, as well V HIL E N A N E L S ON is a professional hair stylist and owner of
as increase mood. Infrared saunas, His & Her Mobile Hair Salon in Melbourne, FL. A blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu,
unlike traditional saunas that use Vhilena competes in BJJ and is a local advocate for women in the
steam or dry heat to warm a room, sport. You can contact her at: [email protected]
use infrared heat lamps in enclosed or hisandhermobilehaircare.com
rooms to directly elevate body

2 8 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM

Regular rest is essential for all athletes, From Rockstar
whether you are a beginner or veter- to Wellness Guru
an. It's important for muscle healing,
fatigue prevention, and general per- Zivel was launched in collaboration with
formance. Remember that if you don't Korn's member Brian “Head” Welch after
take enough pauses, you'll be less likely being worn out from years of touring, and
to reach your goals in the first place. struggling with addiction, depression,
Allowing your body to relax is the most and suicidal thoughts which forced him
effective way to achieve fitness results to leave the band and endure a long
period of recovery. In partnership with
and be kind to your body. Y Dr. Matthew O’Neill, Brian co-founded
Zivel, a performance and recovery spa
“in the interest of helping people function
at their best.” The spa offers the latest
treatments that focus on physical, mental,
and emotional well-being with locations
in Melbourne, FL; Spring Hill, TN; Katy,
TX and Macon, GA. For more info and to
book your appointment, go to: zivel.com

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yoga for jiu jitsu

Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can become a
"pain in the neck" and cause minor kinks
and cricks - chokes anyone? Try yoga to
help alleviate the problem and get rid
of muscle tension. If you’re experiencing
serious neck pain, consult a physician.

Pain in the Neck?
try supported fish pose
BY EVELYN SUT TON

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL: Supported Fish Pose
If your are a seasoned yoga
practitioner and have the flexibility An excellent pose to help counteract the common BJJ
in the hips, add a lotus pose stretch hunched over posture that often causes painful tension
to your legs, and take the time her to in the neck by opening the chest and shoulders and
meditate and calm the mind, highly moving the neck in the opposite direction.
increasing the benefits of this already
deeply restorative pose. ▶ From a seated position, place two yoga blocks behind you.
The top block will support your head and the bottom block will
support your back. Recline over the blocks. Your head should
be resting comfortably on the top block, and the block should
not be touching your neck. Move the second block to be behind
your heart or directly underneath your thoracic spine. The
second block should touch the bottom tip of your shoulder blade
but not cut into them. This will cause your chest to expand in a
heart opener supported backbend.

▶ Next, allow your arms to relax alongside the body with palms
facing up and fingers pointing toward your hips for a full chest
release. You can also open your arms out wide into a T-shape,
experiment and choose whichever feels best.

▶ Surrender your weight and muscular control completely to the
blocks supporting you. Hold this powerful restorative pose for
3-5 minutes, or 5 long, deep breaths.

E V E LY N S U T TON is a E-RYT200 yoga teacher and owner of
LuxDei Studio in Melbourne, FL. Publisher of Jiujiteira Magazine,
Evelyn applies her personal practice and knowledge of yoga to
her Jiu-Jitsu training and helps others do the same. Send questions
for this column to: [email protected] or luxdeistudio.com

3 0 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM

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PROFESSORA MOM

The Self Defense

can’t tell you walk out of the lesson with explain this in my open- are guarded. I recommend
how many times a false sense of security. ing speech as part of my participants read the book
I have read or heard I know, you are probably introduction when I kick by Gavin DeBecker title
stories about various thinking ‘what the heck do off a self-defense event to ‘The Gift of Fear’. Reading
self-defense class you mean by that?’. Let me set expectations. this book has increased my
experiences, seen ar- share what I've learned… knowledge of self-aware-
ticles about moves So why attend at all then? ness. DeBecker’s book talks
on the topic. As BJJ practitioners we The goal is to have partici- about how humans ignore
One was even by a fitness drill moves hundreds to pants walk out of class with their instinct if they cannot
competitor. Yes, you read thousands of times to self-awareness and a re- rationalize why they are
that correctly - a fitness perfect them and be able duced chance they will be- feeling uncomfortable
competitor demonstrating to execute them effectively come victims of an attack. about a situation. After
self-defense moves by el- during a live role or tour- Self-awareness meaning reading his book you will
bowing a Muay Thai bag on nament setting. We study aware of yourself, where never be afraid to say NO
its side (insert slapping my the art and practice sever- you are and what is going to someone out of fear of
face emoji). Another was a al hours a week. Learning on around you. Prevention being rude and less likely to
Facebook post on a Brazil- a few moves over a two- is key. Statistics show you doubt your instincts. I have
ian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Women’s hour time frame does not are more like to become given this book as a gift to
Groups from someone who allow someone to walk out a victim in an area you the hostesses of “Women’s
attended a self-defense the door an expert in the frequent and are comfort- Night Out” events and raf-
event to support a friend moves they just learned. I able in than one where you fled them at my seminars.
and was criticized for her
Jiu-Jitsu skills. AL IC IA SA N DOVA L is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, competitor
and instructor on the legendary Carlson Gracie Team. She is the first
As I mentioned in a previ- woman to be awarded a black-belt directly from Master Carlson
ous article, the core of BJJ Gracie Jr. She owns Carlson Gracie Team Arizona with her husband.
is self-defense. As an indi- Contact her: [email protected] or carlsongracieteamaz.com
vidual who has spent her
entire life around military
and public safety, I truly
believe BJJ is the most
effective martial arts for
self-defense. I hold ‘Wom-
en’s Night Out’ and ‘Team
Building Events’ for private
groups to provide them
exposure to self-defense
techniques. With that
said, when I hold these
events, I feel it is important
that the attendees never

"Learning a few moves over JOIN OUR TEAM
a two-hour time frame does AT JIUJITEIRA!
not allow someone to walk
out the door an expert in the Become part of the hottest and fastest
moves they just learned." growing publication in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!
The only magazine 100% dedicated to
Sport Jiu-Jitsu Schools vs elevate, inform and promote women who
Self Defense Rooted Schools train, compete, and teach BJJ and MMA.

With the rise of Mixed Martial Arts, some CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES:
Jiu-Jitsu programs seem geared more towards ▶ Advertising Sales Manager in Florida
the sport side of Jiu-Jitsu. If you are looking to ▶ Advertising Sales Manager in Texas
incorporate more the traditional self defense ▶ Advertising Sales Manager in California
side of things you will find many of the sports ▶ Nationwide Magazine Distributors
moves are the same, just applied differently in ▶ Nationwide Contributing Writers
a self-defense situation (i.e. you are not going ▶ Nationwide Content Creators
to just pull guard if you are attacked on the ▶ Nationwide Social Media Inffluencers
street). I encourage you to ask your instructor
to spend time adding details on how applicable Interested? Email Your Resume:
[email protected]
moves would be used in different situations. Y

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3 4 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM

Greek Goddess

Powerful. Beautiful. Mysterious. Most of us are familiar with the myths of
the Greek Goddesses. Vasiliki Aroutsidou is a Greek beauty with brawn

and brains, living in the UK and training under the lineage of Vitor
'Shaolin' Ribeiro. Like an Olympian-Goddess, she enjoys the athleticism of
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A gamer and competitor by nature, Aroutsidou works

hard and goes after everything she wants. On and off the mats.

JM: Tell us about yourself. What’s your family like?
VA: First, thank you so much for having me. I am 42 years old. I was born in Thessaloniki,
Greece but I have relocated to Portsmouth, UK. I had a pretty good upbringing, my family

was and is always there supporting me even on my craziest decisions!
JM: Have you trained martial arts before and what attracted you to BJJ?
VA: I trained kickboxing for a couple of years and always thought BJJ looked fascinating
whenever I watched people training so I decided to give it a go and I never looked back.

JM: How was your very first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class?
VA: That’s a funny one! The first time I stepped on the mats and met my coach

I told him “Hi, I am Vee, just to let you know I want to compete.”
He answered: "Great, come in every session then!" So I did!

I N TERVIEW BY EVELYN SUT TON
PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH BOYLE

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 3 5

JM: What impact Jiu-Jitsu the most important lesson favorite submission is the JM: What do you consider
has in your life, as a wom- is that BJJ teaches me to bow and arrow choke. the greatest challenges
an, and individual? control my fears and my for women in Jiu-Jitsu?
VA: Growing up, my anxieties, everyday. JM: What things do you VA: I think one of the
parents raised me to be a find hard in training? greatest challenges I see us
strong person and taught JM: How long have you VA: The thing I find women having to deal with
me to accomplish my been training? Do you hardest in training is after is when we come upon a
goals no matter how hard prefer Gi or Nogi? a long day at work when guy at the gym who has a
they are, regardless of gen- VA: I've been training my overall energy is low, serious ego problem. Often
der, appearance or what since 2017. I tend to train the first 15 mins of warm when a man like that goes
people say, just work hard. more in the Gi rather than ups are brutal. I feel so against a woman who
Also, I am a developer so Nogi, but I do enjoy both. drained and tired but might be training longer
we can say that I am in a afterwards my energy tops and is better than him, his
“male dominated" work JM: What’s your favorite up and I'm ready to roll! insecurities get the best of
environment daily, which position and favorite him and he goes too hard,
never made any difference submission? JM: What do you find trying to prove himself
to me. As an individual, VA: I like closed guard easy in BJJ, what comes and that is a disservice to
Jiu-Jitsu taught me to more to be honest and natural to you? everyone. It doesn't
be patient and let small then I like to work my way VA: I find it really easy to help to create a safe l
things in life pass by! But around on top. My all-time regain my position when earning environment.
someone takes my back.
JM: Do you have any
JM: You are a competitor. female BJJ role models
What was the greatest you look up to?
lesson you have learned VA: I don’t do role mod-
from competing and will els, but I do admire and
you compete again? have a huge respect for
VA: There is only one all the women that never
cliché answer to that “Win stopped competing or
or Learn” which took me a training. All the strong
long time to fully absorb! women who inspire the
I can’t wait for my next rest of us to keep going!
competition, which proba- Huge love to all!!!
bly will be in October.
JM: What is your advice
JM: What does it feel like for women over 40 who
to be a woman on the train BJJ?
mat in what is still a male VA: Do what you love, we
dominated sport? only have one lifetime so
VA: In my opinion, it really keep going, don't be afraid
depends on your coaches and don't worry about
and teammates. I am very what anybody is saying.
lucky to be surrounded by a
wonderful team with peo- JM: What’s something
ple who are always there to people would be surprised
support me, encourage me to find out about you?
and teach me. They don't VA: I have a Master’s
treat me differently from degree in computer
anybody else. game development.

3 6 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM

JM: How do you feel about
the current panorama
of women in Jiu-Jitsu
worldwide?
VA: I love the fact that
women in Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu is getting more
and more attention, the
technical level keeps
getting better and it's a
pleasure to watch female
athletes roll. I hope this
momentum keeps getting
bigger, stronger and that
we gain more support,
opportunities to compete
at high level and exposure.

JM: Where do you
train and who is your
Professor?
VA: I train at Gym01. My
team is Vitor Shaolin BJJ
UK and my professor is
Colin Howells.

JM: Anything else you
would like to add to
this interview?
VA: I just want to give a
big thank you to Jiujiteira
Magazine for this oppor-
tunity to share a little bit
of my BJJ journey and to
Elizabeth Boyle for the fun
and amazing photo shoot!
I also want to express my
deepest respect and love
for my coach for believing
in me from the start and
for always supporting
me. A huge thanks also
goes out to my wonderful
teammates that keep me

on my toes! Y

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 3 7

out of the cage

We Are
Women,
Hear Us

Roar.

"I will never be convinced that women are the weaker
or more inferior sex because they continue to defy the
odds day by day. Nursing their infants one second, and
striking fear into the hearts of their adversaries the next."

eing a woman in a combat sport comes with its fair share of
grievances, a multitude of lows, a wide array of challenges, and a
heaping amount of personal obstacles to overcome. While men
and women alike deal with similarities in mental and physical
anguish on the mats, there are dissimilarities as well. Some days
we have to push through an arduous training session while our bod-
ies are practically screaming in pain from a hormonal fluctuation.
Other times, it is the mom who finds herself back on the mats while
still nursing and dealing with a painfully swollen chest, or the wom-
an who’s body has birthed multiple kids and has had organs take
on some traumatic instances where she is just one throw, jumping
jack, or knee on belly away from an embarrassing pelvic floor acci-
dent. Not even to mention all the wonderfully resilient ladies whom
begin ranking up in the sport only to have their morale crushed by
someone much newer yet irreverently stronger. And still, they keep

showing up to practice consistently. WOMEN ARE BADASS >>>

3 8 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM

While anyone who begins As if pain and stressful Icouldn’t imagine having my
the journey of Jiu-Jitsu weight gain isn’t enough organs eviscerated by growing
will be able to relate to a to think about, many life inside of it, only to shortly
variety of tribulations on and off the women deal with the added worry after be squeezed, pressured,
mat, women are unique in the in- and concern of leaks. Especially cajoled, and asphyxiated through-
stance that many have to deal with at gyms where white gis are a re- out. How anyone can noncha-
the after effects of bodily changes quirement, the gym owners who lantly have knees driven through
due to hormones or childbirth. In aren’t sympathetic to their female their sternum where mere
fact, one of the most commonly students anxieties over this issue months earlier a baby was putting
talked about topics in online wom- may begin to wonder why absenc- all its pressure on their bladder
en’s grappling groups deals with this es are more prevalent for certain continues to baffle my mind. I will
very topic. Cutting to make weight women at specific cyclical times. never be convinced that women
for a tournament or competition is It’s understandable that those are the weaker or more inferior
stressful enough, but add on top of who have never had to deal with sex because they continue to defy
that the fluctuations that come with this may simply be ignorant of the the odds day by day. Nursing their
additional bloating or water weight stressful nature this can cause, infants one second, and striking
during a period. Hormonal contra- but I hope the knowledge and fear into the hearts of their adver-
ceptives or IUD’s can wreak havoc empathy can permeate those who saries the next.
on a woman’s body, and there have were previously in the dark over
been many times someone is right this concern. I believe that Jiu-Jit- Behind every single one of
on track to make weight and then su is for everyone, and would hate these strong women, is a
hit with a period from hell. to see anyone miss out over fear of tribe of fellow fierce and
an embarrassing accident. powerful ladies encouraging
On top of the weight strug- their journey on the mats every
gles that come with such a Ipersonally know countless single step of the way. Even this
monthly gift, many women, women in the sport who are magazine, which was founded by
especially those suffering from balancing motherhood and a woman for women, continues
PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), training like total bosses. Look to cultivate a growing supportive
PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric dis- at Mackenzie Dern, who jumped fanbase. Women have cemented
order), or endometriosis are often right back into fighting after their legacy in the sport, and will
times in debilitating and excruci- giving birth and is now touting continue to leave their mark for
ating pain. If there is a vital match back to back wins as a mother.
on the horizon, they don’t always I’ve seen women at tournaments years to come. Y
have the luxury of taking time off pump milk for their babies before
at home to rest, and ibuprofen can stepping on the mats and destroy- WE ARE WOMEN,
only do so much. The cramping, ing the competition including a NOW SHEAR US ROAR.
headaches, nausea, and back aches woman at my own gym who un-
can really do a number on a person’s der the guidance of her physician, WANT
psyche, but so many women power was able to come to training and MORE?
through this struggle on the regu- drill/practice safely until almost
lar. What’s a little arm bar going to her due date. Women are remark-
do after dealing with your ovaries able beings, and never cease to
screaming in agony from the vice amaze me with all in which they
grip on your pelvis? are capable of.

SA MA NT HA S EFF, "The Wolf Queen" is a BJJ brown belt under Team Follow this column online:
Rubao Carioca at Schell Shock BJJ in Fuquay Varina, NC. She's a professional jiujiteiramagazine.com/
atomweight MMA fighter and writes a weekly blog: WolfQueenMMA.com. category/out-of-the-cage
In her spare time, she enjoys cooking & baking and besides her
title belts, her color-coded self-written cookbook is her most prized JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 3 9
possession. You can reach her via DM on Instagram @wolfqueenmma

ask the doc

7 9THE IMPORTANCE OF
to

n our society, it is very
common for people to
burn the candle at both
ends. We go to evening Jiu-Jit-
su class and get home at eight,
then have to eat, shower, tend to
family obligations, and get ready
for work the next day and sud-
denly it's midnight by the time we
go to sleep. According to the CDC,
one in three adults in the United
States is getting less than 7 hours
of sleep per night on a regular
basis. Sleeping less than seven
hours a night increases the risk of
developing obesity, diabetes, high
blood pressure, heart disease,
stroke, and mental distress.(1)

It is recommended that rapid eye movement (REM) sleep Women report greater sleep
adults get between seven (dreaming). We have more deep difficulties and are at a greater
and nine hours of sleep each sleep during the beginning of the risk of developing insomnia
night. A normal sleep cycle night and more REM sleep at the than men. Women have greater
takes about 90 minutes, and end of the night. sleep disturbances across our
a person should get five to six lifespan, impacted by hormones
sleep cycles per night. Deep sleep heals the body, during menstruation, pregnan-
and REM sleep heals the mind. cy, and menopause. (3)
There are four stages of sleep Thus it is important to get a
within a sleep cycle: stage one and good quantity (7-9 hours) and Sleeping less than eight hours,
two are light sleep, stage three quality (deep and REM) of or having frequent sleep inter-
is deep sleep, and stage four is sleep each night. (2) ruptions, increases risk of sports

4 0 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM

or musculoskeletal injuries. When a SLEEP HYGIENE TIPS ILLUSTRATION BY DUSTIN SCOTT
person enters deep sleep, hormones
are released for muscle repair, mus- ▶ The bedroom should be dark,
cle building, bone growth, and pro- quiet, and cool
moting the oxidation of fats. Sleep
promotes the restoration of both ▶ Regular bedtime and
the immune and endocrine systems, wake time (including weekends
and recovery of the nervous system and holidays)
from the previous day’s training.
Pain from an injury will decrease ▶ Avoid blue light from screens
a person’s ability to sleep and stay two hours before bedtime or get
asleep and, inversely related, the blue light blocking glasses
less sleep a person gets the higher
their overall pain level will be from ▶ Avoid caffeine after lunch
an injury. (2)
▶ Avoid alcohol four hours
before bed time

Sleep deprivation also decreases ▶ Avoid high intensity exercise The content in this article is for
athletic performance and has been before bedtime (the released informational purposes only - it is
studied extensively in multiple cortisol impairs sleep) not intended to delay or substitute for
sports and in both genders. The professional medical advice, diagnosis,
physical effects of sleep deprivation ▶ Get bright natural light and/or treatment. The content is not
(less than 5 hours of sleep) include: upon waking intended to promote understanding of
decreased submaximal strength, various musculoskeletal injuries. Content
decreased grip strength, decreased ▶ Avoid the snooze button may not apply to your specific condition
torque, decreased sprint time, (it doesn’t improve sleep or symptoms. Always seek the advice of
decreased minute ventilation, and quality or quantity) your physician or other qualified medical
decreased time to exhaustion. The professional for any question you have
cognitive effects include: confusion, ▶ Buy a new mattress for a medical condition.
poor mood, and worsened reac- every eight years
tion time, judgement, and decision REFERENCES
making. In elite athletes that are in GOT 1. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (2016,
the same weight class and belt level, QUESTIONS? FEBRUARY 18) 1 IN 3 ADULTS DON’T GET ENOUGH SLEEP. [PRESS
their high level cognitive function- RELEASE]. HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/MEDIA/RELEASES/2016/
ing may play the pivotal role in Please send them to
winning or losing. (4) [email protected] P0215-ENOUGH-SLEEP.HTML

So whether it is to avoid injury, im- Your question could be chosen 2. MARSHALL, G, TURNER, A. THE IMPORTANCE OF
prove athletic performance, or have and answered in this article. SLEEP FOR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE. STRENGTH AND
an easier time losing weight, try set- CONDITIONING JOURNAL: FEBRUARY 2016 - VOLUME 38 -
ting a bedtime each night that allows
ISSUE 1 - P 61-67
you to get eight hours of sleep. Y
3. SARA NOWAKOWSKI S, MEERS J, HEIMBACH E. SLEEP AND
CHR IS FLETCHER has her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the WOMEN’S HEALTH. SLEEP MED RES . 2013; 4(1): 1–22.
University of Iowa and owns Combat Arts Physical Therapy in Spokane,
Washington. She is a purple belt under Newborn Cascao Jiu Jitsu, and is 4. VITALE KC, OWENS R, HOPKINS SR, MALHOTRA A.
happy to answer your questions regarding musculoskeletal injuries. SLEEP HYGIENE FOR OPTIMIZING RECOVERY IN ATHLETES:
Email those to [email protected]
REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS. INT J SPORTS MED.
2019 AUG; 40(8): 535–543.

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 4 1

SOFIAFIT

Important

Strong!tips to keep your immune system
with Sophia McDermott
(and things to avoid that
weaken your immune system)

ith the pandemic keeping our immune
systems strong has been a focal point. And
as we age our body becomes less equipped to
fight the bad bugs. No longer can we go all day
without food or hit the clubs all night long and
then go to work the next day with no sleep. Which
is why daily habits through a healthy lifestyle are
essential to prevent us from getting sick. What people don’t
realize is that bugs such as microbes, viruses and bacteria
are around us constantly. In fact they are on every inch of our
skin. There are good bugs and bad bugs. The good bugs are
the ones in our gut which keep our immune systems strong
because they are the ones that fight off the bad bugs.

What we want to do is keep I’ll be sharing tips and methods that BOOST your immune system as
our immune system strong well as sharing things that LOWER your immune system that should
so that if we ever encounter be avoided. The food we eat is very important for immune health since
a virus or other bad bugs, our immune system starts in the gut, so let's look at this first.
our immune system is better
prepared to fight them off. 1 Fruit and veggies, grass fed
proteins and good fats >

The foods you eat, Eat loads of fruit and veggies. Pile your plate
your state of mind high particularly with green leafy veggies
and amount of sleep that are packed with antioxidants. Eat
help regulate your good quality proteins from sources where
immune system. the animals are free to roam, such as eggs
from pasture raised chickens, wild caught salmon
and grass fed meats. Add other healthy fats such as
avocado, olive oil and coconut oil to your diet.

S OP HIA MC DE RMOT T ( DRYS DA L E ) is Australia's first female
BJJ black belt. A Pan Am and World Champion, she is a certified trainer
and nutrition specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Sophia owns Girls On Top an interactive BJJ platform for women. For
more info: [email protected], sophiaFIT.com, FB: Sophia FIT

4 2 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM

2Drink loads of fresh 4Movement > Multi Vitamins

filtered water > When you exercise or workout your Here are some supplements that are
body releases feel good hormones essential for overall health and work to
Purchase a good filter to install at your called endorphins which manage pain boost your immune system:
house and aim to drink up to a gallon a and contribute to your immune system.
day. Store bought bottled water is better Movement increases your blood circulation VITAMINS are packed with all the
than nothing but one knows how long and gets your lymphatic system moving vitamins and minerals that your body
the water has been sitting around in the which is part of your immune system that needs for optimal function. Try to find
plastic bottles and if its been exposed to works to filter waste from the body. Get vitamins that are natural rather than
sunlight where the BPA can leak into the moving, get your systems going and give synthetic so your body can readily
water. Staying hydrated is very important your immune system a boost. absorb the nutrients.
for overall health and essential for
removing waste and toxins from the body. 5 PROBIOTICS: foods such as kim
chi, sauerkraut and other fermented
Sleep > 3 vegetables. Greek yogurt with no
added sugar is packed with probiotics.
Sleep is where our bodies recharge and The bacteria from these fermented
heal. This is where your body releases foods adds good bacteria to the gut.
the most Human Growth Hormone for Supplementing with probiotics such as
healing and repair. If you skimp on sleep acidophilus and bifidus is an option too.
then your entire system suffers because
it hasn't been recharged. Aim to get a FISH OILS reduce inflammation in
good 8 hours sleep a night to keep your the body which will help to reduce
immune system strong. inflammation in the gut. If the gut is
inflamed the internal flora is affected which
can reduce the number of good bacteria
and affect or immune supporting bugs.

STRESS Things that lower your immune Yacyonooumdubcrfairninimeasdmtiaeoudnnnudefcaoesrstyohhsdeateaatmlaitshsbaturahornngodergrrk.ibeelpeing
system - and should be avoided.
Stress is a major factor that Basically the inflammation
affects health and aging. More to replenish and repair. You’ll be spending your in your gut caused by
and more studies are showing days running on empty and this is when you these foods affects
that stress is a factor in a myriad can get sick. Try to get a good 8 hours in your internal flora,
of health issues. There are many a night and try to get to bed earlier and the good gut bugs,
ways that you can put your body wake earlier. Your body works best when it the ones that fight
in a stressed state such as lack of follows the pattern of the sun. off infection. So to
sleep, over exercising, not eating keep your gut bugs
or eating too much of the wrong INFLAMMATION healthy and ready to
foods. But also your state of mind fight off external things
affects stress levels exponentially. Inflammatory agents are triggers for all that
Worrying or being in a state of goes wrong in the body. When your body like viruses, make sure that
anxiety puts your body in a highly is inflamed, this can lead to diseases. Increased your internal environment is on
stressed state which in turn inflammation is a major factor in a reduced immune system. point. Avoid the inflammatory foods
can lower your immune system. full of chemicals and trans fats and
Reduce stress by meditating HIGHLY INFLAMMATORY FOODS opt for whole fruits, veggies and
daily. Results have shown that healthy proteins.
by spending as little as 10 mins a • Refined white flour • Foods deep fried in
day to stop, breath and clear your In order to have a strong immune
mind can have powerful effects such as white bread processed refined vegetable system the foods you eat, your
on your mind, youthfulness, state of mind and sleep all play a
health and your immune system. • Cheese and other oils that are high in omega part. To give your body more of a
boost, take essential supplements,
LACK OF SLEEP processed dairy products 6 fats move your body, get outside for
some sunlight to get vitamin D.
As mentioned in stress, lack of • Fatty red meat like burger • Sugary foods such as
sleep is a major contributor to
poor health. If you aren’t getting meat and processed sodas and foods sweetened
enough sleep then your body
will not have the opportunity luncheon meats with high fructose

• Spreads made with partially corn syrup.

hydrogenated vegetable oils

around the world 2
1
5
3 1. LEGION JIUJITSU CHECKMAT NASHVILLE, TN:
Another fun day on the mats for Jiujiteiras Dawn,

Jessica, Sam, Katelyn, Tina, Katie, Abby, Chase,
Rachel, Abby and Beth. Keep up the good work!

2. NORTH CAROLINA:
Moms and daughters who train together make
the very best teams like Hannah El-Ramey Woodall
and her tough little girl, Sarah Grae Woodall. Sarah
loves Jiujiteira Magazine and we love seeing her on
the mats. Mom trains at Jake Whitfield Goldsboro
and Sarah trains under professor Scott Bass at

Gustavo Machado BJJ in Wilson, NC.
3. LEGION JIUJITSU CHECKMAT NASHVILLE, TN:

Patricia Yvette Miller and her fierce group of
Jiujiteiras have been active suporters of Jiujiteira

Magazine since our very first issue. Thank you
ladies, we appreciate the love!

4. CARLSON GRACIE MELBOURNE, FL:
Our contributing photographer, the very talented

Blanca Marisa Garcia (check out her work on this
issue's cover) stopped by Jiujiteira Magazine's
headquarters during her visit to Florida and

attended Master Carlson Gracie's seminar. What
a priviledge to be in the company of these two
amazing people. Come back and visit again!
5. ATOS JIU-JITSU SAN DIEGO, CA:
Congratulations to the Galvão & Atos family,
especially Sarah for receiving her blue-belt.
Daughter of two of the greatest legends in the
sport, Professor Andre Galvão and Professora
Angelica Galvão, Sarah is an accomplished
Jiujiteira in her own right with the promise of an
exciting career ahead of her!
6. CARLSON GRACIE GILBERT, AZ:
Professora Alicia Pavia San (read her column

Professora Mom on page 32) and her Lady Bulldogs
team. If you are ever in Gilbert, Arizona, stop by
Professora Alicia's gym and roll with the ladies.

6

4 JIUJITEIRAS AROUND THE WORLD SUBMISSION:
To be featured in this section, e-mail a photo (high res images with
4 4 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM 300dpi print better) of yourself and your BJJ sisters training, include
names and gym location to: [email protected]

Meet Penelope! SPOTLIGHT

Penelope Suthann is a seven year old Jiujiteira who trains at
Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Team in Melbourne, Florida. A fast
learner and dedicated athlete, she's been training for a little
over a year and already has many competitions under her belt.
Penelope loves rolling, her favorite position is side-control and
her favorite submission is the kimura. Penelope enjoys the
support of her parents, who are always present with her during
tournaments and classes. It was her father's idea to get Penelope
into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, "I refuse to have my daughter be a victim."
Her coach, David Sutton Jr. is proud of her accomplishments,
her drive and consistent dedication to training. When she is not
training, she likes to hunt with her dad, play with her dogs and
practice gymnastics on the trampoline. Penelope has a bright
future ahead of her in Jiu-Jitsu and we can't wait to witness her
continued growth and success!

PENELOPE AND COACH DAVID SUTTON JR.

TOP: PENELOPE GOT HER NINJA
SWORD AT NAGA! RIGHT: THE
STAR ATHLETE AND HER DAD

JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | 4 5

MIND game

Overcoming

Women have a lot to overcome in life in general and in Martial Arts.

The female stereotype is to be warm and sensitive, rather than the male stereotype
of being strong and assertive. Women often tend to be VIEWED AS INFERIOR when
it comes to the physical body and mind. However, we know this to NOT BE TRUE
and keep in mind, the people who developed these thoughts, ideas, and stereotypes were
also men, so there is likely bias in their favor. Martial arts are viewed more as “masculine”
sports and we continue to try to chip away at these outdated views. Women drawn to
martial arts are drawn by THEIR OWN STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION DESPITE THE
ODDS. In fact, training in martial arts increases not only our physical strength but also our
psychological strength with increases in self-esteem. Many struggle with self-esteem, espe-
cially those with a history of trauma, so this is a crucial component to the sport. One study
found that the self-esteem increase is due to feeling more able and confident to be able to
defend one’s self in a real-life physical altercation. This can be evidenced by men in that
same study not displaying an increase in self-esteem because physical assault just is not on the
same threat level as it is for women. This further provides evidence of the benefits of training

in martial arts, as it can have positive effects and benefits in multiple areas of your life. Y

GOT QUESTIONS? EMAIL: REFERENCES
J I U J I T E I R A M AGA Z I N E @ G M A I L .CO M CLANTON, R. C. (2004). PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING: FEAR OF PHYSICAL
WITH THE SUBJECT MIND GAME AND ASSAULT AND SELF-ESTEEM (ORDER NO. AAI3126269). AVAILABLE FROM APA PSYCINFO®. (620633028; 2004-
OUR EXPERT THERAPIST WILL ANSWER 99018-193). HTTPS://WWW-PROQUEST-COM.PORTAL.LIB.FIT.EDU/DISSERTATIONS-THESES/PSYCHOLOGICAL-
YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE NEXT ISSUE!
EFFECTS-MARTIAL-ARTS-TRAINING-FEAR/DOCVIEW/620633028/SE-2?ACCOUNTID=27313
4 6 | J I U J I T E I R A MAGAZINE | JIUJITEIRAMAGAZINE.COM
KAVOURA, A., KOKKONEN, M., CHRONI, S.“. ET AL. “SOME WOMEN ARE BORN FIGHTERS”: DISCURSIVE
CONSTRUCTIONS OF A FIGHTER’S IDENTITY BY FEMALE FINNISH JUDO ATHLETES. SEX ROLES 79, 239–252

(2018). HTTPS://DOI-ORG.PORTAL.LIB.FIT.EDU/10.1007/S11199-017-0869-1

BRITTANY ALLISION is a graduate of the clinical psychology doctoral
program at FIT. A resident at Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan and
white belt in Jiu-Jitsu, Brittany hopes to help women in their BJJ journey
by offering her clinical advice. E-mail her your questions with the
subject "Head Game" : [email protected]

end the abuse

Shut Up & Train

As part of an on-going campaign to help create awareness, and hopefully, a dialogue that will
result in effective solutions to eradicate the problem of sexual harassment and sexual abuse
in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community, Jiujiteira Magazine has decided to publish segments of
a detailed report on the subject that was released earlier this year. The report was conducted
nationwide and created by a third-party who has requested to remain anonymous. To protect their
privacy, the respondents will also remain anonymous. Women who train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu were interviewed by
the researcher, who is a Jiujiteira. Here are some of her findings. We warn that parts of the report can be considered
graphic. We have made the full report available for download on our website: jiujiteiramagazine.com/end-the-abuse

BREAKDOWN ON HARASSERS > It may come as no surprise that harassment

originated from a teammate or coach who held some sort of position of authority.

This is consistent with national studies on the military, workplace, and sports. When

someone holds power or authority it is easier for them to behave inappropriately

without fear of being reported or punished. The BJJ community is not an exception

to this general rule. Unequal power dynamics are also seen in the hierarchical

nature of martial arts, where someone of a higher rank is also

in a position to take advantage of newcomers to the sport who National Sexual Assault
are still lacking a social network and familiarity with customs

and etiquette. BJJ requires trust and it can be hard to distinguish Hotline. Free. Confidential. 24/7.
between what is okay and not okay when you are first starting out. 1-800-656-HOPE

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE > WHAT WAS REPORTED?

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