see you on the mat

Let’s get equipped!

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I hope you are ready to press the “2 Ways to Join” button and begin self-defense training with me using my online instructional videos! The first 10 videos are uploaded and ready. Now, I’m waiting to see you on the mat! I cannot wait to introduce you to Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ). You will be amazed at how simple and empowering each technique is to learn. You will learn how to fall properly without injury. Protect yourself from punches, chokes, behind the back “bear hugs” and so much more! Let’s get equipped!

If you are wondering what kind of equipment you might need, I made a list of equipment you may want to consider before you train. Scroll down for the list. But first …

Check out my training space … and my dog!

Want to see the training space in my home? You’ll see the mats I decided to buy, and oh, yes, you’ll meet my dog Brandy, who tends to randomly show up in my videos!

Now, let’s make your equipment list:

You!

Duh. I cannot wait to see you on the mat! You will be so happy you are learning a new life skill!

A training buddy

Grab a family member and/or girlfriend. There are a few videos that can be done individually, but most of the instructional videos require a training partner to get the most value. Plus, training with family members and girlfriends is so much more fun! Go get your training buddy!

see you on the mat

Soft training space

Before you start training, I recommend setting up a designated training space that’s soft. Yoga mats, beach towels and even the carpet is better than the hard floor. The best option would be mats.  As you saw in the video, I bought the interlocking mats . These are reasonably priced and have multi-functions. The folding gymnastic mats are nice too. You can get fancy and buy jiu-jitsu/MMA mats, but that is not necessary. Bottom line, set-up a training space big enough for two people to train. I started with a 4×6 space and I just doubled it to have a little more room. I use the interlocking mats. I recommend the 8×12 space so two people can comfortably perform all the techniques.

I bought my mats on Amazon. The mats come in a 4×6 package for $20. So I spent$40. Share the price with your training buddies! Or, ask your school, church or fitness center if you can borrow mats! Be sure to keep them clean with disinfect wipes or spray before and after use.

Comfortable Clothes

You don’t have to buy fancy work-out clothes, but wear clothes you can comfortably move around in while standing and while moving on the ground.

see you on the mat

No shoes

I prefer to train without shoes. Typically, I’m on an exercise or yoga mat which needs to stay clean. I don’t wear shoes or socks. Plus, wearing socks can be slippery. Training in bare feet will keep your training space clean, strengthen your feet and encourage better balance.

Hair bands

see you on the mat

Yes girls, please pull your hair back into a pony tail or whatever you prefer. When your hair is up and out of your face, you can see better and train better. And when you work with a partner, you are less likely to accidentally pull each other’s hair.

A teachable spirit

I’ll be honest, when I started learning jiu-jitsu, I walked off the mat several times completely frustrated.

see you on the mat

The techniques look so simple and easy, yet I was unable to do them right away. The techniques take practice. Be patient with yourself. The online instructional videos are designed to be watched repeatedly. And you can watch and practice from the comfort of your own home and training space until you master the technique.

I remember going to a one-day self-defense workshop and learning a million cool techniques. But when I got home to share my new knowledge, everything was mixed up or had vanished from my brain. I had not practiced enough to create the muscle memory. BJJ techniques are simple but requires practice.  This is just like any other sport. You can’t expect to hit a three-pointer in basketball or pitch the perfect strike in softball without practice. Come to the mat with a good attitude, willingness to learn, discipline to practice … and you will succeed!

That’s it! Gather yourself, your positive attitude, friends and a soft place to train. See you on the mat!

Remember to tell me about your training space! Send me an email to jody@thegreatflip.com or follow me on Instagram @thegreatflip and use hashtag #thegreatflip in your posts!

Click on “2 Ways to Join” now!

Life Skills for Girls

Three Life Skills for Every Girl

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Self-defense is a life skill necessary for every girl. The Great Flip was developed to give girls a positive experience learning self-defense. And so far, no one is doing online self-defense video training specifically for girls. However, what you will find if you search the internet for “Women’s Self Defense” is a lot of home-made videos filled with the violent tactics and methods from Krav Maga-style training. In these videos, ladies are instructed to beat, kick and scratch and man dressed in the big marshmallow suit.  Don’t get me wrong, when a woman is attacked, she will need to exert every ounce of herself to escape and save her life. And even some good weapon training! I’m not opposed at all to Krav Maga, but a girl should understand three life skills before she steps onto any martial arts mat and onto the streets.

Listen to the Podcast 

I know I can’t possibly foresee every situation a girl might encounter, but it is my hope to train girls at a younger age to preempt dangerous situations. In my family, we suddenly realized we needed to give our daughters self-defense skills but they were already high school. The girls liked learning the skills and understood the value, but training in a co-ed environment was extremely uncomfortable for them. They had to overcome three fear-factors which I cover in another blog. Click here to read.

 

three life skills for every girlthree life skills for every girl

I like to refer to self-defense as a “life skill.” In this blog I want to share three life-skills that are foundational to self-defense: Assert. Assess. Act.

Applying these three words to a girl’s self-defense game will prepare her to be confident, aware, and sharp decision-makers.

Assert.

An assertive girl is not an aggressive girl. Did you get that? Assertive is not aggressive. Bullies are aggressive. Don’t be a bully. An assertive girl creates healthy boundaries. An assertive girl uses her voice. Her voice is her first line of self-defense. Without any physical altercation, her voice can begin to create boundaries. Her voice can most often deescalate a hyped-up person. When a bully or dangerous person appears threatening, a girls first response should be to use her voice and say NO or STOP.  An assertive girl can stay calm and be courageous while communicating her wishes. If her voice does not compel the person to respect her boundaries, then she can increase the sound of her voice. She can gain attention from others with her voice. Practice the CALL progression: (Calm voice. Assertive voice. Loud. Louder voice.).

An assertive girl practices strong body language. She stands tall and looks confident. Even if she feels small, scared or insecure, she can appear tall and strong with body language that says, “I’m assertive.” Remember the movie “We bought a Zoo”? I’ll always remember the line about courage.

“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it” – the character Benjamin Bee played by Matt Damon.

Now, the reference was about the kind of bravery required to create a positive relationship, but I have applied it many times with my daughters to push through times when they might be scared or insecure. I believe anyone can be brave for 20 seconds in any situation.

Bullies prey on people who appear weak.

Twenty seconds of assertive courage can save a life.

Stand in front of a mirror. Adjust your posture. Stand up tall with your shoulders back yet relaxed. Smile. You are beautifully and wonderfully made! Assert your beauty to the world. It’s contagious!

Assess.

Girls …  (and parents for that matter) put your phone down and lift your eyes up.

Seriously, look up. There’s a big brave world out there, don’t miss it. Be a role model to your children and restrict phone usage, especially in public places, walking to the car, etc. Girls need to learn to asses

s her surroundings. She should begin to assess the behavior of others around her. A great exercise in assessment is “people watching.” Find a café, restaurant or public space and simply watch people. Notice behavior and discuss with your daughter the different behaviors you observe. My husband and I were “people watching,” at an amusement park. Actually, we were watching the teenage boys watch the teenage girls. We had our daughters observe too. They got to see, first hand, how goofy the guys can be when the situation is playful and safe. But they also learned how to read a person’s intentions and behavior just by watching.

Girls who learn to assess a situation and “people watch” starting on the school playground will prepare them for bigger situations. Our girls will be wise and ready to address dark parking lots, spring break parties and traveling abroad.

Act.

When a girl is assertive and has assessed her surroundings, she can act appropriately and make smart decisions. Most of the time, her strong voice and confident body language is all she needs to defend herself. Adding self-defense to these life skills gives her the added ability to take action!

Online Self-Defense from The Great Flip

The Great Flip Self Defense – Assert + Assess + Action from The Great Flip on Vimeo.

The Great Flip Self Defense Videos

The first 10 videos in The Great Flip training series are meant to introduce girls to self-defense using the martial art called Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Your girl will learn how to fall if she is pushed (and not break her wrists or elbows). She will learn how to escape a choke, how to stand up safely, how to escape a bear hug from behind. Here’s the list of five stand-up techniques and five techniques from the ground: The Break Fall, The Technical Lift, The Break Fall + Technical Lift Drill, Wrist Escape, Choke Escape, The Hip Escape, The Bridge, Ground Protection Drill, Hip Bump + Arm Lock Drill and The Mount Escape.

And I post new videos each month for subscribers! These videos add variations and challenges to the first 10 videos.

Click 2 Ways to Join to get started!

What self-defense moves would you like your daughter to learn? Send me suggestions using the Contact form on the home page. Want to preview one of my videos? Here’s a link to the Wrist Escape technique:

The Great Flip Self Defense – Wrist Escape from The Great Flip on Vimeo.

All the videos are under three minutes. They are meant to be watched, learned, practiced and repeated until mastery. Just like in real jiu-jitsu live sparring, I teach while I demonstrate the technique while working with my training partner. You can do this in the comfort of your own home too! To learn more about what you will need to train at home click here to read about the simple set-up to train at home.

Subscribing to The Great Flip and learning self-defense with me is a wonderful gift for the girls in your life. Self-defense is a life skill necessary for every girl. So, grab a training buddy, a soft place to train and I’ll see you on the mat. Click on the “Two ways to Join” now to begin.

Do you know a home-school family, PE teacher, coach, youth group leader, scout leader looking for curriculum to use to teach self-defense? Pass this information along. See you on the mat!

Coach Jody