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A Life Skill Every Girl (and Her Mom) Should Learn

/in Recent Blog Posts, Safety, Self Defense/by coachjody

A dear friend of mine tripped and fell off a curb the other day. She broke both her hands. Another friend recently moved from the west coast to the midwest and experienced his first ice storm. He slipped and fell walking to his car. These accidents do not need to happen to you or your family. I want to teach you a life skill every girl (and her mom and dad) should learn … the break fall technique!

The Break Fall technique is the first self-defense technique I teach in all of my online self-defense series. It is an excellent self-defense skill, but most importantly, it is a life skill.

Don’t do this when you fall.

We all do it. The most common reaction to falling to the ground is throwing our arms and hands back to break the fall. And of course, the most common injuries from falls include strained or broken hands, wrists, elbows, arms and/or shoulders. And sometimes serious injury can occur to the head and spine.

Try this test. From a safe seated position, roll backward and try NOT to use your arms or elbows to cushion you fall. We instinctively react by throwing our hands or elbows back to cushion the fall. I can teach you NOT to do this. I will teach you in a simple three minute video a better and safer way to fall.

Statistically, we are more likely to fall than to be involved in a serious self-defense situation. Learning the break fall technique is not only a self-defense skill, it is a life skill.

Watch this video for an overview of the technique.

Ready to learn this important life skill and more! In three easy steps, you’ll be on your way!

Choose your self-defense videos.
Enroll.
Train.

Thinking about teaching self-defense and life skills at your school? Review this video and request a sample curriculum in the contact form:

Enroll here! See you on the mat! – Coach Jody

The Great Flip is a National Program Alliance for American Heritage Girls

Two things only a father can do to empower his daughter

/in Recent Blog Posts, Self Defense/by coachjody

Countless books and studies have been published on the father-daughter relationship. And as a daughter, wife and mother myself, I have witnessed the powerful force between a father and his daughters. I’m blessed to have a husband and two daughters who seek to build a strong father-daughter relationship. I’d like to share two things only a father can do to empower his daughter(s) to make their relationship strong.

Stick around to the end, you can watch my YouTube video featuring my husband teaching our daughter a fun self-defense skill!

Here’s the podcast I produced last year, but it’s still valuable today. Enjoy. Be sure to scroll down to subscribe and see the offer for free stuff!

Studies show that a good father-daughter relationship leads to increased confidence, better body image, higher intelligence and overall wellness in a girl’s life. Don’t get me wrong, a girl needs her momma, but for totally different reasons. And yes, I know, a mother and daughter can engage in these two activities (highly recommend it).

However, when a father embarks on an intentional journey to do these two simple things, something magical happens. There is a unique and mysterious bond every girl desires to have with her father. And if this bond is missing or broken, the girl will have brokenness in her heart.

Girls seek approval and attention first and foremost from their dad. Studies show that a girl’s sense of self-worth and confidence is tied directly to her relationship with her father. What he thinks about her and how he expresses his affection for her is a central source of her perceived value. It also affects her femininity and teaches her how to relate to boys and men. Every girl needs a father and/or father figure for future healthy relationships with boys and men in her life.

Of course we live in a broken world. And fathers and daughters mess up. Sometimes there are little flaws, but many times big, ugly flaws leave scars in relationships. However, it’s never too late to rebuild and restore the father-daughter relationship. These two things are the foundation of the father-daughter relationship. (Be sure to read to the end of this blog to read “What does a good, good father look like?”)

Those two things.

There are two things only a father can do to empower his daughter. These two things will work at any age. Be sure to enter into these activities with an open heart and with the intention to truly connect. I think the father and the daughter will truly be empowered.

Conversation.

Talk to your daughter. Often. Girls tend to connect emotionally through spoken words. I know my daughters love “words of affirmation” from their dad. They love to hear him compliment them, praise them and encourage them. Don’t make this complicated. Talk at home, in the car, on the phone. Send silly texts and emails. Write simple notes and place cards in her backpack or on her pillow. Be intentional about your conversations. As girls get older and schedules get busy, schedule time together to talk. Go to breakfast, lunch and “date nights” together. Talking includes listening. At first, it might be simple or one-ended. But over time, the dialogue will grow as trust deepens. Be willing to be vulnerable. Put down the cell phones. Listen and talk. Look her in eyes and talk to her.

Touch.

When your daughter is little, physical contact is easy. Hugging and kissing that sweet baby girl usually comes naturally. But as daughters mature, dads tend to draw back mostly because their daughters are going through those awkward puberty years. But don’t drawback. Daughters still need to be hugged. Daughters need to see and feel how a gentleman treats a young lady. Studies show that girls directly link a father’s physical attention to emotional connection. When a father stops hugging his daughter, she feels abandoned and may perceive she’s done something wrong. Physical connection should not be lost as a girl matures. It might change, but she still needs her father’s loving physical touch.

Online self-defense to empower your daughter!

Teach her the Brazilian jiu-jitsu style “arm bar.” I have simple step-by-step videos for you.

Try my online self-defense videos to make physical touch intentional and empowering with your daughter. It takes three easy steps to begin online self-defense training.

Choose an online program perfect for you and your daughter.
Enroll and
Begin training.

It’s that easy. Welcome to The Great Flip, online self-defense inspired by the martial art Brazilian jiu-jitsu, safety and faith-filled empowerment.

Choose your video training. Enroll now.

Don’t get me wrong, the father-daughter dance is sweet. But from my experience, when the precious father-daughter dance moment comes to an end, the dads head for the nearest corner while the girls head for the dance floor.

A father-daughter self-defense event might be a fun way to physically connect with your daughter and give her life skills to last a lifetime! Simply watch the videos and practice empowering techniques together.

The Great Flip is a great activity a father can do to empower his daughter.

Try the wrist escape with your daughter.

Want to try a technique now? Click on the picture to the right and try the wrist escape! Every video at The Great Flip is less than three minutes. Short. simple. empowering for girls ages six and up.

Let’s get started.

See you on the mat! – Coach Jody

What does a good, good father look like?

You will not find perfection in your earthly father or any earthly father figure. And if you no longer have your earthly father or a strong male role model, there is a Heavenly Father who wants to extend these same two activities to you. He offers his spoken word through the Bible. He offers his physical touch through baptism and communion. The Heavenly Father reveals himself through his perfect son, Jesus. He offers his unending love, compassion and forgiveness which leads to healing, hope and love. He loves you. This is a free gift … for you.

“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

To learn more, find a Christian church in your community that teaches “faith alone. grace alone. the word alone.”

The most important gift you can give your daughter is the gift of Jesus Christ.

Someone is going into the lake. Guess who? Watch this video of my hubby teaching my daughter a few self-defense skills: Click here.

About Coach Jody

Coach Jody is a certified Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor and mother of two daughters. Her daughters inspired her to develop an online self-defense experience to gain a basic understanding of self-defense skills, prepare for the martial arts environment and improve overall health and wellness.

The Great Flip is a national program alliance for American Heritage Girls. These girls value fun father-daughter activities! This is a great activity a father can do to empower his daughter. Coach Jody has spent twenty years inspiring young women to be tomorrow’s leaders.

Enroll now.

(I recommend “Bringing Up Girls,” by James Dobson, whose insight helped me write this blog)

Online Self-Defense for Girls

/in Curriculum, Self Defense, Uncategorized/by coachjody

It’s a tough world out there. Girls face the threat of violence, assault, kidnapping and sex trafficking. They face encounters every day with bullying, cliques, cyber-bullying and more. No wonder self-confidence is low and anxiety is at an all-time high. And we haven’t even hit on mental health and the negative effects of the internet and social media. It’s time for online self-defense from The Great Flip online self-defense, safety and faith-filled empowerment for girls age six and up.

I believe martial arts can play a positive role in a girl’s life. It is a valuable life skill available to our daughters. And I believe Brazilian jiu-jitsu can play a role to improve the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of girls. But sometimes going to a gym is unavailable or the teaching style is not geared toward girls.

And when I say “girl” I mean girls as young as six years old and up. Most parents wait until high school or college to expose their daughter to self-defense skills. But the time to begin teaching self-defense is when they are young.

I wish I had exposed my two daughters to martial arts and self-defense training at a younger age. When we finally went to a martial arts gym, we were overwhelmed by the physical location, the physical touch, physical fitness challenge. We pushed through these fear factors, but my daughters did not enjoy the experience. They were teenagers and did not appreciate the physical touch. Imagine the anxiety a girl might feel who has already experienced physical abuse or worse. I decided there had to be a better way to introduce girls to self-defense. So I did.

The Solution. The Great Flip.

The Great Flip offers girls a safe place, safe touch and a safe training approach to self-defense training. The Great Flip is an introduction to self-defense inspired by the martial art called Brazilian jiu-jitsu. My training features real-life safety tips and faith-filled empowerment.

Hi friends, I’m Coach Jody and am here to equip you to empower your daughter to overcome her fear and anxiety with my online self-defense, safety and faith-filled empowerment resources. You can accomplish my online program at home, at school practically anywhere. (Click here to head to my homepage and request a free self-defense video and lesson plans.)

What keeps your daughter awake at night (and you too)?

Bullies and bad guys.
Germs
Fear and anxiety.

Parents say the videos are fun, playful and empowering. They see confidence and courage increase, while they maintain a safe and controlled environment.

Girls should train Jiu-jitsu for self-defense. Here’s why:

Many traditional martial arts such as karate and taekwondo have nice qualities but fall short in real-life self-defense situations. Katas are taught in these martial arts which are prescribed movements and coordination but do not address dynamic situations such as when a girl is pushed to the ground. More than 80 percent of all altercations are situations when a girl is forced to the ground.

Jiu-jitsu is a grappling sport which means its training focuses on gripping the opponent to seize control (vs. striking and kicking methods). Grappling focuses on taking the person to the ground for control and submissions. Jiu-jitsu looks a lot like wrestling. Jiu-jitsu relies on leveraging and techniques vs. strength and force.

BJJ empowers the weaker, smaller person to dominate larger opponents. This is why jiu-jitsu is good for girls who might find themselves up against someone bigger and stronger. If a girl can’t be stronger is a self-defense situation, then jiu-jitsu will make her smarter!

In comparison, a popular women’s self-defense method is Krav-Maga, where women are trained to strike and kick for the groin-kick or eye-gouge. Granted, there are times and places for exerting force on an opponent. But this martial art is for older women who are already strong and physically fit. But even the fittest female may not be able to go up against someone twice her size and strength. Training jiu-jitsu is a better, smarter approach to self-defense for girls and women.

I recommend beginning with jiu-jitsu training then add other martial arts depending on your comfort level and abilities. And highly recommend training at a reputable jiu-jitsu academy. When shopping for a jiu-jitsu academy pay close attention to hygiene habits, teaching style and their attitude toward teaching girls.

Jiu-jitsu for Girls

A girl will love her body for what it can do

Jiu-jitsu erases insecurities by showing girls the amazing things her body can do. When she steps onto the mat, she can leave behind the “image wars” she is battling. She will discover her body for its ingenuity and beauty. Every ounce of her body is beautifully designed to move. Simple jiu-jitsu techniques will allow her to use her body in powerful and amazing ways. She will begin to see herself for who she is … “wonderfully made.” (See Psalm 139:13-14)

Jiu-jitsu gets you in shape

Instead of running on a treadmill and pumping weights, girls can get fit in a small amount of time and space. I didn’t learn self-defense to lose weight, but while training, I lost twenty pounds and gained amazing muscle mass. My health is better than ever. I got in shape and learned new life skills.

The Great Flip instructional videos are a great way to begin your fitness journey and supplement your current routine. If you are wondering what you will need to create a training space at home, read my blog and watch my video called “Let’s get Equipped.”

Jiu-jitsu forms friendship

There’s nothing like wrestling, rolling and sparring with friends and family. Physical touch is healing to the body, mind and spirit in the context of healthy relationships. And Jiu-jitsu requires trust. Girls will need to hug, touch and roll around on the ground to learn. They will need to know that when they practice a technique they have a safe place to train, then trust no one will hurt them. Jiu-jitsu re-establishes trust and healthy relationships.

The combination of physical touch, trusting relationships and playful interaction create an environment for lasting friendships. Girls who train together become lasting friends who can rely on each other, encourage one another, and have each other’s back for far more than self-defense skills.

Jiu-jitsu is a positive role model

Okay, I’ll just say it … My daughters think I’m cool… sometimes. I’m humbled to say this and slightly amazed. I hope they think I’m awesome because I’m their mom, but they have been my best cheerleaders and encouragers throughout my jiu-jitsu journey. They tell their friends about me. Crazy, right?! Girls who learn jiu-jitsu and value self-defense become role models for other girls. Try my instructional videos at The Great Flip and see if you and your girls walk a little taller and radiate confidence that other girls desire.

Faith-filled Empowerment

Coach Jody equips girls and their parents with unique faith-filled empowerment resources to connect physical activities to social, emotional and spiritual growth. Girls will discover their true source of power comes

from God’s power (not girl power).

Download a free excerpt of My Anti-Bully Ebook.

Request a free lesson plan.

Read blogs to enrich your experience.

Listen to podcasts to connect you to like-minded Christian leaders.

See you on the mat!

The Great Flip is an American Heritage Girl program partner!

Countering the Bully Culture with The Beauty Mentor

/in Empowerment, Motivation, Uncategorized/by coachjody

Kristiauna Lattimer is The Beauty Mentor. She shares her Christian worldview about true beauty and countering the bully culture in a conversation with Coach Jody at The Great Flip Podcast.

And if your daughter would like the free devotion called “A Girl’s Guide to Self Defense,” click here and request your free copy. Kristiauna and Jody created this resource to connect your daughters’ body, mind and spirit with practical tips and biblical encouragement.

In the podcast, mothers and daughters learn eight Biblical principles about the definition of beauty. Girls learn how to counter the bully culture with practical tools to be empowered physically, emotionally and mentally. And stick around to the very end of this blog to try fun self-defense techniques from Coach Jody at The Great Flip. (You don’t want to miss this!)

About the Beauty Mentor

But before you click on the podcast, let me tell you a little bit about Kristiauna. She is an amazing young lady. At a young age, she worked in the beauty industry and saw first hand the distortion of beauty toward girls. It’s no wonder our daughters struggle with self-esteem and parents shy away from beauty products for their daughters. Kristiauna decided to counter the culture and reclaim beauty for our girls! And now with a young daughter of her own, she takes her role seriously by God’s amazing grace. Check out the Eight Biblical Principles below!

Kristiauna started the The Beauty Mentor, a faith-based company that provides beauty and mentoring products and services for girls and women of all ages. Her mission is to Reveal, Redirect and Restore the Truth about Beauty. And might I add, she has Reclaimed beauty too! Visit her website and do a little shopping when we are done here. But let’s look at the definition of true beauty.

True Beauty is …

According to Kristiauna, true beauty embraces these eight Biblical principles:

patience
kindness
modesty
decency
gentleness
joy
a loving character, and
God’s creative ability flowing through you

And these beauty principles are available to every girls through God’s word. Kristiauna offers Bible verses for each principle to encourage girls. Beauty is freely given by God’s grace through faith.

“And something amazing happens when true beauty is revealed, redirected and restored. Suddenly, girls have the strength and dignity to stand up and counter the bullying culture.” -Coach Jody

Anti-Bullying Resources from The Beauty Mentor

Some say that girls tend to get in trouble because of their mouth, according to Kristiauna. One of her beauty products is a lip balm kit which inspires girls to use their mouth for kindness. This beauty product is inspired by this Bible verse;

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:26

And if a girl is a victim of a bully, The Beauty Mentor shares activities to help girls re-focus her thoughts upon herself and off of the bully. Teaching girls to be introspective and practice self-evaluation is a valuable life skill. For example, The Beauty Mentor recommends the Heart Dump activity. Girls are encouraged to draw a big heart on a sheet of paper. Next girls literally dump her emotions onto the paper. Kristiauna says that once the negative emotions are uprooted from her heart, God’s word can be replanted. And God’s word is more than positive affirmation; She knows that God’s word will Reveal, Redirect and Restore our girls!

Request the Free Girl’s Guide to Self Defense here

The Great Flip

While Kristiauna is restoring beauty for our daughters. Coach Jody is empowering girls with simple self-defense skills. The Great Flip is online self defense and life skills for girls ages six and older. The Great Flip was inspired by Jody’s daughters who wanted to learn self-defense skills without going to the stinky co-ed gym. They wanted to learn self defense in a safe place with safe friends. So Jody developed a series of online self-defense videos that are simple, practical and empowering.

And self defense is much more than a physical reaction at The Great Flip. Self defense is a life skill that embraces a girls whole being. Girls learn to use her voice, her body language and distance management as part of a self-defense strategy.

Anti-Bullying @ The Great Flip

The Great Flip offers an Anti-Bullying Activity to guide girls through mental, emotional and physical activities. The Anti-Bullying Activity features a bully inventory, self-awareness activities, role playing, encouraging Bible verses and two empowering self-defense techniques to try at home, at church or any where you have internet access.

Try Anti-Bullying Activity.

The Beauty Mentor and The Great Flip together!

Imagine a retreat or workshop where girls can spend time learning about Biblical beauty, experiencing God’s creative ability flowing through them, then engaging in positive empowering physical activities from The Great Flip. You can make that happen!

Get your girls together and contact The Beauty Mentor and The Great Flip!

First, shop The Beauty Mentor website for programs to fit your ministry needs. Next subscribe to The Great Flip and gain access to a library of online self-defense techniques and/or curriculum.

Enjoy the podcast and I’ll see you on the mat!

-Coach Jody

Here’s a showcase of videos from The Great Flip. Give one a try!

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