self defense for girls Archives

God’s power revealed in his Word (and snow) ❄️

/in Empowerment, Motivation/by coachjody

The first significant snow is falling in my hometown. It’s light, airy and blankets the earth. Inside, I drape myself in a blanket and thank God for my comfortable home, warm coffee and fuzzy socks.

I watch each snowflake intentionally land in its place with a promise. A glorious, hope-filled promise to melt where it lands. To water the soil, then produce new life in the Spring.

This glorious hope never disappoints. It happens year after year. Season after season.

The same is true of God’s word.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

This is such a beautiful picture of God’s promise given in his word. When God speaks, God acts. His word is a guarantee to that which he speaks. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis 1:3.

From those simple words, a glimpse of God’s greatest Word is not only heard but revealed.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made..” John 1:1-3

The apostle John, reveals that Jesus is the word. Look back in the Old Testament, read the stories again. Now you will hear Jesus from the very beginning.

Adam and Eve heard “Jesus” in the garden.
Moses heard “Jesus” at the burning bush and Jesus gave the 10 commandments.
Ezekiel and Isaiah heard “Jesus” speak prophecy.
Noah, Jacob, Job, David, Samuel, Solomon, Hosea, and Zepheriah heard “Jesus” speak and act on his word. On himself.

And of course, in the New Testament, the disciples heard Jesus speak then watched the fulfillment of all his words.

Now you can hear Jesus speak to you through his written word. Read it out loud. He has a promise for you when you listen to him.

“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.” Romans 10:17

Just as the snow falls, just as creation was made, so you will receive faith when you hear his word.

The Great Flip discussion question:

What Bible story can you recall where God is speaking and you now realize Jesus is doing the talking?

May God’s power strengthen you today through Jesus, the Word! – Coach Jody

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“I will make a helper” and girl power

/in Empowerment, Motivation/by coachjody

It is my desire to counter the culture with God’s truth and design for girl power. When God created Eve he said, ” I will make a helper…”

I believe being a helper is a position of strength, not weakness. What do you think?

Want to listen instead? Click here to listen to my podcast!

But make sure you read to the bottom to participate in my summer challenge!

The word “helper” has gotten a bad wrap, especially among girls and women. If I’m honest, my first reaction to the title of “helper” is to become suspicious, puffed up and offended.

But the Bible tells a different story about the attributes and strength of the “helper.”

The first mention of the word “helper” is found in the Old Testament in the creation account in Genesis. “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Then several more times, Eve is referred to as Adam’s helper.

Why do I assume the “helper” status is lower than the one being helped? Doesn’t the helper allow the one being helped to be greater?

God, himself is referred to as “helper.” Moses referred to God as his helper who saved him. “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.” Exodus 18:3-5

The Psalms ofter refer to God as a helper. God is the helper of the fatherless. Battles are won because God is our helper.

“The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.” Psalm 118:7

The New Testament writers remind us about the strong attribute of Jesus as our helper.

“God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”

Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the “helper” to his disciples. This helper lives inside us. “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:25-27

I’m not a theologian, but I have an opinion about that moment back in Genesis. That moment in the Garden of Eden. That moment when Satan targeted Eve. He knew the power of the helper. He knew she was the first of the helpers. The one who would bring forth our ultimate helper.

But his plan did not work. Our helper came forth to conquer sin, death and the devil. Our help is in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Now we have been called to help others in that same might and strength.

If God can be a helper … so can you! Stand strong in your attribute as a helper!

Who do you consider to be “helpers” in your family, community? Do these people seem weak to you? Or do they build you up? Step into your God-given strength as a helper. What does a helper look like to you?

God calls us to love him and love our neighbor. He helps us, help others. This is a position of strength, not weakness.

This is the kind of girl power God is creating in you.

This is #thegreatflip

– Coach Jody

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Fun, playful and empowering online self-defense

/in Recent Blog Posts, Self Defense/by coachjody

“Fun, playful and empowering; Great for the whole family!”

This is how a parent described The Great Flip online self-defense videos.

And this is exactly my hope for you and your family. I want the training experience to be empowering, of course, but also playful and fun. Self-defense training doesn’t need to be any scarier than the topic usually is for kids. Learning skills in a playful way can make the topic of self-defense easier to talk about with your family.

This is achieved in my step-by-step streaming self-defense videos suitable for ages six and up.

Each video is three minutes or less and you will learn one empowering technique. I also have solo conditioning drills and “social-distancing” approved videos too. These videos will introduce you to the martial art called Brazilian jiu-jitsu and complement your fitness goals. Oh, don’t have any fitness goals? … well, now you do! 😍

Request a free video

And while we are all at home quarantined due to COVID19, learning self-defense skills is a fun and meaningful family activity.

Give your kids confidence and courage while you maintain a controlled environment. You will discover meaningful time together learning these skills and talking about the value of these skills as you deem appropriate for your family.

And when you subscribe, I’ll teach you how to set up a safe place to train in your home (so you don’t knock over the lamp or hurt yourself). See you on the mat! – Coach Jody

Choose a plan and let’s get started!

Watch these self-defense videos

/in Curriculum, Self Defense/by coachjody

Stop what you are doing right now and watch these self-defense videos from The Great Flip! Really …

This collection of free videos is a showcase of the techniques and life skills you and your daughter can learn. And you can learn The Wrist Escape right now!

The Great Flip is an introduction to self defense inspired by Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Before you step into a long-term commitment at a martial arts academy, learn a few foundational skills from The Great Flip online video curriculum from the comfort of home and with trusted family and friends. Grab a few yoga mats, interlocking mats or gymnastic mats and a training partner and you are ready to roll. Literally. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a “grappling” sport which means many of the movements are accomplished from the ground.

No other martial art addresses the “ground game” like jiu-jitsu. Which is why jiu-jitsu is recommended for girls since many self-defense situations (more than 80 percent) end-up on the ground. And jiu-jitsu is known for its techniques that rely on leverage not force. Smaller framed people are taught to overcome larger opponents training jiu-jitsu.

By using The Great Flip online curriculum, you will be able to try the sport before you sign a long-term contract or purchase a gi (uniform) at a martial arts gym. But you should know, like any sport, learning jiu-jitsu takes practice. You don’t become a world class athlete or proficient at a sport without practice and dedication. The same goes with learning self-defense skills.

Try it here first and discover the benefits of learning a martial art like Brazilian jiu-jitsu while getting fit and learning valuable life skills like self defense.

Click here for subscription options that fit your family budget and goals.

See you on the mat! – Coach Jody

The Great Flip is a program alliance for American Heritage Girls

Here are two of my blogs to learn more about the benefits of training jiu-jitsu and setting up a home gym space. Be sure to browse through my blogs for more resources.

Online Self-Defense for Girls

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Animal-inspired Exercise

/in Self Defense/by coachjody

These animal-inspired exercises are not only fun and empowering, but each drill is designed to improve your jiu-jitsu training. Even though these are solo drills, exercise is more fun with a friend!

If you are seeking physical education curriculum ideas for your home-school or private school, read to the end of this blog! I’ve got great lesson plans in the works for you!

Benefits of these drills

These animal-inspired drills actually mimmic the movement of real animals, so go ahead and add the animal sounds when you train;
When you don’t have your training buddy, these exercises are great solo drills;
No equipment required, so go ahead and do them inside, outside, in the kitchen, up and down the hallway, at summer camp, on a rainy day, in the rain, etc.;
Each exercise provides a full-body, strength and cardio workout in a short amount of time;
Of course these exercises are physically challenging, but they are also mentally stimulating; &
Each movement improves your future jiu-jitsu training experience.

Let’s get started! With each drill, set a timer and try to do each technique for :30 seconds. Build endurance and strength by adding time. These drills are not meant to be a race. They are meant to be done with the correct form and conditioning.

Bear Crawl

The correct way to do the Bear Crawl is to coordinate the movement of your arms and legs. Begin on your hands and feet. Your knees should be a few inches off the ground. As you move your left arm forward, move your right leg forward. Then with each proceeding step begins with the opposite arm and leg. As you can see from the video, I’m pretty good at the forward motion. But the backward motion is challenging for me. I can physically do the movement, but my body and my brain got a little behind. Be sure to keep your head up and eyes forward.

How does the Bear Crawl improve your jiu-jitsu game? I use the Bear Crawl when I’m about to be submitted by the Triangle submission. I “bear crawl” forward over my opponent which causes them to release the submission. Let me hear you roar!

Leap Frog

A strong leap frog will increase your explosive movement and balance in jiu-jitsu. The goal is not to take fast little jumps. Instead leap as high and as far as you can while at the same time, landing soft and controlled. Begin in a low squat position. Jump up as high and as far as possible and come back down all the way into the low squat. Make sure you control the landing. If you don’t you may hurt your knees or fall forward. After just a few, you will feel the burn.

Alligator Crawl

This is the most challenging movement for me. Much like the Bear Crawl, begin on your hands and feet and also move your opposite arm and leg forward. But in the alligator crawl, you will do a modified push up. As you execute your modified push up, your hip will drop to one side and your bent knee will extend out. You should feel this bent knee extension in your hip flexure. The deeper you can do the push up, the more challenging the exercise.

Coming Fall 2019

Physical Education Lesson Plans

The animal-inspired drills will be part of a brand new self-defense curriculum from The Great Flip. Each lesson plan will include

Warm-up exercises
Conditioning drills
Stretching
Self-defense techniques inspired by Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Welcome to The Great Flip

Are you ready to learn simple self defense inspired by Brazilian jiu-jitsu? Welcome to The Great Flip, online self defense and life skills for girls ages six and up.

If you have ever wanted to try a self-defense class, but feel a little intimated by the big gym experience, try training with me, Coach Jody. Each video is approximately three to four minutes in length. I break-down one simple technique per video and walk you through each step. You will watch girls just like your daughters, age range from six to 13 trying the technique. We had so much fun making these videos together. And you will have a ton of fun learning the techniques with your favorite girl friends. Learning self defense is a great way to get in shape while also learning valuable life skills!

Click on the 2 Ways to Join to learn more about The Great Flip online self-defense videos. See you on the mat! – Coach Jody

The Great Flip is a national program partner for American Heritage Girls

Want to learn a simple self-defense technique right now? Why not!

Let’s learn the Wrist Escape!

Click 2 Ways to join to gain access to more than 20 online self-defense videos! See you on the mat!

It’s A Great Time to Join The Great Flip

/in Recent Blog Posts, Self Defense/by coachjody

It’s a great time to join The Great Flip! I am coming up on my one-year anniversary which means there is a solid selection of online self-defense instructional videos to choose from. If you have hesitated to join in the past, the wait is over. Now is the time to learn self defense!

The Great Flip is an introduction to self defense for girls, ages 6 and up, inspired by Brazilian jiu-jitsu, nutrition and faith-based motivation.

If you have ever wanted to try a self-defense class, but feel a little intimated by the big gym experience, try training with me, Coach Jody. Each video is approximately three to four minutes in length. I break-down one simple technique per video and walk you through each step. You will watch girls just like your daughters, age range from six to 13 trying the technique. We had so much fun making these videos together. And you will have a ton of fun learning the techniques with your favorite girl friends. Learning self defense is a great way to get in shape while also learning valuable life skills!

The majority of the techniques featured in my online instructional videos are centered on escaping dicey situations, such as wrist escapes, choke escapes, bear hugs, etc. and of course becoming comfortable with movements on the ground inspired by Brazilian jiu-jitsu. But I also introduce a few submission techniques including The Arm Lock (Kimura), The Triangle and now, I am releasing The Arm Bar.

Learning these techniques in a safe environment will allow you to practice at your own pace with people you trust.

Right now, there are more than 20 videos available to subscribers with many more coming throughout the summer including the “Core 12 Self-Defense Techniques”, the “See you on my mat” video series and many more. Click 2 Ways to Join to learn more and get started.

If you’d prefer to begin with the “Core 12 Self-Defense Techniques” I do offer a non-subscriber program. Check that out too.

See you on the mat! – Coach Jody

PS. And yes, you can order a Patch just like you see in this blog post. Patches are $3. Send me an email and I’ll process an order for you.

The Great Flip is a national program alliance for American Heritage Girls

Now is a great time to join The Great Flip