Dominyka Obelenyte is Marcelo Garcia’s first female black belt. The decorated athlete has had her struggles and left the home team after revealing she’s felt like an outsider.
Additionally she recently revealed she had very trying times and she wasn’t always sure about her bjj journey
Obelenyte wrote:
Friends I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for following and supporting me on this giant life journey.
I’ve always struggled with how I perceive jiu jitsu, sometimes it can be my greatest enemy and sometimes my greatest relief. Not many of you know this, but for most of my life I’ve struggled with depression, and four years after starting bjj I was at a breaking point. I wanted nothing to do with the sport and was ready to quit and never look back.
Encouragement from a few choice people (esp. @jtorresbjj ) made me stick it through, and I was rewarded with a road of challenges, victories, losses, injuries, heartbreak, motivation, perseverance and a true sense of self.
My greatest joy right now is sharing this art and lifestyle with others in the hopes that they will have those same experiences or greater.
The road has been tough, I’m sometimes angered by how the sport has been moving away from the virtue of respect to showboating and drama, and sometimes I’m frustrated with how quickly the body can collapse due to stress and overwork. All that being said, I wouldn’t trade this path for anything else, and for anyone feeling discouraged with their place in this little realm, know that you are not alone, and whatever you set out to do, you will find it, just give it some time and effort ❤️ #bjj
Upon sharing the testimonial Obelenyte was met with a wave of support. To that she replied:
Just because you’re being challenged, doesn’t mean you’re at a disadvantage. It just means you’re on a new adventure. I am so touched and overcome with all the messages I received from you guys, just know that if any of y’all want to talk or hash things out, I’m always available. One day I hope to be able to train with every single one of you ❤️
5x World BJJ champion Bernardo Faria has developed the No Gi Half Guard. His submissions and sweeps works just as easily for No Gi, if not easier.
1.In No Gi there are not as many grips you can play. For example, you can’t play spider guard and the whole array of guards that stem from it. His guard works perfectly.
2.There are not a lot of grips your opponent can use to stop your sweep while playing No Gi. They can’t grab your collar, sleeve or pants obviously. Again, his guard works perfectly.
