When it comes to developing elite-level skills in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ legend Kurt Osiander believes women should embrace a simple, challenging path: train with men:
It’s important for women to train with the males, because it develops their technique against bigger, stronger opponents.
In many gyms, women are still outnumbered by their male counterparts.
But Osiander sees that not as a setback — but as a major advantage.
As, by regularly rolling with larger, stronger partners, women are pushed to refine technique over strength:
Unfortunately, there’s usually not that many girls in schools.
Some have a lot and some don’t have very many.Just training with your male counterparts, that are like your size or a little bit bigger, will be just as good because they’re going to be stronger and usually heavier than you.
If you can move them around, you’re going to be able to move the girls who are in your weight class around easily.
According to Osiander, this kind of pressure produces a uniquely sharp and technical style of jiu-jitsu — one that’s often seen among top female grapplers:
Women’s jiu-jitsu is just some of the most pure jiu-jitsu there is because it’s just razor sharp technique.
It’s usually because there’s not as many female training partners for these ladies to train with, so they have to adapt their skills against people that are usually heavier or larger because it’s mostly guys they’re training with.
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