Encouraging women to explore martial arts

With martial arts becoming more popular among women, those who are already involved in the sport want to encourage even more women to take part.

“When I started getting belts, I could count the girls who were training,” says Courtney Pratt, who currently holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and teaches at Bushido Kai in Halifax. “Now, I can’t count the belted girls and that’s really, really cool.”

Pratt, who has been training in 2008, says this popularity is due, in part, to the success of athletes like the UFC’s Ronda Rousey.

“I think the UFC is populating that idea now where they have their female bantamweight,” she says. “I think it’s also because people are starting to see there’s a value in having women around.”

Rachel Wise, a white belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Bushido Kai who also trains in kickboxing, says it’s not just the increased popularity that is drawing more women into the sport, but the mental and physical benefits. Wise, who participated in Extreme Cage Combat 23 in September, has found that through the martial arts she has gained more confidence over the past couple years.

“When I stepped in that cage [at Extreme Cage Combat], I was just waiting for the anxiety to start … and it never did,” she says. “That was the first time in years, I had that ‘this is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing and I know exactly what to do’ feeling.”

Pratt adds for some students, martial arts helps them deal with phobias such as being in enclosed spaces, since it forces them to work in such close proximity with others.

“There’s one woman I know who is really claustrophobic and it [jiu-jitsu] is something that mentally helps her exercise a feeling of control,” she says.

Despite this, both Pratt and Wise admit there’s still a stereotype regarding women in martial arts. It’s often felt the sport is still more a male activity due to the physicality needed for some branches of it.

“In the past it was thought that girls wouldn’t want to do that sort of thing,” says Pratt who teaches both men and women in her classes. “I’m glad to see it changing, that girls are trying it out and there’s a less of a stigma around it.”

There’s also a lack of knowledge on martial arts and the techniques involved which, according to Wise, can intimidate some women.

“The way the UFC tends to be marketed is almost like this violet spectacle and a lot of people are surprised at the actual athletic aspect to it,” she says. “I’ll talk to friends about it and once they realize what jiu-jitsu actually is and women are doing it and there is unintimidating atmosphere to try it in, they are surprised.”

While there are still a few challenges for women in martial arts, Wise and Pratt agree that the amount of women in the sport is growing, which can only lead to better and brighter things.

“The more women doing it, the more women are going to do it,” says Pratt.