This is Jill…

This is Jill. She didn’t know it, but rolling with her in Montana 1.5 years ago was my first experience rolling with a female colored belt. We were both blue belts at the time.

I. Was. Terrified. I know that seems strange. After all, women are usually nervous to roll men for the first time…but another woman?!?

The context of my Jiu Jitsu training for the two years prior had been almost exclusively me and a bunch of guys, and then eventually women joining too. I had rolled women in the gym, but I’d never had a competitive roll with another woman or even a roll where I didn’t have the upper hand or land on fairly equal grounds. 

So when I met Jill, noticed our similar belt level, and asked her to roll, I was SO scared and nervous. Do girls roll harder? Lighter? Do I roll her as heavy as I do with the guys, or do I adjust? So. Many. Questions.

I don’t remember much from the roll, honestly. Maybe Jill hated it, who knows?!? But what I DO remember is that I LOVED the different energy. I loved the back and forth with another woman who was similar in skill level to me. I loved that it challenged me and forced me into a spot where I had not previously explored. I love that it made me recognize how much women need other women in Jiu Jitsu. Also, Jill is awesome.

Today, I shared this story with Jill when she came down to a seminar at our gym. In fact, I shared this story WHILE we shared an awesome warm up roll together. Talking and rolling with another woman…does it get much better?!?