Black belt Kris Shaw leads discussion at Socal Women BJJ January open mat / Photo by Erin Herle
On Sunday, January 20, Socal Women BJJ put on another open mat for its monthly calendar. The Let’s Roll academy in Torrance, CA was filled with girls including leader of the academy, Leka Vieira.
The camaraderie was as strong as ever and after the rolls, laughs and hair-fixing all subsided, Kris Shaw led a discussion group about the recent uproar in the Jiu-Jitsu community. Allowing every person, even the males present, to give their take on how women should be treated in the sport and what we can do to help victims in and out of the community gave a real push to what is to come. Every female who practices the art is an advocate and given the outlets, present and future, we can build a community founded on respect and strong bonds with one another.
Take a look at the photos below and consider holding your own open mats. They don’t always have to be about the physical training of Jiu-Jitsu. Bonds and mastery of the martial art are made through the physical training, yes, but necessary mental and emotional exercises are shaped through communication.
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The post PHOTOS: Socal Women BJJ’s January Open Mat first appeared on Graciemag.