Category: BJJ

The Fear Appeal & Fear Factor

3/26/2018

There are a million reasons why people join Martial arts. The rationalization usually following the line of being bullied at school, rape statistics or they possibly have already been harmed. While these are perfectly good reasons to learn Martial Arts, as instructors we have to look at the deeper underlying cause.

FEAR

Fear is such a powerful motivator that for centuries we have manipulated it and used it for psychological marketing schemes.

This is referred to as Fear Appeal.

Fear Appeal describes a strategy in which one incites a fear to motivate people into purchasing products or supporting policies.

A women's gun training campaign ad demonstrating Fear Appeal.

Some of these fears, such as a violent attack are justifiable. According to the FBI, the overall violent crimes committed in 2016 rose at 4.1%. There were an estimated 17,250 murders committed, rising 8.6% from 2015. These statistics are enough to make anyone think twice before walking down any alley.

Some Dojos play on the fear of becoming one of those statistics. Making potential students not only believe that they will be attacked but are also incapable of defending themselves. This trend has become particularly popular with targeting women to the point that almost anywhere you go you will find some kind of “self-defense” seminar.

The truth of the matter is anyone is capable of defending themselves with the proper knowledge and application.

While Dojo’s might be trying to better their enrollment with this tactic; they could be actually sabotaging their own efforts. While fear can be an excellent motivator, it can also be a double edged sword and can become a deterrent.

There is a fine line where fear appeal morphs into the Fear Factor.

No not that Fear Factor...

Where Fear Appeal is based on motivating;
Fear factor is when a person’s state of mind prevents them from action. The fear of the unknown in a Dojo could cripple a potential student from ever crossing the Dojo threshold. We have all heard the countless stories of students who passed the Dojo countless times wanting to sign up, but never having the courage to actually enter and sign up.

If a student can curb their anxiety and sign up, they may still grapple with it.

Any little trigger could cause their acute stress response, also known as the fight or flight response. In other words, a student under too much duress can become literally
“deer in the headlights.”

A student motivated by fear appeal is more likely to channel their fight response in a high stress situation and possibly lash out. Where as a student grappling with the fear factor more than likely will channel their flight reflex in a distressing situation, causing the student to quit.

As instructors, it’s not our position to motivate students or manipulate them.

As instructors, it’s not our position to motivate students or manipulate them. However, with proper training and guidance, students can learn to recognize that they are slipping into that state of mind and how to control it. It requires instructors to not only recognize a student’s physical abilities but also their mental and emotional capabilities.

As Instructors, do we not contemplate our own physical, mental and emotional capabilities?

We all come up with theories of how we would respond in the event that someone attacked us, because we as human always contemplate the “what if”.

Every Martial Artist has theoretical moments of what their response would be in a high stress situation such as a physical attack. Will all of our training allow our muscle memory to kick in and defend us? Or would our adrenaline kick in and override our clear conscious thinking? Would our acute response kick in and which would it be? Fight or Flight?

The purpose of Martial Arts is not to rely on your acute stress response in a confrontation, but rather to suppress it and react with a clear mind.

In a confrontation, you can learn thousands of systems, methods and techniques to defend yourself, but it won’t mean anything if you panic.

Knowledge is powerful, but it is not dangerous until it is applied.

We need both the mind and the body to be the warrior. As Martial Artist, always remember our goal is not to be stuck in the fear factor but to transcend into the
"Wow Factor".

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Over Sexualization in Martial Arts

11/6/2017

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My dojo hosts many seminars...

Yet I distinctly remember one of my first...

I showed up and as I joined the mat one of my fellow peers made the comment,
“Wow you look pretty today.”

I was slightly taken aback. It wasn’t a compliment I was use to receiving on the mat. When I asked him what brought that about, he said,

“You actually have makeup on.”

This threw me for an even bigger loop. Attractive was never an adjective I thought to describe myself as on the mat. During training I would use adjective such as confident, strong, athletic, and maybe even badass…

It was a few months later, I was told by a potential sponsor who wanted me to test their gear out, said that they were withdrawing their offer because my photos on my social media were...

not “hot” enough.

Photo credit: BJJEE at bjjee.com

I was blindsided, confused and I’ll admit it hurt a little.
I had originally thought I was suppose to test the Gi’s and promote them in a business like manner. The truth of the matter was this company didn’t want me promoting their merchandize with my talent and reputation. They wanted me to promote them with one of the oldest marketing tactics, based on the philosophy that sex sells.

Regardless of this marketing scheme that has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years; our society has become more progressive, reforming their ideology on feminine beauty to include qualities such as confidence, strength and athleticism. With this psyche, it’s natural that female martial artists could become sensuous and even provocative. But at what point of time do we cross the line and focus not on a martial artists capabilities but rather their appearance?

At what point of time do we as a society begin to sexualize martial artists?

Leeann Morris is the co-owner and operates/trains at World Class Martial Arts just outside of Philadelphia, PA. She currently holds the rank of 4th Degree Black Belt Master Instructor in Tang Soo Do and currently holds the rank of Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Her husband and Professor is Aaron Morris, a 1st Degree Black Belt under 8x World Champion and IBJJF Hall of Fame member, Master Robson Moura.

Mrs. Morris is also the owner of “Josei Heishi.”

Over the years Mrs. Morris has seen a growing support for females in the Jiu Jitsu community. However, she still feels like more should be done. She wanted to make a difference rather than wish for one. Josei Heishi is Japanese for “Female Soldiers” and their mission is to bring recognition to female practitioners in the Jiu Jitsu community. Mrs. Morris explains, “We want to give back to all the female athletes and practitioners in the BJJ community.”

Jiu Jitsu, particularly Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, has been on the front line in the controversy over equal pay and over sexualization of female practitioners. Organizations such as Josei Heishi and “Equal Pay For BJJ” are professional organizations focused on bridging the gap between female and male practitioners.

With growing attendance of female BJJ practitioners, companies have jumped on featuring them in advertisements…

However, the women featured in the advertisements not only inaccurately portray women training in Jiu Jitsu but at times even cross the line of being blatantly sexualized.

Because all women in Martial Arts look like this when training.

Some claim, that this type of attention is helping promote the art.
Mrs. Morris disagrees,
“I don’t agree, but I know it is something that happens. Anyone who knows about the sport should careless about how you look and be more concerned about what you train and fight like.”

The blooming talent that many female practitioners possess is becoming veiled by the alluring contributes of their training. Negatively portrayed practitioners in any martial arts can have negative effects not only on the system but also on its current practitioners.

While many practitioners such as Mrs. Morris might feel that martial arts is for
“women of all walks of life”.
A negative portrayal could affect a student thinking of signing up for classes or creating an unrealistic aspiration for current students.

Some males might not understand or comprehend the issue of oversexualization of their fellow female peers.

Mrs Morris explains,
“What if it was their daughters or wives being sexualized? The men have to put themselves in that scenario to know how they would truly feel in regards to a situation like this.”

Mrs. Morris points out that RAINN (the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization) shows 1 in every 6 American women has been a victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. With statistics like this, women need self defense training more than ever.

Organizations such as Josei Heishi are encouraging female practitioners to support one another to create an empowering environment.

Group photo of the Josei Heishi Ambassadors.

Mrs. Morris insists,
“If women want to see a change, they have to be the change.”

While we are fixated on our appearance in the mirrors maybe our peers are not so concerned about us, but rather with their own study?

To help battle the epidemic of over sexualization, Mrs. Morris encourages practitioners to stand up for who we truly are.
She asserts,
“If you want to be seen as an independent, strong woman sometimes that means messy hair and no make up. Don’t sell yourself out and be who others want you to be just to get ‘recognized’.”

As a female I do take pride in how I look and on occasion I might actually brush my hair, but when I’m training the last thing on my mind is if I’m ready to walk the runway. There really is no point to doing makeup if I’m going to sweat it off. There’s no point in curling and styling my hair if it’s going to get pulled loose or plastered to my forehead. A female’s appearance during training is no different than in a life threatening situation…

Who cares what you look like as long as you are surviving.

Always show your talents and strengths. Never down trod your capabilities and always remember once it’s out there, you can’t take it back.

And always remember...

Anyone can take a Gi off but very few will ever put it on.

Josei Heishi Website

6 Comments

My week in a BJJ Gi...

4/5/2017

6 Comments

Some Kenpoist gi’s are viewed as being pretty generic.

They’re usually black or white and occasionally there is a rebel that wears what we call salt & pepper (black top and white bottom or vice versa). To be honest what sets Kenpoists apart from other systems isn’t the gi, it’s what’s on the gi. Kenpoist gi’s are usually covered in patches, ranging from variations of Kenpo crests, dojo’s they’re affiliated with or distinguished patches earned in study or competition.

Me in my Kenpo gi and patches.

At our Dojo, we are only permitted to wear black or white.

There’s never really been an issue with this policy.
I own black and white gi’s, some covered in Kenpo regalia and some blank. A part of me has always been secretly jealous of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gis. You see them everywhere; in every color imaginable and some with beautiful embroidering.

Come on, who doesn't want a pink gi?

I was slightly perplexed and alarmed when Elite Sport asked me to try out their Elite Sports Ultra Lite BJJ Gi. I have never studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and didn’t know what to think of a BJJ gi. The fact that it was Blue was even more bewildering.

I knew next to nothing about BJJ gis.

Before I agreed to testing the gi, I consulted my good friend Jason Bennett a 4th Degree Black belt in American Kenpo and Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

After looking over the gi link, Sifu Bennett told me,
“I have separate gi’s for Kenpo and BJJ because of the weight. Nice gi though, it will last a long time. Try it.”

If I had any hurtle to overcome it was wearing a gi too heavy that would restrict my movement.

I hoped that with it being an Ultra Lite, it wouldn’t make that big of a difference. My Sifu concurred and gave me permission to wear the gi regularly on the mat for one week to test it in sparring, group technique classes and forms.

This is what I concluded.

My gi was durable and reinforced and moved fine my stand up and striking in sparring class. However, due to the inseam of the pants, there was a loss of height in my kicks. Which forced me to focus on my upper body and handwork.

My son & I after sparring in my Elite Sports BJJ gi.

The truth is, wearing the gi during sparring was an eye opener. I’m not going to be wearing a karate gi every minute. I might be in jeans, cut off shorts or even a mini skirt… and THEY could limit my kicking ability as well. An attacker on the street isn’t going to care. Sparring outside of my comfort zone reminded me of that.

If you are a karate practitioner and plan on trying out a BJJ gi there’s one other thing you should be prepared for…

Your fellow peers grabbing you.

There’s something about the weave of the fabric and the thickness of the seems that makes you just want to grab, hold on and possible either throw or shake a person wearing a BJJ gi.

I know this because that is exactly what all my friends wanted to do to me.

During technique class, we practice our techniques on each other by mock attacking one another. Usually this is based off punches and kicks. Suddenly, everyone had this uncontrollable urge to no longer punch or kick me but rather grab and drag me.

It was slightly unnerving.

A gentle version of me testing the gi. We didn't want to alarm anyone.

It was as if, amongst all my training of how to respond to a real physical threat, I had lost my sense of how it would feel to be grabbed and dragged by an attacker much larger than myself. It was a humbling sensation of not quite helplessness but more of the possibility of losing control of the situation. Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit—or grabbed.

It was surprisingly fun...

After its first wash, I felt the truest way to test the movement of this gi was to wear it during forms class.

When it was finally time to wash my gi, I was a little worried how it would hold up. What I really liked about the Elite Sports BJJ gi was it came pre-shrunk. I’ve never had a karate gi shrink on me before, but I had been warned that BJJ gi’s usually do shrink in the first 2 washes. There were no problems there.

For those not familiar with forms, they are an exercise in movement and basics.

I was used to working forms in my lighter gis. Wearing the heavier gi and going through the movements was like walking through water. It’s not uncomfortable or impossible to do; it just creates a little extra resistance.

Though I would wear a regular karate gi during competition or testing to guarantee maximum performance, I feel going out of my comfort zone with the BJJ gi was a fun alternative with some pro’s in training.

Sometimes we get stuck in the same monogamous routine of training.

This comfort zone creates a false sense of security that limits us from pushing our boundaries and find out our true capabilities.

Me in my Elite Sports Karate Gi

If you are in the market for a new gi, be sure to visit Elite Sports website or check them out on Amazon. Don’t be confused with their sizing for the “Kids” Karate Gi. I was sent a size 4, and it actually fits a little long. Links are provided below.

Elite Sports

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KENPO GIRL

The Fear Appeal & Fear Factor

FEAR

This is referred to as Fear Appeal.

A women's gun training campaign ad demonstrating Fear Appeal.

The truth of the matter is anyone is capable of defending themselves with the proper knowledge and application. ​

There is a fine line where fear appeal morphs into the Fear Factor. ​

No not that Fear Factor...

If a student can curb their anxiety and sign up, they may still grapple with it. ​

As instructors, it’s not our position to motivate students or manipulate them. ​

As Instructors, do we not contemplate our own physical, mental and emotional capabilities?

The purpose of Martial Arts is not to rely on your acute stress response in a confrontation, but rather to suppress it and react with a clear mind.

Knowledge is powerful, but it is not dangerous until it is applied. ​

Over Sexualization in Martial Arts

My dojo hosts many seminars...

“You actually have makeup on.”

not “hot” enough.

Photo credit: BJJEE at bjjee.com

At what point of time do we as a society begin to sexualize martial artists?​

Mrs. Morris is also the owner of “Josei Heishi.” ​

With growing attendance of female BJJ practitioners, companies have jumped on featuring them in advertisements… ​

Because all women in Martial Arts look like this when training.

Some males might not understand or comprehend the issue of oversexualization of their fellow female peers. ​

Organizations such as Josei Heishi are encouraging female practitioners to support one another to create an empowering environment. ​​

Group photo of the Josei Heishi Ambassadors.

While we are fixated on our appearance in the mirrors maybe our peers are not so concerned about us, but rather with their own study?

Who cares what you look like as long as you are surviving.

Anyone can take a Gi off but very few will ever put it on.

My week in a BJJ Gi...

Some Kenpoist gi’s are viewed as being pretty generic.

Me in my Kenpo gi and patches.

At our Dojo, we are only permitted to wear black or white.

Come on, who doesn't want a pink gi?

​I knew next to nothing about BJJ gis. ​

If I had any hurtle to overcome it was wearing a gi too heavy that would restrict my movement.

This is what I concluded.

My son & I after sparring in my Elite Sports BJJ gi.

​Your fellow peers grabbing you.

I know this because that is exactly what all my friends wanted to do to me. ​

It was slightly unnerving.

A gentle version of me testing the gi. We didn't want to alarm anyone.

It was surprisingly fun...

​After its first wash, I felt the truest way to test the movement of this gi was to wear it during forms class.

For those not familiar with forms, they are an exercise in movement and basics.

Sometimes we get stuck in the same monogamous routine of training.

Me in my Elite Sports Karate Gi

Jesalyn Mae Harper

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The truth of the matter is anyone is capable of defending themselves with the proper knowledge and application.

There is a fine line where fear appeal morphs into the Fear Factor.

If a student can curb their anxiety and sign up, they may still grapple with it.

As instructors, it’s not our position to motivate students or manipulate them.

Knowledge is powerful, but it is not dangerous until it is applied.

At what point of time do we as a society begin to sexualize martial artists?

Mrs. Morris is also the owner of “Josei Heishi.”

With growing attendance of female BJJ practitioners, companies have jumped on featuring them in advertisements…

Some males might not understand or comprehend the issue of oversexualization of their fellow female peers.

Organizations such as Josei Heishi are encouraging female practitioners to support one another to create an empowering environment.

I knew next to nothing about BJJ gis.

Your fellow peers grabbing you.

I know this because that is exactly what all my friends wanted to do to me.

After its first wash, I felt the truest way to test the movement of this gi was to wear it during forms class.