Working out with the ladies.-No it's dirty.

[Shoot]

When I was training in BJJ (as opposed to MMA) the classes were separated based on gender. Then, they became co-ed. It was such a buzz kill and totally akward. I think the women really liked it, but the guys hated it. I think several guys dropped out because of it. Granted, we got infiltrated by a bunch of butchies with hair where it shouldn't be on a girl, but I think any female presence in a contact sport sucks. It's like having a guys night out and one of your pussy whipped friends brings his girl friend. You guys know what I'm talking about. It totally kills the vibe and makes you want to bitch slap your buddy. BJJ is a contact sport that should be separated based on gender just like all other contact sports. I'm not comfortable wrestling with a female. If she's a dike, then she's gross. If she's "built like a guy" but not a dike, then she's gross. If she's all thick and strong, then she's gross. If she's hot, then I can't help but to get turned on and pop a boner--just being honest. I'm not liking the prospects here. Let the boys have their sport for christ's sake. We hardly get to enjoy anything to ourselves anymore. And, by the way, I'm sorry but these jock-dike-wanna-be-a-guy girls are annoying as hell. I wouldn't hang out with them voluntarily anywhere at any time and shouldn't have to have a class with them. Like I need to roll around on the floor with some white-trashy looking mullet wearing fat chick with coffee can cankles who wears tivas and cut off shorts on the weekends. No thanks.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

When I was training in BJJ (as opposed to MMA) the classes were separated based on gender. Then, they became co-ed. It was such a buzz kill and totally akward. I think the women really liked it, but the guys hated it. I think several guys dropped out because of it. Granted, we got infiltrated by a bunch of butchies with hair where it shouldn't be on a girl, but I think any female presence in a contact sport sucks. It's like having a guys night out and one of your pussy whipped friends brings his girl friend. You guys know what I'm talking about. It totally kills the vibe and makes you want to bitch slap your buddy. BJJ is a contact sport that should be separated based on gender just like all other contact sports. I'm not comfortable wrestling with a female. If she's a dike, then she's gross. If she's "built like a guy" but not a dike, then she's gross. If she's all thick and strong, then she's gross. If she's hot, then I can't help but to get turned on and pop a boner--just being honest. I'm not liking the prospects here. Let the boys have their sport for christ's sake. We hardly get to enjoy anything to ourselves anymore. And, by the way, I'm sorry but these jock-dike-wanna-be-a-guy girls are annoying as hell. I wouldn't hang out with them voluntarily anywhere at any time and shouldn't have to have a class with them. Like I need to roll around on the floor with some white-trashy looking mullet wearing fat chick with coffee can cankles who wears tivas and cut off shorts on the weekends. No thanks.

Trust me, after you're old enough to realize cooties don't exist then it won't be as bad rolling with females. Suck it up!

[KickNit]

...boy, would I ever. sailor.

ROFL. Perv!

Little Apple: Bring it on, Baby! Bring it on! he-he

[DickHardman]

If she's a dike, then she's gross. If she's "built like a guy" but not a dike, then she's gross. If she's all thick and strong, then she's gross. If she's hot, then I can't help but to get turned on and pop a boner--just being honest.

thank you for just coming out with it and telling the truth. what you said is honestly exactly how it goes. i dont wanna roll with some nasty chicks, and the few hot ones that i wouldnt mind getting my hands on, i cant roll with for very long cause i dont want everyone in the whole gym seeing me walking around with a huge boner jutting out of my gi pants. we have some youngsters who train there, i for sure wouldnt want to be responsible for exposing(no pun intended) them to such a scene.

I wouldn't hang out with them voluntarily anywhere at any time and shouldn't have to have a class with them. Like I need to roll around on the floor with some white-trashy looking mullet wearing fat chick with coffee can cankles who wears tivas and cut off shorts on the weekends. No thanks.

again, thank you for your honesty, its a breathe of fresh air to come across someone on these forums that has no problem just telling it as it without having to sugarcoat anything or beatoff around the bush. i agree with your statements, and i think most guys do too, but many are too afriad to just admit it.

[Anon coward]

Hi I find this area quite interesting, I am a woman training JKD/MMA for over 2 years now and I have had some pretty horrible situations with male training partners who took the view that I needed to learn how to do everything against a man, which to a point was ok, but they forgot that their body weight and power was much more than mine and I left some classes really hurting and bruised! I can tell you it took some talking to myself to get my back in the lessons.

I now train with some really nice guys and they truth is I tell them when they are going to strong and to take in down a bit and all of them are great about it, they know what level I can work at and when I am putting it on and they need to push me. I personally think the only thing guys need to be aware of is that in training we do all our groin kicks etc in a nice way as not to hurt the guy, I think guys sometimes forget that women have sensitive areas too, called breasts and this can sometimes be a little bit sensitive esp. when holding pads for Thai knee training, so my advice is just be aware of your partner and talk to them, let them know that they can say “I need you to take in down 30%” . A lot of women won’t because they think that men will not want to train with them.

My advice would be to ask your partner if they feel comfortable with what you are training, you never know by training at their pace you may learn a lot more. The best thing I ever heard was from the amazing Neil McCloud who said that every man should train with a woman at some point in their life, because we bring a totally different game to the table.

[KickNit]

I now train with some really nice guys and they truth is I tell them when they are going to strong and to take in down a bit and all of them are great about it, they know what level I can work at and when I am putting it on and they need to push me. I personally think the only thing guys need to be aware of is that in training we do all our groin kicks etc in a nice way as not to hurt the guy, I think guys sometimes forget that women have sensitive areas too, called breasts and this can sometimes be a little bit sensitive esp. when holding pads for Thai knee training, so my advice is just be aware of your partner and talk to them, let them know that they can say “I need you to take in down 30%” . A lot of women won’t because they think that men will not want to train with them.

It's all about respect. It must be mutual. Some guys rough up a girl in training because they really don't want the women there in the first place and they figure if they hurt her a little bit then she won't come back. It's a bullying tactic that sometimes works.

[Anon coward]

I agree completely, I have been on the end of bullying within a class and the teacher at the time made no point of stopping it, so I left, took my money with me, and now I have found a class I get on with.

The original question was about training with women, and as long as the guy is not out to prove his strength and power and that the training session as a way to make himself feel good, then I, as a woman, would be really put out if a guy did not want to train with me for the reason of being female. My suggestion is, train with her but make her aware that you are happy to take the strength and ability level down or even up (she could kick his a*rse!) to make sure that both training partners are getting the most out of the session. On the ground I still believe that men will always have the strength we as women have the techniques, it means we may take long to get there, but when we do we will give you a run for your money ;-) (that’s the theory anyway)

[treelizard]

So this is great food for thought for people who are reading this as coaches. How are you going to deal with these issues? And it's not just women people often don't want to roll with but anybody younger or smaller.

Some strategies I've seen used:
-I've seen women, children, newbies etc. roll with the big dogs during their "break"--the trained fighter (or whatever) will roll against two guys and get a round off where he'll work with one of the less experienced folks for a round or two. He's not upset because he's exhausted anyway, is still staying "warm" for his next round and the other person is getting a lot of technique and one-on-one time with someone really experienced
-Let less experienced people go last when someone's running through everyone first. Then they have more of a shot to get a technique in but are still fighting alive against resistance
-Don't make anyone roll with anyone. This goes for men and women. I can think of some guys I don't really want to roll with, not because I disapprove of their clothing or whatever, but because they are spastic and aren't well-trained enough yet to have enough awareness of what they are doing. Of course, if my coach tells me to go against someone and I say no I am sure I'll get endless shit for it, but it's up to the instructor to set the tone for this, realizing that students get bullied and some are like Shoot and don't like co-ed. Luckily, some people are cool and will roll with anyone and be good training partners.
-Different levels of classes... This isn't necessarily divided by gender but there's a lot of schools that have advanced classes, so at least if women (Gasp!) made it into an advanced class they'd have a high level of skill to go up against
-Switch it up a lot! I don't mind rolling with anyone no matter how "gross" as long as I get to work with a variety of people over the course of a class.

Just some suggestions... Anybody got anything else?

And by the way, there are many women wrestlers and even football players just like there are male cheerleaders... Few contact sports are still separated by gender, sorry. Get used to it. Though I do hope some day that there is enough interest generated that women can get their own varsity leagues and separate teams in each and every sport.

When I was training in BJJ (as opposed to MMA) the classes were separated based on gender. Then, they became co-ed. It was such a buzz kill and totally akward. I think the women really liked it, but the guys hated it. I think several guys dropped out because of it. Granted, we got infiltrated by a bunch of butchies with hair where it shouldn't be on a girl, but I think any female presence in a contact sport sucks. It's like having a guys night out and one of your pussy whipped friends brings his girl friend. You guys know what I'm talking about. It totally kills the vibe and makes you want to bitch slap your buddy. BJJ is a contact sport that should be separated based on gender just like all other contact sports. I'm not comfortable wrestling with a female. If she's a dike, then she's gross. If she's "built like a guy" but not a dike, then she's gross. If she's all thick and strong, then she's gross. If she's hot, then I can't help but to get turned on and pop a boner--just being honest. I'm not liking the prospects here. Let the boys have their sport for christ's sake. We hardly get to enjoy anything to ourselves anymore. And, by the way, I'm sorry but these jock-dike-wanna-be-a-guy girls are annoying as hell. I wouldn't hang out with them voluntarily anywhere at any time and shouldn't have to have a class with them. Like I need to roll around on the floor with some white-trashy looking mullet wearing fat chick with coffee can cankles who wears tivas and cut off shorts on the weekends. No thanks.

[DickHardman]

I think guys sometimes forget that women have sensitive areas too, called breasts...

i highly disagree with that statement.

[KickNit]

And by the way, there are many women wrestlers and even football players just like there are male cheerleaders... Few contact sports are still separated by gender, sorry. Get used to it. Though I do hope some day that there is enough interest generated that women can get their own varsity leagues and separate teams in each and every sport.

They tried that during WWII. But they ended the women's baseball league when the boys came home from the more important business of war.

[KickNit]

I hope the "more important business" is viewed as sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek as it was intended. :-)