Women Empowered is the official Gracie University® self-defense program for women based on the techniques of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). In this 15-lesson program, we will teach you how to neutralise the 20 most common attacks ranging from having your hair grabbed to being pinned to the ground by a weapon-bearing assailant. Each one-hour Women Empowered lesson addresses two techniques. You can start the program at any time and participate in any class without previous experience. Unlike most self-defence systems that rely heavily on strength, speed, and coordination, the techniques in our Women Empowered program employ leverage, technique, and timing, so anyone, regardless of age or athletic ability, can make them work against larger opponents. Once you complete the Women Empowered program, you may test for promotion to pink belt!
Gracie Jiu-jitsu is the perfect self-defence system for women, but only if it is taught correctly. If you’re unsure about learning BJJ for fear of injury, embarrassment, or any other reason, then the Women Empowered program is perfect for you! We care deeply about your safety and comfort and will try our best to make your experience a great one. By signing up for a 10 day free trial, you can test the waters of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Lawson to make sure it is a good fit! If you’ve tried martial arts at another school and had a negative experience, give Women Empowered a chance, and we guarantee it will win you back to the mat!
N J
“Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Lawson immediately made me feel welcomed on the first day. A fantastic bunch of people who focus on helping and developing each other during each training session. Highly recommended.”
Jessica S
“I have absolutely loved training at Gracie Lawson! I’m doing the Women Empowered classes and have noticed they have helped to improve my confidence and overall strength. The community feel is amazing… I would highly recommend.”
Olivia M
I love Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Lawson! Special shout out to the Women Empowered class… It’s such a welcoming environment and a great place to learn from such wonderful, patient, talented and experienced people.”
20 Essential Techniques
Law enforcement officials and survivors of sexual assault helped us identify the 20 most common attack strategies that a male assailant is likely to use on a woman. From hair-grabs and choke-holds to bear hugs and weapon attacks, the Women Empowered program covers it all.
Learn the techniques
We have divided the 20 Women Empowered techniques into 15 one-hour classes so that you can complete the course at your own pace. We designed each lesson so you can start the program at any time and complete the 15 lessons in any order. Upon enrolling, we will issue you a Women Empowered attendance card on which we will track your progress every step of the way.
Develop Your reflexes
Once you complete each of the 15 Women Empowered lessons once, you will qualify to participate in the Reflex Development (RD) classes where you will learn how to combine the 20 techniques to address the most common occurrences in a real self-defence situation.
Earn your pink belt
Once you complete each of the Women Empowered lessons four times, and you’ve completed at least 8 Reflex Development Classes, you are eligible to test for promotion to pink belt! During this 30-minute test, we will assess your execution of all 20 essential techniques. If your performance meets Gracie University standards, you will qualify for promotion to pink belt. As a pink belt, you will be more than ready to move on to the Gracie Combatives program should you choose to continue the jiu-jitsu journey!
What is the pink belt?
In most martial arts systems, awarding belts is the traditional way to acknowledge progress and accomplishment. With the development of the Gracie Women Empowered program, the course featured so many unique strategies, objectives, techniques, and psychology tailored to a special set of circumstances, that the standard Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belt system did not apply. So, we decided to add an entirely new belt, and since pink was one of the only colors not used in the existing BJJ belt system, we introduced the Women Empowered Pink Belt! It not only symbolizes dedication to the techniques of the program, but also an understanding of the philosophy that is essential for survival in life-threatening scenarios. We hope that this reflexive understanding of both the philosophy and techniques will instill a confidence in women that reduces their risk of ever becoming a target in the first place. Since the program was created we have watched women dedicate countless hours to earning their pink belt, and with every pink belt earned, the value and prestige of this belt has become undeniable.
In a perfect world, women wouldn't need self-defense because men wouldn't perpetrate these crimes — but the world is far from perfect. The Gracie Women Empowered program is a jiu-jitsu-based women's self-defense system which addresses the 15 most common threats against women. In addition to leverage-based physical techniques, women are taught to use the "psychology of an assault" to set boundaries, assess intentions and deter attacks before they happen!
Free online access to video lessons
Upon enrolling in the Women Empowered program at any Certified Training Center, you will receive a free subscription to Gracie University Online. Through this interactive online platform, you will have access to detailed video instruction on every technique in the course, enabling you to study the lessons on any computer or mobile device 24 hours a day! Furthermore, all active students at a Certified Training Center qualify to train for free at any other Gracie Certified Training Center around the world for up to 30 consecutive days per year. Since the curriculum is the same at all Certified Training Centers, you will receive credit for every lesson on your Women Empowered attendance card when you return home!
FAQs
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Absolutely! Specifically because Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) has proven reliable in defending against larger opponents for nearly a century, it is the perfect martial art for women.
We love seeing the physical confidence develop in our female students as they gain self-defense skills on the mat!
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There are zero fitness requirements to be able to start our beginner Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes! One of the benefits of BJJ is that it relies on technique and timing rather than strength, speed, or athleticism.
Our students start at all different fitness levels, however, you will find that you do enhance your fitness by doing our Lawon BJJ classes. Isn’t that the point though? A fun workout that gets results!
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As a first-time student, we will pair you up with a slightly more experienced student who can answer your questions and help guide your learning throughout the class.
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Yes. Referrals are our number one source of business. Jiu-jitsu is so fun and addictive that people can't help but talk about it to their friends. Feel free to bring a friend to any beginner class you attend!