If you are a woman thinking about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, your first question may not be whether you can do it. It may be how it feels: as a beginner, with lots of body contact, in a sport where men usually outnumber women. That is a fair question, and it deserves an honest answer.
Here is what to expect in our women's class, what to bring, what research says about women in BJJ, and where that research falls short.
Why a separate women's class?
We built Imperial Ground as a place where everyone feels safe and welcome. For some women, that is easier to start in a room with only women. Women who train BJJ describe this themselves.
What women in BJJ report. In an interview study from the US, 23 women talked about their path in BJJ (Silverman, Dixon & Dixon, 2024). They had trained for between eleven months and eleven years, from white to brown belt. Three hurdles came up again and again:
- a sport in which men clearly outnumber women;
- expectations about how a woman is supposed to behave;
- the close body contact.
The same women also talked about why they stayed, including the community, new friendships and more self-confidence. To get more women started, their suggestions included more women's classes and seminars, more visibility for women in the sport, and support for newcomers.
What the wider research shows. A review of 53 studies on women in martial arts and combat sports paints a similar picture (Lindsay et al., 2023). Some women experience training as empowering, and women's experiences are improving over time. At the same time, the studies describe what keeps women away: martial arts are often seen as a men's thing, women feel pressure to conform, and body contact in mixed groups is not easy for everyone.
The important caveat: these are interviews and a literature review. They show what women experience and describe, not that a women's class has a measurable effect. But they show fairly clearly where the hurdles are. That is exactly where our women's class comes in: the same sport, the same structured curriculum and the same mission as in all our classes; only the room is different. Our mission: continuous improvement of people's lives through the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Do I need to be fit or experienced?
No. The class is built for complete beginners, just as much as for women returning after a break or who already train BJJ. Fitness is not a prerequisite. You start with the fitness you have.
BJJ relies on technique, leverage and good position rather than raw strength. That does not mean strength plays no role. It means that from your first class you learn to use it skilfully.
If you have any health limitations, talk to your doctor beforehand and let Anke know before class.
How a women's class runs
The women's class takes place on Thursdays from 18:00 to 19:00. It is led by Coach Anke, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Your first conversation is with her, not with the front desk. You learn the same structured curriculum as in our Foundation classes: after every class you know what you learned and why.
A class runs like this:
- Warm-up, with joint mobility, breakfalls and movements you really need in BJJ.
- Technique with a partner. You practise a technique step by step, taking turns, at a calm pace.
- Rolling, free practice against light resistance, at a controlled intensity. Whether and how much you roll is your decision. There is no pressure to spar before you're ready.
How close is the body contact?
Honest answer: close. BJJ is a ground-fighting sport, and much of the training happens in direct body contact with a partner. There is no way around that, and for some people it is the biggest hurdle at the start. That is why our rule is safety first. Here is what is always in your hands:
- You decide when you roll, with whom and how hard. Always.
- Tapping ends any situation immediately. If something gets too tight, too fast or too much, you tap: with your hand on the mat or on your partner, with your foot, or by saying "tap" out loud. Whoever taps is released immediately, without exception. You learn to tap on your first evening with us.
- Stop means stop. If you say "stop", "slow down" or "not there", your partner stops immediately. No negotiation. That is written in our code of conduct.
- Women-only means women-only. No men on the mat during this class, no exceptions.
Chokes are part of BJJ too. You learn them with us from your first class, in a controlled form, and you learn to tap before that. What the studies show about chokes, and the rules we train by: Chokes in BJJ: How Dangerous Are They Really?
What do I wear, and what do I bring?
For your first class you only need:
- Sports clothes: leggings or fitted shorts and a fitted sports top or rashguard, ideally without zips or hard parts.
- You don't need to buy a gi. We lend you one for the first time.
- A water bottle and, if you have long hair, a hair tie. Loose hair gets caught in grips and sleeves.
- Flip-flops: on the mat you are barefoot; off the mat you are not.
- Shower things and a small towel, if you want to shower afterwards. There are changing rooms with lockers and showers on site; we don't lend towels.
Jewellery, watches and hair clips come off before training, and your fingernails and toenails are short, for your safety and your partner's.
What happens if something feels uncomfortable?
You can stop at any time, skip a round or sit at the edge of the mat. If anything feels wrong in your body, you stop and tell Anke. And if something bothers you, talk to her directly, before, after or between rounds.
Respect doesn't end at the edge of the mat. The first principle of our written code of conduct is "Respect On and Off The Mat", and it applies to everyone at Imperial Ground. Harassment, intimidation and unwanted physical contact outside of trained technique have no place here. Aggressive or inappropriate behaviour meets zero tolerance, enforced through our published infraction system.
If you want to report something, there are three ways: in person to Anke, João or another coach, in confidence by email to info@imperialground.com, or, as a member, anonymously through Speak Up in your member account. None of them requires certainty. "I think something's off" is reason enough.
Can I also join the Foundation classes?
Yes, whenever you like. Women also train in our regular Foundation classes: Foundation Gi on Mondays and Wednesdays at 19:00 and Fridays at 18:00, and Foundation No-Gi on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 19:00. You can stay with the women's class, add Foundation classes to train more often, or join them later. Any of these is right, and nobody will push you.
The same rules apply there. Whoever taps is released immediately. Sparring happens under a coach's eye, control before intensity. And our code of conduct asks everyone to match weight and resistance to their partner and never to put their full weight on a much smaller person.
To be honest: what the research doesn't show
- Research on women in BJJ is small. The interview study comes from the US, with 23 women who all still train. Women who quit early are not in it.
- It describes experiences, not measured effects. The women interviewed report more self-confidence from their BJJ training overall. That was not measured, and the study did not look at whether a women's class contributes to it.
- The review covers many combat sports. BJJ is only one of them.
- The women's class is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, not a self-defence course. You learn the same sport as in all our classes.
- Injuries happen in BJJ, for women and men alike. What the numbers show and what we do about them is in our article Is BJJ dangerous?
Frequently asked questions
Is there women-only BJJ in Düsseldorf?
Yes, for example at Imperial Ground in Derendorf: Thursdays from 18:00 to 19:00, led by Coach Anke. No men are on the mat during this class, no exceptions.
Do I need experience for the women's class?
No. The class is meant for complete beginners just as much as for women returning after a break or who already have experience.
What does the first class cost?
Nothing. The trial class is free, and we lend you a gi.
How close is the body contact in BJJ?
Close, because BJJ is a ground-fighting sport. But you always decide when, with whom and how hard you roll, and whoever taps is released immediately.
Can I also join the Foundation classes?
Yes, whenever you like. Women also train in our regular Foundation classes, and the same rules apply there.
How do I get to the women's class?
Imperial Ground is at Römerstraße 6 in Düsseldorf-Derendorf. Take the 705 or 707 tram to Essener Straße, then walk about 3 minutes.
Sources
- Silverman RS, Dixon A, Dixon HET. The Challenges Women Face in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the United States. Journal of Athlete Development and Experience 2024;6(3):Article 3. https://doi.org/10.25035/jade.06.03.03
- Lindsay R, Horne J, Shaw J, Kentzer N, Bacon W. The Influence of Gender Dynamics on Women's Experiences in Martial Arts: A Scoping Review. International Journal of the Sociology of Leisure 2023;6(3):297–325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41978-023-00140-2
About the author. João Macedo is a 1st-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has been on the mats for more than 14 years, and is co-founder and head coach of Imperial Ground Martial Arts in Düsseldorf-Derendorf. The women's class is led by Coach Anke.
Read on: Starting BJJ in Düsseldorf · Is BJJ dangerous? · Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Düsseldorf: all questions