Maya Nazareth is challenging a dangerous misconception that’s been circulating in martial arts communities. Despite nearly a decade of training and building a successful business around women’s BJJ, Nazareth warns that jiu-jitsu alone cannot guarantee safety in real-world self-defense situations.
“I see a lot of jiu-jitsu advertised or self-defense courses that are using jiu-jitsu advertised as like the way to keep women safe,” Nazareth explained in appearance on Jits and Giggles podcast. “I think it’s inappropriate to promise women something that anyone who’s been training jiu-jitsu long enough understands that the more you know of jiu-jitsu, the more kind of unsafe you feel.”
This counterintuitive reality becomes clearer as practitioners advance in their training. Nazareth notes that experienced grapplers understand the countless variables that could render their skills ineffective in a street encounter. “There are so many variables in the real world, someone grabbing your hair, someone smacking your head on the concrete that could lead to multiple people being involved, a weapon that could lead to your jiu-jitsu just not being a functional thing.”
Even as a seasoned practitioner, Nazareth remains humble about her capabilities. “I come to the gym, I’ve been training almost 10 years. I’ll come into the gym and sometimes a 200lb white belt man will take my lunch money, you know, or will like just put me in a situation I don’t want to be put in.”
Nazareth particularly criticizes short-term self-defense programs that promise unrealistic outcomes. “There’s no six week self-defense program that’s going to make you safe. And there’s ultimately no martial art that’s going to make you safe. It can only give you a better chance.”
The key issue, according to Nazareth, lies in the marketing and promises made by some instructors and programs. She finds it “irresponsible and inappropriate” when schools promise women they’ll be safe after signing up for classes. This false sense of security can actually put women in greater danger by giving them unwarranted confidence.
This doesn’t mean Nazareth dismisses jiu-jitsu’s value in self-defense entirely. She believes it forms an important component of a comprehensive safety strategy. “Do I think jiu-jitsu is part of a great self-defense curriculum? Yes, of course. Knowing leverage, knowing how to use your body, knowing how to protect your head and your neck and kind of the order of operations of being attacked is really really important.”
