Understanding Why I Don’t Like to Accept Help
As I was writing my recent story about the things I deprive myself and others of when I refuse to accept help, I also started
Author: Valerie Worthington
Valerie Worthington has been moving her body since before she was born, for many reasons and with many outcomes. She really started to pay attention to how, when, and why her body moves when she began training in Brazilian jiu jitsu in 1998. From then on, she became hugely invested in educating herself about how to optimize her body movement for BJJ and how to support it in doing so. She has observed that these endeavors require her to invest herself not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and psychologically, fueling a particular interest in the influence on her life of these dimensions of athletic activity.
Valerie has developed as a BJJ practitioner via her own training and competition preparation, teaching and coaching other practitioners, and writing about her life as a jiu jitsu devotee through the lens of her education, personal experiences, and professional background. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and a doctorate in educational psychology from Michigan State University. She is a first-degree black belt in BJJ, as well as co-founder and proprietor of Groundswell Grappling Concepts. She trains at Princeton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Princeton, New Jersey.
Most recently, Valerie is the author of How to Love a Grappler: A Guide for People Who Love People Who Love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She can be reached through her email.
Posts from this author
Help Me! Even If I Say No Thank You – ESPECIALLY Then
The other day, I was trying to tie a piece of furniture to the top of my car. It was a two-person job, because I
Book Review: “Inside the Box” by TJ Murphy
Chances are even if you haven’t tried it, you’ve heard of it, and your reaction is a combination of interest and apprehension. It’s called CrossFit,
A (Tongue-in-Cheek) Set of Grappler’s New Year’s Resolutions
Grapplers tend to be an enthusiastic group, as I described in an earlier story. In fact, many of them will likely be training throughout this
Boys and Big Girls Don’t Cry, Unless They Do
If you are a child of the 70s, chances are you sang along to Free to Be You and Me, a compilation of songs and
4 Keys for Making and Keeping Your New Year’s Resolution
‘Tis the season to be jolly – and then shortly thereafter to be remorseful. During this time of year, many of us seem to assume
Own Your Stuff: Intention and Responsibility – The Ultimate Athletic Power Couple
The saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” This implies that if you say you mean to do something but then
How to Choose the Right BJJ Coach For You
Photos provided by David Brown Photography. Brazilian jiu jitsu/submission grappling is an increasingly popular sport that is one of the component sports of the mixed
I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane, or a Train, or a Boat: 3 Benefits of Traveling for Sports
By now, I have gathered lots of good intel about HOW to travel for competitions and athletic events, whether it be grappling, CrossFit, Olympic lifting,
Val Worthington’s Holiday Wish List
EDITOR’S NOTE: We know how hard it is to gift shop, so we thought we would help you out with ideas. Coach Val, who coaches
Book Review: “The Last Headbangers: NFL Football in the Rowdy, Reckless ’70s” by Kevin Cook
My father is an avid football fan, his fervor stemming from his experiences playing high school and college ball back in the day. I have
Is That Excellence I Smell? We Need the Funk, Gotta Have That Funk
To get to my grappling academy, I enter a door and walk up a narrow flight of stairs. Since I usually arrive in time for
