Throwing Caution to the Wind: Overcoming Instincts to Progress Athletically
After I read that mixed martial artist Forrest Griffin likes to get punched, I remember thinking to myself, “Well, there’s something that will never be
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
Developing Self-Awareness: A Messy, Ugly, Five-Step Process
I know some of myself very well – some habits, proclivities, and tendencies. I work fairly hard at self-awareness because I find it to be
An MMA Fan Puts It on the Line: Interview with Author Matt Polly
When you pick up a copy of Tapped Out: Rear Naked Chokes, the Octagon, and the Last Emperor: An Odyssey in Mixe When you pick
Duane Stevenson: Coach, Athlete, One Tough Monster
When chatting with Duane Stevenson, I observed that all of us play the hand we’re dealt, and he agreed. I commented that he seemed to
FightMetric: Where MMA Meets Statistics
The sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) has exploded in popularity, and while it is still in its infancy, this has not stopped a multitude
5 Tips for Losing Your Ego When All About You Are Keeping Theirs
I’m a Judge Judy fan. Don’t mock. If you are on the side of the righteous, she will vindicate you. If you think you are
The Athlete’s Paradox: Feeling Bad to Feel Good
In learning theory there’s a phenomenon known as the “learning paradox,” which suggests that it is actually impossible to learn anything. This is because if
Caving: My Worst Nightmare Turned Into a Sport
The novel Shibumi by Trevanian may be a little bit of a classic, shall we say, written as it was in the 1970s, and set
Chess Boxing: The Sweet Science Meets the Royal Game
Photos provided by WCBO.org. Multi-taskers and equivocators rejoice! Have you ever wanted to punch someone but also challenge him or her to a game of
Can I Get Your Picture? How to Approach a Sports Celebrity
Athletes inspire admiration, both for what they do and for what they convince us is possible. Sometimes the stories and accomplishments of athletes make them
5 Ways Competition Preparation Is Like College
I have advocated elsewhere that Brazilian jiu jitsu be treated like an academic discipline. I have argued that the domain of BJJ is complex and
Book Review: “The Fighter’s Mind: Inside the Mental Game” by Sam Sheridan
Realistically, the vast majority of us will never enter a cage to face off against someone with a menacing nickname, a six-pack, and an unsettling
