With benefits to health, self-esteem and confidence, the presence of women in martial arts is growing
After centuries of male dominance, women’s presence in combat sports continues to grow. Only inside Tokyo Olympics 2020held in 2021, about 45% of athletes in martial arts, such as boxing, taekwondo and others, were women. The reasons behind choosing these sports range from the interest in greater discipline and health, to a form of empowerment and security. MALU spoke with Maira Bandeira, black belt and South American Taekwondo champion, founder and martial arts teacher at the Escola de Artes Martiais Maira Bandeira – Defesa pras Minas, specialized in teaching fighting and defense for women and children, who told us told more about how teaching physical combat can be a game-changer in women’s lives.
From pain to struggle
The story of how Professor Maira entered the world of martial arts does not begin happily. Unfortunately, at the age of five, she was the victim of rape. “The way women and girls are treated has always outraged me, it has never made sense to me. My entry into the world of combat sports was a decision made by my parents, who decided that from now on then I had to be able to defend myself,” she begins.
After growing up playing sports, as an adult and now a college student, she realized that fear was a constant in the lives of many women around her. “I have seen many friends develop anxiety and panic, fear of going home alone. Many have asked me to teach them some movements. It started as something simple and, by the time I realized it, I was already starting the lessons!”, celebrate.
Enhanced!
Since then, more than eight years have passed since the Maira Bandeira Martial Arts School, which operates in São Paulo, is expanding and has also partnered with the municipality to spread self-defense among women, holding conferences and seminars in national level. and international level. According to Maira, the benefits are considerable. “Martial arts makes you face yourself in different ways, always putting you in situations where you have to overcome yourself. When a woman who has never used her body in this way realizes what she is capable of, regardless of weight, from height and age, This transforms her,” he reflects.
In addition to strengthening and self-defense, the teacher explains that the various benefits of martial arts, already proven by medicine, range from the release of feel-good hormones, which can help fight diseases such as depression, to the improvement of strength, condition physical and resistance, reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. “But for me the most interesting benefit is the psychological, emotional one. You learn in a very organic way to trust yourself, to have courage, to have emotional balance and you learn to deal with pressure situations, to detach yourself from situations of abuse and healing of trauma,” he adds.
The benefits for the mind
Psychologist Letícia de Oliveira reinforces everything Professor Maira said. “The practice of martial arts is excellent for women. In addition to the issue of well-being, it increases the sense of security, and also in dealing with problems,” she explains.
According to the psychologist, martial arts are an excellent strategy for overcoming shyness. “Especially for adolescents, these modalities help those who have difficulty positioning themselves more effectively and/or have self-esteem problems. Because, by practicing combat, these people are able to feel more seen, more capable and more respected.”
PERSONAL DATA SHEET OF THE MAIRA BANDEIRA SCHOOL
Fight for women?
Maira emphasizes that women should choose the type of fighting based on their interest, not on a specific type considered most appropriate. “One that I consider excellent is Jiu-Jitsu, but I have many students who prefer stand-up fighting and many who prefer ground fighting. Some don’t even think about trying another martial art, while others do both. It depends a lot about personality. Combining these two styles, ground fighting and standing fighting, would be ideal,” he advises.
In the case of girls and boys in general, parents must take personal tastes even more into account, in addition to evaluating the history of the teachers and the academy in question. “It is extremely important to evaluate the methodology used and the teacher. Attending a trial lesson before deciding is also important, because, unfortunately, we still have many unprofessional, sexist and aggressive people in the world of martial arts. What could be a great opportunity Evolution for the child, with the wrong teacher, who has no ethics, can be a great ruin, and remembering this is very important”, he explains.
Confidence for girls and women
Professor Maira takes the opportunity to dispel a great myth about martial arts teaching. “Practicing combat is a form of overcoming that comes organically, little by little. I believe that combat is also a form of acceptance. Something that must be taught with patience and love. But women must feel comfortable in intensifying the ‘workout when you feel really safe, without pressure,’ he emphasizes. This is because, for many women and especially for girls, it can be difficult to get used to the practice the first few times. “It’s very common for them to think that they won’t make it, to be afraid of touching their colleague in an aggressive way. Many are more afraid of hitting them than of being hit. And then, as teachers, we use our experience to pose the necessary challenges at the moment right,” he says.
Healing on the mat
With 23 years of experience in martial arts, Maira has already debunked several myths related to the practice of fighting by women. “There is still a lot of chauvinism, a lot of nonsense is said. ‘Women can’t do certain exercises because they are weaker’, ‘women who come to the mat just want to find a boyfriend’, ‘women who fight become masculine’ , and many other horrible lies, which I know are only told to keep women away from these spaces,” she comments.
To conclude he shares a teaching from an old master. “Whenever someone in class was sad or had a problem, they would say, ‘you just have to come to the mat, the mat will do the rest.’ Martial arts for me are this, a way of healing, of saying For women, every day , “a woman’s place is wherever she wants,” she concludes.
Source: Terra

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.