Why do so many women quit BJJ?

Women start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu every day. They show up to their first class unsure, maybe nervous, not knowing what to expect. And sometimes, even in that first hour, something clicks. They leave already thinking about coming back.

But many don’t stay. They leave quietly. No big reason, no announcement. Sometimes, no one even asks why.

It’s not because they didn’t enjoy the sport. It’s everything around it.

Maybe the gym didn’t feel welcoming. Maybe a partner went too hard in sparring. Maybe the coach didn’t notice they’d stopped coming. Sometimes it’s an injury. Sometimes it’s just the feeling of having to prove yourself every time you step on the mat.

What keeps women in the sport isn’t just a love for Jiu-Jitsu. It’s the feeling of being seen. Encouraged. Given space to learn at their pace. You don’t have to be the loudest or the strongest to deserve to be there.

Some leave and don’t come back. Some take time off and return on their own terms. Some shift how and where they train to make it work for them.

Keeping women in Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t come from policy or programming. It comes from how people treat each other. It’s in the atmosphere, the awareness, the day-to-day. When women feel that, they stay.