A LEADING female member of the Harlow Jiu-Jitsu Club is offering free classes throughout November starting on Tuesday.

We asked Elena Vullimay to tell us more about the courses at the Great Parndon Community Association (GPCA).

Elena said: “I have been doing Jiu-Jitsu since my 5th birthday, 15 years ago. Ever since I stepped foot into the dojo and onto the mat, Jiu-Jitsu has been a passion and place of peace of mine.

I have cherished my Jiu-Jitsu journey and cannot express enough gratitude to my first Sensei;

Sensei John Hunt; and my current Senseis; Sensei Luke, Sensei Paul, Sensei Chris and Sensei Mal; who have watched me grow up and taught me to be the best female fighter I can be today.

“From training when I was little for the exercise, discipline, knowledge and fun of it, to now being a 20 year old woman who can confidently go out knowing that I can defend myself and my friends, it brings me so much joy to know that my other female friends feel safer to go out at night with me.

That is a feeling I can never describe and I will never be able to thank Harlow Jiu-Jitsu, and the Harlow community for providing us with a place to train at the GPCA, enough for getting me to where I am now.

I was also presented with the opportunity to teach my own class for 5-7 year olds (Panda Warriors) and have been doing so for nearly a year.

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Now that you know all know a little about me, I am honoured to announce that Harlow Jiu-Jitsu are introducing a brand new Ladies Only class starting Tuesday 5th November.

I have been given the privilege to be Head Sensei of this class and create my own female fighters family!

As well as providing the women of Harlow with the opportunity to learn the traditional art of self-defence in a more private environment, we are offering the whole first month free for the Ladies Only class!

We understand the financial difficulty that comes with every day life and the cost of living, especially if you are a parent, living on your own etc. therefore, we are so pleased to offer you the opportunity to experience a few classes without spending.

I am also overjoyed that I get to give back to the Harlow Community considering what it has continuously given me.

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At Harlow Jiu-jitsu, we do not just train together. We build friendships, teamwork and have created our own family that is always growing.

We love to welcome all those who want to join.

When I first moved up to the Seniors training mat (16 yrs +) from the Juniors (5-15), I was one of two female students on a mat of men.

I have always had to train with men, and learnt how to fight better against them as a result.

As much as I have enjoyed getting to train with those bigger than me and push myself to new limits every week, I have always wanted my own group of girls to train with like the boys have had.

Over the years, Harlow Jiu-Jitsu’s female community has grown dramatically and it’s so exciting for me as the longest standing female student at Harlow Jiu-Jitsu to be part of the expansion of women in jiu-jitsu with my new Ladies Only class.

After doing some research, I’ve found that most places only offer women short-term, 6-week, courses and seminars, focusing on just teaching the basics of self-defence.

My aim is to provide a class that isn’t going anywhere, and where we can build a sense of community and master more than just the simple moves.

This isn’t just learning how to run away from a situation, it’s giving you the confidence to live in a scary world, knowing you can help yourself.

This is a great opportunity to grow your confidence, build your strength, and become a bad a** fighter within a male dominated sport!

“Thank you for your time. I hope to see you girls soon!”

Sensei Elena

Harlow Jiu Jitsu