How a four-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion is shaping the martial arts community for women of all definitions and backgrounds.
By Emma Johnson
Photos Courtesy of Dominyka Obelenyte
Dominyka Obelenyte lives a double life as a student and a four-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) World Champion. As humble as Obelenyte is about her status as a BJJ World Champion, she’s bold when she speaks out about the lack of diversity in the ground-based, grappling martial art—and the importance of inclusivity.
Obelenyte’s recent collaborative venture, Rag Doll Camps—launched with co-founder Callie Brennan—empowers women not only through the art of grappling, but also through dialogue about physical wellness and mental health. These community-oriented weekend-long camps have helped pave the way for other young girls and women to practice the male-dominated martial art, and to work toward changing the cultural narrative around sports in general. If it’s one thing we’ve gained from the current political and social climate, it’s that women are willing to fight harder than they ever have before.
I had the chance to catch up with Obelenyte after a week-long jiu jitsu seminar she taught in Iowa. I asked her about her own experience as a woman in the martial arts, and how she is actively helping shape the jiu jitsu community for women through Rag Doll Camps.
Emma Johnson: You are a four-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) World Champion—so impressive! When were you first introduced to jiu jitsu and what did that community look like at the time?
Dominyka Obelenyte: I was first introduced to the sport at the age of nine. I really had no idea of the politics and different issues alive within the sport at the time, but I recognized it was male-dominated from an early age. If you want to bet on any sport, a site like slot can be your go-to.
I rarely had a female partner during [youth] classes, and when I was finally allowed to enter the adult classes at 12, I was ecstatic to finally see a woman in the class. She was 19, so the age gap was pretty huge but it didn’t matter. Jiu jitsu as a whole was definitely less widespread, it was a time when competitions saw the same faces and the same champions year after year. Once I got into my teens, I started noticing a new generation of female athletes begin to surface and start occupying slots in the tournament range. I decided I wanted to be right alongside them, rising in rank and progressing as an athlete and a student.
EJ: It’s been 17 years since you were first introduced to jiu jitsu, and it still seems to be a predominantly male-dominated sport. What are some of the biggest challenges you see as a woman along with some of the advantages?
DO: One of the biggest challenges as an instructor within the sport is actually encouraging women to take a chance on the sport and take a class at their local academy. The classes in most gyms are primarily male-dominated and that is often an intimidation factor for women brand new to martial arts, especially if the guys are tall heavyweights. Being a female competitor [also has] its own set of challenges: few tournaments pay the athletes, and even fewer offer equal pay opportunities for both female and male athletes.
With the bad also comes the good: because there are [fewer] women both intra-academy and in the real of BJJ in its entirety, a lot of us create opportunities for each other to come together and train, exchange experiences and advice, and build a community of supportive women.
EJ: It’s my understanding that jiu jitsu is more about technique than strength. This idea that a highly skilled, but much smaller athlete can take down a much larger athlete isn’t the case in many sports. Do you think this entices more women to take a chance on the sport?
DO: I believe the central tendencies of jiu jitsu as being a generally non-violent and less invasive sport, which is appealing to many people, especially those with day jobs that cannot risk coming in to work with a black eye every month. Jiu jitsu definitely advocates efficiency and technique over brawn, and that appeals to many women who fear they may not have a chance within the sport. It is extremely approachable and fun, and really allows persons of all backgrounds, sizes, and ages to train together. If you’re physically active, especially if you engage in regular intense workouts or strength training, you need protein powder to support muscle repair and growth.
EJ: Do you have any female jiu jitsu role models? As one of the few female Jiu Jitsu World Champions, I’m sure you’re also an inspiration to many young girls out there. What’s your message to other young girls and women who are interested in pursuing a sport that is traditionally male-dominated?
DO: One of my greatest jiu jitsu role models is Emily Kwok: she was a mentor to me back when I was a teenager and trying to find my role in the jiu jitsu world. She not only helped me to sharpen my techniques, but [she also] encouraged me to take a stand for women within the sport. She is currently a mom of two, and is one of the few women in the world that runs her own academy, which is located in Princeton, NJ.
As for the many young girls struggling to find their place within their male-dominated sport, I have only one word: persevere. I absolutely hated jiu jitsu when I first started, as I was being made fun of in school for being a part of a “boy sport.” It took me years to realize that it didn’t matter what people thought about me or my role in BJJ, [and] that as long as I enjoyed what I was doing, that was all that was important. I also encourage you to do whatever is in your power to get more ladies involved: whether it be invitations to friends, or a simple comment of encouragement to someone thinking about joining such a sport.
EJ: Jiu jitsu is just as much about self defense as it is about community-building, perseverance, self esteem, confidence, and overall strength and well-being—all of which are themes of your newest venture, Rag Doll Camps, with co-founder Callie Brennan. Can you tell us a little more about this project? What’s next?
DO: Our newest project, Rag Doll Camps, is an organization dedicated to forming a community around grapplers, lovers of bodywork, and health and wellness enthusiasts. We want to provide our campers with a sampling of different physical arts, within the curated experience of a retreat. Our hope is to encourage the cultivation of friendships, confidence, and new skills, in one succinct camp package. Our next venture will be the Mari-Tatame camp in Florida, and will include collaborations with local female athletes, as well as bodywork expert Anastasia Frenkel.
EJ: Where does the name, “Rag Doll Camps” come from?
DO: It was a spur-of-the-moment decision between myself and co-founder Callie Brennan! She came up with the name Rag Doll, because she alluded to the idea of rolling around, the BJJ version of “sparring” or live training as emulating a ragdoll flopping around on the mats. I loved the name right off the bat, and we’ve stuck with it ever since.
EJ: You’re pretty active in the arts community, and Callie has her own health-oriented private meal prep business. How much of an overlap is there between jiu jitsu and your other hobbies?
DO: Jiu jitsu is actually somewhat removed from my school life and the arts. I try to keep those realms separate, as people tend to treat you differently when they find out you’re a world champion. However, most of my current world is jiu jitsu-centered. Most of my friends are fellow jiujiteiros, and I’m currently working as a head instructor at Hinds Combat Sports in Long Island City. As the first female BJJ head instructor in New York, my goal is to use the lessons I’ve learned in my 14 years of practice to spread the community spirit of jiu jitsu, and to cultivate a team of enthusiasts that use the sport to achieve freedom from stress and learn something both practical and fun. I’ve definitely grown more as a person—my self-esteem has skyrocketed, and I am more comfortable addressing big crowds and walking through shady streets because of jiu jitsu.
Callie on the other hand, sees and uses jiu jitsu everywhere. She cites the practice as her most informative guide through any of life’s endeavors. Jiu jitsu taught her to remain calm under stress, how to let go when something isn’t working, and how to negotiate and problem-solve quickly. Because BJJ is a physically demanding sport, she was prompted to address many health issues with a diet overhaul early into training. She spends a lot of energy experimenting with different approaches to holistic health, which led her to start cooking and meal-prepping for others on a similar journey.
EJ: How much has today’s political climate—Trump’s win, the recent “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” movements, etc.—played a role in promoting self-defense and providing the safe, yet productive haven for women you provide at Rag Doll Camps?
DO: As ardent proponents of feminism and women’s rights, Callie and I are entirely dedicated to providing a sphere of support and community for women—and eventually men—at our camps. We want to give practitioners of the sport and enthusiasts alike a comfortable space for sharing, and experience-cultivation, free from trauma and anxiety. The recent political climate has only fueled the fire for our camps and our goals, especially in terms of promoting self-defense and the reclamation of power and security in the real world. Jiu jitsu goes above and beyond useful techniques for self-protection—it fosters mindfulness and self-assertion. Almost all small mammals grapple with each other from a young age, and human beings, especially young girls, are discouraged from this behavior. For many, BJJ is their first experience in ground-based, full contact interaction with another human body, and we want to make it accessible to all. The benefits are innumerable, from endorphin release to stress relief, better sleep and promotion of a healthier lifestyle. We think everyone is meant to be doing it!
Emma Johnson is the Social Media Editor for The Riveter. She wears many hats at Hackwith Design House, a sustainable women’s clothing company in St. Paul, and does freelance illustration and graphic design on the side. Follow her on Instagram.
