- Adele Fornarino, a double ADCC champion and rising superstar of women’s grappling, recently offered three pieces of advice to male training partners.
- Her tips include not stopping rolls to coach, being mindful of strength differences and meeting a partner’s pace – key lessons for anyone rolling with women in BJJ.
- The explosion of female participation in Brazilian jiu‑jitsu has forced gyms to confront BJJ etiquette and respect on the mats; Fornarino’s voice is part of this cultural shift.
- Her comments came on Andre Galvao’s podcast and were later shared by ATOS BJJ on demand.
- Embracing her approach to rolling with women in BJJ can help gyms build safer, more inclusive communities while sharpening everyone’s technique.
Rolling With women in BJJ: Basic Etiquette Demands
Twenty years ago, a woman on the mats was a rarity. Today, gyms around the world have women’s classes, female black‑belt coaches, and international champions headlining marquee events.
The increase has been so dramatic that etiquette and training norms are being reevaluated. In many gyms, rolling with women in BJJ still triggers an awkward pause: should male practitioners go light, avoid certain grips, or offer unsolicited pointers?
These questions reveal a larger issue: as the gender balance changes, so must the culture. Against this backdrop, Adele Fornarino’s comments resonate.
The Australian phenom made history in 2024 by winning both her weight class and the absolute division at the ADCC world championships, becoming the first woman in 17 years to accomplish the feat.
That achievement cemented her status as a role model. When someone with that résumé speaks about rolling with women in BJJ, her words carry weight. Her advice underscores how technical training thrives on mutual respect rather than outdated assumptions.
Adele Fornarino’s ADCC Triumph and Why Her Voice Matters
Fornarino didn’t appear out of nowhere. She was already one of Australia’s most accomplished grapplers before ADCC 2024, but her double‑gold performance turned her into an international star.
In an era when many women still have to justify their place on the mats, her success sends a message: excellence transcends gender. It also gives her the license to challenge entrenched behaviors.
On a recent episode of the Andre Galvao Podcast, she addressed a question about men training with women. Rather than couch her comments in polite generalities, she spoke plainly.
Adel Fornarino’s Three Rules for Men Rolling With Women
Fornarino’s advice boils down to three actionable rules. Each one addresses a common misstep and offers a roadmap for better sessions. For men who find themselves rolling with women in BJJ, these guidelines can be transformative:
Flow, don’t coach. Interrupting a round to explain what just happened may feel helpful, but it often masks discomfort with losing. Trust your training partner. Talk about setups and escapes after the bell rings.
As Fornarino put it:
They shouldn’t stop the roll every three seconds to explain something… just roll
– Adele Fornarino –
Let technique lead. Strength and size are undeniable factors in grappling, but they shouldn’t be the default strategy in the gym. Focus on positional awareness, timing, and leverage. That mindset levels the playing field. Fornarino’s reminder captures it perfectly:
Be aware of the strength discrepancy. Try and be technical, don’t just try and be bigger and stronger
– Adele Fornarino –
Match your partner’s pace. Rolling lightly or hard isn’t dictated by gender. Pay attention to cues and adapt. You wouldn’t assume a world‑class featherweight is looking for a rest round, so don’t make that assumption about women. Fornarino’s words get to the heart of it:
Don’t assume that a female’s gonna be a rest round. Don’t go into the round assuming that it’s going to be a rest round
– Adele Fornarino –
Each rule emphasises mutual respect. They also highlight the central theme of this article: approaching rolling with women in BJJ as an opportunity for growth rather than a social minefield.
By embracing flow over ego, technique over strength, and communication over assumptions, male practitioners can elevate their own game while helping create a better training environment for everyone.
From Mat Etiquette to Mutual Growth
The conversation sparked by Fornarino’s podcast appearance isn’t just about etiquette; it’s about the future of the sport. As more women earn titles, open academies and become high‑profile coaches, the days of treating them as novices or afterthoughts are over.
When men refine how they approach rolling with women in BJJ, they send a signal that women belong – not as special cases but as equals. That shift has tangible benefits beyond optics. It raises the overall technical level of the room and makes gyms more attractive to newcomers who might otherwise be intimidated.
Fornarino’s rules dovetail with broader discussions about safety and respect in martial arts. Mixed‑gender training demands awareness of body mechanics, of personal space, and of the purpose of each round.
By following Fornarino’s example, gyms can build inclusive spaces where the phrase “rolling with women in BJJ” isn’t notable at all – it’s just part of training. And for male practitioners, embracing these guidelines isn’t a concession; it’s a path to becoming better grapplers and better teammates.
