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Self Defense & Character Development Program For Girls
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Give Your Daughter The Gift of True Confidence
The Girls Who Fight Program® empowers girls ages 6–14 with real-world self-defense skills—physical, mental, and verbal—that protect and strengthen her for life. But this is more than just martial arts. Not only will your daughter learn how to defend herself, she'll gain the knowledge to never become a target, the positive habits that foster health and happiness, and the strength of character to live a confident, successful life.
We Teach Girls to Defend Themselves—And to Never Be a Target in the First Place
The Girls Who Fight Program® is built on the belief that every girl deserves to feel safe, strong, and in control of her life. Our training goes beyond physical techniques—we focus on the full picture of self-defense: physical, mental, and emotional well-being. We start by teaching powerful, practical defensive skills that give girls the ability to stand up to bullies and protect themselves from real-world threats. But just as important, we give them the awareness, confidence, and knowledge to avoid dangerous situations altogether.
We Help Girls Build the Character and Habits That Lead to Confidence, Health, and Success
Confidence doesn’t just come from knowing how to fight—it comes from knowing who you are. Through our Character Development Training, girls learn the values and life skills that shape strong, resilient young women. We guide our students to develop self-discipline, a positive mindset, courage, focus, patience, respect, and teamwork—the foundations of a confident, healthy, and successful life. These habits don’t just help them on the mats; they empower them at school, at home, and in every part of life.
We Help Girls Build The Confidence To Thrive In Life
At Girls Who Fight, confidence is at the heart of everything we teach. A strong self-image is the foundation for a happy, healthy, and successful life—and we help girls build that from the inside out.
Our students learn to stand, walk, talk, think, and act like champions. Through a unique blend of physical training, self-defense techniques, empowering lessons, challenges, and games, we help each girl develop true self-esteem, positive habits, and the strength of character to thrive in life.
"Not only are my daughters learning practical Jiu Jitsu skills to defend themselves, but they are also growing in confidence and discipline. I love that they focus on both physical and mental strength, shaping these young girls into confident individuals who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves"
Self Discipline
Mental Strength
Perseverance
Focus
Positive Attitude
Physical Fitness
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Respect
Courage
Healthy Eating
We Don't Teach Girls To Fight–
But To Be So Aware, Strong And Confident
That They Never Have To
The Girls Who Fight Program® is more than self-defense—it's a comprehensive education in personal safety and character development for girls ages 6–14. Our curriculum combines kickboxing and Jiu Jitsu-based self-defense with physical conditioning and skill-building games that improve coordination, strength, agility, and confidence. Through this hands-on training, girls develop the fitness and technique to protect themselves from bullies and physical threats.
But the real power lies in what happens before a situation ever turns physical.
We teach girls how to be street-smart, risk-aware, and assertive. From setting boundaries to recognizing red flags, our students gain lifelong tools to avoid dangerous situations and prevent becoming a target in the first place. We emphasize that most threats don’t come from strangers—they come from people you know. And we know that peer pressure, especially within friend groups, can lead to unhealthy behaviors and decisions. That’s why we give girls the verbal and emotional skills to stand up for themselves early—before bullying, manipulation, or bad influences take hold.
Our goal is to help girls rise above the negative habits and attitudes so common in adolescence, and instead live with integrity, purpose, and pride—at school, at home, and in their communities.
As they grow into young women, we prepare them to make one of the most important choices in their lives: the relationships they build. A core goal of the Girls Who Fight Program® is to develop girls with the self-worth, respect, and knowledge to identify healthy, safe, and empowering relationships—while steering clear of manipulation, pressure, and harm.
Self Defense Curriculum
We combine physical conditioning with kickboxing and Jiu Jitsu-based techniques to teach girls how to defend against real-world situations with skill, strength, and confidence.
Peer-Pressure Defense
We give girls the boundary-setting skills to resist negative peer pressure and make empowered decisions—no matter who the pressure comes from.
Street Smarts
Girls learn how to stay alert, protect their personal space, present themselves with confidence, and trust their instincts—so they can navigate the world with awareness and safety.
Bully Defense
We teach girls how to assert themselves and stand their ground, helping them shut down bullying and harassment before it escalates.
"Girls Who Fight surpassed our expectations for what we were looking for: a self defense course for our daughter. Instead, GWF is really about empowering young women to stand up for themselves, be confident, and push themselves to reach their fullest potential through martial arts"
Learn From Mixed Martial Arts Champion Gemma Sheehan
Girls Who Fight was founded by Gemma Sheehan—a former professional MMA fighter, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt, and passionate advocate for empowering young girls. With over 16 years of experience in martial arts, Gemma built a 5–1 MMA record, earned a gold medal at the IBJJF Pans Championship, and was ranked the top female fighter in Ontario. In 2017, she retired from competition to pursue a new mission: teaching girls and women how to protect themselves and live with confidence. Today, through the Girls Who Fight Program®, Gemma shares the skills that shaped her journey—so the next generation can grow up strong, fearless, and self-assured.
"This isn't just a self defense class– it's a program that builds resilience, integrity, and grit in young girls."
Training Pillars
Girls Who Fight Summer Camp
Every Parent Wants Their Daughter To Be Safe, So Why Are So Few Girls In Martial Arts?
Because most martial arts programs are built for adult men. That means girls often feel overlooked, intimidated, or out of place in traditional training environments. But the truth is: young women are the ones who need self-defense skills the most.
Before Girls Who Fight, there were no comprehensive programs fully dedicated to teaching girls how to defend themselves—physically, mentally, and emotionally. We changed that. Girls Who Fight is a program built for girls, by women. Every class, technique, and lesson is designed with the specific needs of young girls in mind—creating a space where they can learn, grow, and thrive with confidence.
Beginner Girls at Girls Who Fight:
✅ Girls Only
✅ Learn Effective Self Defense Techniques
✅ Learn Street Smarts & Violence Prevention
✅ Peer Pressure & Bully Prevention Training
✅ Primary Focus on Character Development
✅ Beginner-Friendly, Fun, Empowering Atmosphere
✅ Learn From A Professional, Experienced Female Instructor
✅ The Purpose of Our Training is Self Defense
Beginner Girls at Average Gym:
❌ Only Girl In The Room
❌ Learn Unrealistic Moves Designed For Martial Arts Competitions
❌ Zero Street Smarts Training
❌ Zero Bully-Prevention Training
❌ No Character Development, Only Care About Sports Competitions
❌ Competitive and Intimidating Atmosphere
❌ Unprofessional Male Instructors
❌ The Purpose of Training is To Win Fights
Girls Who Fight Features & Awards
Mixed Martial Arts Training
"This program has quite literally changed my life"
Give your daughter priceless strength, wits, and courage that she’ll take with her everywhere she goes for the rest of her life
The most valuable benefit of Girls Who Fight Camp is the knowledge and character that our girls gain and take with them everywhere they go. Our program teaches girls how to become an effective protector through the three GWF self defense pillars: Deter, Detect, and Defend!
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Start learning about girls self defense on our blog!
Physical Self Defense Skills
Confidence, Anti-Bullying, Self Defense
If there's anything girls need today it's confidence, awareness, and the ability to defend themselves from bullies and predators. Our fun, empowering program combines self defense and martial arts, bully-proofing and street smarts, and the undeniable confidence building that comes along with gaining these life changing skills.