The Shield Maiden with Natalie Cavin: Recent Episodes
Paulo Ribeiro
This podcast is all about martial arts (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu mostly) from a female perspective. I am an entrepreneur, martial artist, competitor, writer, wife and mother of 3 little girls, who wants to provide information and empower more women through the martial arts.
I get a little impassioned in this episode as it all happened very recently and from those who should definitely know better!
Sometimes time based promotions can be not all that great. I talk about how we use it only as a guideline and also include other factors in promoting students.
In this episode I discuss our thoughts on dating inside our Academy. How casual is not in our vocabulary and it probably shouldn’t be in a student’s with the intent to pursue a long term commitment like Brazilian jiu jitsu.
I discuss the practice of the gauntlet in Brazilian jiu jitsu. I also give my thoughts and opinions about it. Also my husband’s perspective on the matter.
This episode is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. With a shout out to those competing this weekend at World Masters, to talking about ego and the negative impact it has on every aspect of your life. I even discuss comparing yourself to others and my favorite all time quote. Have fun and enjoy the ride! Lol!
I break Brazilian jiu jitsu into 4 different categories. Gi NoGi MMA Self Defense. I talk about how I recommend finding an Academy that teaches it all.
Rickson Gracie discusses his Parkinson’s diagnoses. I talk about being vigilant in your safety training measures and how I am glad to see the GOAT continue to be an inspiration.
I just watched the live stream between Tom Deblass and Rener Gracie. Very eye opening stuff. I give my thoughts about the situation and the conversation.
How our Academy handles injury on the mats. Main focus in this conversation is how we deal with youth and parents in this type of scenario.
I talk about the match, the event overall, what I enjoyed about it. Also I share my thoughts about why I believe it was a good decision from the Judges.
I go over a very real and raw video and interview of a woman being accosted while working out. Her tenacity and strong mental fortitude helped keep her safe.
It was brought to my attention that a big conversation needed to be had about women and emergency supplies. I talk about what we do at our Academy and if your school doesn’t have these items then offer to supply a starter emergency supply kit. Be the solution or the change you want to see in the world.
This episode focuses on women especially those of us who have a hard time finding someone of the same division to compete against. Know you are not alone. Keep the faith as you are a pioneer and with persistence will only grow this sport that all our fellow BJJ lady heavies fall in love with.
I talk about the fight and break it down from my point of view. Also talk about the allure of the dark side (lol) leg locks. Also how we introduce leg locks at our academy and other tidbits.
This is a follow up discussion to our previous episode where we talked about why we don’t allow cross training at our Academy. This episode explains how to respectfully train outside of our school.
Controversial… I know. However, to each their own. In this episode I discuss the why of it.
In this episode (I had a sinus infection as you will hear) I bring on Pastor Chris Surber from The First Congregational Church of Naples. On here, I explain how I was struggling with feeling guilt about showcasing our giving within the community. He helped me understand that letting the community know about what we are doing isn’t boastful or wrong but a way to engage with the community and promote goodness and more giving. Thank you Pastor Chris from the bottom of my heart. Thank you to our team for being so awesome and helping us make a difference!
Understanding your Academy’s values and principles can really help you navigate the type of school they are. It will allow you to better understand the mind set of the teachers and answer some of your questions about how or why they do the things they do.
Student saw on her social media a non black belt promote someone and wanted some answers.
I give some insight on our private lessons. How they are not and should not be cookie cutter and can vary greatly from person to person depending on their wants/needs. We also talk about how to go about asking questions and finding out if private lessons are right for you.
Recently a video went viral on social media about an altercation that took place between Brazilian jiu jitsu fighter and instructor Renzo Gracie and a racist. These are my thoughts…..
In this episode I talk about my favorite BJJ position. I explain the 5 basic positions and why I like my favorite.
I always tell people who are just starting out in Martial Arts to look for organizations that are aligned with other groups or federations, as this can give you an inkling of the school’s ideals and culture, so that you can make a more informed decision about choosing a school that is right for you.
My Sensi, mentor and friend. Enjoy our candid conversation about life, family, brazilian jiu jitsu and his newly published book. The Peacemakers Guide to Law Enforcement and Leadership.
Sexual abuse should NEVER occur! How can we help prevent sexual abuse? Even within our own Jiu Jitsu community! I give some examples of what we do at our academy to ensure safety.
Written by Carlos Gracie Sr. I go over his 12 commandments and talk about the importance of a strong and positive mental outlook. I also highlight some of his calls to action and examples of how to apply these commandments in our lives. I also go down memory lane and talk about my favorite commandment and how Meeting (and not realizing it was Renzo Gracie!) helped me see it in the flesh and cement it’s importance in my life.
We discuss Black belt all the way thru Red belt in this episode. Such as minimum age to receive black belt, where to go for info., Time in between degrees and even all the requirements just to receive your diploma. 🤯
Part 2 of this 3 part mini series, all focused on the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belt system. Specifically adults white belt though black.
This is a breakdown of how the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu youth belt system works in most academies. I go over how the ranks are broken up and how belt and stripe promotions work.
I talk about the IBJJF what it is for and explain the website and why I think it is a great tool and wonderful resource.
I was asked if there was one correct way to tie the belt. I explain in this episode what is needed for the belt to be considered tied correctly and also give a few examples of ways that they can be tied differently.
In this episode I have story time. I go over a scenario that actually happened to me in real life. I don’t want to explain how I escaped from being robbed.
I spend this episode talking about love and forgiveness and being grateful for all the strong female figures in our lives! Happy Mother’s Day all!!
I quickly go over 5 of the more popular self defense tools, and the need to be mentally prepared before choosing a tool. As well as go over my favorites and I add a few funny stories about my experiences along the way. Enjoy!
I go over what programs I provide for women. Realistic expectations the need for consistency. We also delve into types of protections and self defense tools.
I go over why I haven’t been on scene lately. Also how it felt having covid, how it effected our academy and family.
Which team are you on? Team wash your belt or team don’t wash? You’ll find out in this episode which team I am on and which team my husband Professor Paulo is on.
Products I use when cleaning my well trained in kimonos. I also talk about how to add an extra layer of protection to your gi by wearing a rash guard.
You just got a uniform?? Yay! Congratulations on being the owner of a brand new kimono! In this episode I explain how to take care of and wash your uniform for the first time. I’ll give you a couple of tips and important info to ensure the longevity of your gi.
I go over a few important details about the fit of your uniform and what you should be looking for in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu kimono. I touch on some rules in major tournaments for the gi. Also, I break down the names and meanings of the sizes.
Learn my secret weapon to combating blood stains on any martial arts uniform. Except silk and other things of that nature, I don’t know what the hell to do for that. Lol!
Spoiler alert…… I believe your sexual orientation does not determine your biological orientation. 🤯 These are my thoughts and opinions NOT yours. If you don’t agree, don’t listen.
In this episode I discuss some ways to decide and choose the best martial arts school for your child based on their needs. I also touch on how to find the best deals so that martial arts can be affordable for your family.
What is a McDojo? How to spot one and what questions to ask to ensure you don’t get duped.
Ok, You want to do martial arts! Yay!!! Good for you! Now how to pick a good one? I explain a bit in this episode.
You thought you knew which style you wanted. Did a class and it wasn’t what you thought??? Well maybe it is because of your body type? On this quick episode we go over going back to the drawing board if you get stuck and want a more tailored martial art.
I go over in this episode on finding your WHY. I give a few examples and explain how to choose your martial art.
This episode is an introduction about me. Before I start to swing my opinions and thoughts around I feel it is important for you to know my background and why I feel like I can talk about the topic of martial arts from a female perspective.