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Valerie Worthington

“Valhalla”

Valerie “Valhalla” Worthington is a fourth-degree BJJ black belt, educator, writer, and organizer of grappling camps built to develop leaders.

Last updated: 14 September 2026

Biography

On 1 July 2006, Valerie Worthington left Chicago on what was supposed to be a three-month jiu-jitsu road trip. She had a doctorate in educational psychology and worked in education in Illinois, but described her professional life as unsatisfying. She sold her condominium, left her job, and headed west to train at different academies. A planned two-week stop in Los Angeles changed the route: Johnny Ramirez offered her a place to stay at New Breed Academy, and she lived in the academy for three months. That journey became a hinge between parts of Worthington's life that had seemed separate. She was already a graduate, an educator, and an experienced jiu-jitsu student. At New Breed she returned to competition, taught beginners, and began to turn her understanding of learning into a practice for working with students. She would later help organize grappling camps, write about training and relationships, and teach as a fourth-degree black belt at Gracie Philadelphia. Finding a structure in jiu-jitsu Worthington, a New Jersey native, began Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the late 1990s. As a graduate student, she ran marathons before trying Muay Thai. Grappling drills at the same gym drew her toward jiu-jitsu, and female training partners helped her feel that she belonged. Her first classes were in Michigan. In Chicago she trained with Carlson Gracie Sr. and Jr. and reached purple belt; in California, John Ouano and Johnny Ramirez awarded her brown and black belts. One sequence made the larger art intelligible. Worthington recalled sweeping an opponent from the bottom and arriving in mount, a dominant top position. She compared seeing that connection to the moment graduate statistics became a coherent system rather than disconnected procedures. Worthington said fear had kept her from competition. At purple belt, her California instructors encouraged her return, and she used competition to practice becoming more comfortable with fear. Though also afraid of teaching, she began helping Ouano and Ramirez and gained confidence through their support. Her message-board name, “Valhalla,” remained her nickname. A road trip becomes a training home New Breed became Worthington's temporary home during the 2006 trip. Training partner Sean Robinson introduced her to CrossFit, and she credited that conditioning with greater competition confidence. She also drew a distinction between practicing jiu-jitsu and preparing specifically to compete. The results soon became concrete. In September 2007, Worthington won gold at the World Grappling Championships in Turkey while representing the United States. A contemporary report from that November also records her teaching beginner classes at New Breed and moving from the academy into an apartment. Her Brazilian jiu-jitsu results continued across changing belt divisions. In 2008, representing BJJ Revolution Team, she won the adult female purple-belt medium-heavy division at the IBJJF World Championship. The following year she took silver behind Penny Thomas in the adult female brown/black medium-heavy division at the Worlds, representing Carlson Gracie Team. Her own résumé identifies that as a brown-belt appearance. In 2010 she won the combined adult female brown/black medium-heavy division at the IBJJF Pan Championship for BJJ Revolution Team, again competing as a brown belt. The 2008 result was a purple-belt world title; the next two came in combined brown-and-black divisions while Worthington was a brown belt. They trace the competition path she re-entered after first avoiding it. Teaching the student in front of her Worthington used educational psychology to consider a student's motivation, culture, and prior knowledge. She also drew a limit around that expertise: knowledge of learning theory was different from empathy and listening, and a coach did not need her academic background to do the work well. One account shows what that meant in a difficult class moment. When a student became upset, Worthington described putting aside her own defensiveness, taking the student aside, identifying the issue, and giving them room to return to class. She also stressed that a coach must understand the boundaries of the role. Her account focused on listening and on defining what help belonged inside the academy. Gracie Philadelphia now lists Worthington among its instructors and describes her as a professor of mind-body medicine at Saybrook University and a professional health and wellness coach. The same instructor page identifies her as a fourth-degree jiu-jitsu black belt under John Ouano of Tsunami Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Camps that made teaching part of the program Worthington's teaching expanded beyond ordinary academy classes through a camp first proposed by Alaina Hardie to Felicia Oh. Oh brought Worthington and Emily Kwok into the project. The first women's grappling camp took place in Valencia in February 2009, followed by another in Toronto that August. The early response changed the scale. Organizers initially expected about ten participants, but demand led to a cap of thirty. At a January 2010 camp, women from the United States and Canada trained in both gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu, discussed coaching and teamwork, and had opportunities to teach and lead rather than remain only participants. Worthington explained the aim as developing women who could contribute to their home academies, while also acknowledging the male teachers and training partners who had supported them. The project continued to change. By 2018, Worthington described Groundswell's partners as Emily Kwok, Hannette Staack, and herself. Requests from men had led to mixed-gender events becoming a regular part of the program. The camps were intended to build relationships beyond a participant's home academy, introduce students to respected outside teachers, and connect jiu-jitsu with the rest of life. A participant's account from a 2017 Groundswell camp supplies a view from the other side of the room. Hillary Witt described Worthington leading self-awareness work alongside technical training, nutrition, questions, and reflection. Witt characterized the instructors as mentors and friends. Her account shows that the camp schedule gave the nontechnical work a defined place rather than leaving it as an abstract statement of values. Writing for people inside and outside the academy Worthington also carried the same material into writing. Training Wheels is her memoir of leaving her job and home for the North American jiu-jitsu journey. How to Love a Grappler addresses a different reader: someone who does not train but wants to understand a person who does. Her broader writing includes contributions to Breaking Muscle and Inverted Gear, an advice column, and discussions of learning, training relationships, and women in leadership.

Sources for this profile

Gracie Philadelphia, Jiu-Jitsu instructors, undated; accessed 14 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
- Valerie Worthington is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under John Ouano of Tsunami Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
  Where in the source: Valerie's instructor card; anchor: fourth-degree black belt.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- Gracie Philadelphia's current instructor biography gives Worthington's rank as fourth-degree black belt.
  Where in the source: Same Valerie card and degree phrase as c1.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- Gracie Philadelphia lists Worthington among its instructors. Its biography also describes her as a professor of mind-body medicine at Saybrook University and a professional health and wellness coach.
  Where in the source: Valerie card, teaching paragraph and final professional paragraph.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- The academy biography describes her as a New Jersey native who began Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 1998.
  Where in the source: Beginning of Valerie card; anchor: since 1998.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
Daniël Bertina, Inverted Gear, Meet the Pandas – From Grasshopper to Valhalla – Valerie Worthington, PhD, 6 December 2017.(opens in a new tab)
- As a graduate student, Worthington ran marathons, then tried Muay Thai. Unfamiliar jiu-jitsu drills at the same gym attracted her to grappling; female partners helped her feel she belonged.
  Where in the source: Opening answers about starting and other women.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- Her first classes were in Michigan. In Chicago she trained with Carlson Gracie Sr. and Jr., reaching purple belt. In California John Ouano and Johnny Ramirez awarded her brown and black belts.
  Where in the source: Answer tracing ranks; anchor: journey through the ranks.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- She recalled seeing how jiu-jitsu fitted together when she swept into mount, comparing it to finally understanding the structure of graduate statistics.
  Where in the source: Answer about understanding the art; anchor: statistics.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- After avoiding competition through fear, she returned at purple belt with her California instructors' encouragement, practising competition to become more comfortable with fear.
  Where in the source: Competition answers following belt history.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- She recalled starting to teach in California to help Ouano and Ramirez, despite her fear of teaching. Their support and further classes and seminars increased her confidence.
  Where in the source: Answer on teaching; anchor: teacher-role.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- She described applying educational psychology's attention to motivation, culture and prior knowledge in the training room.
  Where in the source: Answer explaining psychology background.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- She explained that Valhalla began as an online message-board name and remained her nickname.
  Where in the source: Nickname answer between competition and conditioning.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
Becca Borawski, CrossFit Journal 63, Jiu-Jitsu Journey, November 2007, pp. 1–4.(opens in a new tab)
- By 2006 Worthington had a doctorate in educational psychology and Illinois education work, but found professional life unsatisfying. She sold her Chicago condo and departed on 1 July 2006 for a planned three-month jiu-jitsu road trip.
  Where in the source: PDF pp1–2, departure and academic-work paragraphs.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- Arriving in Los Angeles for an intended two-week stop, she accepted Johnny Ramirez's offer to stay at New Breed Academy and lived there for three months.
  Where in the source: PDF p2, New Breed arrival and accommodation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- Training partner Sean Robinson introduced her to CrossFit. She credited conditioning with competitive confidence and distinguished practising jiu-jitsu from preparing to compete.
  Where in the source: PDF pp2–3, introduction and competition preparation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- In September 2007 she won gold at the World Grappling Championships in Turkey representing the United States.
  Where in the source: PDF p1, opening medal report.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- The November 2007 report records her teaching beginner classes at New Breed and moving from the academy into an apartment.
  Where in the source: PDF p4, opening paragraph.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
IBJJF, World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2008, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- Worthington won adult female purple-belt medium-heavy at the 2008 IBJJF Worlds for BJJ Revolution Team.
  Where in the source: Original 2008 page, Adult/Purple/Female/Medium Heavy, place1.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
IBJJF, World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2009, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- She placed second in adult female brown/black medium-heavy at the 2009 IBJJF Worlds for Carlson Gracie Team, behind Penny Thomas.
  Where in the source: Original 2009 page, Adult/Brown Black/Female/Medium Heavy, place2.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
IBJJF, Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2010, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- She won adult female brown/black medium-heavy at the 2010 IBJJF Pans for BJJ Revolution Team.
  Where in the source: Original 2010 page, Adult/Brown Black/Female/Medium Heavy, place1.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
Valerie Worthington, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Resume, undated historical resume.(opens in a new tab)
- Her personal resume identifies the 2009 Worlds silver and 2010 Pans gold as brown-belt appearances in combined brown/black divisions.
  Where in the source: Selected Competition Titles, first two entries.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
Breaking Muscle, Persistence and Passion: BJJ Coach Val Worthington, publisher's interview transcript with Becca Borawski Jenkins and Chet Morjaria; page updated 22 November 2021.(opens in a new tab)
- Worthington described training as revealing dissatisfaction with her 2006 corporate life. Leaving her job and selling her home funded a western road trip through many academies and reconsideration of her priorities.
  Where in the source: Published transcript, career-change discussion; anchor: In 2006.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- She described putting aside defensiveness, taking an upset student aside, identifying the issue, and giving them space to return to class. She also stressed defining the limits of a coach's role.
  Where in the source: Transcript, emotional-student answer and later boundaries answer; anchor: appropriate boundaries.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- She distinguished educational-psychology knowledge from empathy and listening, noting that effective coaches need not share her academic background.
  Where in the source: Transcript, learning-theory answer; anchor: learning theory.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
Valerie Worthington, Graciemag, Female grappling camp in Cali a success, 15 March 2010.(opens in a new tab)
- The women's camp began with Alaina Hardie's idea to Felicia Oh. Oh brought in Worthington and Emily Kwok. Their first camp took place in Valencia in February 2009, followed by Toronto in August.
  Where in the source: Contemporary report, origin and first two camps.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- An initial expectation of ten participants grew to a thirty-person cap. At the January 2010 camp, women from the US and Canada trained gi and no-gi, discussed coaching and teamwork, and had opportunities to teach and lead.
  Where in the source: Attendance and week-long program paragraphs; anchor: teach and lead.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- Worthington explained that the camps sought to develop women who could contribute to their home academies, acknowledging the male teachers and partners who had supported them.
  Where in the source: Purpose paragraphs following camp program.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
Val Worthington, Princeton BJJ, Take the Opportunity to Build Your Community, 2 May 2018.(opens in a new tab)
- By 2018 she described Groundswell's partners as Emily Kwok, Hannette Staack and herself. Requests from men had led to mixed-gender events becoming a regular part of the program.
  Where in the source: 2018 essay opening through expansion; anchor: co-ed events.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- She described the camps as building relationships beyond one's home academy, introducing students to respected outside teachers and connecting jiu-jitsu with the rest of life.
  Where in the source: Middle community discussion and closing suggestions.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
Hillary Witt, Inverted Gear, The Rise of Women in BJJ, 9 March 2017.(opens in a new tab)
- Participant Hillary Witt described Worthington leading self-awareness work at a 2017 Groundswell camp alongside technique, nutrition, questions and reflection. Witt described the instructors as mentors and friends.
  Where in the source: Witt's Saturday schedule and concluding reflections; anchor: with Val.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
Valerie Worthington, Books & Publications, undated.(opens in a new tab)
- Worthington wrote Training Wheels, a memoir of leaving her job and home for a North American jiu-jitsu journey.
  Where in the source: Books&Publications, first book description.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- How to Love a Grappler explains jiu-jitsu to people who do not train but want to understand someone who does.
  Where in the source: Books&Publications, second book description.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14
- Her writing includes Breaking Muscle and Inverted Gear contributions, an advice column, and discussions of learning, training relationships and women in leadership.
  Where in the source: Site descriptions and linkedarticlelist on author page.
  Accessed: 2026-09-14

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