Every day 160,000 kids miss school to avoid a bully. Although every child gets bullied, only 15% of them actually report it, and once a bully targets a victim, they will continue to harass that child as long as they can get away with it. And the problem isn't the bullying - it's the psychological trauma that can last a lifetime. Once discovered, the parent desperately tries to remedy the situation by telling their child to stand up for themselves but what the parent doesn't realize is that this advice won't help because the child can't take a stand against a bully if deep down inside the child knows that the bully may physically harm them.
The Solution
The only way a child will ever take a stand against a bully is if he/she is confident and he/she can defend themselves if attacked. In the Gracie Bullyproof program, our goal is to increase each child's awareness about bullying and to build their confidence with the techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu so they can take a stand and end the torment. The best part is that the techniques are non-violent. Rather than using potentially harmful punches and kicks, the child will use leverage-based control holds to neutralize the threat until help arrives. With Gracie Bullyproof we teach the children how to fight fire with water.
Our Kids Programs
Little Champs (Ages 5-7)
"We don’t teach Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, we play Gracie Jiu-Jitsu."
At this age, children are not interested in learning martial arts, but they sure don’t mind “playing” martial arts. The Little Champs secret is that we have devised a series of 10 “Gracie Games” in which we secretly teach the children essential self-defense techniques. By playing the fun and challenging “Gracie Games,” children develop strong reflexes in the execution of the basic techniques, as they unconsciously learn the foundational principles of leverage and control. Once a child masters the Gracie Games, or turns 8 years old, we promote them to the Jr. Grapplers class.
Junior Grapplers (Ages 8-14)
"Empower your child when they need it most."
Since bullying is most prevalent in this age group, we teach the children in the Jr. Grapplers classes the 33 techniques they must know in order to defend themselves if physically attacked by a bully. The best part about the techniques is that they are totally non-violent, and are only applied in response to the physical aggression of a bully, ensuring that the techniques are never used for the wrong reason. Unlike most martial arts, which are unnecessarily violent, we do not use any punches or kicks. Instead, we teach the children to use leverage to establish control over the bully until help arrives. Once a child learns these techniques, they no longer have to live in fear, and the increased confidence this gives them is the single most effective deterrent to bullies.
Black Belt Club (Instructor Recommendation Only)
"Once they have the fire and the focus, we’ll take them to the top."
Jr. Grappler students who master the 33 techniques and display a very high level of focus will qualify to move on to the Black Belt Club. Simply put, we teach the children in the Black Belt Club like adults. We present the techniques at a level of detail that far exceeds that of the Jr. Grapplers class. The final objective at this level is to prepare the children for a smooth transition into the adult Gracie Jiu-Jitsu programs, and to instill in them the character traits and discipline necessary to make it to black belt.
