Every month in the United States, three million children miss school due to fear of bullies. In the Gracie Bullyproof program, our goal is to instill your child with unshakable confidence so they can overcome bullies without violence. Due to the non-violent nature of the techniques, CNN, ABC, NBC, and Oprah have featured the Gracie Bullyproof program as one of the few effective counter-measures to bullying for children between the ages of 5 and 12.
We will teach your child to use verbal assertiveness to deter bullies and several non-violent self-defense techniques to stay safe if physically assaulted. Importantly, we don’t teach how to punch or kick, since this often does more harm than good. Instead, we use leverage-based control holds to neutralize threats without violence. Numerous school districts have embraced the defensive nature of the Gracie Bullyproof techniques as a reasonable, nonviolent response to bullying and some even host Gracie Bullyproof classes on campus! The bottom line is: we will prepare your child to defend themselves against bullies without turning them into one.
If you’re interested in instilling your child with unshakable confidence while reinforcing positive values and good character, the Gracie Bullyproof program is for you! Even if your child has previously tried Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and had a negative experience, we can assure you that they will absolutely love the Gracie Bullyproof program!
Perfect Programs for Every Age
Mat Munchkins (3-5 Years Old)The Mat Munchkins program is the perfect introduction to jiu-jitsu for preschoolers, ages 3-5. In these playful classes, parents join us on the mat as we guide the little ones through fun games designed to help them develop "comfort with closeness." Once they learn the basic techniques and build their confidence in Mat Munchkins they'll be ready to transition into Little Champs (ages 5-7) classes.
Little Champs (5-7 Years Old)
The Little Champs program is for kids 5-7 years old. Using our time-tested “Gracie Games,” we teach the Little Champs basic self-defense techniques while instilling the foundational principles of leverage and control. The secret to the success of this program is that we make the lessons so fun that the kids beg for more! Once a child masters all ten Gracie Games, they advance to the Jr. Grapplers program.
Jr. Grapplers (8-12 Years Old)
In the Jr. Grapplers program, we focus on 33 non-violent self-defense techniques that teach children to “neutralize and negotiate” with the bullies. Verbal assertiveness strategies are a major portion of this curriculum. A child needs absolutely no experience to start, and we guarantee a noticeable increase in your child’s confidence within a few weeks!
Critical Confidence
Studies suggest that bullying may be the leading cause of low self-esteem in children, and according to some surveys, less than 15% of kids actually report acts of bullying. A child’s inability to stand up to a bully is rooted in profound fear for their personal safety. Ironically, the victims know that they must confront the bully and would like nothing more than to stand up to them. But, they simply can't follow through for fear of the physical harm that backs the bully's every action. And, therein lies the challenge – how do you instill in a victim of bullying the confidence to face the tormentor, look them in the eye, and back them down? The answer is simple – teach the victims to defend themselves against physical attack, and the rest will follow.
Gracie character development program
We have found that our instructors develop powerful bonds with every student on the mat, but especially with our youth practitioners. We leverage this connection to help you develop your child’s character for success in all aspects of life. The Gracie Character Development Program consists of six chapters: Responsibility, Health, Respect, Citizenship, Manners, and Caring. We spend two months on each chapter. In every class, we discuss the featured character trait for 10-15 minutes, emphasizing the simple things your child can do to make it a part of their life. The secret to success lies in our use of a unique point-based reward system that we tie to attendance at Gracie Game Day, a special two-hour party where they get to play tons of games with all the instructors and kids. Only kids who score enough points during the two-month chapter qualify to attend Gracie Game Day, so it’s a powerful incentive for kids and a useful tool for parents to encourage positive behavior at home and school. Gracie Game Day is so much fun that parents will often put on a uniform just so they can join the party!
Free Online Access & Free Satellite Training
Upon enrolling your child in the Gracie Bullyproof program, you qualify for a free subscription to Gracie Bullyproof Online. Through our interactive online curriculum, you’ll have access to detailed video instruction on every technique in the course enabling you and your child to review techniques, or learn new techniques, from home! Furthermore, if you ever take a family vacation to a destination that has a Gracie Bullyproof Certified Training Center, your child can participate in classes free of charge for up to 30 consecutive days.
10-Day Free Trial!!!
Most BJJ schools limit new students to one free trial class. We offer new students a 10-day risk-free trial with unlimited access to all of our beginner group classes. We’re confident that the curriculum, the camaraderie, and quality of the instruction will exceed all your expectations. If that’s not the case, just let us know, and we will never charge you a penny.