Gracie Bullyproof®
Content and trigger warning: the following video contains brief images depicting physical harassment, violence and / or physically aggressive altercations of survivors from bullying.
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. In the Gracie Bullyproof program, our goal is to instill children with unshakable confidence so they can overcome bullies without violence. Bullyproof is broken down into three specific courses based on age and skill set: Little Champs for ages 5-7, Junior Grapplers for ages 8-12, and Junior Combatives for ages 13-17.
We will teach your child to use verbal assertiveness to deter bullies and several non-violent self-defence techniques to stay safe if physically assaulted. Most 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. 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! Scroll down to learn more about this groundbreaking youth empowerment program!
Critical Confidence
Studies in both the United States and Canada 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 child of bullying the confidence to face their tormentor, look them in the eye, and get the bully to back down? The answer is simple – teach the child how to defend themselves against verbal and physical attacks, and the rest will follow.
Fighting Fire With Water
Most martial arts programs rely on striking the attacker with violent punches, kicks, knees, and elbows, but in the Gracie Bullyproof program, we take a completely different approach. All the techniques taught are focused on self-defence and utilize no strikes.
Furthermore, we teach children how to defuse and de-escalate confrontations with words and never initiate physical aggression. If physically attacked, we offer techniques to non-violently neutralize the threat and gain control until help arrives. In the Gracie Bullyproof program, we teach children how to fight fire with water so that you never have to worry about your child becoming a bully under our guidance.
The Gracie Bullyproof program prepares your child using a three-pronged approach:
Increased Awareness: Harassment comes in many forms. Sometimes, a victim doesn’t take a stand because they can’t differentiate between “joking” and “bullying.” We teach your child to differentiate between harmless play and harmful harassment so they know precisely when and how to act in each circumstance.
Unshakable Confidence: A confident child is a Bullyproof child. Bullies seek “easy targets” – those who will tolerate their abuse. We empower your child with the tools needed to overcome physical, verbal, and psychological harassment, so they are so confident in themselves that no bully will try to harass them.
Total Responsibility: We prepare your child to deal with bullies without turning them into one. We emphasize discipline, responsibility, and respect throughout their training, and teach the five “Rules of Engagement” to ensure they never abuse their power.
The Rules of Engagement
Teaching a child Jiu-Jitsu without teaching them when to use it, is akin to giving someone a weapon without any guidance. Gracie Bullyproof is the only kids’ Jiu-Jitsu program that actually teaches children precisely when they can, and cannot, use the techniques they are learning.
The five “Rules of Engagement” are regularly rehearsed in class so that children will never abuse their power and, equally important, they will not hesitate to take a stand when abused by bullies.
Rule 1: Avoid the fight at all costs.
Rule 2: If physically attacked, defend yourself.
Rule 3: If verbally attacked, follow the Three T-steps (talk, tell, tackle).
Rule 4: Never punch or kick the bully, establish control and negotiate.
Rule 5: When applying submissions use minimal force and negotiate.
Although we discuss the Rules of Engagement in Gracie Bullyproof classes, we strongly encourage you to discuss these Rules at home to assure your child that they have your support in the event that they need to take a stand and protect themselves against bullying.
Verbal Jiu-Jitsu Training
One of the most pervasive and damaging forms of bullying is verbal harassment. Gracie Bullyproof is the only kids’ Jiu-Jitsu program that emphasizes and actively integrates Verbal Assertiveness Training (aka “Verbal Jiu-Jitsu”) as a part of our regular curriculum. We’ve devised a series of role-playing exercises to teach kids how to identify and manage the common threats associated with verbal harassment and relational bullying.
Gracie Bullyproof students learn how to differentiate between “bullying” and “joking,” and not only are kids taught how to speak assertively when necessary, but they also learn how to use direct eye contact and confident body language to deter bullies from targeting them.
Perfect Programs For Every Age
Nearly all Jiu-Jitsu schools have all of their youth students bunched into one class, and a few schools have classes separated by age group. The Gracie Bullyproof program is one of the only youth Jiu-Jitsu programs that separates its kids by age AND experience level so that every child gets the perfect balance of fun and challenge in their weekly classes.
All kids begin in super-playful entry-level programs for their age group, and as soon as a child reaches a certain level of maturity, they are promoted to the next age-appropriate training program.
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-defence 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 Junior Grapplers program.
Junior Grapplers (8-12 Years Old)
In the Junior Grapplers program, we focus on 33 non-violent self-defence techniques that teach children to “neutralize and negotiate” with 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!
Junior Combatives (13-17 Years Old)
This is our youth Jiu-Jitsu program where we teach the 36 fundamental self-defence techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in a safe, fun and collaborative training environment that maximizes structured learning. Beyond the physical techniques, we also emphasize awareness principles, risk assessment, and verbal and psychological strategies to help your child recognize bullying tactics and how to effectively communicate and set their safe boundaries with confidence.
“Push Teaching” vs. “Pull Teaching”
Above all else, the teaching methodology used in the Gracie Bullyproof program is unlike anything else in the Jiu-Jitsu community. Not only are all the entry-level techniques presented in the form of “Jiu-Jitsu” games so that kids are highly enthused about learning them, but we use “push teaching” rather than “pull teaching.”
When a child makes a mistake, we don’t focus on the error, instead, we emphasize the correctly executed aspects of the move. Through this carefully layered, positive reinforcement teaching technique, we will help your child reach their full potential without jeopardizing their love for the art.
Gracie Character Development Program
We have found that our Instructors develop powerful bonds with every student at our school, and 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 every year. 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 Games 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 period qualify to attend Gracie Games Day, so it’s a powerful incentive for kids and a useful tool for parents to develop positive behaviour at home and school. Gracie Games Day is so much fun that parents will often put on a uniform just so they can join the party!
Free Online Subscription & Satellite Training
Upon enrolling your child in the Gracie Bullyproof program, you qualify for a free subscription to GracieUniversity.com. GracieUniversity.com provides you with detailed video instruction on every technique in the course enabling you and your child to review techniques, or learn new techniques, directly from home!
Furthermore, if you ever take a family vacation to a destination that has a Gracie Bullyproof Certified Training Center (CTC)®, your child can participate in a class free of charge!
Get Started With A Free Trial
To ensure that the Gracie Bullyproof program is perfect for your child, we invite you to take advantage of our 10-day FREE trial today! To get started, simply fill out our online form, and we’ll help you get going right away!