Saving Children in Watford. One child at a time.
GIVE YOUR CHILD THE GIFT OF CONFIDENCE!
Book your 10-consecutive day FREE no-obligation trial
All you have to do is find your relevant class and turn up on the day to participate in the full class. We will loan you a plain white Gi (uniform) for the duration of your free trial. If you do not want to continue as a member, you will return the uniform.
Please be aware that the 10-day trial is an unlimited membership that is active for 10 consecutive calendar days from your first trial session, NOT a 10 session trial.
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 BullySafe© techniques as a reasonable, nonviolent response to bullying and some even host Gracie BullySafe© 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 BullySafe© program is for you!
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. Children’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.
FIGHTING FIRE WITH WATER
Most martial arts programs rely on striking the attacker with violent punches, kicks, knees, and elbows, but in the Gracie BullySafe© program we take a different approach. All the techniques are purely defensive and utilize no strikes. Furthermore, we teach children how to defuse confrontations with words and never to initiate physical aggression. If attacked, we offer techniques to non-violently neutralize the threat and gain control until help arrives. In the Gracie BullySafe© program, we teach the 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 BullySafe 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 BullySafe© child. Bullies seek “easy targets” – those who will tolerate their abuse. We arm 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 the course, and teach five “Rules of Engagement” to ensure they never abuse their power.
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 BullySafe© program is one of the only youth jiu-jitsu programs that separates it’s 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 training program.
| Program | Age group | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny Titans | 3–4 years old | Parents join their little ones on the mat for specially designed parent-child games that build bonds while introducing foundational self-defence concepts. Children advance to Little Grapplers once they show signs of understanding the games. |
| Little Grapplers | 5–7 years old | Using our time-tested “Gracie Games,” children learn basic self-defence techniques and the foundational principles of leverage and control — all through fun that keeps them coming back for more. Children advance to Junior Grapplers after mastering all ten Gracie Games. |
| Junior Grapplers | 8–13 years old | Focuses on 33 non-violent self-defence techniques that teach children to “neutralise and negotiate” with bullies. Verbal assertiveness is a major part of the curriculum. No prior experience needed — a noticeable confidence increase is guaranteed within a few weeks. |
| Black Belt Club | Invitation only | Our most advanced youth programme, open to Junior Grapplers who excel and demonstrate the traits of a future black belt: discipline, respect, courage, leadership, loyalty, and compassion. Joining is the highest honour for any youth Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. |
Little Grapplers and Junior Grapplers Calendar
| Class #1 | Tackle the Giant – SpiderKid – Crazy Legs/Horse |
| Class #2 | Verbal Jiu-Jitsu – Tackle the Giant – SpiderKid |
| Class #3 | Power Push – Clinch (3Hs) – Bulldozer |
| Class #4 | Front Grab (2 Snakes) – Snake Bite – Shark Bite |
| Class #5 | Tackle the Giant – Crocodile Control – Crazy Legs |
| Class #6 | Front Bear Hug (Under) – Guard Monster – Situp Sweep |
| Class #7 | Rear Bear Hug (Over) – Tripod Sweep – Crazy Legs/Horse |
| Class #8 | Front Neck Grab – Tackle the Giant – SpiderKid |
| Class #9 | Rear Bear Hug (Under) – SpiderKid – Crazy Legs/Horse |
| Class #10 | Rear Choke Defence – Clinch Leg Trip – SpiderKid |
| Class #11 | Stranger Danger: Distance – Base / Help – Wrist |
| Class #1 | Low Mount Control Double Leg (Trip) |
| Class #2 | Americana Armlock Clinch & Trip |
| Class #3 | High Mount Control Single Hand Grab Defence |
| Class #4 | Twisted Arm Control – TAC Back Lift Standing Rear Choke Defence (Arm Slip) |
| Class #5 | Side Mount Control – Americana (Side) Double Leg (Trip) |
| Class #6 | Scissor Sweep – Chop Base Var Rear Bear Hug Defence (Under Arms) |
| Class #7 | Modified Mount (Back – Armlock) Rear Takedown |
| Class #8 | Headlock Escapes (Frame & Roll) Distance Management |
| Class #9 | Mount Escape (First Leg – Back Take) Front Choke Defence (Two Hands) |
| Class #10 | Triangle Choke (Solo – Finish – Entry) No Standing |
| Class #11 | Guard Stage 1 – D. Ankle Hook Sweep Double Leg Trip |
| Class #12 | (Mount) Take the Back – RNC (Negotiate) Power Push |
| Class #13 | Re-Mount Verbal Jiu-Jitsu – Double Leg Trip |
| Class #14 | Take the Back (Guard) Pull Guard |
| Class #15 | Release Head – Armbar Standing Headlock Defence (Fall Back) |
| Class #16 | Guard Pass – Break Guard Guillotine Defence – Head Slip |
| Class #17 | Tripod Sweep Rear Bear Hug Defence (Over Arms) |
| Class #18 | Side Mount Escape – Guard Clinch & Trip |
| Class #19 | Kimura Armlock (Guard) – Situp Sweep Double Leg (Trip) |
| Class #20 | Guard Punch Block Stage 1 & 2 Wrist Grab Defence |
Rules of Engagement
Just as much as they fear school punishment, your child fears the punishment they will receive from you, their parent‟s. Only if your child knows that they will not get in trouble at home for defending themselves will they embrace and implement the Rules of Engagement as their own. The best way to show your child that you support the Rules of Engagement is to have casual conversations with them on the topic. The goal isn‟t to give your child permission to fight, but to make it clear that if they are getting bullied, they have your permission to follow the appropriate steps and take a stand against the bully. Also, when discussing the Rules of Engagement, make it a point to remind your child that their goal, if they ever get into a fight, should be to control the bully and gain cooperation without causing any unnecessary harm.
Even upon learning the self-defence techniques featured in the Gracie BullySafe© program, there is a very good chance that your child will not take a stand against bullies. Fear of punishment, from school administrators and from parents, is so strong, that most children will do nothing in response to verbal or physical harassment from a persistent bully. By teaching your child the Rules of Engagement, you will give them a step-by-step plan to follow any time they are targeted by a bully, and, more importantly, you will give them the assurance that you will support them in the event that they are compelled to stand up for themselves.
Bullying is such a widespread problem in the United Kingdom, that most schools have implemented a zero-tolerance bullying policy. Although this policy has reduced physical abuse, it has done little to remedy the ever-increasing problem of verbal harassment. Verbal harassment can be difficult to detect, but studies suggest that it can cause even greater long-term damage than physical aggression. If a persistent verbally bully harasses your child verbally, the Three T-Steps will enable them to take control of the situation and end the torment.
1. Talk: If a bully harasses you, confidently ask them to leave you alone.
2. Tell: If the bully doesn’t leave you alone, notify your teachers and ask your parents for help.
3. Tackle: If the bully persists even after the grownups have intervened, you must take matters into your own hands. First, you will tackle the bully mentally, using Verbal Jiu-Jitsu, and if they become physically aggressive towards you, then you tackle them physically with Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Once your child understands how to use the Three T-steps to deal with persistent verbal bullies, it is essential that they learn the five basic rules regarding the use of the techniques.
| Rule | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Rule 1 | Avoid the fight if possible. |
| Rule 2 | If physically attacked, defend yourself. |
| Rule 3 | If verbally attacked, follow the Three T-steps. |
| Rule 4 | Never punch or kick the bully, establish control and negotiate. |
| Rule 5 | When applying submissions, use minimal force and negotiate. |
All you have to do is book your spot and turn up on the day and participate in the full class. We will loan you a Gi (uniform) for the duration of your free trial. Click here to book.
VERBAL JIU-JITSU TRAINING
One of the most pervasive and damaging forms of bullying is verbal harassment. Gracie BullySafe© is the only kids’ jiu-jitsu program that makes Verbal Assertiveness Training, or as we like to call it “Verbal Jiu-Jitsu,” part of it’s 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 BullySafe© 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 posture to deter bullies from targeting them.
“PUSH” TEACHING vs “PULL” TEACHING
Above all else, the teaching methodology used in the Gracie BullySafe© 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, we help the kids reach their full potential without jeopardizing their love for the art.
Bonus Programmes
In addition to preparing your Child to be able to protect themselves from bullies we also teach them other programs:
Included in the Little Grapplers and Junior Grapplers Classes:
There are over 6 billion people in the world. Most of these people are good but some of them are bad. The out of the bad ones some steal skateboards, some steal bikes, some steal cars and some steal Kids! We will teach your children to know what they should do when one of these predators comes across their path.
The character that your child develops in their pre-teen years is the most important factor in determining the future success in all areas of their life but “character building” is not a subject taught in school. We have split our Character Development into 6 chapters. Each chapter lasts 2 months where your child will be achieving points for completing relevant tasks around the house in in their daily lives. If they hit their target they get to come on a Games Day as a reward.
The Youth Leadership Program is available to the children who have been invited to the Black Belt Club. They then have the opportunity to come and help in the Little Grapplers class and at the same time earn credits to spend in our shop. This is a great chance for children to teach younger children this Martial Art and at the same time build their own leadership skills.
Book your 10 day FREE no obligation trial..
All you have to do is book your spot and turn up on the day and participate in the full class. We will loan you a Gi (uniform) for the duration of your free trial. Click here to book.Your Content Goes Here
