Gracie Martial Arts Tampa
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Gracie Bullyproof® Junior Grapplers in Tampa

Age Range: 8 - 12 |  Experience Requirement: None

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 3 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!

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!

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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.

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 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 Bullyproof 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 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 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.

The Rules of Engagement
Teaching a child jiu-jitsu without teaching them when to use it, is akin to giving someone a gun without teaching them how to use it. Gracie Bullyproof is the only kid’s 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 the Rules at home to assure your child that they have your support in the event that they need to take a stand 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 makes Verbal Assertiveness Training, or as we like to call it "Verbal Jiu-Jitsu," part of its 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 posture to deter bullies from targeting them.

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How This Program Will Help Your Child

Build Physical Strength

Our program will teach your child how to engage with other people. How to react to different situations while establishing friendly and positive notes throughout.

Learn Socialization

Kids may or may not be sociable with other kids that's why this program will help them to be more comfortable around other people.

Improve Focus and Discipline

With the way of martial arts, your kids will develop skills that will improve their level of attention to what matters. Kids will also learn self-discipline.

Program & Pricing FAQs

Program & Pricing FAQs

My child isn't athletic. Can he/she still participate in martial arts?

Absolutely. Martial arts teaches kids to be coordinated, flexible and strong. Kids who don't naturally have these qualities develop them. Kids who do have these qualities will enhance them to a more advanced level.

Are these martial arts classes fun?

Yes! After all, these are children we're dealing with here. And kids love their fun. We do a variety of games and activities that have kids laughing and smiling. We work hard here - but we play just as hard.

What's a good age for a child to start martial arts?

Honestly, practically every age is a good age to start! We have young children, as well as teenagers. We also have specific programs for adults. So no matter what age - we've got you covered.

Can martial arts cause injury?

Because we place such a huge focus on safety and injury prevention, we're proud to say that injuries are very few and far between with our program. In fact, because martial arts gets you in great shape, and makes you strong and flexible, people often see LESS injuries in their lives.

Do you have to be in good shape to take martial arts?

Not at all! In fact, many people use martial arts as a way to get in good shape. They come to us out of shape, and quickly become athletic and limber.

Is martial arts violent?

No! Because self-defense technique is taught in martial arts, it's often thought of as violent. However, the philosophies behind martial arts revolve around peace and harmony. The moves are more of a way to become connected with your body. We teach diplomacy and friendship. However, if a violent situation ever arises in your life, you'll have powerful tools to defend yourself and your loved ones.

More Confidence. More Focus. Get Fit.

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