For Parents
Jiu-jitsu begins with teaching students a series of movements that are unfamiliar to them but soon become second nature, i.e. how to fall without getting hurt or how to stop another person from grabbing your shirt and gaining control over you. This is how it begins for nearly everyone.
Fortunately two other things occur at the same time. Other students in the school who are more advanced know what the new student is going through. If a drill is initially too difficult for a student or they are fearful of attempting something new, like a forward roll, we will identify that challenge and work with them until they are ready. And after they succeed at something new, they gain increased self confidence. This philosophy extends to both children and adults. It is all about learning in a family atmosphere in a Charles Gracie Academy. You help your new brother and sister learn; as you experienced when you started.
What Can Our Kids Program Do For Your Child?
Strength of Character
What is “character” in any boy or girl? At Gracie Jiu-jitsu it is defined as having the strength to fearlessly accept challenges or mistakes, to persevere though adversity, possess compassion for others, to never give up or back down from gratuitous intimidation, and to respect the wisdom of others trying to help them. Character is achieved through pride of accomplishment. The study and training that is required to learn self-defense in itself molds and refines character. They will sharpen their listening skills and learn how to follow precise instructions. Once achieved, your child will fully benefit from this art.
Self Confidence
How does a child gain self-confidence? Certainly, the reinforcement of advice and habits and other influences in the home are a huge component in achieving self-confidence. But what about outside of the home? What do they learn, and who are they learning from, that offers potential to increase their self-confidence? We believe the best way for any child to gain confidence is to successfully accomplish tasks that are important to them . As kids get “good at something” they gain confidence because they can feel themselves separating from their peers in a good way.
Personal Safety
There is no doubt in every relevant study that the most traumatic memories in the lives of most people are the times when they were young and either humiliated verbally or physically attacked. Today society calls it bullying and many examples of these events can be seen on the news or videos online. Although these events are left behind once they become adults, the pain still remains. Only one martial art is specifically designed to give the smaller person the distinct advantage. Jiu-jitsu is the best if not the only art designed specifically to address size differentials. When kids learn how Jiu-jitsu works and realize they can actually use it to enhance their personal safety, a bright light of awareness goes off in their head.All this because Jiu-jitsu gives every student the specific skills to defend themself without bringing physical injury, regardless of size differences. Jiu-jitsu allows your child to control the counter measures and discuss ending the conflict. No one has to get hurt to resolve a situation.
Mental Focus
How do children develop higher levels of mental focus? A moment when one is threatened is the very moment one has to think clearly. What enables that mental clarity in a stressful situation is knowledge of exactly what to do to defuse the situation, to get away unharmed. Your child will learn to focus very hard on the execution of specific movements and grips and using different parts of their body. In some cases they must do separate things simultaneously with either hands and/or feet, and at the same time, thinking on what their opponent is doing. In the beginning everything will seem awkward and uncomfortable. In the end it becomes second nature and fun. Your child will have expanded their mental focus capabilities and will have learned how to listen to learn what to do, when and how to do it.
Development
One of the most interesting things about Jiu-jitsu is how incremental it is allowed to be. The non mandatory nature of every class, in terms of drill participation, only serves to help the instructors identify the relative level of athleticism and conditioning each student possesses, and they are then guided at whatever pace is necessary. Many new students entering the Jiu-jitsu academies have never played football or any other contact sport, and have not been exposed to tumbling or gymnastics previously. Over time, they do many things they didn’t think possible. Gracie Jiu-jitsu is the only program that teaches your child potentially life-saving skills while remaking their body into a superior version of what it was.
At Charles Gracie Richmond District Academy we will build your child up physically, mentally and spiritually. You will notice a change in your child’s confidence, increased physical coordination, and concentration in all life situations.
