Kids Jiu-Jitsu & Martial Arts in Eugene, Oregon

What is the #1 Question we receive:

Many parents ask, what’s the difference between Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Karate/Tae Kwon Do classes?

While we believe all martial-arts have value, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has not only been proven to be the most effective martial art for a smaller person to defend themselves in a real fight for nearly a century, it also can be the most gentle.

We don’t want our kids or students turning into bullies themselves, and we also believe self-defense should be scalable, depending on the situation. Whereas kids Karate/Kung Fu lessons or Taekwondo classes rely solely on landing punches and kicks, jiu-jitsu for kids focuses on neutralizing a threat with verbal boundaries, distance management, body control, and eventual negotiation. Our program has the perfect answer to elementary and middle school “no tolerance” policy.

Another amazing aspect of this style of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: We do not emphasize sport training. Sport Jiu Jitsu has weight classes, no punches, and no kicks. Sportive schools will cater to only the best athletes in the room. Our program is for all kids. A bully could potentially be bigger and stronger than your child and they will most likely try and punch and kick. We want our students to be prepared for a real situation that could happen at school or the park. We learn to fight so we never have to.

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 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.

#1.    ALL CLASSES ARE TAUGHT BY THE HEAD INSTRUCTORS: While it is a common practice in the Martial Arts world to put teenagers, apprentice and assistant instructors in charge of a Youth Program, we pride ourselves on all of our students receiving the best instruction. This will ensure that all of our members are being instructed in the safest atmosphere possible.

#2    WE ARE NOT A BELT BUYING PROGRAM: We do not support any styles that promote “black belts” to 10 year olds. We have a very unique ranking system that does not promote a false security. Belts, rankings and certificates truly feel earned at our school. Parents are proud of the hard work and dedication their child has put in. It should not cost you $100's each month for belts.

#3    MORE THAN SELF DEFENSE: All of our staff members are just like you. We have families too, and we are always looking out for what is best for our children. This is how we approach Martial Arts. We stress in each of our classes the importance of: respect for yourself and others, school work, courage, how to win and lose graciously, bully encounters, emergency escapes and many more character building aspects of martial arts that will help them grow into functioning teens and adults.

Modern Martial Arts you can be proud of  

THE ONLY GRACIE BULLY PROOF® PROGRAM IN LANE COUNTY

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.