After a rather tough 2020 for us all, I recently decided to go back into teaching Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Hendersonville, NC. The year 2020 took one heck of a toll on many of us. I had some rough days getting my arms around all of the ‘yuck’ we dealt with and the political crap that we are surrounded with now. We need outlets, we need people, we need fun! Our children REALLY NEED IT!
I personally needed to get back to my outlet, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and I truly believe that by training with my 14 year old son, in our garage, that he was able to keep a very good head through these tough times. That kid in this photo is now 14 years old, and he’s a very happy, fun, and well adjusted teen- ager, and I attribute a large portion of his mindset to the training he has done in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Yes, Kid’s BJJ is CRITICAL now more than ever!
Parents, do yourself and your kids a favor and enroll them in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. They will thank you for it, as we are a complete self defense system, and it is for ALL CHILDREN!
It does not matter how big or fast or strong or athletic your child is. You bring him/her to our Kids BJJ in Hendersonville NC (near downtown), and with time and practice they will ‘GET IT”.
Confidence grows, and people change for the better in Jiu-Jitsu. We are NOT about giving belts. We are about growing more mature on the mats, finding successes on the mats, learning for losses on the mat….I’m more about the child (and adults) being able to ‘truly’ defend themselves, and we practice that in every single class, and I have done so since 2005. (Neptune Beach, FL)
We have 11 belts in the children’s classes (from 6 years old, up to 14-15 years old), and the child will have goals and objectives that they MUST pass in order to receive new stripes or belts. If they ‘get it’ they pass, if they don’t, they will not pass.
Our curriculum is known very well around the country as it’s trademarked, and has be implemented in over 175 traditional martial arts over the years, as Kid-Jitsu. The curriculum is organized, it is specific, and the tasks and results are measurable. It takes 4-5 years to go through the kids belts and attain the highest level in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation governing body for Jiu-Jitsu: The Green-Black Belt. (there are no black belts in BJJ for Kids as a black belt signifies mastery, and a kid simply can’t master a martial art in 2 years) If we awarded unearned belts to kids, we would be doing them a disservice, we would lose all credibility, and we would be selling them a false sense of security.
Again, with Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, everyone learns the technical aspects of Jiu-Jitsu and practices them rigorously. And when they are faced with adversity, they will have been in, and worked out of enough ‘bad positions’ over the years to WALK TALL, and carry themselves in a way that exudes a confidence that is hard to explain, but easy to witness. NOTE: this is not cockiness, as the mats have humbled virtually ALL BJJ practitioners….kids and adults. It’s a feeling of KNOWING that you can protect yourself, and that knowing oozes out every pore of your body.
As a matter of fact, I don’t want kids fighting. And if I ever hear that a Hendo BJJ student has started a fight, they will be suspended from the school. Like I said, I don’t want kids fighting, but if the ‘fight comes to them’, my goal is for them NOT to lose. Sometimes in life, when you don’t lose, you actually win.
It’s the knowledge and experience that one attains on the mats, that changes peoples lives. There is no fluff, no exaggerated sense of self confidence, no bought belts….just hard work, time on the mat, and training with and against some of the nicest and most humble people on earth.
The “mat doesn’t lie”, but the results from time on the mats tell a beautiful story.
Parents, as I said above, do yourself and your kids a favor and enroll them in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as soon as possible. It could possibly be one of the best decisions you will ever make for your children’s health and well being!
Train Hard, Train Smart….Train for LIFE!”
Professor Larry Shealy