Adults Jiu-Jitsu

Gracie Combatives® (Ages 14+)

Gracie Combatives is our beginner program for adults. In this program, you will learn the 36 core techniques of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in a fun, safe, and cooperative environment. Each one-hour lesson addresses one standing and one ground self-defense technique, which are further broken down into simplified drills or “slices” to facilitate the learning process. You can start the program at any time and participate in any class without previous experience and, since safety is our number one concern, there is no competitive sparring in this program. Upon successful completion of the Gracie Combatives program you will earn your Gracie Combatives Belt which will qualify you for advancement into the Master Cycle program.

36 Essential Techniques

Although the art of Jiu-Jitsu consists of over 600 techniques, studies of real fights conducted by members of the Gracie Family have shown that 36 techniques have been used more often and with greater success than all the other techniques combined. Originally developed for the U.S. Army, Gracie Combatives is the only course that is entirely dedicated to the mastery of these 36 essential techniques. You need absolutely no experience to start this program. Our instructors conduct all classes in a cooperative training environment and are committed to ensuring that every new student has an informative, enjoyable experience regardless of age, gender, or athletic ability.

Step 1: Learn the Techniques

We have divided the 36 Gracie Combatives techniques into 23 one-hour classes so that you can complete the course at your own pace. We designed each lesson so that you can start at any point in the course. As a result, you can complete the 23 lessons in any order without feeling overwhelmed or confused. Upon enrolling, we will issue you a Gracie Combatives attendance card on which we will track your progress every step of the way.

Step 2: Develop Your Reflexes

Once you complete each of the 23 Gracie Combatives lessons twice, you will qualify to participate in the Reflex Development (RD) Classes where you will learn how to combine the 36 techniques to address the most common occurrences in a real fight.

Step 3: Earn Your Gracie Combatives Belt

Once you complete each of the Gracie Combatives lessons three times, and you’ve completed at least 12 Reflex Development Classes, you are eligible to test for your Gracie Combatives belt! We will administer a 25-minute test to assess your ability to execute the 36 essential techniques individually and in combination. If your reflexes are sharp and your performance meets Gracie University standards, you will qualify for promotion, and you will be ready to transition into our advanced program, the Master Cycle.

Women Empowered®

Women Empowered is the official Gracie self-defense program for women based on the techniques of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). In this 15-lesson program, we will teach you how to neutralize the 20 most common attacks ranging from having your hair grabbed to being pinned to the ground by a weapon-bearing assailant. Each one-hour Women Empowered lesson addresses two techniques. You can start the program at any time and participate in any class without previous experience.

Unlike most self-defense systems that rely heavily on strength, speed, and coordination. The techniques in the Women Empowered program employ leverage, technique, and timing, so anyone, regardless of age or athletic ability, can make them work against larger opponents. Once you complete the Women Empowered program, you may test for promotion to pink belt! Please note you will need to pay the full evaluation fee each time you take a test, and when you pass the test, you will receive your official Women Empowered Pink Belt and promotion certificate at no additional cost.

Empowering Women Through BJJ

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the perfect self-defense system for women, but only if it is taught correctly. If you’re unsure about learning BJJ for fear of injury, embarrassment, or any other reason, then the Women Empowered program is perfect for you! If you’ve tried BJJ at another school and had a negative experience, give Women Empowered a chance, and we guarantee it will win you back to the mat!

20 Essential Techniques

Law enforcement officials and survivors of sexual assault helped us identify the 20 most common attack strategies that a male assailant is likely to use on a woman. From hair-grabs and choke-holds, to bear hugs and weapon defenses, the Women Empowered program covers it all.

The Empowerment Mindset

Beyond the physical techniques, Women Empowered also reinforces awareness principles, risk assessment, and verbal and psychological strategies a woman can use to set safe boundaries with others – even if the perpetrator is someone she knows. At the core of this mindset is the belief that we are worth defending!

Step 1: Learn the Techniques

We have divided the 20 Women Empowered techniques into 15 one-hour classes so that you can complete the course at your own pace. We designed each lesson so you can start the program at any time and complete the 15 lessons in any order. Upon enrolling, we will issue you a Women Empowered attendance card on which we will track your progress every step of the way.

Step 2: Develop Your Reflexes

Once you complete each of the 15 Women Empowered lessons once, you will qualify to participate in the Reflex Development (RD) classes where you will learn how to combine the 20 techniques to address the most common occurrences in a real self-defense situation.

Step 3: Earn Your Pink Belt

Once you complete each of the Women Empowered lessons four times, and you’ve completed at least 8 Reflex Development Classes, you are eligible to test for promotion to pink belt! During this 30-minute test, we will assess your execution of all 20 essential techniques. If your performance meets Gracie University standards, you will qualify for promotion to pink belt.

Please note that there is an evaluation fee each time you take a test, and when you pass the test, you will receive your official Women Empowered Pink Belt and promotion certificate at no additional cost.

What is the Pink Belt?

In most martial arts systems, awarding belts is the traditional way to acknowledge progress and accomplishment. With the development of the Gracie Women Empowered program, the course featured so many unique strategies, objectives, techniques, and psychology tailored to a special set of circumstances, that the standard Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belt system did not apply. So, we decided to add an entirely new belt, and since pink was one of the only colors not used in the existing BJJ belt system, we introduced the Women Empowered Pink Belt!

It not only symbolizes dedication to the techniques of the program, but also an understanding of the philosophy that is essential for survival in life-threatening scenarios. We hope that this reflexive understanding of both the philosophy and techniques will instill a confidence in women that reduces their risk of ever becoming a target in the first place. Since the program was created we have watched women dedicate countless hours to earning their pink belt.

Master Cycle® (Ages 14+)

Beyond Gracie Combatives belt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) consists of hundreds of advanced techniques organized into a clearly defined, systematic curriculum called the Master Cycle.

The Master Cycle’s unique structure simplifies the journey to black belt by organizing all of BJJ into into seven positional chapters (Mount, Side Mount, Guard, Half Guard, Back Mount, Leg Locks, Standing), each of which is studied for several months before moving on to the next chapter.

If you’ve achieved the rank of Gracie Combatives belt or higher in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and you would like to continue on the path to BJJ black belt in a safe, structured, and friendly learning environment, the Master Cycle is for you!

Review/Warm-Up

Every Master Cycle lesson begins with a 15-20 minute review/warm-up period during which you will review previous lessons or explore techniques you may have learned online through Gracie University. During the review period, we encourage you to collaborate with your training partners and ask questions of the instructors.

Technical Instruction

After the review, the instructor will present 2-3 new techniques from the current chapter of study. Then, you will practice the techniques with a cooperative partner until the movements become natural.

Focus Sparring

At the end of class, you will have a chance to test your skills against a variety of training partners in a variety of controlled training exercises, such as: Rapid Mastery Drills, Focus Sparring Exercises, and Fight Simulation Drills. Safety is the primary concern during these sparring exercises, and any students who do not train in a safe and productive manner will not be allowed to participate. Sparring is 100% voluntary for Master Cycle students.