10 REASONS TO JOIN GRACIE BARRA
1. GB Jiu-Jitsu is a truly exciting way to get fit
Jiu-Jitsu is often likened to a game of human chess. If you don’t like to work out at a gym because you get bored, you’re not alone. Many of our students were tired of going to the gym, and they couldn’t find new songs or audio books to entertain them on the treadmill. They found Jiu-Jitsu to be the perfect workout because it requires a high level of concentration proportional to the amount of calories burned and pounds lost. What’s more, you’ll still learn to defend yourself. It’s a win-win situation.
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2. GB people are committed to your progress in learning
The folks at GB make our school what it is, and you too will soon be one of us. You’ll be impressed by how committed each and every team member is to your learning. The instructors, staff and other students make our environment friendly yet demanding and challenging, which stimulates all of us to achieve our best.
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3. The renowned Gracie Barra structure makes your journey in learning smooth and enjoyable
The class structure is the trademark of all Gracie Barra Schools. Classes start on time and adhere to a standardized curriculum and class structure. As a student, you know up front what is expected of you and have a clear understanding of what to expect from your instructors and training partners. The consistency of this structure combined with the creativity and innovation of our devoted instructors blend perfectly to facilitate your progress.
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4. GB Community will change your life forever
When you join Gracie Barra, you are not just getting classes. You become part of a community united by the ideals of the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle. Special classes and side events coupled with ordinary classes create a fun and exciting calendar of activities that you and your family will love to take part in.
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5. GB Fighting Techniques will be useful outside the mats, in real-life situations
You don’t come to class just to learn how to fight. You also work hard toward mastering the underlying principles that allow you to succeed on the mats. When applied to your life off the mats, these principles can bring more balance to your routine and help you reach your true potential.
6. You can train all over the world
There are over 700 Gracie Barra Schools worldwide. When you join a Gracie Barra school you are free to train at any location while traveling.
7. GB is an Environment for the Whole Family
One of the most unique characteristics about our schools is our family-orientated approach. Gracie Barra is proud to be a powerhouse with the most stalwart champions of Jiu-Jitsu in the world while still maintaining a training environment that is welcoming for the whole family: men, women, and children. At Gracie Barra, families find marvelous activities through which to spend quality time together.
8. You will train in germ-free facilities
Cleanliness is a top priority. Our schools adhere to the strict standard of cleanliness and hygiene set by Gracie Barra. GB School staff clean the facilities constantly, and all GB uniforms are washed regularly. Our GB School mats are cleaned on a daily basis with a specially designed cleaning agent that neutralizes bacteria, fungus and odors without detriment to the equipment.
9. You couldn’t find a safer environment
Student safety is our instructors’ primary goal. Training sessions are supervised at all times, and we have CPR-trained personnel on duty during every class.
10. Our more than 30 years of experience assure you a link to our art’s roots
A certified Gracie Barra Black Belt instructor is responsible for teaching classes and is committed to Keeping the Legacy Alive. Our team of instructors are trained in the teaching philosophy and methods of Master Carlos Gracie Jr., the founder of Gracie Barra. A legacy of over 30 years of teaching experience is at your service, so you don’t have to worry: you and your family are in great hands.
CODE OF CONDUCT
Gracie Barra Schools are a safe and welcoming environment that encourages success
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Brotherhood: GB Instructors shall reinforce the family spirit among students, parents, and other instructors. Their attitude must always be positive and cooperative in order to channel their creative energy towards the strengthen and the growth our family, always putting the team in front of individual selfish needs.
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Cooperation: GB Instructors shall nurture and reinforce a cooperative environment inside and outside the dojo. They must ensure that the competitive realm is restricted to tournaments as well as the competitor attitude. They must make the students understand that progress is not reflected on their ability to overcome a training partner or an competitive opponent, but rather reflected on their capacity to engage on a cooperative training experience were the winner is whoever learns more.
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Discipline: GB Instructors shall constantly discipline the students but never punish them. They must make students understand that without discipline there is no mastery, neither in Jiu-Jitsu nor in life, and that without the willingness to sacrifice, excellence is just not possible.
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Respect: GB Instructors shall reinforce that students must act with warmth and equality toward one another, regardless of their differences in race, creed, gender, nationality, etc. The belt ranks hierarchy must be respected and the authority of the Black Belt sincerely recognized.
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Continuous Improvement and Growth: GB Instructors shall reinforce that Jiu-Jitsu is a life long journey with no ending point. Students must perceive the Black Belt as their minimum goal and that their progress represents an increasing commitment to their growth as Jiu-Jitsu practitioners and human beings.
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Leadership: GB Instructors shall lead by example, kindness and care. The formal authority shall always supported by their moral authority built upon a positive, cooperative, and constructive attitude towards the students and other instructors.
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Inspiration: GB Instructors shall understand their importance on students lives as role models, as well as their responsibility in bringing out the best each person has within.
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Enjoyment: GB Instructors shall teach a class as a privilege and never take it as a burden. Each class is the realization of a dream, the instructor life’s work. They must enjoy every minute of it and teach like it was going to be their last opportunity to change students lives for better.
OUR METHOD
At Gracie Barra we strive to help students get the most out of their training. For students with consistency and dedication, Jiu-Jitsu becomes a life-style and students can readily enjoy all the benefits Jiu-Jitsu or the “Gentle Art”.
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Working from the assumption that Jiu-Jitsu must be embraced as a lifelong journey, Master Carlos Gracie Jr. has designed an effective learning plan or program of study that allows for students to naturally progress from the White Belt to the Black Belt. Thus, classes and their respective curriculum at Gracie Barra are not isolated from one another, but elements of a larger structured learning plan called “GB Programs”.
Gracie Barra Programs are comprised of six (6) main elements:
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Curriculums: Set of coordinated techniques organized in the best possible way to facilitate students’ learning processes. All Gracie Barra curriculums are 16 weeks;
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Pre-requisite: The minimum level a student must possess or have accomplished in order to enroll in a specific program;
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Class: The defined period of time during which the student learns the techniques that comprise the curricula using several different training methods or appropriate instructional techniques;
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Training Methods: Specific drills and training practices designed to convert the knowledge represented in the curricula and taught by the instructor into knowledge and skills, insuring that the student is able to apply their knowledge and techniques under real circumstances (or under authentic conditions);
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Minimum Attendance: minimum attendance required from the student so him or her can progress and be updated with the GB Curriculums;
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Belt System: Hierarchical rank structure designed to represent students’ progress, according to their own potential.
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All Gracie Barra students have the dream of becoming a Black Belt. However, this is not an easy goal and a lot of consistency and dedication is required. To fulfill the promise of facilitating students’ learning, Gracie Barra Programs are structured logically to keep students motivated to learn, practice and perform.
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A typical Gracie Barra student starts with an introductory class, where he or she will learn the overall self-defense strategy of Jiu-Jitsu and afterwards enroll in the GB¹ Program – Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals. After four (4) months of training and learning all the techniques comprising the GB¹ curriculum, the student will be recommended to join the GB² Program – Advanced Jiu-Jitsu. With eight (8) months of training and experience, the student will have the maturity level and enough knowledge to enroll on the GB³ Program – Expert Jiu-Jitsu. It is in the GB³ Program – Expert Jiu-Jitsu where he or she will be exposed to all kinds of training dynamics, including MMA, No-Gi and high level Gi, so that the student develops his or her own Jiu-Jitsu game, strategy and techniques.
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Jiu-Jitsu is a beautiful art and everyone is capable of learning it and enjoying its many benefits. Gracie Barra Programs reflect more than thirty (30) years of Master Carlos Gracie Jr‘s teaching experience and have succeeded in improving the quality of life, self-esteem, discipline and health of tens of thousands of individuals around the world, as well as building some of the best Jiu-Jitsu fighters ever known.
GRACIE BARRA PHILOSOPHY
A TESTIMONIAL OF A DISCIPLE
Master Carlos Gracie Jr. believes that proper teaching does not make winning the ultimate goal. The greatest victories at Gracie Barra are always a consequence of the process and of embracing training as the best method through which one can test their personal limits.
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Losing helps us to evolve into better athletes and competitors and should not be perceived as failure. Instead, Master Gracie believes these lessons should leave our self-respect intact as different facets of competition are wholly out of our control: the talent and experience of the other athletes, errors by referees, injuries and bad luck.
Because of this, he accepts physical errors but not mental ones. Our preparation, planning, attention to detail and the development of discipline and willpower are always seen as the top priority in the training process.
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Inside the GB School, Master Carlos Gracie Jr. doesn’t limit his teaching to techniques, but also forming character.
From the beginning he instills us with the understanding that the fundamentals for good Jiu-Jitsu are also fundamentals of good character. Without honesty, integrity, discipline and unselfish acts, one cannot become the great athlete he or she strives to be. As Master Carlos teaches us, if you want to truly know someone, pay attention to them as they fight. When one is engaged in struggle or combat, they cannot hide their true personality.
Gracie Barra’s success throughout the years means other teams typically see us as a major rival. While getting to the top is difficult, staying there or near there over time is an even bigger challenge. It takes a special group of people to handle that pressure. Still, our team is always ready to deal with the expectations because of the manner in which Master Gracie conducts training. His teaching philosophy is also notable. He focuses on building not only our techniques but, more importantly, our self-confidence, giving us a mental edge. He achieves this by using positive reinforcement as a tool to influence behavior rather than pressure. The result? Win or lose, he creates a group of athletes who feel a deep sense of loyalty and commitment to him and the Gracie Barra family.
Master Carlos Gracie Jr. isn’t the type of instructor that would pressure you at every tournament, screaming from the sidelines.
Instead, his lessons are felt each day, slowly growing on you, where you feel it constantly, in every aspect of your being. The true guidance he provides is in realizing that success in Jiu-Jitsu must be an extension of one’s life, and that building confidence and a commitment to excellence must be cultivated over time.
His method of building champions is not through last minute speeches providing superficial motivation. The athletes and instructors of Gracie Barra learn that becoming a champion on and off the mat takes time, hard work and dedication built over the years.
Competition is always a very serious subject, but Master Carlos Gracie Jr. describes it as a test of our mindset and maturity. Conversations about matches never revolve around opponents but are seen as a fight against ourselves in our quest for self-mastery.
Going into a tournament, our thoughts are always the same: to trust in our abilities and our techniques. He inspires us to believe in ourselves and our skills and to impose our will upon our opponents, not reacting to them.
Because Master Carlos Gracie Jr. believes in us, he is always able to make us feel we are unstoppable. Even in defeat, he looks upon us not with scorn, but always shows how proud he is of our efforts “on the battlefield.” He makes you understand how much respect he has for the way you fight.
This is why when you see an athlete bearing the Gracie Barra shield on his uniform you see a competitor who is filled with an overwhelming sense of pride for the legacy and heritage we share.
Today, I am very grateful to Master Carlos, not only for being a GB instructor, but also for having been a great Master, father figure and best friend. It is not medals or trophies which inspire me – it is the lessons I have learned from him which give me strength and courage. I will never let him down.
~ GB Disciple
TRAINING ETIQUETTE
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Bow to Carlos Gracie Sr. when you enter the training area.
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Bow to Carlos Gracie Sr. when you exit the training area.
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Keep a respectful posture in the training area.
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Classes begin with a formal bow to the instructor, with students lining up in descending grade order.
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Classes end with a formal bow to the picture of Grand Master Carlos Gracie Senior, and then to the instructor.
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All students must line up with the attendance card in hand at the begining of the class.
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During class, when the instructor is demonstrating the techniques, every student must sit or stand in good posture.
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If you are late for class sit by the side of the training area and wait for the permission from the Professor.
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If you need to leave the mat or leave earlier you must ask permission from the Professor.
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Bow to your partner before and after practice.
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Talking should be kept to a minimum level and should relate to the class subject.
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Absolutely no foul language inside the school.
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Keep fingernails and toenails short for everyone’s safety.
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All students, Instructors, Professors, and visitors must wear the official Gracie Barra uniform. The uniform pants and top must be the same color.
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It is mandatory to wear the official Gracie Barra black rash guard or Gracie Barra training shirt underneath the kimono.
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It is mandatory to have underwear underneath the gi pants.
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For No-Gi Classes, students must wear Gracie Barra shorts as well as a Gracie Barra ranked Rash Guard or Gracie Barra Gi pants, Graice Barra Rash Guard, and belt.
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The uniform must be clean at all times. A dirty uniform is a sign of disrespect.
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The uniform must be worn at all times.
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When tying the uniform, students must face the edge of the mats.
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The belt represents your progress. Keep it on.
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Refer to non Black-Belt instructors as “Coaches”.
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Refer to Black-Belt instructors as “Professors” and to Carlos Gracie Jr. as “Master”.
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All metal objects, jewelry, piercing, necklaces and other items should be removed.
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No shoes, food or drink on the mat.
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No cell phones in the training area.
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All students and Instructors must wear shoes when walking outside of the training area.
UNIFORM ETIQUETTE
Dressed for Success: The GB Uniform
The GB Method is comprised of many aspects – from the way we structure our classes to the teaching vocabulary we use with our students. All of the aspects of the GB Method are interconnected, each one building upon the next and supporting those that follow. Of the aspects, the GB uniform plays a unique role. It helps to define the Gracie Barra learning experience while promoting the core values of GB: brotherhood, expansion, and integrity. All this from essentially a piece of clothing? Yes! How? Let’s explore more!
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Weaving the Foundation: The History of the GB Uniform
The Gi – the Japanese name for the formal and traditional uniform for Jiu-Jitsu – has a strong presence in the overarching world of martial arts, most notably karate. In fact, the Gi that we use today resembles very closely the style of Gi worn decades, even 100 years ago, in Jiu-Jitsu.
During his early years as a young athlete training Jiu-Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro, Prof. Marco Joca had a difficult time finding Gis. This was during the early 1990s, and although the popularity of Jiu-Jitsu tournaments was growing, accessibility to Gis was more limited. Finding a Gi was not the only challenge. It was almost impossible to find the coveted Gracie Barra patch for the Gi.
Prof. Marco Joca wanted a way to represent the school at which he trained – the methodology which supported his Jiu-Jitsu journey. The popularity of Jiu-Jitsu continued to grow, as did the popularity of competitions, which offered unique opportunities to display pride in particular schools and communities.
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The realization also grew that a uniform was not just a want – it was a need. A unified Gi – complete with a GB patch – would help to provide for and do the following:
