After the UFC took the world by storm in 1993, people all over the world realized that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was the only system that would give someone a realistic chance against a larger, more athletic opponent. Among those intrigued by the effectiveness of our self-defense system was a group of very high-ranking members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In 1994, they contacted Rorion Gracie and asked him to develop an intensive course based on the most effective techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, which would give soldiers maximum hand-to-hand combat effectiveness in the least amount of time. The result was Gracie Combatives. Since the inception of the Gracie Combatives course, we have taught the techniques to Special Forces, Delta and Navy Seal Operators and uniformed personnel in every branch of our military: US Army, US Air Force, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard. In January 2002, the U.S. Army officially adopted Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as its foundation for hand-to-hand combat with the publication of a manual based almost entirely on the original program designed by Rorion Gracie.
Why Do You Need Gracie Combatives?
According to the F.B.I., in 2007 there were 59,201 sworn law enforcement officers assaulted in the line of duty. Over 80% of these assaults (47,495) were committed by unarmed perpetrators who only used their hands and/or feet to attack the officer. It is most important to consider the two biggest reasons why law enforcement officers did not shoot these perpetrators before their unarmed assaults were carried out:
Unjustified – Unless someone’s life is at risk, the officer is not justified in using deadly force.
Unable – Most physical assaults on officers take place so abruptly that the officer does not have the time or distance necessary to draw his or her firearm or less-lethal weapons, safely.
Since it is so common that officers are assaulted in situations where they are unjustified or unable to use their weapons in their defense, it is imperative that they be empowered with a very effective, court-defensible system of self-defense that will ensure their safety in the worst case scenarios that they are so likely to encounter.
Proven Techniques
While most defensive tactics courses are based on theoretically sound techniques that are designed for semi-compliant suspects, Gracie Combatives is entirely based on proven effective techniques that are applicable against fully resistant suspects. Over the last 15 years, the techniques featured in the Gracie Combatives course have been taught to several thousands, many of whom have had the opportunity to employ the techniques in the line of duty.
Reduced Liability
It is a fact that any law enforcement officer who is not confident in their ability to control a suspect with their hands is more prone to resort to their weapons, prematurely, and all it takes is one excessive force incident to dramatically alter the stability of a police department and its relationship with the community they serve. Since the Gracie Combatives course is based on controlled pain compliance techniques rather than uncontrollable strikes, the physical damage to the suspect is kept to an absolute minimum. Lawsuits and charges of police brutality decrease significantly when Gracie Combatives is used.
Enhanced Officer Presence
Any law enforcement officer who is not capable of defending him or herself against a physical attack will display less confidence than one who can. This weak “officer presence” is easily detectable and will often cause a suspect to challenge the authority of the officer. Once an officer learns the techniques that are designed to keep them safe during the worst case scenarios, he or she no longer needs to fear the suspect, and for this reason, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is known to boost an officer’s confidence more significantly than any other factor. This newly-found confidence will lead to enhanced officer presence which will be immediately detected by the suspects making them less likely to assault the officer to begin with.
THAI BOXING - How Does It Fit?
Even though it is extremely difficult, sometimes impossible to dominate bigger, stronger opponents with strikes alone (that’s why we train Gracie Jiu-Jitsu), strikes may be used strategically to buy time against multiple opponents or as a distraction to execute Gracie Jiu-Jitsu techniques.Thai Boxing is the foundation of strikes used in military combatives due to its simplicity, practicality, and effectiveness. Thai Boxing will cover all basic strikes using hands, legs, elbows, and knees. Effective strikes combined with the philosophy and techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu will greatly enhanced your self defense capabilities. In addition, the physical conditioning gained by Thai Boxing will enhanced the execution of all your skills. - Coach Carlos