Category: Blog

Maybe you’ve been meaning to start but just haven’t found the right routine. Maybe you want to start working out but just haven’t found time for yourself yet. Whatever your excuse, I’m here to tell you that today is the day to start working out. We are here to make this process easier for you! You can now exercise while your children are training Jiu-Jitsu. This is much better than just sitting on the bench while your children train, isn’t it? By the time you leave our academy both you and your child will have their workout for the day done. 

Fitness is important for your physical and mental health. That’s because the benefits of exercise are far more than just losing weight or achieving that “bikini body.” Exercise benefits everything from your sleep quality to your energy level, and even your memory. From making you happier to helping you live longer, regular exercise is key to living a healthy, balanced life. You also need time for yourself! It is easy to loose ourselves when we have so many responsibilities. It is time to invest in yourself so you could be the best version of yourself.
Gracie Barra Northridge also offers a variety of programs such as adult’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu, women’s self defense, no-gi training, advanced gi, and Muay Thai. Our programs focus on Anti-Bullying/Self-Defense techniques for both adults and children. We offer classes 6x a week and are one of the few schools in the San Fernando Valley that offers 6AM adults Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes. Come in to our location to try a FREE introductory lesson. We are currently offering 30 days for free*, you do not want to miss out!

*Must purchase Gracie Barra Uniform for free trial.

No, it’s not just boys being boys, or kids being kids. Bullies are made not born. Bullying is a big problem that affects a lot of kids. 3 out of 4 kids say they have been bullied or teased before. Here our some strategies we teach our students here at Gracie Barra Northridge to defend themselves against bullying. Our children Jiu-Jitsu’s program focuses on anti-bullying techniques which boost confidence as well teaches self-defense. The first step we teach our students is WALK AWAY. When the bully comes up to you grab your belonging and walk away. If you are able to successfully walk away then find the nearest adult in charge and tell them what happened. Find someone you trust and talk about what is happening to you. Tell your teacher, parent, principal, or any adult in charge. Sometimes bullies stop as soon as a teacher finds out because they’re afraid that they will be punished by parents. Walking away could also mean avoiding the bully. Step 2: If you cannot successfully walk away from the bully then stand up for your self. This does not mean you have to fight or hurt the bully. When you’re scared of another person, you’re probably not feeling your bravest. But sometimes just acting brave is enough to stop a bully. Make sure you have a good posture, maintain eye contact with the bully, and in a loud stern voice tell them “leave me alone”. Step 3: If the bullying keeps persisting and becomes physical this is the time to use the techniques you have learned in class. To deescalate the situation you can take the bully down using a take down and pin them to the ground using either mount or side mount. Do not choke, punch, or kick the bully. Our martial arts program focuses on anti-bullying techniques. Aside from our kids program Gracie Barra Northridge also offers a variety of programs such as adult’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu, women’s self defense, no-gi training, advanced gi, and Muay Thai. We offer classes 6x a week and are one of the few schools in the San Fernando Valley that offers 6AM adults Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes. Come in to our location to try a FREE introductory lesson. We are currently offering 30 days for free*, you do not want to miss out!

*Must purchase Gracie Barra Uniform for free trial

Your child just started training at Gracie Barra Northridge and they notice that their class mates are getting promotions and they aren’t, here what you can tell them. Our school follows Gracie Barra and the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation belt system. There are 5 basic colors to children belts-white, grey, yellow, orange, and green. Each of those basic colors has two variations (white or black). Children also receive stripes on each belt to mark degrees. These strips go on solid black bar at the end of the belt. At our academy we give 4 white stripes and 4 red stripes before promoting to the next belt. We decided to add more rankings to the white belt to avoid keeping a child stuck at the same belt for too long. While you’d hope kids would train because they love it and not because they want a new belt, kids do get very excited by promotions. Promotions are based on the following criteria: attendance, attitude in class, behavior outside of Jiu-Jitsu, and performance. While the coaches do want to see that the children understand and can execute the technique they are being taught, their attitude is a bigger factor taken into consideration for stripes. Stripes are given each month taking into consideration the criteria. If the child does not meet the criteria to receive a stripe the promotion might be pushed back. At our academy we do not have formal belt testing for belt promotions, kids are being tested by the criteria on a daily basis. Belt promotions do take longer than stripes (2-3 months). We do our best with timing. When a kid turns 16, the instructor promotes them to an adult rank. White belts remain white belts, but colored belts usually become blue belts. Aside from our kids program Gracie Barra Northridge also offers a variety of programs such as adult’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu, women’s self defense, no-gi training, advanced gi, and Muay Thai. Our programs focus on Anti-Bullying/Self-Defense techniques for both adults and children. We offer classes 6x a week and are one of the few schools in the San Fernando Valley that offers 6AM adults Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes. Come in to our location to try a FREE introductory lesson. We are currently offering 30 days for free*, you do not want to miss out!

*Must purchase Gracie Barra Uniform for free trial.