Jim Hughes Comments: “if you do anything well, and have standards you care about, there will always be people who want to rip you a new one and chip away at you. ESPN will have to get in line behind a bunch of other people who like to complain about me.”

Uniform Requirement:

Uniforms are not required. Students may wear comfortable athletic wear. However, they may wear a plain white karate or judo/jiu jitsu style uniform with a white belt if they like.

Recommended reading:

* The Path to Black Belt: Rodrigo Gracie, Invisible Cities Press, 2005
* Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Self Defense Techniques: Royce Gracie, Invisible Cities Press, 2005
* Royce Gracie Self Defense in Stress Reduction and Health, Jim Hughes, Work in Process

Introduction:

Jiu-Jitsu is a growing international sport and self-defense art popularized by the Gracie Family from Brazil. Royce Gracie, utilizing his families Martial Art, propelled himself to international fame by winning the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and a new genre of martial art was born –MMA. The training process of Gracie jiu-jitsu is a well-formulated and studied process. It helps students learn effective self-defense skills quickly and easily.

Course Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate proficiency in the basic self-defense plan of Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Self Defense & MMA through practical physical exams.

2. Students will learn basic strategies as they apply to this martial arts discipline.

3. Demonstrate knowledge of the history, philosophy, and training principles of Royce Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA as evaluated by final written and oral examinations.

Learning points and objectives:

In this class section, students will learn the basic self-defense plan of Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Self Defense & MMA and how Mr. Gracie used that strategy to win competitions in the ring such as UFC, Pride, and K1. The basic strategy includes 1) Closing the distance; 2) Establishing the clinch; 3) Organizing a take down; 4) Achieving a dominate position; 5) Protecting oneself in bad positions; 6) Reversing bad positions and improving positions; 7) Concluding the fight with a submission hold; 8) How to cause one’s opponent to “give up” without hurting them.

Approximately half the class time will be invested in learning the technique and half in discussion of the strategy. Students of any physical condition can learn this practice. Students with significant physical challenges will be taught to learn the way Royce Gracie’s father, the creator of Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, initially learned when he was unable to physically do “moves.”

Assessment:

1. Students will be required to demonstrate the basic fight plan with a partner in a slow and cooperative manner at the end of the semester.

2. Students will be required to write and present a paper in class on a relevant topic that captures their attention. The following are possible examples of lines of inquiry; however, students may pursue any relevant topic of interest to them:

• Current issues in the regulation of MMA from State to State
• Licensing requirements to become a professional or amateur MMA fighter
• Medical testing required to compete at the amateur and professional level
• Ethical issues of mixed martial arts
• Social impact of Mixed Martial Arts
• The importance of Self Defense in today’s society and workplace
• Public safety on college campuses
• How to use Gracie Jiu Jitsu strategy to get and maintain a job after college
• Gracie Jiu Jitsu and problem solving strategy

Written paper:

1 points for the relevance of the topic,

6 points for expressed understand of the history of Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu,

6 points for expressed understanding of the fight plan,

6 points for identifying issues relevant to personal or social safety,

6 points for relating the components of the fight plan to solving identified problems

Presentation:

2 points for relevance of topic

3 points for enthusiasm for one’s selected topic

5 points for clarity and speaking skills

15 points presentation of topic

Student Evaluation: Weight

Participation 25%

Paper 25%

Paper presentation 25%

Final practical exam 25%

Course Outline:

The following outlines the approximate time of introduction of various techniques through the course of the semester. Once a technique is introduced, it will be practiced during subsequent training sessions along with previously introduced techniques. Thus, the outline should be considered cumulative. Throughout the course, the student will also be lectured on the historical and philosophical foundations of Gracie Jiu Jitsu as well as on the theory and application of Gracie Jiu Jitsu techniques and training methods.

WEEK # TECHNIQUES INTRODUCED

1. Introduction of Gracie Family Self Defense process created by Grandmaster Helio Gracie
2. Awareness and attitude in self defense; principles of breathing; problem solving skills
3. Techniques for “closing the distance”
4. Clinching strategy, grips, and pummeling
5. Strategy for protecting the head and neck in the pummel
6. Technique for falling down safely
7. Take down strategy
8. Establishing dominate positions on the ground
9. Protecting oneself in bad positions
10. Reversing bad positions and improving positions
11. Concluding the fight with submission holds
12. Review of fight plan and principles of sparring
13. Paper Presentations
14. Paper Presentations
15. Final Exam: Demonstration of Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu Self Defense Fight Plan