What is Jiu-Jitsu? And is it right for your child?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a combat sport that focuses on takedowns and control on the ground. The strategy is simple: get in close to your opponent, take them down, control them on the ground, then deliver a choke or joint lock that will inhibit your opponent’s ability to continue fighting. The success of brazilian jiu-jitsu can be attributed to a simple rule set that awards positional control and dominance. A submission is a win. This grappling-centric rule set was introduced into a no rules format and the results were pretty obvious: grappling was an important factor in real fights that many martial arts were neglecting. At Bay Jiu-Jitsu, we prefer to focus on these “combat sports” that have an athletic component rather than a purely self defense style of martial art that deals with lots of theoretical techniques that haven’t been proven to work under duress.
Bay Jiu-Jitsu could be right for your child if one of these situations are relevant to you:
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Your child is inactive and uninterested in team sports. We get these kids all the time and they tend to flourish in an environment where they are awarded accolades based on their individual progress.
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Your child plays many other sports and is looking to supplement with a martial art to make them a bit more aggressive. When I was a soccer player, I was technically skilled, but I was timid when approaching the ball. I know if I had found jiu-jitsu as a kid it would have been a perfect addition to my soccer training.
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You fear your child may be bullied now or in the future. We believe that a good foundation in jiu-jitsu will increase your child’s confidence and ability to handle themselves when confronted by aggressive classmates.
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Your child is interested in ninjas, superheroes, wrestling, play fighting, or martial arts in general.
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Your child seems to have a difficult time interacting with others. Because of the need in jiu-jitsu to work with their partner to drill the techniques, often there’s a level of empathy that is gained from helping. We’ve put many kids who seem to have aggressive behaviors and pushed them into a helping role and it has worked to help them figure out how to interact with those who are in a bit more need of help.
If any of these situations speak to you, your child needs to start training at Bay Jiu-Jitsu.
Once your child begins jiu-jitsu, they will be on a confidence & skill-building path that will last their entire lifetime.
It only takes a few months to gain basic knowledge. There are constantly new challenges ahead: more skilled or bigger kids, in house competitions or even larger tournaments around the Bay Area and beyond.
“Stephan is an INCREDIBLE coach for kids! My 10 year old son thought the summer camp was by the far the best one he's ever done. I found myself always looking forward to kids pick up so that I can hear about the day. Thank you Stephan for all of the beautiful and heart-felt friendships my kid has gained from your creativity!"
- Leng L.
Here's exactly what you'll get in a kids class:
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Warm Up:
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Before jumping into things, we start with a warm up of solo drills like rolling, falling, and footwork. This is done in the form of an obstacle course with younger kids and line drills with the older kids.
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Learn a Move:
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Once you’ve built up a sweat, we’ll go over the technique of the week. These techniques usually build upon each other throughout the week so it’s best to attend multiple classes per week to lay the foundation of the skill we are building.
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Drill the Move:
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Take turns with a partner practicing the move. This takes cooperation and working with others, which are valuable skills in their personal and school lives.
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Sparring:
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Most kids start with light resistance drills on day 1 to get a chance to feel how the technique works against a live opponent. Kids will eventually be able to participate in safe but challenging grappling sparring with their team mates. Live sparring is crucial because it teaches kids how to achieve success with the moves in a real world setting, which is crucial for both competition and self-defense.
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Game:
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To wrap up class, we have a vast array of games that either focus on reviewing the technique of the day or simply getting that last bit of energy out in a fun way before heading home!
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Don’t waste hundreds of dollars going to classes and activities that your kids don’t love. Join Bay Jiu-Jitsu and receive access to kids classes and training starting at only $160 per month. We do our best to provide as much value as possible and charge a fair price.
If you aren't sure a membership is right for you, we also offer a variety of class pack options starting with our new local student intro deal of 3 classes for $39
If you are a full-time student, emergency personnel, teacher, low income, or part of a large family with multiple members who wish to train, please email us to hear more about available discounts.
“I am amazed how patient, attentive, and understanding Stephan Goyne is as the head instructor at Bay Jiu-Jitsu. His positive and inclusive attitude sets the culture at the gym. Everyone here is always happy to help each other. There is NO attitude here or fragile egos like other gyms. The community is awesome - this place rocks!"
- Peter C.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should my child wear to class? Preferably wear bottoms that are free of pockets, belt loops, zippers, drawstrings or loose fabric. Wear a top that won’t fall over their face if they turn upside down.
What ages do you accept into the kids program? Our kids classes start at 4 years old and continue until they transition into the adults program.
My child is unable to physically practice, can they audit the class? Class is where we come to learn but often we drill and practice outside of class. You may certainly audit and ask questions and participate in discussions.
Any pre-class hygiene tips? Please have your child shower before the class, and be as clean and as free of smell or fragrance as possible.
How much does it cost? See our Pricing section above for our full list of options. We love to give our students options of payment because every situation is different. Ask us about our discounts for teachers, first responders, full-time students and low-income families. We also have family plans available if multiple people want to train. If you are a new local student, we always offer intro offers so come check us out!
Still have questions? Contact us.
Address
Bay Jiu-Jitsu, Japantown
1628 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Contact
Opening Hours
Please check our online schedule for the most up-to-date hours.
