Little Champions Program (Ages 3-6) Gracie Barra Northridge Jiu-Jitsu

 

Located in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, Gracie Barra Northridge (GBN) is globally recognized as a powerhouse academy for adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors. However, the academy’s most energetic and vital work occurs in the late afternoons with its youngest students.

 

The Little Champions I program is designed specifically for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first-graders (ages 3 to 6).

 

For parents in Northridge, Porter Ranch, and Granada Hills, this program is rarely about teaching a four-year-old how to fight. It is viewed as an essential early childhood development tool. It is a structured, high-energy environment where martial arts traditions meet play-based learning to build foundational life skills.

 

Here is a detailed breakdown of everything involved in the Little Champions I program at GBN.

 

1. The Core Philosophy: “Play with a Purpose”

 

Teaching Jiu-Jitsu to a 3-year-old requires a radically different approach than teaching an adult. The attention span at this age is short, energy levels are explosive, and abstract concepts are difficult to grasp.

 

Therefore, the Gracie Barra Northridge approach for this demographic is “Play with a Purpose.”

 

 Hidden Jiu-Jitsu: The instructors do not bore the children with long technical explanations. Instead, BJJ movements are disguised as high-energy games. A drill to teach maintaining top position might be called “Ride the Crazy Horse.” A drill for back control might be called “Backpack.” The children think they are just playing, but they are actually developing the muscle memory for fundamental grappling movements.

 Positive Association: The primary goal at this age is simply to make the child fall in love with being on the mats. GBN wants the dojo to be a place associated with fun, friends, and positive reinforcement, laying the groundwork for serious training in later years.

 

2. The Curriculum: What Do 3–6 Year Olds Actually Learn?

 

The curriculum is strictly non-violent. At this specific age level, there are no submissions (chokes or joint locks) taught. The focus is entirely on movement, safety, and control.

 

1. The “Animal Movements” (Coordination & Strength)

Instead of calisthenics, the warm-ups focus on biomimicry to build functional strength and coordination that many modern children lack.

 

 Bear Crawls & Crab Walks: Builds shoulder stability and core strength.

 Shrimping: The fundamental hip-escape movement of BJJ, taught as wiggling like a shrimp down the mat.

 Bunny Hops & Frog Jumps: Builds explosive leg power and balance.

 

1. Safety First: The Breakfall

The single most important physical skill taught is safety.

 

 Falling Down: Before learning how to take someone down, they must learn how to fall. Children are taught “breakfalls”—how to tuck their chin so their head doesn’t hit the mat, and how to slap the mat to dissipate impact energy. This is a life skill that protects them on the playground just as much as on the mats.

 

1. Introduction to Positioning

Children learn the very basic concepts of BJJ geography in a game format.

 

 “Mount” and “Guard”: They learn what it means to be on top (Mount) and what it means to be on bottom with their legs wrapped around a partner (Guard). The focus is on how to hold these positions using balance, not strength.

 

3. The “Invisible” Curriculum: Character and Discipline

 

For parents, the biggest draw of the Little Champions I program is the behavioral framework. GBN uses the structure of martial arts to teach soft skills that are crucial for preschool and kindergarten readiness.

 

 The “Mat Chat”: At the end of every class, the children sit criss-cross applesauce, hands on knees, and look at the Professor for a 3-minute discussion on a core value, such as listening to parents, cleaning up toys, or being a good friend.

 Structure and Line-ups: The class is highly regimented. Children must line up by height before class, bow onto the mat, and ask permission to leave for water or the restroom. This instills impulse control and respect for rules.

 Active Listening: In a high-energy environment, children must learn to “freeze” when the instructor claps or speaks. Learning to stop what they are doing and focus their eyes and ears on the teacher is a critical skill for school environments.

 

4. The Environment and Instructors

 

The environment at GBN is tailored to ease anxiety for both the toddler and the parent.

 

 High Instructor Ratio: Classes for this age group are heavily staffed. There is usually one lead “Professor” (Black Belt) and multiple assistant coaches on the mat. This ensures that when a 4-year-old gets distracted or confused, there is an adult immediately available to gently guide them back to the task.

 Patience and Positivity: The instructors chosen for this specific program are selected for their extreme patience and high energy. They are masters at herding cats, using positive reinforcement (high-fives, “great job!”) rather than criticism to motivate.

 Safety and Hygiene: Gracie Barra Northridge is known for immaculate cleanliness. The mats are sanitized daily, which is crucial for parents of young children who spend much of the class rolling around on the floor.

 

The Little Champions I program (Ages 3–6) at Gracie Barra Northridge is an early childhood development program utilizing the vehicle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It is designed to burn off excess energy, improve fundamental motor skills through purposeful play, and introduce very young children to the concepts of structure, discipline, and respect in a safe and overwhelmingly positive environment.

 

Gracie Barra Northridge Location & Contact:

 

Address: 19520 Nordhoff St 10th, Northridge, CA 91324

 

Phone: +1 818-357-4074

 

info@gbnorthridge.com

 

Website: gbnorthridge.com

 

Hours

Mon-Thurs: 12 PM to 9 PM

Fridays: 12 PM to 7 PM

Saturdays: 9 AM to 2 PM

Sundays: CLOSED

Little Champions Program (Ages 3-6) Gracie Barra Northridge Jiu-Jitsu