Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) is a revolutionary defensive tactics system based on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu that incorporates time-tested techniques into an easy-to-learn system designed to help officers verbally and physically de-escalate while humanely prevailing resistant and/or aggressive subjects. For nearly three decades, our objective has remained the same: create an arrest and control program that provides the optimal solution to help law enforcement officers do their jobs as safely as possible while navigating the constantly evolving tactical, legal, and political environment of the nation. Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) is that solution. Active-duty law enforcement professionals, as well as military personnel and first responders, can access the GST system and become Certified Instructors via our Live Instructor Certification Program (Live ICP) or via our video-based Online Instructor Certification Program (Online ICP). Explore this page to learn more about the origins and objectives of GST program, and then visit the other tabs to learn about the path to GST Instructor Certification.
The Origins of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, also known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or BJJ, was developed by Helio and Carlos Gracie. Beginning in the 1920’s, Helio began his journey of tailoring the system to use various principles, such as leverage and distance management, to defeat opponents who were almost twice his size and much more athletic. Helio spent his long life testing and refining the techniques against all challengers. 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 consistently give someone a realistic chance against a larger, more athletic opponent.
GST: Tailored for Law Enforcement
Shortly thereafter, in response to requests by law enforcement officers, the Gracie Family extracted the simplest and most effective techniques to address the most common threat situations facing law enforcement professionals. In the ensuing thirty years, GST has been taught to countless law enforcement agencies (Local, State, and Federal), and the program continues to evolve every single day based on the feedback from those whose lives depend on it.
The Five Pillars of GST
Through the GST program our goal isn’t merely to teach defensive tactics to an agency but rather to provide the agency with the tools to completely transform its culture from the inside out. This culture shift occurs when the following five pillars are in place at an agency.
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- Effective decision-making under pressure.
- Humane and respectful application of force.
- Trust-building relationship with the community.
- Safe and productive training environment.
- Universal effectiveness regardless of physical attributes.
Why GST is Essential for Law Enforcement
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a rapidly growing sport, but at most BJJ schools, the practice of the art is tailored to sportive grappling competition rather than self-defense. Unless the art is adapted for law enforcement applications, there are many facets of BJJ that would not only be ineffective in law enforcement but could potentially increase liability for the officer and the agency. GST is the most widely adopted jiu-jitsu based defensive tactics program in the world because every technique has been highly scrutinized and specifically adapted for law enforcement application.
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Reduced Injuries and Enhanced Trust
At most agencies, defensive tactics training is conducted with a “fight club” mentality, which not only leads to higher rate of training injuries, but it discourages the officers who need the training the most from attending. In GST graduates are empowered with a turn-key curriculum and the time-tested Gracie Teaching Methodologies that will make DT classes safe, productive and encouraging for all officers at the agency, so that they want to come back of more. Best of all, because of the control-based nature of the techniques, published data at agencies where officers engage in regular jiu-jitsu practice has revealed a reduction in officer field injuries by as much as 48% and reduction in subject injuries by as much as 53%. There is nothing that erodes trust in a community more rapidly than when law enforcement officers use force that is perceived as inhumane and/or excessive, particularly in situations where a lower level of force could have reasonably been applied. Since GST teaches techniques that are so humane in their application and so benign in their appearance, the chances that an officer uses force in a manner that is likely to incite the community is drastically reduced, and only in the absence of inciting incidents can the foundation for a trust-building relationship with the community be established.
GST Program Features
We have tested every technique in the Gracie Survival Tactics course in body armor and a duty belt. In fact, we have included the full tactical gear demo for Level 1 and Level 2 techniques in the GST online video courses. At the five-day instructor certification courses, the techniques are practiced in duty gear to ensure universal effectiveness.
Key Components of the GST Program:
- Survival & Escape Strategies: The GST course trains participants to use reliable leverage-based techniques to neutralize the initial barrage of strikes and escape from underneath the subject to regain a position of advantage.
- Weapon Retention Techniques: A number of law enforcement officers who are killed in the line of duty are shot with their own weapon. Furthermore, when a subject disarms a police officer of any of their less lethal weapons, chances of the officer having to escalate to deadly force increase exponentially.
- Tactical De-escalation: Since the techniques are all based on non-violent control holds, and do not emphasize the use strikes, they are inherently de-escalatory.
- Arrest & Control Procedures: In a physical altercation with an actively aggressive subject, the interaction isn’t resolved until the threat has been neutralized and the subject is safely in custody.
- Gracie Teaching Methodologies: The GST course introduces participants to the time-tested Gracie Teaching Methodologies - perfected over nearly a century. Upon learning these skills, Gracie University certifies course participants to return to their organizations to share the invaluable survival skills with their colleagues.
At many agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, the Gracie Teaching Methodologies are said to have completely changed the culture of the defensive tactics programs at the agency.
Instructor Certification Programs
Gracie Survival Tactics is a multi-level Defensive Tactics Instructor Certification Program that is comprised of 40 lessons in total: 23 are explored Level 1, and the remaining 17 are explored in Level 2.GST Level 1 Instructor Certification Program consists of 23 lessons that address the most common scenarios that a law enforcement professional is likely to confront in a hands-on encounter. This course is designed to take officers with absolutely no previous jiu-jitsu experience and equip them with the time-tested techniques and teaching methodologies to confidently instructor other officers within their organization. GST Level 1 Instructor Certification can be achieved by completing the program in person or by completing the course online and demonstrating proficiency via video upload.
GST Level 2 Instructor Certification Program adds 17 more lessons to complete the system that will give law enforcement professionals the tools to survive and prevail in the ever-changing, fast-paced environment. GST Level 2 Instructor Certification can be achieved by completing the program in person or by completing the course online and demonstrating proficiency via video upload.
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Benefits of Dual Certification
In order for an agency to experience the full benefit of the GST program, we recommend each instructor completes Levels 1 and 2 as soon as possible. In the past, the only way to achieve this, was to attend 5-day GST Level 1 course at one location and then attend a 5-day GST Level 2 course at a completely different location several months later.
Benefits of completing both levels back-to-back:
- Reduced Training Time: Without any prior experience in jiu-jitsu or defensive tactics, a participant can get certified in GST Level 1 and GST Level 2 in the shortest time possible.
- Less OOO Time: Since the entire course is covered in 8 training days (Monday through Friday in week 1 + Monday through Wednesday in week 2), each participant will spend less time out of office than if they completed both courses separately.
- Reduced Travel Expenses: Since both levels are completed back-to-back at the same location, students will save money on airfare and other travel expenses when compared to completing both courses at separate locations.
- Reduced Tuition Expenses: The cost for Level 1 and Level 2 certification, if completed separately, is $3000 ($1500 per course). The cost for Dual Certification using this format is $2500.
Who is Eligible for GST Instructor Certification?
The Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) instructor certification course is open to military and law enforcement professionals (reserve, guard, part-time duty acceptable). Corrections officers, EMTs and firefighters who are actively employed by a government agency are also eligible. On occasion, we make exceptions for select private security personnel to participate, but this must be approved in advance. When you arrive for training, you will be required to show a government issued badge and/or photo ID to verify eligibility.
Online Instructor Certification Programs
In the event that travel restrictions, time requirements, financial difficulties, or any other logistical challenges preclude you from attending any of the live GST course dates listed below, the GST Level 1 and Level 2 Online Instructor Certification Programs are the perfect alternative. Using our interactive online learning system, you can learn the exact same techniques and teaching methodologies taught in our live courses from anywhere in the world. At the end of the online courses, you’ll have a chance to submit videos demonstrating the techniques and teaching methods you learned. If your performance meets Gracie University standards, you’ll earn your GST Instructor Certification and qualify for all the same benefits awarded to live course graduates! To learn more about GST Level 1 Online Certification, click here.
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