Gracie Medical Defense™ at UCI Health

The UCI Health Workplace Violence Prevention Team has partnered with the world’s leading self-defense institution, Gracie University of Jiu-Jitsu, to provide enhanced personal safety training to all UCI Health co-workers.

This will be an interactive and hands-on course that will provide skills to better keep yourselves and others safe, and to reduce the risk of injury, when encountering a combative person.

Gracie Medical Defense™ (GMD) is a comprehensive workplace safety system designed to address the most common physical threats experienced by medical staff. The GMD techniques are based on the time-tested principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) but have all been specifically adapted for use in healthcare.

Here is some of what is taught in this fun, interactive seminar:

• How to use distance management to mitigate threats of all kinds
• How to escape the most common grabs (standing and bedside)
• How to defend against kicks from the bedside
• How to use the Punch Block Series to avoid injury on the ground
• How to escape from being strangled (standing and bedside)
• How to intervene safely if a colleague is being attacked (standing position and on the ground)
• How to verbally de-escalate combative situations to set protective boundaries
• How to use manual control tactics to ensure staff and patient safety

Due to the inherently de-escalatory nature of jiu-jitsu, all the techniques are designed to keep medical staff safe while also protecting patients from harm.

The GMD program was designed for men and women with absolutely no previous experience, and all the techniques can be learned and practiced by anyone, regardless of their age or physical fitness level.

If, for any reason, you are not comfortable participating, you can simply show up and watch, and you will still learn a ton.

This special 4-hour seminar is free for all UCI Health co-workers, and all participants will be paid using Continuing Education (CE) credits, but space is limited so you must pre-register in the UC Learning Center where you can search “Gracie Medical Defense” to find the course.

[jroberts]

I'm a respiratory therapist and have worked in healthcare for 16 years in one form or another. This was exactly the reason I started jiujitsu. People don't realize how violent patients and even family members have gotten.
Thank you Rener and Eve for bringing awareness to this issue

[babasingh]

I work in pain management, and we have many angry and confrontational patients. This course is so thoughtful and very needed.

[stevensdefenseacademyllc]

This is great guys! I'm a certified WE instructor and an RN. I hope you will provide us instructors the ability to eventually teach this program as well as it is SO needed!

[BronzedBeauti]

I'm a healthcare worker who's taken classes at Gracie U. I actually got to work hands with Rener, and it was a great experience. Our hospital works closely with UCI and UCI health. This would be a great program for our healthcare workers. A couple of years ago, we did an active shooter simulation with the police department, fire department, and paramedics in one of our new buildings prior to its opening, and it was surprisingly emotional and realistic. I was glad to be a part of it and learned so much. Thanks for all the work that you guys do.

[laz]

This is cool. Focussing on self defence in specific environments/scenarios. It captures the essence of what a traditional martial art should be trying to achieve.

[ixibladeixi]

This is great. Gracie is always on point. I jut hope they have something for all government related training/ conference/ seminars and not just for law enforcements. There are many securities governmental entities out there including conventions, districts, etc… that are interested.

[Cab]

I'm a 16 year healthcare security officer. We NEED this training but I guarantee they higher ups will say its either too costly or too much liability is involved; yet we carry firearms. Go figure.

[DavidMedic]

Can you do one for Paramedics? Fighting in the cramped space of an ambulance can be challenging.

[folumb]

Great that they are helping address this, I have nothing but positive things to say about BJJ and the Gracie family but I hope this isn't the only solution UCI is going after. A lot of other things they can do to improve workplace violence before asking staff to learn self defense. Shouldn't be expected that you know how to fight at work

[mattya]

Saw you on shark tank with your clothing...this not only open up a new vertical for you all but a VERY NEEDED skill health care works need now. BRAVO!

[Kumofan]

This is great, but I feel like a lot of these grappling submissions have the issue of expecting the opponent to be sane. Especially at 1:05, for example, I can see her getting bit in the throat.

[Tianshanwarrior]

Do you cover defense against biting and if the attacker uses improvised weapons?

[John_Holliday]

When are you going to make it a course (online) we can teach to our ambulance services? Like GST. Would love to be able to host them here in Alabama and Tennessee for EMS workers. Or have at our local CTC.

[DeathTurbo]

I miss the old gracie breakdown where you and ryron would breakdown techniques instead of these short ad type videos. Bring back the breakdown of gracie breakdown and maybe throw these on their own channel. Food for thought

[alonsoarellanocarryoptics]

I’m a x-ray tech and years ago I was walking down the parking lot of my job when out of nowhere a man came up to me from my blind side and punch me in the face while I was holding 5 coffees in a tray…. I was thrown to the hood of a car but didn’t drop the coffee. I stood up and the guy threw another wild punch at me and this time I ducked under it and then threw the hot coffee on his face and chest… he screamed in pain, by that time the security people came over and comprehended him… cops came over and wanted to arrest him… well it turns out that the man was out of his Psyche medication and was acting violent … the cops asked me if I wanted to per-sue charges … I said NO.. just take him to a hospital so the man can get his meds. I was glad that the man hit me and not a female worker of mine… and glad he got help too.

[wearemany]

Every second that goes by where the police haven’t YET decided to include BJJ into their standardised training programs, it’s a second of missed opportunity and a second MORE of unnecessary public endangerment. I’ve no dog in the fight but I know I’d rather the police service/force have the ability and confidence to handle physical altercations safely.

[bnrowdy]

Needs to be taught at all PDs Healthcare and schools... why are we still not doing this?

[rociogarcia]

I didn’t even know this was a thing, violence against medical staff 😢 these guys think of everything ❤ and they look so adorable in their little scrubs 🤗

[muntjunk-plk]

Good on you using your skillset to help frontline workers. Hope you find a way to bring this training to Australia.

[hillerm]

I think this is a really cool idea and would love to participate even though I’m not a medical professional and I’m a blue belt in BJJ!