Combatives Dojo Reopens with Seminar by Royce Gracie

Photo By Spc. Jordan Worthy | Royce Gracie does hands on teaching at the 10th SFG(A) Combatives Dojo on April 19, 2021. The event was in celebration of the re-opening of the combatives dojo as COVID restriction continue to ease. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jordan S. Worthy)  

FT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

06.10.2021

Story by Pfc. Jordan Worthy 

10th Special Forces Group (Airborne)

FORT CARSON, Colo. – Mixed Martial Arts legend Royce Gracie taught a three-hour combatives seminar here on April 19, 2021, to celebrate the reopening of the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) combatives dojo as COVID restrictions ease across the installation.
“10th Group is already elite,” said UFC Hall-of-Famer Royce Gracie. “The guys are already top of the nation, but it’s always good to review and relearn some techniques.”
Gracie is a household name in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) community. BJJ is a defensive submission-based fighting style and its main focus is self-defense.
Gracie lent his expertise to 10th Group Soldiers through several different striking techniques, movements to avoid getting hit in a fight, grappling methods to control the fight and submission moves to defeat opponents regardless of their size. The variety of styles not only enhance a fighter’s capabilities, but adds to the Green Beret’s skillset.
“Your main objective during a fight should be to avoid getting hit at all costs,” said Gracie.
Hosting the seminar was Gracie’s way of supporting 10th SFG (A) with all that they do, and the seminar was open to all personnel assigned to the unit.
Gracie said he would be honored to host another seminar for the 10th Special Forces Group.
“Gracie gave us the opportunity to conduct training with him,” said the Master Sgt. in charge of dojo operations. “Hopefully [this] opens up the door for us to have further training, which will improve our fight game,”
“It’s a foundation of what every Green Beret needs to be at for fighting,” said the Master Sgt. “And without getting time on the mat, they’re not able to get at the pinnacle where they need to be.”
The Master Sgt. explained that combatives gives people an outlet to not just do their jobs at work, but to escape and exert some extra energy.
Green Berets train for a myriad of battlefield scenarios. Understanding hand-to-hand combat and how to fight elevates mastery and readiness across the formation.
In efforts to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19, many facilities on the 10th Group compound were temporarily closed, to include gyms and the combatives dojo. With the reopening of the facility, 10th Group can resume training and continue to improve their combative capabilities.
Royce Gracie has been a prominent figure in lending his skills to help to improve the fighting capabilities of SOF. In 2017 Gracie mentored fighters at an ultimate fighting championship competition hosted by 1st Group.

• Date Taken: 06.10.2021
• Date Posted: 06.11.2021 15:40
• Story ID: 398616
• Location: FT CARSON, CO, US