Youth Defense Curriculum

At Greenville Combatives Academy, our Youth Defense Curriculum “YDC” for ages 6+ is a practical, minimal, and proven counter violence system designed specifically for kids that was founded by Zane Forrest. It combines standing and ground techniques that are taught and trained with pressure testing alongside purpose built fitness drills and soft skills such as awareness priming and threat recognition. Students learn not just how to protect themselves, but also when it’s appropriate to use what they’ve learned all while cultivating confidence, character and discipline through our Christian values and resilient mentality lessons.

The Stratos Combatives Program “SCP” at GCA (great for teens) prepares students for real world threats using the Vital Pyramid Training Model starting with MINDSET to build awareness and confidence, followed by TACTICS for positioning and deescalation, then SKILLS for striking, clinch, and ground technique, with KIT last covering concepts such as using a backpack for self protection and tourniquet application. Training covers situational and environmental awareness, verbal deescalation, pre fight contact cues, reasonable defense, combat fitness, preemptive striking, simulation training, multiple opponents, improvised weapons, and ground fighting. With stress testing this develops the ability to detect, avoid, and, if necessary, neutralize threats ensuring that our students are never a victim but always a victor.

Our “T1C” program teaches well rounded self protection skills and principles that have been tested through real encounters including everything offered in our “SCP” program but in a more mature teaching exposure and presentation method aimed for preparedness for everything up to extreme scenarios. Classes for this art blend Jujutsu, Close Quarters Combat, and Ground Survival Tactics with improvised weapons, stress inoculation drills and more. Students are taught to develop a resilient mindset, and are exposed to vital techniques quickly. These classes primarily prepare adults to evade and prevail in ambush attacks, vicious assaults, and intense confrontations. Learn to effectively protect yourself and others. Forge your mind and body into a weapon with us.