I trained with Carlson Gracie Jr in the early 2000's.
We trained Sport.
According to the GRACIE family members they elected to come up with a version of Sport to be called Combatives because people were tired of seeing the UFC go for 20 Minutes with men locked up on the ground.
The Gracie's were tired of new time limits and decided they had to shift gears and produce something for those who believed that Gracie Sport was all encompassing (for ring and street),which it was not.
Here are Gracie Academy Instructors speaking about the sport vs Combatives:
"The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy belt system is distinct from that of sport-oriented schools. Although the belt colors are the same, the belt qualification requirements are very different. Sport-oriented schools promote students based on their mastery of techniques that will lead to victory in a tournament setting. In most cases, sport belt holders are very comfortable in sport jiu-jitsu matches and controlled sparring sessions. However, when confronted by a larger and more athletic opponent who doesn’t play by the rules, they are often shaken by the unpredictable, violent attack and find themselves unable to respond."
"The Gracie Academy promotes students exclusively on their mastery of the techniques that will ensure their victory in a street fight. The Academy rigorously tests each student’s skills and reflexes at each stage of their training. The Gracie Academy Blue Belt Qualification Test, for example, requires students to demonstrate a high level of accuracy, efficiency, and reflexes in the execution of the most important street self-defense techniques. Because we feel that “street readiness” is our first and foremost objective, most of the techniques that we teach at this level are “street only”. As a result, a Gracie Academy “street” blue belt will win on the street but may not fare well in a sport jiu-jitsu match. On the other hand, a sport jiu-jitsu blue belt will perform well on the mat, but may have difficulty dealing with unpredictable and chaotic circumstances of a real fight."
If the above is true,why then does the Gracie combatives series,for the Street,(36 lessons),have well over 2/3 rds of the lessons centered around the ground work ?
More from the Gracie Academy instructors
The Gracie Academy discounts striking. In one of the philosophy videos on the thirteenth DVD (also up on Gracie Unviersity), Rener has this to say (see also the Mindset Minute on Lesson Six):
"People often wonder whether or not they need to learn a striking art to complement their techniques of Gracie Jiu Jitsu, and the answer is no. Gracie Jiu Jitsu is a complete art in itself."
"The strategy of Gracie Jiu Jitsu is to avoid getting knocked out at all costs, control your opponent, and then submit them with a leverage based strategy."
"The reason we advise against someone learning how to use strikes to win in a real street fight is because if you're fighting someone, who is much taller, much heavier and much stronger than you, your attempt to strike them as a means of victory will put you in the range to get punched. Every time you throw a punch, you're at risk of getting knocked out in return."
"So because of that, its important that when you get into a fight, your mindset and your strategy is solid, and you're very well aware of what you want to do. You don't veer on that, so learning another art could possibly conflict with that."
Now with the US Army:
It is Great that the system set up by Larsen had multiple levels,each to build upon the other,Ground,to stand up,to knife and stick use and performance while wearing SOME Gear.
The reality is how many of the Soldiers serving have gone beyond the Ground ?
Now ,supposedly they are including the stand up phase,strikes and kicks as seen and allowed in the UFC.
Some giant leap forward,lol.
once the Combatives program was adopted by the rangers and then Army wide it was Larsen's hope,and the Gracie's that the program would generate more interest in GJJ and to use the US Army program to try and find Fighters to compete and advance the GJJ/Larsen name.
The system is not made to be the H2H program of the US Army,it is to create a fighting mindset,as Larsen said ,If we can develop a Fighting Mind Set then the soldiers can use weapons and empty hands to deal with the enemy.Though the system never had finishes.
This is what was before Larsen's Version of Combatives:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytwvkio3FQ&feature=relmfu(2:25)
This is combat judo,with strikes and FINISHES,not pins and tap outs.
Injuries with this type program brought about a change to sport and submissions,with no finish,except to call your buddy for help.lol