Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Promotions At Bowie MMA

The team at Bowie MMA congratulates Charles Cherry and Scott Montier on their recent promotion to Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Carlos Catania of Team Sergio Penha.

There are now three resident black belt instructors, one brown belt and two purple belts (along with many blue belts) who actively participate in class instruction, training and active grappling with students.

To learn more about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and submission grappling instruction in the Bowie – Crofton – Annapolis – Odenton area, call our staff at 240-286-5219 or email us!

Bowie MMA Head Instructor Carlos Catania (2d from left) awards Charles Cherry and Scott Montier their Black Belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

For more information about MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training near Bowie, Fort Meade, Andrews Air Force Base and the US Naval Academy, call Bowie MMA at 240-286-5219 or email info@MMAofBowie.com

Our school is located at 13711 Annapolis Rd. suite 104B, Bowie, MD 20720

Bowie MMA Announces Move To Larger School & New Cage

Bowie MMA has completed our move to a brand new, bigger and better location in PG County centrally located in Bowie near Mitchellville.
The new address is 13711 Annapolis Road, Suite 104B, Bowie, MD 20720.

We’ve added a cage, more heavy bags and are setting up a completely revamped class schedule to give you more opportunity to learn from our world-class instructors of Team Sergio Penha.

For more information, call 240-286-5219 or email.

After School Martial Arts Program in Bowie/Crofton For Kids – 20715, 21114, 20720

Bowie MMA in Bowie/PG County, Maryland offers an after-school program for youth starting at age 5.
Call 240-286-5219 to find out more and take advantage of our introductory program.

Why an after-school program for kids?

You lead a busy life and want a healthy alternative for your children.
That’s where we come in.
Bowie MMA is veteran-owned by a former police officer and martial arts champion.
It is our goal to provide a healthy, positive atmosphere for all students.

Call now or email for more info!

Chris

Bowie MMA’s Tom McDonnell Shows Striking and Grappling Prowess With 1st-Round Win by TKO

Tom McDonnell showed what it takes to be a fighter under Team Sergio Penha and Carlos Catania with a first-round win by TKO during June 23rd’s amateur fights in Severna Park, MD. Watch for the first leg kick from McDonnell that sends his opponent to the ground.

McDonnell eventually won by armbar submission within a minute of that awesome shot.

For more info on Bowie MMA, visit MMAofBowie.com or call 240-286-5219

 

Cardio Kickboxing Classes In Bowie: Get In The Best Shape Ever – 20715, 20716, 20720

Bowie MMA offers cardio kickboxing classes to get you in the best shape ever!  Led by our world-class trainers, I Love Kickboxing is America’s hottest kickboxing class and will helps you to…

Get A Firm Butt, A Smaller Waist,
Toned Arms And A Lean Sexy Body —
All Without Crazy Diets And Long
Hours Wasted At The Gym!

Email info@MMAofBowie.com or call 240-286-5219 today!

Chris
ILoveKickboxing Bowie Website

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training in Bowie, Lanham, Seabrook: USMC Veteran Testimonial

A Bowie MMA personal testimonial by a Marine Corps veteran.

My name is Chris and I want to tell you why I’ve enrolled myself and my son at Bowie MMA to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. As a former active-duty Marine, I’ve learned that “tough guys” aren’t always what they appear, and my definition of “tough” has changed over the years.
I’ve seen more than one big guy crumble in the face of danger… or even the perception of danger.

I like to say – give me a pool full of water or an open door in a plane at 14,000 feet and we’ll see what you’re made of.
On Parris Island, I saw big guys cry, usually first. I’ve got to admit, though, we all shed a tear at one point or another because it was intensely tough. I made it out as Platoon Leader (Guide) and gave it all I had.
Why am I saying all this?
Because I’ve found a group that’s tough, but humble, fun and under-stated. The first time I met the head coaches, documented champions with skills to take on any challenger, I was surprised at their calm, assured approach to training.

They were very relaxed and in quiet control.

I started to learn more about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Muay Thai and submission grappling and began to understand just how talented they are, and why they let their skills do the talking.

It blew my mind.

Why? Because I thought I was reasonably tough:

• I came into the class able to swim a mile at a quick clip and run a few miles to top it off.
• I could climb a rope to the 20-foot ceiling hand-over-hand with no legs.
• Pullups were no problem and 10 reps of 25-30 dead-hang pullups were just a small part of my workout (thanks Stew!)
• I still had salty sparring gear in my closet from my days as a wannabe kick boxer studying Tae Kwon Do.
• I routinely jump out of planes for fun, and am not afraid of a mixed-gas scuba dive below 120 feet in the wide open, salty sea. Bring on the sharks!
  
• And I did what I was told (for the most part… my buddies know) in the Marine Corps and survived.

Nothing prepared me for the experience of having my own strength and reactions used against me. I was hooked from the first class, breathing like I’d just hiked 10 miles with a 70-lb ALICE pack. My son, then 10, loved it as well and told me never to take him back to karate/Taekwondo classes… ever! That smart kid caught Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fever faster than I did!

What am I trying to say?

If you want to learn what I believe to be the most amazingly practical and efficient martial art, get in the best shape of your life, learn self-control and discipline – then give them a call at 240-286-5219 or send an email to info@MMAofBowie.com

Semper Fi,

Chris Moline, LEED AP
Bowie, Maryland

Team Sergio Penha/Carlos Catania’s Tom McDonnell Wins With First Round TKO

Once again, the world-class MMA training at Bowie MMA shows with another win.

Tom McDonnell used his well-rounded technique to dominate and win in the first round with a combination of expert striking and grappling.

To contact Bowie MMA call 240-286-5219 or email info@MMAofBowie.com

http://www.MMAofBowie.com

Get Some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi or No-Gi Mat Time in Mitchelville/Bowie Glenn Dale 20721, 20720

Visiting from out of town and looking for a place to roll with a good crowd? Give us a call and we’ll have a waiver ready for you. You’re welcome on the mat.

Call 240-286-5219 or email Info@MMAofBowie.com or check our website.

Whether you’re a seasoned competitor (several on our team have amateur and pro MMA fights and victories under their belt) or part-time student of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, submission grappling, judo or muay thai, you’ll be able to hone your skills and stay in shape. We look forward to having different techniques and training philosophies to learn from since it keeps us all sharp.

Our head instructor, Carlos Catania, is a Sergio Penha BJJ Black Belt and 5-time NAGA Absolute Champion. Coach Charles Cherry holds a 2d Degree Black Belt in Judo, a BJJ Brown Belt, and wrestled on the Army team for 3 years, bringing a well-rounded game to the school. We also have Tom on the team to help out with Muay Thai and his expertise as a Black Belt in that martial art.

Come on out and let’s roll!

NAGA Submission Grappling Tournaments & Training in PG County Maryland

Ready for the next NAGA submission grappling / Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament close to Maryland or Washington DC?
Are you sure… there’s one coming up in early January 2012 in Baltimore.
How is your training… or better yet, how are your trainers?
Have any fellow team members been named NAGA Grappler of the Decade, showing just how good the training is?  There is only one and he is a student of a local BJJ Black Belt (not Lloyd Irvin).
In the Marines, when it came time to train I learned from the best marksmen in the world. For hand-to-hand combat, we had awesome trainers and it paid off when it came time to put it into practice in actual situations.
Now that I’m a civilian, I wanted to find the best civilian instructors before entering a tournament as a novice/white belt.

I found ‘em.

BJJ Black Belt Carlos Catania is a 5-Time NAGA Absolute champion with many other victories to his credit. His program at Bowie MMA is bare bones and hard core, with many successful students to his credit (including Anthony Argyros, the NAGA Grappler of the Decade I’d mentioned above).
That’s just what I wanted.
It would be great even if Carlos worked alone, but he’s partnered with 2d degree Judo black belt/BJJ brown belt Charles Cherry, who also wrestled on the Army team at Fort Bragg for 3 years. Cherry is also a former Eastern Open Judo champion.

Every week we learn submission grappling with a well-rounded focus, not solely dedicated to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. But I believe it’s the core of BJJ that gives us an edge.

Although we’re a relatively small school, our percentage of medal-winning NAGA champions is off the charts. Sure, we may not have 3 cages, 20 showers and 10,000 sf of mat space, but if it’s results you want, Bowie MMA is it.

So, if you’re thinking of competing at the next NAGA tournament and want to get the best submission grappling instruction in the DC metro area, give ‘em a call at 240-286-5219 or email info@MMAofBowie.com
The website is http://www.MMAofBowie.com and you’ll find a few training videos on there.

See you on the mat!

Chris

Zombies in an MMA UFC fight? How would they do…

vs

One of the great things about being a father is perspective… you know, kids will ask off-the-wall questions and it makes you think. So, dads, ever get that “why is the sky blue” question, or “why is my mommy making that noise” when they listen through the bedroom door?
What’s a guy to say?!
But, sometimes I turn the tables and ask the wild questions to get them thinking. This time, I want to get everyone on it. So, here’s my question:

Just how would a zombie do in the cage against a professional mixed martial arts fighter?

First, let’s examine the zombie and see what characteristics may help him/her/it in the cage:

Zombies In The Octagon

• Focus – talk about single-mindedness (pardon the pun). All they want is some fresh flesh and juicy grey matter. The bloodier, the better. Ever see The Walking Dead? They don’t want canned spam, bro, they want bleeding, screaming meat. I’ve come to think that screams are a kind of zombie spice… sorta like salt.
• Dedication – they never give up. Also, they’re 100% committed to their all-brain diet. I’d puke after just a few days eating nothing but the best filet mignon! Zombies? Nooooo… they stick to it by keeping things simple.  Here’s an example of what their food pyramid looks like:
  
  Tell me sticking to THAT wouldn’t take some serious dedication!
• Teamwork – Zombies don’t eat each other. If they did, there would have only been one movie. And they hunt in swarming packs. I wish I could get my kids to cooperate like that!
• Strength – I don’t think they know how to hold back… and they routinely crash through doors, fences and walls. They’re some strong mo-fo’s!
• Commitment – Hey, it’s gotta take commitment to keep pushing forward when those pesky humans are popping your pals in the head with everything from shotguns to flame throwers!

So, although I’ve probably left out a lot, let’s look at the qualities of an MMA/UFC fighter and see where they cross over with their zombie brethren.

MMA UFC Fighter Characteristics

• Focus – it takes intense focus to pick your target and not expose yourself to a submission or knockout blow.
• Dedication – I see guys in the gym train for professional MMA fights and their dedication is inspiring. They watch their diet and weight, all with the goal of victory in mind. (I guess you’re starting to see where I’m going with this).
• Teamwork – no man is an island. Without a team of coaches and training partners (willing to get hurt for your benefit) a cage fighter wouldn’t stand a chance. There’s a saying in the gym – Don’t break your toys! That means don’t hurt your training partners. Save it for competition. That’s some good teamwork there.
• Strength – pound-for-pound, these guys are sick strong. I’ve rolled with 150 lb guys who make my 190-lb, “body by Marines” muscles, feel oh so weak. It’s truly tragic… for my ego. Some nights I need to grab a newbie just to feel good about myself and this huge investment of time and sweat.
• Commitment – when ya gotta sit in an ice bath to bring down the swelling and get back to training, you know commitment is the only thing that keeps you going. One of our teammates recently got knocked out and has a plate in his jaw after taking a knee to the face in the second round. A few weeks later, he’s back on the mat, showing us what commitment is all about. So, where does this leave us?

The End Result… forget Mir vs Nogueira!

In the end, it looks even.
But wait!
The zombie is not worried about his next fight and will never, ever tap. You can arm-bar them into tomorrow, break their should like Frank Mir did to Nogueira, rear naked choke the piss out of ‘em, and you’ll not see a tap in sight.
Nope, hungry zombie no tappy.
In fact, the very-human MMA/UFC fighter has got to be scared out of his gourd when it comes to the dreaded bite that will certainly induce zombification (thank you, Mr. Bush, for the grammatical influence-ifying). Looks like our pal the zombie is gonna prevail unless our UFC refs allow firearms in the cage.
When that happens, count me in!

Chris