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

BJJ No Gi 100 Kilos to Side Mount to Arm Bar: Black Belt Carlos Catania and Purple Belt Matt Brannon

Bowie MMA Head Coach – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Carlos Catania under BJJ Red Belt Sergio Penha. Watch and listen to the detailed instruction. This is the quality of training and explanation we get in class.

Call 240-286-5219 or email for more info.

All the best,

Chris

Self Defense & Personal Safety Classes For Women: Bowie, Crofton, PG County Maryland

Bowie Mixed Martial Arts offers self defense/personal safety training for women… taught by coaches who have taught law enforcement officers, professional fighters, as well as wives, husbands, fathers and mothers how to stay safe.

Would you know what to do in a potentially dangerous situation?

We can help.
You can learn how technique can triumph over strength and size.
You can also learn how to stay safe and avoid a confrontation altogether.
Most importantly – you will feel safer and more confident.

Call 240-286-5219 or Click HERE for more information.

You can also email us at Info@MMAofBowie.com

All the best and stay safe!

Chris

BJJ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu near Ft. Meade Army base in Maryland

Are you stationed at Ft. Meade in Maryland and looking for a BJJ, MMA, Judo, Submission Grappling school? I’ve been in your shoes. I moved around in the Marine Corps and had to rely on whatever intel I could find to get where I wanted to go… and sometimes I wasted a lot of time (and money).

Let me save you both by recommending Bowie MMA under Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Carlos Catania (Team Sergio Penha, a BJJ Red Belt) and 2d Degree Judo Black Belt & BJJ Brown Belt Charles Cherry (an Army wrestler at Ft. Bragg for 3 years). We’re close and have produced NAGA champions and professional MMA fighters… and we’ll work with you to make your training as affordable and productive as possible.

Here is how you get to us at 6950 Laurel Bowie Rd in Bowie:

From Denington Ln, take Rt. 32 West and go 1.3 miles. Then take the Baltimore/Washington Parkway (295) exit South.
In just under 5 miles, take the 197 South exit (197 is also called Laurel Bowie Road and that is the road we’re on).
after 8 miles, you’ll see us on the right just after Old Chapel Road and the Shell gas station.

If you’re like me, you’ll probably notice the Burger King first (hey, what can I say?!), but you’ll be in the right place. We’re in the Whitehall Shopping center on the far right as you look at the building.

Call us at 240-286-5219 or email info@mmaofbowie.com

BJJ Black Belt and Head Coach – Carlos Catania

All the best and we look forward to seeing you on the mat!

Chris

 

 

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu vs Wrestling… almost

A lot of times, guys like to compare BJJ to other martial arts/sports. There are some fantastic videos online showing pro vs. pro. This one is a simple 5-minute roll from class showing our coach, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Carlos Catania (Team Sergio Penha) rolling with Josh, a very-accomplished college wrestler.

This is in no way meant to embarrass Josh. He is a fantastic grappler with heart and mad skills. I outweigh him by 40 pounds and my trying to hold him down is a joke. No, this video is just intended to show why Carlos is our head coach… and how easy it is for him to completely control a very good wrestler with explosive speed.

Enjoy and let me know what you think with your comments:

For more information on Bowie Mixed Martial Arts/Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and BJJ in Columbia, Crofton, Annapolis, call 240-286-5219 or email Info@MMAofBowie.com

Bowie MMA Coach, Charles Cherry, earns Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Brown Belt from BJJ Red Belt Sergio Penha/Carlos Catania

Congratulations to Bowie MMA coach Charles Cherry on his promotion to BJJ Brown Belt by Sergio Penha/Carlos Catania. Coach Cherry holds a 2d degree black belt in Judo and has a list of accomplishments that is quite impressive.

Click here for his full bio.

No-Gi BJJ Submission Techniques Seen In UFC/MMA: Monson Choke/North-South

No-Gi submission “The Monson Choke” as demonstrated by Bowie MMA Coach Carlos Catania, BJJ Black Belt and Team Sergio Penha member:

Coach Carlos earned his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Sergio Penha, one of the very few in the world to hold the BJJ Black and Red belt. Coach also trained Anthony Argyros and recently awarded him his BJJ black belt.

For more info, visit http://www.MMAofBowie.com

MMA & Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training In Bowie, Crofton, Maryland

Do you live near Bowie, Crofton, Lanham or Mitchelville and have you been watching UFC on Spike lately, wondering how you could learn some of the moves that so often win matches?

From a properly-executed guillotine choke, to how to hold your position and advance, come to a class any night of the week and you’ll have the chance to see how it’s done. Our coaches are professional champions with the skills and background to show you how to win… or just get healthy.

Some of our students have fought, and won, with no prior MMA experience. That’s right, everything they’ve learned came from our coaching team. We’ve got the resources at Bowie MMA to equip you to win, either in the cage or on the street.

Give us a call at 240-286-5219.

First, let’s talk about our head coach, BJJ Black Belt Carlos Catania. Coach Carlos is a 5-time NAGA Absolute Champion (no weight restriction, all-in submission grappling) and has traveled around the world honing his skills.  We have an exclusive library of his training videos available only to Bowie MMA students. Coach Carlos’ world-class instruction is priceless, and it comes with your membership because you will have one-on-one time with him.

Head Coach – BJJ Black Belt, Carlos Catania

Email us at info@mmaofbowie.com or call 240-286-5219 to get started. You can try us for two weeks to see if MMA or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are for you. Go for it!