50/50 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

The premier program at Fifty/50, Advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practices are run by Head Instructor, Ryan Hall. Geared towards individuals interested in International competition or those wanting to take their Jiu-Jitsu ability to a professional level, Advanced BJJ practices focus on the concepts and principles of body mechanics, positioning, and leverage that allow attacks and defenses to succeed against elite-level opposition. This unique emphasis allows for an incredibly rapid skill development that no other area BJJ gym comes close to matching.

Classes consist of a warm-up for injury prevention, practice of technique (drilling) to improve technical proficiency, and sparring (rolling) to develop functional grappling skills against a live opponent. Students performing exceptionally well in this class may be invited to Professional Training practices.

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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Basics

At Fifty/50 Jiu-Jitsu, we feel that a solid foundation is absolutely critical for the success of a student or fighter in the long-term. Headed by Seph Smith, the BJJ Basics program is designed to take an individual and provide them with the tools and knowledge they need to protect themselves effectively in a self-defense situation. Students are taught the tried and true core techniques, principles, and movements of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that will serve as the groundwork that will be built upon in the Advanced classes. BJJ Basics students are are encouraged not only to attend class frequently but also to participate in the “Marathon Roll” classes so that they are able to benefit from training with the more experienced students, as well as put into practice the skills that they develop in the technique classes against opponents of various sizes and skill levels.

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Muay Thai

Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing, is the national sport of Thailand in addition to coupling with Western Boxing to form the basis for modern professional stand-up fighting. Sometimes referred to as “The Science of Eight Limbs” due to its varied attacks and use of the hands, elbows, knees, and shins for striking, Muay Thai is a devastating martial art that is equally useful in the ring and in self-defense, and it is considered the “King of the Ring” due to its success in competition against other striking arts.

In class, students will be put through some of the most rigorous conditioning of their lives as they drill strikes, defense, and clinch work. Experienced students wishing to spar to improve their skills will be allowed to do so under the supervision of an instructor.

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Women-Only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/Self-Defense

Fifty/50 BJJ and Jen Flannery are proud to have been the pioneering force behind the concept of a Women-Only BJJ Class in Northern Virginia. Other locations in the area soon followed suit after our initial success, although Fifty/50 BJJ provides the only such class in the area to be taught by a Female International Gold Medalist. At it’s core, BJJ was developed to enable a smaller, weaker defender to defeat a larger, stronger attacker – the exact situation a woman with an eye towards realistic self-defense needs to be concerned about.

The Women-Only BJJ/Self-Defense class is structured to achieve maximum comfort for females interested in pursuing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This class offers a comfortable, non-threatening environment ideal for the beginner or intermediate student to grow and learn quickly. Whether you are interested in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for sport, strength and conditioning, or self-defense, this program was developed to help you meet your goals.

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Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts is the proper name for the sport that has been popularized by the success of organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship or UFC.  A combination of boxing, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai, mixed martial arts is a blend of striking, wrestling, and submissions that represents the ultimate combat sport.  In order for a student to effectively and efficiently utilize their skills in a MMA contest, they must be proficient in each of the component arts.  At Fifty/50, we focus on the science of the fight game, working with collegiate level wrestlers to teach takedowns, professional striking coaches to teach boxing and Muay Thai, and professional Jiu-Jitsu players to teach control, submissions, and striking on the ground.

MMA cannot be properly learned or trained as a single skill, and as a result, athletes wishing to enroll in this class must be committed students in both the Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai classes to be considered for training.  Students in this class will have the opportunity to train and represent the gym in amateur and professional bouts when they are ready.

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Marathon Roll

Marathon Roll is an idea borrowed from Dave Camarillo, the head Jiu-Jitsu coach at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, CA. Run three times per week, this class is a test of a student’s conditioning, skill, and heart as they wrestle 10 consecutive rounds of 5 minutes each without a break against classmates ranging from raw beginners to top-level professionals. You’ll fight when you’re fresh, when you’re tired, and when you’re really, really tired…then you’ll fight some more. It’s not for everyone, but Marathon Roll helps impart the toughness and mental skills that are necessary to be a great competitor.

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Wrestling

A massively important skill in both Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, wrestling is a fundamental part of the training at Fifty/50. Wrestling comes in various forms (Folkstyle, Freestyle, Greco Roman), but the focus is always the same: controlling a fight on the feet and taking an opponent to the ground. In this class, a student will learn to move and defend themselves on the feet, as well as how to attack with a variety of throws and takedowns.