Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at American Fight Club Virginia

American Fight Club’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program provides intensive, reality-based training in the ultimate grappling art for self-defense with small class sizes and personalized instruction by an experienced black belt.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. The practitioner uses superior technique and leverage to control positioning, then applies joint locks or chokeholds to achieve victory over an opponent. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu first achieved recognition as the world's preeminent grappling art when Royce Gracie won three of the first four Ultimate Fighting Championships despite being the smallest competitor in the tournaments. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu quickly proved so successful in mixed martial arts competition that practically all elite competitors now incorporate BJJ into their training. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors also routinely dominate both gi and no-gi grappling tournaments around the world.

But you don't have to be an elite sport fighter to benefit from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training. Throughout the history of BJJ, the Gracie family and their successors have taught Brazilian Jiu Jitsu primarily for self-defense purposes.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: The Ultimate Martial Art for Self-Defense

Despite Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s proven success in the sporting arena, it is first and foremost a martial art, not a sport.  And some tactics that make sense in competition can prove disastrous in a real-world confrontation where your assailant might have a knife or a gun or friends ready to jump in at any moment. At AFC Virginia, we believe in the Gracie school of thought that what we teach has to work in a real fight against a bigger, faster and stronger attacker.

Because Helio Gracie, one of the primary founders of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, was physically much smaller than those around him and somewhat sickly growing up, he took the techniques from Judo and traditional Jiu Jitsu and developed them for maximum effectiveness with minimal force. All Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques can be effective against a larger, stronger opponent. Similarly, the Gracies emphasized ground fighting, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has become famous in part because skilled BJJ grapplers can defeat their opponents as easily when on their back--considered a near-helpless position in other martial arts--as when on top.

Most attackers are cowards, typically preferring to prey on people they perceive as smaller and weaker than themselves. And most often, they seek to take their victims by surprise. Because of its emphasis on winning fights from seemingly difficult positions, and its use of techniques designed to work against superior size and strength, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the ultimate martial art for self-defense.

Women's Self-Defense and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Traditional women's self-defense classes focus on maintaining a "safety zone" and going on high alert when strangers approach in a potentially threatening manner. And certainly, any martial artist will want to do this when possible.

But women are most often assaulted by men they know, not strangers. As such, the attacker is usually already within close proximity of the intended victim, and the fight will often take place in close quarters, perhaps in a vehicle or while sitting down, where the striking and kicking techniques favored by most self-defense systems are of limited to no value. There's no room to throw a full force punch and possibly no way to utilize kicks at all.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, however, stresses grappling and ground fighting, not punching and kicking. This system employs techniques designed to neutralize size and strength, and then turn what appears to be a frightening position to one's advantage. The position known as "the guard" allows a fighter pinned against the ground to control and frustrate the fighter on top until an armlock or chokehold can be achieved. The triangle choke, possibly the most well-known hold in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu because it so frequently finishes sport fights, allows the person on the bottom to choke the person on top into unconsciousness. And these are only two of the Jiu Jitsu techniques particularly suitable for women's self-defense and defeating an attacker in close quarters. There are many others.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Beyond Self-Defense

The advantages of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu curriculum at American Fight Club transcend enhanced fighting and self-defense skills. The improved focus and discipline that results from our training will carry over into every aspect of your life. Increased confidence, reduced stress levels, and a greater ability to cope with challenges are only a few of the benefits reported by our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu students.

Ready to get in the best shape of your life? Our intensive training sessions are an amazing workout. Lose weight, build muscle, increase flexibility and coordination, gain speed and strength--and have a blast while doing it!

The American Fight Club Advantage

American Fight Club offers some significant advantages over other Brazilian Jiu Jitsu schools in the Northern Virginia and DC Metro area.

Most important is the quality of instruction. Other Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academies employ brown belts to teach classes, and many allow purple and even blue belts to teach beginner classes. At American Fight Club, all classes are taught by a black belt, ensuring you expert instruction by a master of the art.

Another obvious advantage at American Fight Club is class size. Optimal learning doesn't occur in large sessions with two or three dozen students. At American Fight Club, we keep class sizes small--typically no more than 5 to 10 students--to guarantee you receive personal attention and individualized instruction. As a result, our students learn more and advance faster.

And then there is our emphasis on realty-based self-defense. If you’re assaulted on the street or in your home, your attacker won’t bow and make sure you’re ready before the fighting starts. You might find yourself facing multiple attackers, and if there’s only one, he’ll probably be larger and stronger. He could even be armed. The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training you receive at American Fight Club prepares you for real-world encounters, not just sporting competitions.

.

American Fight Club Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes are open to men, women, and children ages 13 and over. Weekly classes run Sundays through Thursdays. See schedule for details.

American Fight Club Location

Located strategically in the heart of Tyson's Corner in Northern Virginia’s Fairfax County, American Fight Club is easily accessible via the 66, the 495, Dulles Toll Road, Chain Bridge Road, and Leesburg Pike, Vienna, McLean, Great Falls, and Falls Church. Only minutes from Maryland and Washington D.C., nearby areas include Arlington, Alexandria, Crystal City, Annandale, Silver Spring, Chevy Chase, Leesburg, Sterling, Langley, Fairfax, Springfield, Herndon, and Reston.