Ground Control

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Ground Control We're Baltimore's premier mixed martial arts academy featuring experienced instructors and a diverse Check out our website for more information!
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Ground Control Academy is a well-rounded martial arts training facility where many diverse influences converge and overlap. Here, you can learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, authentic Muay-Thai, Judo, or Boxing & Wrestling from experienced masters. Owner and Renzo Gracie Black Belt / professional fighter John Rallo welcomes students of every skill level -- from children and beginners to advanced adults -- with a comprehensive schedule of classes and private instruction. As the only Renzo Gracie-certified jiu-jitsu school in Baltimore, we challenge you to learn highly effective martial skills in a safe environment, under the watchful eye of dedicated instructors.

10/06/2026

Not every punch should look—or sound—the same.

The jab and the right hand have different jobs. The jab can be quick and direct, while the right hand comes through with more of a chopping motion, using the rotation of the body behind it.

And the work doesn’t stop after the combination.

Keep moving. Circle the ring. Change your position. Look for the opening you just created and set up the next shot.

Good boxing isn’t just about throwing punches in sequence. It’s about understanding what each punch is doing and continuing to create opportunities between combinations.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

🥊 Come train with us. Your first 7 days are FREE.

Kickboxing at Ground Control is built around actually learning how to strike.Classes bring together pad work, combinatio...
09/30/2026

Kickboxing at Ground Control is built around actually learning how to strike.

Classes bring together pad work, combinations, footwork, defense, kicks, and conditioning in a structured training environment. You’ll spend the rounds working with a partner, getting coached, and putting the techniques together as you go.

Whether you’re completely new to kickboxing or already have experience, there’s plenty to work on.

Come train with us and see what you can do on the mats.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

👉 Your first 7 days are FREE. Come take a class and get started.

09/28/2026

What do you do when your opponent defends the bow-and-arrow?

Coach Rob demonstrates a transition that lets you continue the attack by switching from your opponent’s lapel to your own.

After releasing their lapel, you feed your own Gi lapel into that same hand, reach over their head, and secure your wrist. From there, you fall to that side, place your foot on their hip, and scoot them down slightly.

That creates the space to swing your leg around their head and increase the leverage for the finish.

A useful transition to have when your opponent manages to defend the original bow-and-arrow.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

09/26/2026

Now we have black belt rappers on the mats as well!! See you Ground Control Academy !

The Gi has a way of exposing your technique.The grips give your training partner more control, and you can’t rely as muc...
09/21/2026

The Gi has a way of exposing your technique.

The grips give your training partner more control, and you can’t rely as much on simply slipping out of a position or using speed and athleticism to create an escape. Things tend to slow down, giving you more time to recognize what’s happening and more resistance to work through.

That makes Gi training a great way to sharpen the fundamentals—your positioning, pressure, grips, timing, and ability to create leverage.

When you can’t muscle your way out of a position, your technique has to do the work.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

A punch isn’t one movement. It’s a sequence.Load up. Drive. Rotate. Extend. Land.Each part has a purpose, and each one s...
09/18/2026

A punch isn’t one movement. It’s a sequence.

Load up. Drive. Rotate. Extend. Land.

Each part has a purpose, and each one sets up the next. Your feet create the base, your hips and shoulders turn into the shot, your hand travels on the right path, and your body stays balanced throughout the motion.

Looking at a single frame only shows you where the punch ended up. Looking at the whole sequence shows you how it got there.

That’s the mechanics behind a good punch.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

No-Gi has a different rhythm.A grip gets broken. Someone changes levels. A scramble starts. One person gets to a positio...
09/14/2026

No-Gi has a different rhythm.

A grip gets broken. Someone changes levels. A scramble starts. One person gets to a position, the other works their way out, and suddenly both are somewhere completely different.

You have to stay engaged with what’s happening instead of waiting for the exchange to settle down.

That back-and-forth is part of what makes No-Gi fun to train.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

09/10/2026

Coach Vince Mosca demonstrating a combination that starts with the jab, followed by the hook-cross and finishes with a body kick.

The important detail is what happens after the right hand. Rather than staying directly in front of the opponent, Vince steps off the line and uses that movement to create the angle for the kick.

It’s a simple adjustment, but it changes the position you’re attacking from and makes the transition from the punches into the kick much smoother.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

There’s a lot happening in a No-Gi exchange.Position changes. Weight shifts. Scrambles. Reactions.The challenge is learn...
09/02/2026

There’s a lot happening in a No-Gi exchange.

Position changes. Weight shifts. Scrambles. Reactions.

The challenge is learning to recognize what’s happening quickly enough to do something about it.

That’s why drilling matters. You aren’t just repeating a movement—you’re building the ability to see an opening, understand the position, and react without having to think through every step.

Owner & Coach, John Rallo putting those details into focus on the mats.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

Jiu-Jitsu is a physical game of problem-solving.Someone pushes—you adjust. They change position—you follow. They create ...
08/27/2026

Jiu-Jitsu is a physical game of problem-solving.

Someone pushes—you adjust. They change position—you follow. They create an opening—you take it. Every exchange gives you information, and every mistake gives you something to learn from.

That’s what makes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu so effective: you’re not memorizing a sequence and hoping it works. You’re learning how to recognize positions, create leverage, control movement, and make the right decision as the situation changes.

The better your understanding becomes, the less you have to rely on brute force.

📍 8303 Pulaski Hwy Suite B, Rosedale, MD
🌐 www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com
📞 (410) 340-5925

Address

8303 Pulaski Highway
Rosedale, MD
21237

Opening Hours

Monday 10:30am - 1pm
5pm - 9:30pm
Tuesday 5pm - 9:30pm
Wednesday 10:30am - 1pm
5pm - 9:30pm
Thursday 5pm - 9:30pm
Friday 10:30am - 1pm
5pm - 7:30pm
Saturday 9am - 1:30pm
Sunday 11am - 1pm

Telephone

(410) 340-5925

Website

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