I came to DC for the semester about 7 weeks ago and luckily found BETA Academy among a slew of other gyms in the area. I've always been one to make it out to the gym for my daily 6-9 miles/5 days a week between the treadmill and the elliptical machines back at home, but upon discovering muay thai and brazilian jiu jitsu here at BETA, my workouts have been vastly more rewarding and challenging every day. BETA has gotten me to begin thinking about exercise and physical fitness in a way that's outside of the conventional "hamster-on-a-wheel" way of physical training. There's something to be said about the way that owners Kru Nakapan Phungephorn and his wife Kru Melanie Metropolit-Phungephorn (both with a formidable list of previous accomplishments within the jiu jitsu and muay thai circuit --look them up on http://www.betaacademy.com/instructors.html) run their business: as though it's a family. I completely admire their business model and their genuine desire to develop a personal relationship with the students in their care. I can completely vouch for the previous posts when it comes to the camaraderie that they mention among students and instructors. It's hard to distinguish the lines between students and teachers if you're outside looking in.. that is, until class starts and respect is paid on the mat--then you know who's in charge. The women's only brazilian jiu jitsu class is on Wednesdays taught by Elyse Goldberg: all you need to know about her is that she's one of the most brilliant instructors I've met here, and the class is phenomenal. Plus she's got a great sense of humor-who doesn't love that? Side note: the "BETA Babes" just recently took two gold medals and one silver in a recent competition! - if that doesn't say anything about the caliber of women here in this class, I have no idea what else you want from me. I've also recently taken up the Ruckus 101 class taught by Jay Simon--the resident strength and conditioning coach. First off: This man will make the hour you spend doing any other kind of strength and conditioning, laughable. He's completely immersed in his work (runs the gambit: nutrition/fitness/conditioning advice -etc), and has had an impressive resume of previous wrestlers and fighters that he's trained (Kru Nakapan, himself included) -- and the most important part of it all is, that it SHOWS. He takes a high interest in ensuring that his students perform drills and tailored workout plans according to their individual fitness levels and accommodates for any previous or current injuries they might have. This is one class that you won't regret getting the "unlimited" class-time package for. Thanks to Jay (and his insane kettlebell/resistance band/calisthenics workouts), I'm not too far from literally being in the best shape of my life to-date. **(A quick shout-out to the Capoiera program here: haven't personally tried it, but from what I've seen, it looks AWESOME- I swear, if there was more than one of me, and I didn't have to work or take classes, I would be enrolled in a heartbeat). Classes at BETA are always different and you'll continue to feed off the energy of your peers and off of the encouragement of the instructors. I guarantee that you'll leave at the end of your hour: (1) Drenched in sweat. (2) Sore in muscle groups you never knew you had. (3) Empowered by the muscle memory that you gained within that single hour..and then shocked at how much you'll retain and improve within a short period of time --especially for muay thai and jiu jitsu (4) Never happier with where you decided to allocate your dollars. I don't regret a single cent that I paid (and this is coming from an intern in DC), and if my review can get more people to try muay thai and jiu jitsu at BETA Academy, then I consider it a small drop in the bucket towards the gratitude that I feel towards the staff for making me feel so welcomed in a city so far from home. Don't just sit there, go check it out! 1459 Columbia Road, NW, Washington, DC 20009 RIght down the block from the Columbia Heights Metro - You can't even ask for a better location. PS. They have a thriving Big Fish/Little Fish program if you have kids. Another plus--and you thought it couldn't get any better? read more

Located in NW Washington DC The Beta Academy is quickly gaining popularity due to its distinctive martial arts programs and their great class schedules. Unlike must most martial arts academies that focuses only on one type of martial arts, the Beta Academy on the other hand offers their students an array of martial arts. From Brazilian jujitsu, Thai boxing, to Capoeira, the Beta Academy got you cover. If time is a big issue for you, just know that they offer morning, afternoon, and evening classes to fit your schedule. The greatest part is that these classes are tough by genuine teachers that are highly qualify in their expertise. The best thing yet is that they offer an one week trial for you to try each class at no cost to you the first week. I personally love the capoeira class, which is martial arts derived from the slaves of Brazil. This class is instructed by Carlos Lopes a native from Brazil, he is currently the only native Brazilian born and raised instructor in the Washington DC area. Training Capoeira with a native of Brazil have its advantages; you get to learn Portuguese, you can engage more into the Brazilian culture, and you get to learn first hand from a descendant of the creators of this form of martial arts. I practiced Capoeira before in Baltimore and honestly it doesn't compare with Capoeira at Beta. One of the things that i love the most about class is the "Roda " (circle in Portuguese) in which we put into play everything we learn in class. To gain even more knowledge every other Friday Capoeira groups from around the metropolitan area and even further away are invited to come to our Roda. in this circle we all as Capoeiristas come together, sing, play instruments, share our positive energy and engage in the art of Capoeira. I am very honored to say that here the instructors are passionate, willing, patient, caring, humble and most important they see potential in all their students. Overall this place is amazing from the enthusiasm of the instructors to teach and the eagerness of students to learn, the Beta Academy is your best bet. FOR MORE INFO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.BETAACADEMY.COM or YOU YOU MAY ALSO CALL THEM AT 202-538-0422 AND ASK ABOUT THE FREE 7 DAY TRIAL ALSO CHECK OUT WW.MMAINDC.COM FOR A FULL INTERVIEW OF MY EXPERIENCE OF CAPOEIRA AT THE BETA ACADEMY AND AN EXEMPLARY SHOWCASE OF CAPOEIRA AND OTHER MIXED MARTIAL ARTS...ENJOY read more

BETA Academy is a good place. The instructor's are pretty awesome. I trust them with my kids, and I don't mess around when it comes to my kids. I have to take a short train ride to and from BETA every day of the week. The travel time is worth the attention my children are getting. My five year old son really loves the classes. My eight year old daughter also likes the classes. While I pride myself in being a good parent, and providing a disciplined environment, I think BETA is helping me to do this. I was recently deployed for 18 months. Taking my kids to BETA is allowing me the opportunity to make sure I redevelop a relationship with them. Also, as BETA is helping in the discipline part, I don't have to always be the "bad guy" in keeping my kids in line. As they learn more about respect, I have less and less problems. I bought my kids in on a friend's recommendation. I didn't want to bring them to a chinsy fake karate place, that is really just a place to stick kids when soccer is off-season. BETA is providing an athletic environment, with friendly competition. Because I bring my kids up to class so often, I have decided to try the classes out myself. The place seems to attract high-speed students. Also, while I am understandably ignorant of Martial Arts, I have found the instructors as patient with me, as they are with the children. As I improve BETA has the depth of knowledge and skill to continuously present a challenge. I will be moving to another duty station later this year, so I know that in that amount of time, I will barely scratch the surface, in terms of what is available. Expect to work. If you're coming to my gym, have a good attitude. I don't care if you're fat, out-of-shape, or as bad at learning some of the techniques as I am. But come in to work out and improve yourself. There are plenty of true-beginners, like me. While I am thankful to all the instructors that have worked out with me, of course I am more thankful to those that work so well with my kids. (Isaac). But thanks to you all. Hopefully I'll be able to internalize some of this instruction before I get out of here. read more

I've been extremely fortunate to have trained under two first-rate instructors in the almost six years since I began--Master Leo Dalla and Nakapan Phungephorn. I met Nakapan while training with Master Dalla, who encouraged Nakapan to open his own school in DC. At the time Nakapan and his wife Melanie opened BETA Academy, I began training there because I knew Nakapan was a great teacher and a terrific guy and the school was conveniently located near my workplace. Despite the fact that my work location changed, I continue to train at BETA Academy even though it involves a 1+ hour commute to get there. And I wouldn't have it any other way. BETA is a great place to train for people with varying goals. If you want to test yourself in the ring or the cage and really take your training to the next level, you'll have plenty of experienced competitors and instructors to push you. If you are simply training martial arts for fun or self-defense, you'll find that the atmosphere at the academy is friendly and supportive of your goals. If you have young children, BETA has an excellent children's program designed to teach students not only self-defense skills, but more importantly, values such as honesty, respect, and teamwork. So many new members have signed up in the past year that the academy has had to expand not only its class schedule, but the physical space it occupies. This has really helped alleviate the problem of oversized classes tremendously. The owners and staff take great pains to accommodate members' training goals by offering new classes, workshops, and seminars on a regular basis. I really hope you'll do yourself a favor and try the school out. See you on the mat! read more

ME, as the BRAZILIAN TOE TICKLER AM GIVING THIS PLACE A 5/5 (huge deal btw), the coaches are SUPER sigma and really helpful, the place is super amazing on skib no cap and I'm actually learning useful martial arts. But seriously, I've been here for only a few weeks and have no experience in martial arts prior to coming here, but after a few weeks of attending and training there I gotta say, it blew my expectations off the charts. I'm currently training in Muay Thai and Brazilian jujitsu and both programs are really fun to do (I personally prefer Muay Thai). Firstly, the coaches and staff are super helpful and really motivating every time I do a move wrong they'll always give me some sort of advice or demonstrate it so I can get it right. Secondly, the place is really nice the weight room has some useful equipment to use whenever you like to such as machines, weights, jumpropes, and other stuff. The mats are good too with training pads on the walls, a disinfecting area in a corner to wipe stuff down, the ring is pretty good too for sparring, you can also buy drinks or equipment at the front desk if you need which is pretty useful as a beginner. And lastly the community is amazing everyone is respectful and kind to their coaches not only that I've met some cool people who helped me out a LOT on my first week and sometimes the coaches engage in small talk with me and it's honestly fun talking to so much different people. Overall the place is amazing and I'll definitely recommend ANYONE going here it's a great place to learn different styles of fighting while being in an amazing place! read more

As a previous division 1 collegiate athlete and a lifetime sports enthusiast, i have recently taken great interest in mixed martial arts especially in Muay Thai and BJJ because of the intensity and competitiveness that comes along with it. I have been going to Beta Academy for quite some time now and I only have great things to say about it. I have seen Beta grow in students, instructors, and in types of classes (such as the recently added capoeira and fit classes) and this is all due to the the enthusiastic learning atmosphere that the instructors imply on the students. The academy is run by Nakapan phungephorn who is a world class Muay Thai and BJJ competitor and has a world class personality to accompany it. In all my life I have never met an instructor of Nakapan's caliber that is so determined to help ALL of his students (beginners or advanced). His determination and enthusiasm for the sport is simply contagious as all of the students and instructors help one another in any way possible. The classes have such an intense positive atmosphere that is almost impossible to find in any other location, let alone in any other sport. Everyone there is extremely friendly and there is a very strong sense of camaraderie between all the instructors and students. The location is only a block and a half from the Columbia Heights metro station so it makes for an easy trip for anyone located in the DC area. If you are interested in joining any type of mixed martial arts i highly recommend Beta Academy!! read more

I joined the Capoeira group at the Beta Academy after the trying the first week of classes for free. I have a couple of years of experience in Capoeira, and I can tell that the Capoeira taught there is very professional and fun. The atmosphere and camaraderie within the group is something very hard to find anywhere else. The people within the group are very friendly and amenable. While other places in the city will sell you single Capoeira classes to get some bucks, Carlos (the instructor) understands that Capoeira is something that happens within a group and cannot be understood in a single class or training once in while. Carlos is also very good at tailoring the movements to the different levels, beginner or advanced, in the group. Thus, although everybody trains very hard during the class, each student does a sequence apt for his/her level. The gym itself is also amazing. It has been adapted for Thai Boxing and other very demanding martial arts (from what I have heard they seem to be very good at that too), and cannot be better suited for the movement sequences and acrobatics typical of Capoeira. The staff there is very friendly. The gym is only one block from the Columbia Heights station so it is easy to get there. So, yeah, if you want to try Capoeira (or even if you have some experience) I would really recommend going to the Beta Academy first and try the class there. read more

I've been going to BETA Academy for a little over two months now and the only complaint I have is that I didn't find it sooner. I absolutely love everything about the Academy and I feel deeply dedicated to It because of that. BETA Academy is the perfect place in the DMV area for anyone who wants to learn Muay Thai or BJJ and I can confidently bet my life on that. There are plenty highly skilled instructors that can and will help you excel in your study of martial arts in addition to learning from Kuhn Kru Nakapan and Kru Melanie. I feel and see changes in myself after my short time with the Academy and am eager to continue training and learning at BETA. BETA Academy adheres to most ages and schedules so no matter what other tasks you have to do in the day there will always be classes for you to attend. Everyone at BETA Academy is friendly and motivated towards getting better at martial arts. For those who want to compete in competitions BETA Academy is the place to be. The Academy participates in multiple competitions throughout the year and will inspire you to compete with them. BETA Academy has all the aspects needed to become a great and influential school and more. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for BETA Academy and I am proud to be a part of it! read more

I really REALLY like the staff at BETA Academy; they really know what they are doing. So friendly, sometimes it's hard to remember that they are your instructors! The training here is hard to beat. Everytime I'm training, I'm sweating like mad, everyone is. Sometimes my body aches and a few scratches here and there, but that is what learning Muay Thai requires. I enjoy the people that I partner up with for training. Speaking as a young woman, I mostly train with other women as well. The girls have to prove themselves :) Training with men is no different. I am tinier, but I can handle them just fine lol. For the most part, everyone is friendly and willing to learn and give feedback. But sometimes, you have the person that 1) Is not to willing to train with a young woman and/or 2) Has a big ego. That's when you have to prove yourself. I normally do not encounter those types of people at BETA when I am training, but when I do AND have to practice with them, it can be frusterating. Overall, BETA is an ideal place to learn real and traditional Muay Thai. The staff always stresses about keeping the art of Muay Thai just how it should be. With respect, discipline, and honor. A great place to learn, and you get to make friends too! read more

I just finished my free one week trial at BETA Academy and I'm looking forward to enrolling. The school offers a wide variety of programs such as Brazilian jiujitsu, Thai Boxing Mixed Martial Arts to name a few. I got to try all the programs during my week trial including a crazy Brazilian Dance martial art, Capoeira - had to spell check that! I've decided that Muay Thai was the martial art best suited to meet my needs so I'll be focusing on that. That's the great thing about the Academy, there are so many options to choose from and the programs are designed so that a complete beginner can learn martial arts in short period of time. They also have an extremely successful and challenging competition team for students who are looking to take their training to the next level. There are very few options when it comes to martial arts in the DC area and even fewer what I would consider "professional" schools. At BETA I am lucky enough to train with the best in the business. The instruction is top notch and its rare to find a school packed with qualified instructors who are passionate about what they teach. If you looking to get into or continue your martials arts training, I definitely recommend you check out BETA. read more

Truly one of the best gyms I've ever trained at. I'm between places, so I have memberships at a few different gyms and states (you can tell from my other reviews), but Beta Academy stands out as one of the best. I've trained at Renzo Gracie in CT, and even with the big name behind it, I can honestly say Beta Academy has been my favorite experience so far. The community is amazing, and the coaches genuinely invest in you. I loved that my coach had a progress card with my name on it and kept track of how I was improving. I took Muay Thai classes, and the instruction was excellent. They really cared about helping me grow, not just teaching the class. Unfortunately, I'm moving to another state for a while, and I'll truly miss Beta Academy. Another thing I appreciated is that they provide beginner gear if you don't want to invest right away. And if you do decide to buy equipment from them, it's actually very reasonably priced. I always felt safe and supported. From day one, everyone made me feel welcome. In fact, I signed up the same day I took my free trial class. I can't recommend Beta Academy enough. Whether you're a complete beginner or have trained before, you'll find great coaching and an even better community here. read more

I commute 1-2 hours one way from Virginia to DC to go to BETA. I find the training at BETA to be well worth the commute... and then some. I started training @ BETA 6 months ago. I have lost 50 lbs since and I have noticed a lot of improvement in my fitness and technique. I remember the day when I had trouble breathing after walking up the stairs in the subway. Now its just a breeze. The classes are catered for people who want to compete but also applicable to learn self defense or for fitness. If you want to get a good workout BETA is the place for you. The schedule is very flexible. There are classes everyday in the mornings and evenings. What I like most is that the classes are structured so that you can progress at your own pace depending on your skill level. There are programs for every skill level from beginner to intermediate, and advanced and the Instructor will help you get to the next level depending on what your goal is. The main instructors are Nakapan who is a decorated MMA, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu instructor and his wife Melanie who is a Muay Thai Instructor. There is also an Escrima Workshop taught by Hanyann who is a world champion Escrima competitor. read more

My family loves BETA Academy. My now 7 1/2 year old son has been part of their kids programs since he was 5 and I'm not sure who loves BETA more, us or him. They offer lots of options. They have a great kids aftercare program that includes Muay Thai and BJJ classes. Or you can just take the classes, no aftercare. They also have an amazing summer camp program, that includes the best of aftercare and martial arts. My son loves that he is part of a community and is learning skills that interest him while he progresses in martial arts. I love that he is exposed the the coaches who are amazing role models for young kids. At another camp, the "counselors" spent all day having the kids watch tv while they ignored them. Not at BETA. They go on field trips, play games, hone their martial arts skills, and learn to be part of a community. My son tells me the importance of dignity, respect, and focus. Let me just say, it's not easy to instill that in a 7 year old. The dojo itself is a nice facility and everyone is great to work with. Can't recommend it enough. read more

I have been a member of the BETA academy's jiu jitsu program for over two years now. I can say without hesitation that joining BETA was one of the best decisions I have made in a long time. I walked into BETA academy with no prior martial arts training, and Nakapan and the rest of the staff were immediately welcoming and provided me with a great deal of individual instruction. Nakapan is an extremely skilled black belt, but really cares about improving the skills of all his students, from brand-new white belts on up the ranks. BETA is truly a well-rounded facility, providing instruction in jiu jitsu, muay thai, wrestling, judo and strength and conditioning. The facilities are large and well-maintained. My experience at BETA has been overwhelmingly positive. My modest jiu jitsu skills have grown by leaps and bounds due the instruction at BETA. In addition, I have made many good friends in class. BETA's members are a fun and varied group of people from all different backgrounds. If you sign up for a free trial at BETA, you will not regret it! read more

I have been coming to BETA to train Muay Thai for the past 7 months. I was hooked after my first class and wanted to keep coming back. I really appreciate the way BETA starts you off in the Basics program for the first 1-2 months. It gets you familiar with the movements, combos, and other necessary tools that you need to move to the Foundations class. Your advancement in Muay Thai is entirely dependent on your own commitment and desire to learn. The coaches are very responsive and give you all the guidance to help you push yourself. They are also very aware of your skill and will let you know when you are ready to advance. In 7 months I have advanced to a yellow armband after the testing in April and I hope to continue to train! Super great community as well, I've met a number of super chill people that are very friendly. It is also cool to train with other people that are equally as committed, as we push each other. Strongly recommend BETA to anyone who wants to begin their Muay Thai journey or keep it going! read more

I am nearing the end of my 2nd week at BETA, and already I can say with confidence that I have made the right choice by joining the BETA team. I am 37 yrs old with very little martial arts experience. The little that I do have is from when I was very young in grade school. The instructors in my opinion are fantastic. Top notch! They push you as hard as you allow yourself to be pushed. They are very motivating. Initially, my main goal in joining this gym was to lose weight and body fat. In the 2 weeks that I have been in attendance, I can already see gains in strength as well as an improvement in flexibility. The cardio workout I get from the foundation Muay Thai class is beyond what I expected! Truly awesome!!! The students in my classes are great workout partners too! It's good to have a variety of skill levels in training classes, especially for a newbie like myself. It feels good to be training with a good group of people going after similar fitness goals. read more

Had an amazing experience today training here. I live in NYC, but I' here for family holiday plans and wanted a nice place to train. I used to box, but now I focus pretty much entirely on grappling due to an iffy wrist situation. I took the 11am No-gi class with Jake. Jake was a fantastic instructor - patient, detailed, enthusiastic. I'm still a scrub (lol, a white belt), but he broke things down nicely and offered positive suggestions to make sure everything sunk in. The classmates were extremely friendly and fun to train with -- and, super importantly for an MMA school, it felt like a positive environment for women. Facilities were awesome as well: a massive mat for my class (and I got the tour on entering, so there's a massive combat mat as well and a ring in the back, plus a weight room and nice locker rooms with shower facilities). Really, a fantastic place to train with everything I'm looking for -- highly recommended and I'll be back here everytime I'm in town! read more

BETA Academy is great! When I joined the program in April, I was a fat smoker lol...it's funny because it's TRUE! I started out in their Jiu Jitsu program with Coach Isaac and while it was hard in the beginning and I thought about giving up like I had before, the instructors were really good with keeping me motivated and even called me at home when I missed class. 7 months later, I lost almost 30 pounds, I'm starting to see abs, and I went down from a size 34 waist to a 32 waist.... Buying slimmer clothes was AWESOME! I checked out a couple of other combat sports programs in the area but everyone wants you to sign up for 3 years, BETA only wants a 6 month commitment and they are always helpful in crediting me my classes when I'm out of town for business. Training BJJ has helped me quit smoking and I'm on my way to getting 8 pack abs for the first time in my life....I owe it all to BETA!!! They're moving to a brand new gym by the U st metro soon....check them out! read more

I've been training Brazilian jiu jitsu for almost five years now, and I just recently transferred to DC. for my job. I was recommended to my "master's master" (Leo Dalla) school, so I began to train there. Dalla introduced me to Nakapan, who was then just opening up his new location. As soon as I met Nakapan and his wife and fellow Muay Thai bad-ass, Melanie, I was impressed. After training with Nakapan and his students, I knew this was destiny. The jiu jitsu instruction at BETA is solid and incredible. The new facilities are HUGE and great for training. Whether you're looking for a casual hobby, or you want to take your jiu jitsu to the NEXT level, you will have a great time and some great training partners at BETA. What's more, BETA has an ALL-WOMEN jiu jitsu class!!! Now, I teach the class, so I can't exactly give an unbiased review of it, but it's awesome. Feel free to message me if you have any questions about it :D. read more