Judo at Ground Rules — Saturdays in Pleasanton
We’re a jiu jitsu academy first, and that isn’t changing. What is changing is Saturday morning: we’re adding judo.
Starting Saturday, September 12, 2026, Coach Greg Prior will teach a 90-minute judo class at Ground Rules Academy, Saturdays from 10:05 to 11:35 a.m. The class is for adults and serious pre-teens. If you’re new to judo and looking for something in Pleasanton or the Tri-Valley, you’re welcome to join us. If you already train BJJ here, this is for your game too.
Meet Coach Greg Prior
Greg (@greg1prior) is a 3rd-degree judo black belt competing for the USA at heavyweight (+100 kg). He took bronze at the 2018 IJF Veterans World Championships in Cancún and placed 5th at the 2021 Pan American Championships. He’s competed on the IJF circuit with Griffin Judo, and he trains in San Bruno under Willy Cahill.
He’s also a BJJ purple belt under Marco Nascimento in San Mateo — so he already thinks about how throws and grip fighting feed the ground game we care about in this room.
Why judo helps your BJJ
A lot of jiu jitsu happens after someone already won the standup exchange. Judo lives in that exchange. That doesn’t mean only one kind of athlete benefits — throws, grip fighting, and standing confidence help anyone who wants a cleaner start to the round. In practice, though, smaller weight classes pull guard more often, and the heavier divisions tend to stay on their feet longer. So while judo can help everybody’s game, the bigger athletes are usually the ones who’ll spend more of the match standing, and that’s where this class pays off in a hurry.
Throws. You get reps taking people off their feet on purpose — timing, kuzushi, committing to a finish instead of stalling in a bad lapel grip. For bigger athletes, a clean throw can end the scramble before you’re stuck carrying someone else’s weight in a bad spot.
Grip fighting. Over-under, pummeling, head position, controlling space when someone wants to lock up and lean on you. Thats not brochure talk about being “well-rounded.” It’s the ugly minute before the guard pull — and it’s where a lot of heavier matches are won or lost.
Standup confidence. When you’re comfortable standing, you stop giving away the first takedown just to hurry to the ground. You can dictate whether the match starts on your terms. That matters even more when the other person is also big, and the first person to hit the mat in a bad position spends the next few minutes fighting uphill.
I’m not promising judo turns you into a different athlete overnight. I’m saying if your BJJ is already strong once you’re down there, sharpening throws, grip fighting, and standup is time well spent — and Saturday mornings with a coach who lives in that game is a clean way to do it.
We’re at 7034 Commerce Cir., Suite F, Pleasanton, CA 94588. Phone/text: 925-400-8805. Site: groundrulesacademy.com.
If you’ve been curious about judo, or you want another hard, useful hour that feeds your jiu jitsu, come through. First class is on the calendar. See you on the mats.
A couple questions
Does Ground Rules offer judo now?
We’re adding it. First class is Saturday, September 12, 2026 — a Saturday judo class alongside our Brazilian jiu-jitsu program. We’re still BJJ-focused; judo is an addition, not a rebrand.
Will judo help my BJJ?
It should help the parts of your game that start standing — throws, grip fighting, and confidence before the match hits the mats. Especially useful if you compete or roll in bigger weight classes where the first takedown matters a lot.
When is class, and when’s the first one?
Saturdays 10:05–11:35 a.m. (90 minutes). First class: Saturday, September 12, 2026.
Who’s coaching?
Greg Prior (@greg1prior) — 3rd-degree judo black belt; BJJ purple belt under Marco Nascimento in San Mateo; trains under Willy Cahill in San Bruno.
Who’s it for?
Adults and serious pre-teens.
Come train.