Jiu-Jitsu for Livermore
I’ll be honest: Ground Rules Academy is not a Livermore storefront. We train at 7034 Commerce Circle, Suite F, Pleasanton, CA 94588 — a short drive west on I-580 from Livermore into the Tri-Valley interchange. If you want our curriculum — physics-first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the way we teach it — come to Pleasanton.
We already have Livermore students who make that drive. The teaching is the reason.
Sister school, not a rival
In 2026 we joined the JG Academy / Aspire to Inspire team. Livermore already has a JG home: SubCulture / JG Livermore at 1855 First Street, Unit B. That’s a sister school in the same network — and they’re excellent. Not a competitor I talk around. If the 580 drive isn’t for you, go see SubCulture.
If you want Ground Rules specifically — principle-driven mechanics, the Las Positas professor who treats class like a lab you can feel — drive to Suite F. You can still visit sister mats in the JG network.
Why Livermore people make the 580 trip
Pleasanton and Livermore share a freeway, not a downtown. Commerce Circle sits on the west Pleasanton side of that corridor, near I-580 / I-680, so the trip is a quick highway shot — not a crawl across the valley
I founded GRA in 2024 after twenty years of teaching. I’m a BJJ black belt, and I still teach chemistry at Las Positas College — a campus a lot of Livermore families already know. We don’t just show techniques. We teach why they work: leverage, base, friction, where the weight actually is. Can’t remember the exact steps? Control the center of mass. That approach is in The Book, and more of my story is on About.
Kids train in BJJ Sprouts (ages 5–7) and BJJ Buds (ages 8–13). Teens and adults start in Fundamentals — the first class for beginners, and still a useful tune-up once the fog lifts — with Women-Only Fundamentals on Wednesday evening if that room fits better. Advanced is for people ready to think a few steps ahead. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are gi; Tuesday and Thursday are no-gi. Open Mat (drop-ins welcome) runs Friday evening and Saturday — wear either gear; we love both. Saturdays also include judo with Coach Greg Prior if you want standup that feeds your BJJ. Visit our schedule page for the full list of classes and times. First-night notes: Beginner BJJ. Youth path: Kids Jiu-Jitsu.
Come once to see whether the room is worth the drive. Hometown context for Suite F is on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Pleasanton.
Ready to try Suite F?
Want to lock a first class before you get on 580? Book a free trial, contact us, or call/text 925-400-8805.
See you on the mats.
A couple questions
Is there a Ground Rules Academy in Livermore?
No. GRA is in Pleasanton (Commerce Circle, Suite F). Livermore’s JG sister school is SubCulture / JG Livermore on First Street.
How far is the drive?
It’s an I-580 highway shot from Livermore into the Tri-Valley interchange near I-680 — not a crawl across the valley. 10-20 minutes depending on where you are coming from in Livermore.
Why would Livermore people come to Pleasanton for BJJ?
For the curriculum, the instruction, and the people: why techniques work (leverage, base, friction, center of mass), kids and adult programs, and a room that already has Livermore regulars.