Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Pleasanton
I’m a college chemistry professor turned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor, and this is our home gym: Ground Rules Academy, 7034 Commerce Circle, Suite F, Pleasanton, CA 94588. We opened in August 2024 for people in Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley who want beginner-friendly instruction that still has a serious standard of learning.
Look for Suite F. That is the academy — not a downtown storefront, and not a second building we opened somewhere else.
Who trains here
The class mix is built for a Pleasanton week, not a tournament mill.
Kids train after school on gi days: BJJ Sprouts (ages 5–7) and BJJ Buds (ages 8–13). Teens and adults have Fundamentals — midday on Monday and Wednesday, evenings through the week — then Advanced, then Open Mat on Friday evening and Saturday (drop-ins welcome). Tuesday and Thursday are no-gi. Sunday we are closed. Times move; the live grid is on the schedule.
A parent can park a Sprouts or Buds class, then train Fundamentals in the evening. A college student or shift worker can use the 11:05 a.m. Fundamentals sessions. Someone returning after a long layoff can start in Fundamentals without being asked to “keep up” in Advanced.
We don’t run a separate beginner-only hour. Fundamentals is the on-ramp — suitable from day one, and still useful after the white-belt fog lifts. First-night details live on Beginner BJJ. Families looking at youth classes should start with Kids Jiu-Jitsu. Pricing stays on its own page.
Why the mechanics matter
If you live in Pleasanton and you’ve been waiting for a gym that explains why a technique works, this is that room. I break moves down using principles from physics — leverage, momentum, base, friction — and basic anatomy. Can’t remember the exact steps of a takedown? No problem — control the center of mass.
I earned my PhD in physical chemistry from MIT, and I still teach chemistry at Las Positas College. Those teaching skills translate directly to the mats: make the idea understandable, then make you do the work. The same notes became Ground Rules: Simple Physics for the Grappling Arts. More of that story is on About.
Affiliation, not a second Pleasanton address
After two years of building this community, we joined JG Academy / Aspire to Inspire in 2026. Their team shares our core values: a great training environment, student growth, and a room that welcomes everyone. You can visit sister mats, including SubCulture / JG Livermore and other JG schools. Your home academy remains Suite F. I wrote that up in GRA Joins JG Academy.
Livermore, Dublin, and San Ramon students already train here because we sit near the I-580 / I-680 interchange. Those cities have their own pages so we aren’t pretending this gym is in three downtowns at once: Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon. Questions before you come? Contact us or call/text (925) 400-8805.
Ready to train? I’d love to welcome you to the mats for a free trial class. Come see the room.
Ground Rules Academy
7034 Commerce Circle, Suite F
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 400-8805
groundrulesacademy.com
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