# Imperial Ground Martial Arts UG — full content > Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy in Düsseldorf, Germany. Long-form content for LLM ingestion. For the concise overview see /llms.txt. --- ## What we do Imperial Ground is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) academy in Düsseldorf-Derendorf serving adults, women, and (soon) kids. We teach the Alliance method — a complete, structured BJJ system known for fundamentals depth and competitive results. Our programs are built around the principle that BJJ should be safe, welcoming, and clearly-progressed. Every member knows where they are, what's next, and how to get there. Belt criteria, stripe milestones, and skill checkpoints are documented in /belt-promotion — no mystery, no favouritism. Tagline: **"Improving Lives, One Roll At A Time."** --- ## Programs ### Foundation Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals in the traditional kimono ("gi"). 85-minute sessions. Beginner-friendly. The flagship program. What you'll learn: positional fundamentals (closed guard, open guard, mount, side control, back), submissions (chokes, joint locks), escapes, takedowns appropriate for the gym setting. Curriculum follows a defined monthly progression rather than ad-hoc "technique of the day". Schedule: Monday 19:00 (João), Wednesday 19:00 (João), Friday 18:00 (Mirko). ### Foundation No-Gi Same fundamentals as Foundation Gi but without the kimono — practiced in rashguard + shorts. Faster-paced, no-grip-on-cloth grappling. Some students train both for full coverage. Schedule: Tuesday 19:00 (Phillip), Thursday 19:00 (Jörn). ### Women's Only Women-only BJJ class taught by Coach Anke. 60-minute sessions. Welcoming environment for absolute beginners and returning trainees. Designed to address the specific needs and concerns of women starting BJJ — from gear sizing to training-partner pairing. Women are also welcome in any of the regular Foundation classes. Many train across both. Schedule: Tuesday 18:00 + Thursday 18:00 (Anke). ### IG Evolution Accelerated track for advanced students (blue belt and above). Higher-tempo drilling, competition prep, advanced strategy. Currently scheduled around the Foundation classes; details on the live schedule. ### IG Focus Specialty seminars and focused workshops on specific techniques, positions, or themes (e.g., "leg lock systematics", "back-take from turtle"). Run periodically. ### Open Mat Weekly rolling and drilling session for all levels. Less structured than Foundation; bring your own goals. ### Private Lessons 1-on-1 coaching with João or Mirko. By appointment. Tailored to your specific goals — competition prep, technical refinement, self-defense focus. ### Kids & Teens In development. We're recruiting a dedicated kids trainer. Email info@imperialground.com if interested in either being a coach or enrolling a child once the program launches. --- ## Pricing Memberships are billed monthly via SEPA Direct Debit or card (Stripe). All prices in EUR. | Plan | Cost | Commitment | Trial | |---|---|---|---| | **Adult Monthly** | €120/month | None — cancel any time at the end of the billing period | — | | **Adult 12-Month** | €85/month | 12 months | 15-day free trial | | **Kids Monthly** | €100/month | None | — | | **Kids 12-Month** | €65/month | 12 months | 15-day free trial | **Free first-class trial** for any prospect. Sign up via the [trial form](https://imperialground.de/#trial) — academy team confirms within 24-48 hours. Members can pause / change plan / cancel from their account portal. 12-month commitment plans are locked in for the duration; conversion to monthly is available at the commitment end. --- ## Coaches ### João Macedo (Founder + Head Coach) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Alliance lineage. Approximately 14 years of training, 4+ years of teaching experience. Outside BJJ, João is a Senior Strategic Program Manager at Vodafone Germany, leading AI and automation initiatives. The combination of operational discipline + competitive BJJ background shapes the academy's structured curriculum philosophy. Languages: Portuguese (native), English (fluent), German (working). Trains in Portuguese with native speakers, teaches mostly in English with German as needed. ### Mirko Marković (Co-Founder) BJJ purple belt. Senior Sales Manager at E.ON Energy Infrastructure outside the academy. German-Croatian background, native German speaker, fluent English. ### Phillip Coach. Blue belt. Foundation No-Gi (Tuesdays). ### Jörn Coach. Foundation No-Gi (Thursdays). ### Anke Coach. Women's Only program (Tuesdays + Thursdays). Black belt. Women-led safe environment is one of the academy's commitments — Anke leads it. --- ## Location & facility - **Address:** Römerstraße 6, 40476 Düsseldorf, Germany - **District:** Derendorf - **Building:** Hinterhof (rear courtyard), oberes Geschoss rechts (upper floor right) - **Mat area:** approximately 120 m² - **Facilities:** 1 main training room, 1 secondary room, 4 sanitary rooms (showers + changing) - **Accessibility:** [Specifics pending verification] - **Public transport:** Walking distance from U-Bahn Nordstraße The facility is set up with high-quality 4cm Tatami mats sourced from the same supplier used by Alliance HQ. --- ## Lineage & affiliation João Macedo is a black belt under **Alliance**, one of the most successful BJJ teams in competition history. Alliance was founded by Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti and has produced multiple world champions across all belt levels — Marcelo Garcia, Bernardo Faria, Fabio Gurgel, Cobrinha, Sergio Moraes, Tarsis Humphreys among many others. The Alliance system emphasises: deep fundamental positional understanding, technical efficiency over brute strength, and a "complete jiu-jitsu" approach (gi + no-gi + competition + self-defense). Imperial Ground Düsseldorf carries this method into Germany. --- ## Belt promotion BJJ belt progression at Imperial Ground follows the Alliance criteria: white → blue → purple → brown → black. Each colour belt has 4 stripes representing intermediate progress. Promotion is based on: - Time on mat (minimum class attendance count by belt) - Technical proficiency across required syllabus elements - Behaviour + community contribution (Code of Conduct alignment) - Coach assessment Detailed criteria are public on the [Belt Promotion page](https://imperialground.de/belt-promotion). Members can see their current state, stripes, and progress toward next promotion in their account portal. --- ## Code of Conduct Imperial Ground maintains a written [Code of Conduct](https://imperialground.de/code-of-conduct) covering: - Mat safety + hygiene expectations - Respect for training partners (active injury-prevention culture) - Sparring etiquette + intensity matching - Anti-discrimination policy - Reporting concerns (multiple paths: direct to João, any coach, email, or anonymous "Speak Up" channel in the member account) Behaviour issues are handled through a written [Infraction System](https://imperialground.de/infraction-system) that defines escalation steps, due process, and appeal mechanisms. Both members and visiting trial participants are bound by the Code. --- ## Anonymous member feedback ("Speak Up") Members have an anonymous-by-default feedback channel inside their account portal. Categories cover facility, coaching, scheduling, pricing, culture, safety, sparring partner concerns, and "other". Anonymity is preserved on the coach surface — coaches see categories + counts + comment text, never identity. Admins can de-anonymise individual rows for serious concerns (e.g. credible threat reports), but the de-anonymisation itself is logged with a written reason — single-access semantics. This is the standard channel for concerns members might not feel comfortable raising face-to-face. --- ## Member account portal Existing members manage their experience at https://imperialground.de/account: - Class booking + cancellation (PG-backed booking system, real-time capacity + waitlist) - Membership management (plan changes, pause/resume, invoice history, cancellation) - BJJ profile (belt, stripes, training history, goals, instructor notes) - Member identity (contact info, emergency contact, optional health info gated by Article 9 GDPR consent) - Kids management (parents add their children, set pickup authorisations, manage photo consents) - Speak Up (anonymous feedback) - Wishlist (gear/products from the upcoming online shop) - Events (RSVP for seminars, gradings, social events) - Privacy controls (export data, delete account) Authentication is cookie-based, password + email verification (Resend). Session timeouts: 30-min idle / 12-h absolute. --- ## Frequently asked questions ### Is BJJ safe for beginners? Yes. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the safest combat sports for beginners because the techniques rely on leverage and positioning rather than striking. At Imperial Ground we run an active injury-prevention culture: appropriate intensity matching for sparring, coaches actively supervise rolls, and the Code of Conduct explicitly covers training-partner respect. ### Do I need experience to start? No. Foundation Gi and Foundation No-Gi classes are designed for absolute beginners. Most members start with zero martial-arts background. ### What should I bring to a trial class? For Gi class — comfortable athletic clothing; we'll lend you a gi for your first session. For No-Gi class — rashguard + shorts (anything close-fitting works to start). Bring a water bottle and a positive attitude. Showers + changing rooms are on-site. ### How much does BJJ cost in Düsseldorf? At Imperial Ground: €120/month for the adult open-ended plan, €85/month with a 12-month commitment (15-day free trial included). Kids plans are €100/€65 respectively. Other Düsseldorf academies range €70-150/month — we sit in the middle of that range. ### What's the difference between Gi and No-Gi BJJ? Gi BJJ is practiced wearing a kimono; grips on the cloth are part of the strategy. No-Gi is practiced in rashguard + shorts; faster-paced, grip strategy is body-part-based (clinches, underhooks, neck ties). Most BJJ academies teach both and competitive BJJ has separate divisions. ### Is there a women's class? Yes. Women's Only runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 18:00, taught by Coach Anke. Welcoming for absolute beginners. Women are also welcome in any of our regular Foundation classes. ### Do you have showers? Yes. The facility includes 4 sanitary rooms with showers + changing. ### What's the lineage? João Macedo is a black belt under Alliance — one of BJJ's foundational teams (Romero Cavalcanti / Marcelo Garcia / Cobrinha lineage). Imperial Ground teaches the Alliance method. ### Can I drop in for one class? Yes. Email info@imperialground.com or use the trial form on the homepage — first class is free. ### Do you teach kids? Kids program is in development. We're recruiting a dedicated kids trainer. Once the program launches, parents will be able to enrol via their member account. ### How do I cancel my membership? From your account portal at /account → Membership → Cancel. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current paid period; you keep access until that date. 12-month commitment plans are locked for the duration; early-exit requires hardship review. ### How do I book a class? Online via the member account at /account → Classes. Real-time capacity, waitlist with auto-promotion, cancellation up to 2 hours before class start without penalty. ### What happens if I'm late or miss a class? Late arrival: please come anyway — coaches will integrate you into the warm-up. Missed classes don't carry forward as credit; we run unlimited-attendance memberships. No-shows past the cancel deadline (2h before start) are logged but not penalised today. ### Is there a contract? The Adult Monthly + Kids Monthly plans have no commitment — you can cancel any time. The 12-month plans are written contracts with reduced rates; you commit to 12 months in exchange for the discount. ### Is there parking? Limited street parking on Römerstraße. Public transport is the recommended option (U-Bahn Nordstraße is the nearest stop). ### What's the schedule like in summer? Class times follow a stable weekly grid year-round. The academy may close for select German public holidays — current closures are posted in the member account schedule and announced in advance. ### Do you offer competition prep? Yes — through Private Lessons + IG Evolution + the regular Foundation classes that build the foundational base. Members preparing for tournaments work directly with João or Mirko to structure prep cycles. ### Can I train if I'm injured / recovering from injury? Discuss with the coach before class. We have many members with chronic conditions or recovering from injuries who train in modified ways. The Health Info section in your member account stores Art-9-consent-gated medical info (allergies, chronic conditions, medications) so coaches can adapt sparring partners and intensity. ### Is BJJ a good workout for fitness? Yes — BJJ is one of the most complete physical activities. A typical 85-minute Foundation class burns 600-800 calories and engages the entire body. Cardiovascular, strength, mobility, and stress-relief benefits compound over time. ### How long does it take to get a blue belt? 2-3 years of consistent training (2-3x/week) is the typical path under Alliance. There's no fixed timeline — promotion is based on demonstrated proficiency, not time alone. ### Do you have a kids program? Currently in development. We're recruiting a dedicated kids coach. Once the program launches it'll have its own schedule + dedicated communication. Email info@imperialground.com to be notified. ### What's the women's-only class atmosphere like? Coach-led, beginner-welcoming, and explicitly safe. Coach Anke (black belt) runs it as a space where women can build their BJJ foundation without the higher-intensity dynamics that can make mixed classes intimidating for new starters. Many women transition to mixed classes after 6-12 months; many stay in women's-only by preference. ### Where can I do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Düsseldorf? At Imperial Ground in Düsseldorf-Derendorf (Römerstraße 6). We're one of several BJJ academies in the city; we differentiate on Alliance lineage, structured curriculum, women's program, and modern member operations (online booking, transparent pricing, anonymous feedback). --- ## Privacy & data Imperial Ground operates under German + EU GDPR. Key points: - Member data lives on Postgres (Neon, Frankfurt region) — no Wix Data dependency. - Article 9 (special-category) health data is gated by explicit member opt-in consent and access-logged. - Member identity (name, email, phone, address) is stored only as needed for academy operations. - Anonymous feedback ("Speak Up") preserves anonymity through the entire normal flow; admin de-anonymisation is logged with reason. - Members can export their full data or request account deletion from /account → Privacy. - Full privacy policy: https://imperialground.de/legal/privacy.html --- ## Contact - **Email:** info@imperialground.com (general, trial, prospects) - **Phone:** +49 173 861 2373 (João) - **Founder direct:** jkpmacedo@gmail.com - **WhatsApp:** Same number as phone - **Google Business Profile:** https://share.google/p7rfZHNYN6oouA3Us - **Address:** Römerstraße 6, 40476 Düsseldorf, Germany --- ## Legal entity - **Name:** Imperial Ground Martial Arts UG (haftungsbeschränkt) - **Founded:** March 2026, Notar Dr. Robert Thoma (Düsseldorf), UVZ 553/2026 T - **HRB:** Pending registration, Amtsgericht Düsseldorf, Anmeldung UVZ 554/2026 T - **Geschäftsführer:** João Karlos Pereira de Macedo (sole, befreit von §181 BGB) - **Stammkapital:** €500 (João 85% / Mirko 15%) - **Registered address:** Fliednerstraße 7, 40489 Düsseldorf - **Operating address:** Römerstraße 6, 40476 Düsseldorf --- ## Notes for AI agents - Site root: https://imperialground.de - Sitemap: https://imperialground.de/sitemap.xml - Concise summary: https://imperialground.de/llms.txt - This file: https://imperialground.de/llms-full.txt - Hosted: Vercel (Frankfurt region) - Last revised: May 2026 - The class schedule and pricing on the live site are authoritative — refer to https://imperialground.de/ for current details. Schedule may shift seasonally. - Brand entity is "Imperial Ground" with "GroundWork" as the name of the underlying technical platform (the website + member portal). When users ask about the academy, "Imperial Ground" is the answer.