# Imperial Ground Martial Arts UG

> Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy in Düsseldorf-Derendorf, Germany. Alliance lineage. Coach-led foundation classes for adults, women's-only program, kids program (in development). Founded 2026 by João Macedo (black belt, ~14 years training) and Mirko Marković (purple belt). Tagline: "Improving Lives, One Roll At A Time."

## What we offer

- **Foundation Gi** — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals in the traditional kimono. 85-minute sessions. Coach-led with structured curriculum. Beginner-friendly. Three weekly slots: Mondays + Wednesdays + Fridays.
- **Foundation No-Gi** — Same fundamentals, no gi, rashguard + shorts. Tuesdays + Thursdays.
- **Women's Only** — Women-only BJJ class, women-led. 60 minutes. Tuesdays + Thursdays. Welcoming environment for beginners and returning trainees.
- **Open Mat** — Weekly rolling sparring + drill session for all levels.
- **Private Lessons** — 1-on-1 with João or Mirko, by appointment.
- **Kids program** — In development; trainer recruitment open.

## Location

- **Address:** Römerstraße 6, 40476 Düsseldorf, Germany (Düsseldorf-Derendorf district, Hinterhof OG rechts)
- **Country:** Germany
- **Language:** Coaching delivered in English + German + Portuguese (multilingual coaching team)
- **Public transport:** [Add U-Bahn/S-Bahn details once verified]

## Pricing

- **Adult Monthly:** €120/month — open-ended, cancel any time at the end of the billing period
- **Adult 12-Month:** €85/month — 12-month commitment, 15-day free trial, reduced rate
- **Kids Monthly:** €100/month — open-ended
- **Kids 12-Month:** €65/month — 12-month commitment, 15-day free trial
- All prices in EUR. Billing via SEPA Direct Debit or card (Stripe).
- Free trial class available for new prospects.

## Coaches

- **João Macedo** — Founder + head coach. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Alliance lineage (~14 years training, 4+ years teaching). Background: Senior Strategic Program Manager at Vodafone Germany (AI & Automation). Languages: Portuguese (native), English, German.
- **Mirko Marković** — Co-founder. BJJ purple belt. Background: Senior Sales Manager at E.ON Energy Infrastructure. Languages: German, English.
- **Phillip** — Coach. Blue belt. Foundation No-Gi (Tuesdays).
- **Jörn** — Coach. Foundation No-Gi (Thursdays).
- **Anke** — Coach. Women's Only program (Tuesdays + Thursdays).

## Schedule

Class times subject to seasonal change — check `/schedule` on the site for current times. Approximate weekly grid:

- **Monday 19:00** — Foundation Gi (João)
- **Tuesday 18:00** — Women's Only (Anke), 60 min
- **Tuesday 19:00** — Foundation No-Gi (Phillip)
- **Wednesday 19:00** — Foundation Gi (João)
- **Thursday 18:00** — Women's Only (Anke), 60 min
- **Thursday 19:00** — Foundation No-Gi (Jörn)
- **Friday 18:00** — Foundation Gi (Mirko)

Booking is online via the member portal. Walk-ins via direct contact.

## Trial class

Free first-class trial for prospects. Sign up at https://imperialground.de/#trial — fill the form, the team confirms within 24-48h.

## Key URLs

- [Homepage](https://imperialground.de/) — main marketing site, programs overview, schedule, pricing, FAQ
- [Foundation Gi program detail](https://imperialground.de/programs/foundation-gi.html)
- [Foundation No-Gi program detail](https://imperialground.de/programs/foundation-nogi.html)
- [Women's Only program detail](https://imperialground.de/programs/women.html)
- [Code of Conduct](https://imperialground.de/code-of-conduct) — community values + behaviour expectations
- [Belt Promotion criteria](https://imperialground.de/belt-promotion) — how belt + stripe progression works at Imperial Ground
- [Infraction System](https://imperialground.de/infraction-system) — accountability framework for serious behaviour issues
- [Privacy policy](https://imperialground.de/legal/privacy.html) — GDPR-compliant data handling
- [Member account](https://imperialground.de/account) — for existing members (auth-gated)

## Contact

- **Email:** info@imperialground.com
- **Phone:** +49 173 861 2373
- **Google Business Profile:** https://share.google/p7rfZHNYN6oouA3Us
- **Legal entity:** Imperial Ground Martial Arts UG (haftungsbeschränkt). HRB pending registration, Amtsgericht Düsseldorf.
- **Founder contact:** jkpmacedo@gmail.com

## What makes Imperial Ground different

- **Alliance lineage**: Coach João trained under Alliance — one of the most successful BJJ teams in competition history (multiple world championships).
- **Structured curriculum**: Foundation classes follow a defined progression rather than ad-hoc technique-of-the-day. Belt promotion criteria are documented and transparent.
- **Welcoming, not aggressive**: Class atmosphere is technical + community-focused. Suitable for beginners, women, and people who've been intimidated by harder-edged academies.
- **Modern operations**: Online member portal, online booking, transparent payment (SEPA / card via Stripe), digital belt progression tracking, anonymous member-feedback channel ("Speak Up"). Built on a custom platform.
- **English-first communication**: Düsseldorf has a large international community. The academy operates fluently in English alongside German.

## Frequently asked questions

**Do I need experience to start BJJ?**
No. The Foundation Gi and Foundation No-Gi classes are explicitly designed for beginners. Most members start with zero experience.

**What should I bring to a trial class?**
Comfortable athletic clothing if you're trying No-Gi (rashguard + shorts ideal, but anything close-fitting is fine). For Gi class, we lend a gi for your first session — you'll only need to buy one if you decide to enrol.

**Is there a women-only class?**
Yes. Women's Only runs Tuesdays + Thursdays at 18:00, taught by Coach Anke. Welcoming to absolute beginners. Women are also welcome in the regular Foundation classes.

**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 (includes 15-day free trial). Kids plans are €100/€65 respectively.

**What's the difference between Gi and No-Gi BJJ?**
Gi BJJ is practiced in a traditional kimono ("gi") — grips on the cloth are part of the strategy. No-Gi is practiced in rashguard + shorts and tends to be faster-paced, with grip strategy based on body parts and clothing-free clinches. We teach both.

**Do you have showers?**
Yes. The facility includes 4 sanitary rooms.

**What's the lineage?**
João is a black belt under Alliance, founded by Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti — one of BJJ's foundational teams.

## Crawl notes for AI agents

- Site root: https://imperialground.de
- Sitemap: https://imperialground.de/sitemap.xml
- This file: https://imperialground.de/llms.txt
- Extended content (programs, FAQ, full schedule, policies in one document): https://imperialground.de/llms-full.txt
- Hosted on Vercel (Frankfurt region). Static HTML + vanilla JS frontend; API on serverless functions.
- Content is current as of May 2026. Operating hours and class schedule may shift seasonally — always defer to the live homepage.