Martial Arts For All Levels.

No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu & Submission Grappling in Vacaville, CA

Solano County's only dedicated No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling academy. Modern, research-backed coaching for adults and kids — fast-paced, supportive, and ego-free. Your first class is free.

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No-Gi: Submission Grappling
7–13: Youth Program
Free: First Class

Programs

Find the right mat for you

From first-timers to competitors and kids — there's a class built for exactly where you are.

No-Gi · Submission Grappling

Adult Grappling

All levels · 14+

No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and foundational wrestling in a fast-paced, high-energy format. Beginners to competitors welcome.

Kids No-Gi

Youth Grappling

Ages 7 – 13

Submission grappling, no-gi Jiu-Jitsu, and beginner wrestling for kids — building confidence, focus, and self-defense in a fun, supportive setting.

How we train

How We Train — The Constraint-Led Approach

Most gyms hand you a technique and ask you to memorize it. We do it differently. Vacaville Grappling Academy teaches with the Constraint-Led Approach (CLA), a modern, research-backed method built on ecological dynamics. Instead of rote repetition, we design live games and constraints that let you discover what works for your body against a resisting partner. The result is grappling that's adaptable, intuitive, and ready for the real thing — not just the drilling line.

Learn by doing

Skill is built through live resistance and movement problem-solving, so what you learn actually holds up when someone fights back.

Adaptable, not rigid

We prioritize self-organization and real-time decision-making over fixed step-by-step patterns — you build solutions, not scripts.

Faster, stickier progress

Variability and game-based training keep every rep meaningful, so beginners ramp quickly and experienced grapplers keep sharpening.

Constraint-Led Approach · Ecological coaching

About

Why train at Vacaville Grappling Academy

Vacaville Grappling Academy is Solano County's only academy dedicated entirely to No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling. We're a home for youth and adults at every skill level — complete beginners, returning athletes, and competitors alike — and we're especially proud of how welcoming the room is to women and students of all ages. Founded and led by Coach Nick, a U.S. Air Force veteran and longtime Vacaville resident, the academy is built around getting you real, functional skill you can use for fitness, self-defense, and competition. What sets us apart is how we teach: instead of drilling rigid technique patterns, we use the Constraint-Led Approach — a modern, research-backed method that builds adaptability and real-time decision-making through live problem-solving on the mat. Classes are fast-paced and high-energy, with technical breakdowns, realistic pressure drills, and live rolling every session. Come see why so many people in Vacaville train here — your first class is on us.

A coach who invests in how you learn

At Vacaville Grappling Academy, our coaches are serious about being the best they can be — so they've joined a community of forward-thinking coaches, led by Greg Souders, who train with the constraints-led approach: a modern, games-based method grounded in motor-learning science. You learn by solving real problems on the mat — and build skill faster.

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Coaches

Learn from people who care

Coach Nick Hernandez

Purple Belt

Owner and head coach. Nick is a U.S. Air Force veteran and a part of the Vacaville community since 2009, with a deep passion for health and physical fitness.

Schedule

Weekly class schedule

Find a class that fits your week. New students and drop-ins always welcome.

Open Mat No-Gi / All Levels

Monday

6:30 – 7:30 AM Adult No-Gi