Amador Judo & Jujitsu Studio

So how do you like this, one of their competitors writing a five star review! haha
I’m the owner of the United Studios of Self Defense here in Livermore, and I’ll tell you straight up, that while I believe our school is the best stand-​up school in Livermore, if you’re looking for something specific to the ground game/​joint lock variety, this is the place to go to. You won’t find more experienced instructors, they don’t hand out rank just because you show up, and I’ve always enjoyed «shop talk» with Mr. and Ms. Rebmann when given the chance.
So there you have it… Stand up? Come to me. Ground game? Go to them.

This studio is horrible. My child went there for a few months and we were were very disappointed. Seemed like it was all about money and silly babysitting summer camps. I REALLY didn’t care for the younger male instructor they had.

Notice how my stars are increasing with time!
I realized that behind all the chaos there is science! :)
First of all, the kids do not get promoted at every opportunity! The dojo has set things to get to the next belt! Know them quickly and you get promoted quickly. Know them slowly and it takes you longer. Your choice, your time, your belt.
Second, Patricia though always looks out of focus, but she is really focused on the important things. I am amazed how she knows how to organize the tournaments and the training and the routines for the kids. She incorporates fun in everything she does. Her ideology is that if the kids are not having fun, they will not continue. If they do not continue, how are they going to be confident youth and adults? She is right about that. She talks to the kids like they were her own and she really is concerned or happy when necessary. Wonderful atmosphere for kids to grow in.
Like I said in earlier reviews, it is a family place! She treats the parents like her family and she involves them all the way. She will ask about your sick grandmother, as well as the new little of puppies your dog just had. She will always give you positive aspects of your child. And the great thing is, you will be invited to attend family events, such as the Dojo’s honoring party. It is so relaxed and friendly, you forget that they are a Judo studio. (while waiting for the kids outside of the class area).
I have recently moved to Pleasanton and it takes me about 30 minutes to get to the Studio for my daughter’s class. I think that it is worth it!

If you want authenticity over appearances, this is the place for you. They’re consistently winning championships (including last year’s national championship), and their teachers are truly skilled.
We had some bad experiences with martial arts studios who promote kids without actually teaching skills (3 months elapsed? Time for a new belt, even for the kids who just started two weeks ago!). I’m also not into turning my child into a killing machine, although a little self-​defense and confidence would be great. The last place we were at here in Livermore had the teacher reading pseudo-​Eastern wisdom lessons to the kids from something she’d printed off the internet each week. Ugh.
Enter Amador. I agree with the other reviewers that you have to get past first impressions because the building is not spectacular, and it can be too warm or too cold. Okay. Nonetheless, this studio is the REAL DEAL.
Our son started in the Superheroes class, which he enjoyed immensely and is the best martial arts value in town. They learned some jujitsu, some judo, and basic coordination skills like seal walking, duck walking, and lots of other non-​animal things that I can’t describe very well. We took Little Gym classes for a couple of years, and they’re learning the same skills here (minus the gymnastics apparatuses, obviously, but plus some others). They also learned a routine that they did together at the end of the course.
Some parents were put off by the fact that it looks a little chaotic at times, but I personally think it’s that they’re letting the kids have fun while they’re learning… and they make sure that every single child is doing the skill properly. Sometimes they split into groups by ability, and sometimes they’re all together, including parts of class where the kids have to stand still and listen to an instructor up front. I’ll be darned if my ADD kid hadn’t learned to stand at quiet attention by the end of the eight weeks! Even with kooky 3 – 7 year olds they were gently training them to focus… and unlike everything we’ve ever tried, it worked!
I think the biggest thing for us is how much the classes have changed our child in such a short time. Three things: 1.) His coordination has improved more than I thought possible in a couple of months, and he’s now playing sports with the big boys at recess. 2.) Bullying was an issue and it’s not anymore, not so much because of anything physical our son is doing as much as because he’s so much more confident and coordinated. 3.) His mental focus is vastly improved; he constantly had unfinished work at school and hasn’t had any in weeks now.
Last, the family who runs the place really works to know the parents. They are far more interested in making sure that kids have fun and know skills than in making money (hence the building, I think!). The fact that they provide so many opportunities for the kids to enter tournaments (although there’s no pressure to do so) also speaks to their willingness to put their teachings to the test. Like I said, authenticity over appearances.

Pro’s.
Prof Rebmann is great. He knows so much history behind the jujitsu.
He knows about a thousand different ways to do everything.
He’s a 9^th degree black belt in several national organizations.
Great teachers.
Air conditioned dojo? Heck yeah!
Cons.
Not cheap.
Short classes.
Jason

Friendly family run business, good rates, classes for all ages — young ones to old ones, and outrageously fun SUMO tournaments.