About · Bonita Springs
It's not a gym.
It's an academy.
A place of learning, run by a teacher. Built so everyday people can train authentic martial arts with no ego and no intimidation.
Owner & Head Instructor
Professor Joshua Frye
Joshua is a 37-year martial arts veteran. He started training in 1985 outside Chicago and earned his first black belt in 1990. He then spent 14 years teaching in Lee County schools, where he was named Math Teacher of the Year in 2010.
Today he holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Professor Daniel Wanderley of the Carlson Gracie Team. Parents trust a teacher. Fighters trust a black belt. At The Grounds you get both.
"We are ultimately martial artists and a training academy. Don't confuse that with a gym. We are an academy, a place of learning."
- 14 years as a school teacher
- Carlson Gracie Team black belt
- 37 years in martial arts
- Academy Safe accredited
The long way up
No shortcuts. Every belt earned.
Joshua asks students to earn every stripe because he earned every one of his. Here's his Jiu-Jitsu path.
1985
Starts training
Traditional martial arts outside Chicago
2008
BJJ white belt
Begins Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
2011
Blue belt
Under Trent Lewis & Roy Harris
2014
Purple belt
Under Trent Lewis & Roy Harris
2017
Brown belt
Under Professor Daniel Wanderley
2020
Black belt
Carlson Gracie Team
2023
1st degree
Promoted by Daniel Wanderley
Leads ICCS in the USA
A certified ICCS Krav Maga instructor, Joshua leads the development of the ICCS system across the United States.
Carlson Gracie & Roufusport
The Grounds is Carlson Gracie Team Bonita Springs and a member of the Roufusport Kickboxing Association.
Heard on the podcasts
A guest on The RŌL Radio and Jiu Jitsu Dummies, talking about leadership, culture and running a real academy.
What we stand for
Build a better person, one class at a time.
That line hangs on the academy wall. Every class is built on it: learn something, sweat, have fun.
A Mat Family
"Welcome to the Mat Family" is on the wall for a reason. Members are greeted by name and cheered on by teammates.
Student-Centered
Lesson plans are built like a teacher builds a school year, with clear goals at every stage.
No Ego
Beginners, parents and pro fighters train on the same mat with the same respect.
Always Improving
Coaches keep learning from world-class names so students get the best version of every class.
The coaching team
Coaches who know your name.
Every coach on the mat is background-checked and safety-certified. Members say it again and again: the coaches get to know each student personally.
Joshua Frye
Owner · BJJ Black Belt
Coach Brian Cathell
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt
Coach Jordan Pickard
Brown Belt
Coach Darrek Gutierrez
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt
Curriculum built with world-class names
Our lesson plans draw on the systems and expertise of these respected leaders in martial arts:
Carlson Gracie Jr.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Duke Roufus
Muay Thai & Kickboxing
Julius Melegrito
Filipino Martial Arts
Sharir Richman
ICCS Krav Maga
Safety, with proof
Fully accredited by Academy Safe.
Academy Safe is an independent nonprofit that checks martial arts schools against its safety standards. The Grounds is fully accredited through December 2026.
- Background check for every coach
- SafeSport certified
- Concussion training
- CPR, AED and first aid certified
- AED on site
- Security cameras
Best of Bonita Springs 2024
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