10th Planet Orange County Review: Fullerton BJJ
Updated August 2026. I have trained at 10th Planet in Orange County several times, including longer stints in Fullerton. This is still one of my favourite no-gi gyms. I have refreshed the current membership context and removed old coaching/schedule details that were starting to read as permanent.
Why I keep going back to 10th Planet Orange County
The main reason is the culture. I have trained in a lot of gyms while travelling, and Fullerton was unusually easy to enter as a temporary member without feeling like a visitor who was interrupting a long-established group.
People introduced themselves, explained unfamiliar positions after rounds, and generally rolled without much ego. That matters more to me than whether a gym has the newest mats or the biggest competition team.
What makes 10th Planet different?
10th Planet is a no-gi Jiu-Jitsu system founded by Eddie Bravo. You train in shorts, rash guards and other normal no-gi gear rather than a kimono. If you already train no-gi elsewhere, the broad sport is familiar, but 10th Planet puts extra emphasis on its own terminology and certain positions.
I encountered far more lockdown, rubber guard, truck entries and 10th Planet-specific names than I did at my previous gyms. Some of the positions exist everywhere under other names; others form part of a sequence that is taught more systematically in 10th Planet schools.
Coaching and class structure
Across my visits, classes generally followed the format I like: technique, positional work, then rounds. The exact coaches and schedule have changed over time, which is why I no longer list a particular 6 am coach or 11 am teacher as though they will always be there.
One of the things I liked about the teaching was that techniques were often linked into a sequence rather than presented as a move of the day. That made repeat visits more rewarding because the next class often built on something I had already seen.
The training level
You can train here as a beginner, but there is plenty for experienced no-gi grapplers too. I arrived with a BJJ blue belt and repeatedly found positions that felt unfamiliar because I had not spent much time in the 10th Planet system.
The room had enough good people that I could get difficult rounds without every roll becoming a fight for survival. That balance is one of the reasons I kept returning.
Facilities
Fullerton has a large mat area by the standards of many gyms I have visited, plus changing and shower facilities. I never felt short of room even when class was busy.
Membership and Orange County locations in 2026
The old review quoted a $210 month-to-month price and an older recurring rate. Those figures are no longer current.
The current 10th Planet Orange County site lists adult membership at US$94.99 every two weeks, with unlimited adult classes six days a week and access across its four Orange County locations: Fullerton, Orange, Costa Mesa and Irvine. It also advertises a free introductory class.
Check the current site before joining because membership structures can change, but the multi-location access is genuinely useful if you move around Orange County.
Is it good for visitors?
It was for me. I would still contact the gym before a one-off drop-in, particularly if you want a specific class time, but I never found the culture hostile to short-term members.
If you travel with BJJ gear regularly, see my guide to training Jiu-Jitsu while travelling.
Would I go back?
Yes. I already have, multiple times. The thing I would tell another grappler is that Fullerton is worth visiting even if you do not care about the 10th Planet brand. The reason to train there is the combination of good no-gi instruction and a room that makes it easy to keep coming back.
