This is BY FAR the BEST judo club in the Orange County area. Although I live in Riverside, I…read moretravel to OC, Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach during tournament season for BJJ training, but the Nori Bunasawa Judo Club is my home for competition Judo training. Bunasaw Kai is EXTREMELY friendly to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu players looking to work on their stand-up judo game. Interested in training with legit BJJ history? Nori Bunasawa was a direct training partner and student of Kimura. yes, THAT Kimura! Players in the club include multiple IJF Judo Masters World Championship champions and medalists and too many National titles in Judo and BJJ to count. Nori Bunasawa himself is an All Japan Champion as well as a previous coach to the USA World Judo team. This is a friendly and effective place to train on your judo and BJJ stand up game! Bunasawi Kai work outs are at the Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple. The entrance to the Judo club is in the rear of the building.

Judo and self-defense for everyone! Come and learn in a safe environment that is family friendly…read moreand if you also want to learn competition techniques for judo and BJJ. Sensei and his staff have partnered with other BJJ schools to teach takedown techniques. There are no egos here. Everyone helps each other out to get better.

I first saw the USSD demo team perform at a local event and I was left super impressed by the demo…read moreteam, which consisted of all youth. I was also drawn in by the sensei as she was incredibly nice, but yet respect she was given by the students show great discipline. I walked into the dojo with my 3 year old and the rest was history. Arya is 4 now and has been a part of this great family for 1 now with her yellow belt and growing wiring martial arts in every session. This is what the DOJO is. A family. Thank you USSD for embracing us and for nurturing a great sense of confidence in our little Arya. She loves her Dojo and so do we.

Great family friendly dojo. My kids love it here and the staff are amazing!! The class schedules…read morework well with our family demands and our kids have developed great self defense skills, confidence, and bonds with their dojo mates. Highly recommend.

This place is amazing! My son has absolutely thrived here and has grown tremendously in both his…read morejiu-jitsu skills and confidence. The instructors and entire team are fantastic supportive, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in each student's success. If you're looking for the perfect dojo, this is it. The facility is always very clean, has a modern aesthetic, and offers plenty of convenient parking. We couldn't be happier with our experience and highly recommend it to anyone considering jiu-jitsu training for their child or for yourself !

We just moved to triunfo from another gym and we absolutely love it the dedication and hard work…read moreyou see on those mats is unmatched. If you are looking for a new gym I'd definitely check them out. Clean place and friendly faces. Would definitely recommend them!

Starting training boxing here about 2 years ago and slowly got sucked into jiujitsu and haven't…read morelooked back! I love the environment as it makes for less of an intimidating "military" structured vibe for beginners that are already hesitant. Landed some medals in the first 12 months due to spectacular coaches guiding me the whole way, many more to come. Recommend trying this MMA gym out before any others in the area

I came in for a trail Ji Jitsu class and met the owner Mike. He is super welcoming and humble. He…read moretaught me a lot in the first class and I'm very grateful. Will definitely be coming back when I'm in town! They also offer Mauy Thai, combat self defense... they are truly an amazing self defense school! Just wanted to leave this review. Highly recommend this gym.

So far so good, learning YMAA Qigong and Tai Chi meditation and martial skills. Looking like I…read morewill get what I put into it. Have met great people on this path and great leadership at the helm.

Great teachers. Very patient and kind. Spend the proper amount of attention to everyone in the…read moreclass.

CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD STATEMENT - this gym will re-activate your cancelation and then offer you…read more"credit" to continue at their gym. A Really Good Thing about this gym is that you get preferential treatment if you speak Portuguese. Other than this, it is a GREAT studio if you are pushing your child toward competitions.

As the grandparents for our 6-year-old grandchild, we wish to register our 1000% support and…read moreappreciation for the classes my grandson has enrolled in at your AOJ Costa Mesa facility.  Under the strong guidance and leadership of coaches Leo and Caro, we have noticed our grandson grow on so many levels that we believe are attributable to his classes. There are too many attributes to even list, but his ability to listen, focus, and of course be a kind warrior is truly remarkable.  Coach Leo and Coach Caro are truly fantastic teachers and role models, and we wish to thank you for contributing to his growth and maturation. Job well done!

I had always wanted to take a self defense class and had seen great reviews about Justin and this…read morestudio. My girlfriend and I attended a class and it was really fun! Justin and the other participants in the class were really welcoming and helpful in giving us tips on form and technique. We are definitely going to be returning!

Was very impressed with my recent Krav Maga course taught by Joey and Justin. Just the right…read morebalance of foundational information, skills development, scenario practice, and real life impact of combatant choices. The instructors read the room very well in terms of when they needed to change the pacing.

Gracie Barra Costa Mesa is the best martial arts gym I have ever attended. Elan and Jodi run the…read moreschool exceptionally well. The facility is clean, and Elan always makes safety a priority. They are both genuinely passionate about jiu-jitsu and building a strong, supportive community. When my son first joined, he was timid and nervous. Jodi showed him extra patience and care, making sure he felt safe, comfortable, and welcomed on the mats. She consistently takes the time to greet students and catch up with them before and after class, helping everyone feel included and valued. The school also has a variety of knowledgeable instructors with different teaching and jiu-jitsu styles. I think this is extremely beneficial because I am exposed to different techniques and can learn what works best for my body type and abilities. When I decided to enter a tournament, Elan, Kenny, and Luis made sure I was fully prepared. With their coaching and guidance, I was able to win gold in both gi and no-gi. I highly recommend Gracie Barra Costa Mesa. The instruction is high-level, but what truly makes this school special is the owners' love for jiu-jitsu and their commitment to their students and community.

Hands down the best decision we've made for our daughter…read more Our daughter has been attending Gracie Barra Costa Mesa for a year now and the growth we've witnessed in her both on and off the mats has been incredible. The level of instruction here is unmatched. Every coach brings not just technique and discipline but heart and intention to every class. They see each student's potential and push them to rise to it. She has advanced so much thanks to their dedication and more importantly she's gained confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging that carries into every area of her life. Jiu jitsu is more than a martial art. It is a way of life. It teaches humility, patience, manners, self-control, and problem-solving. Even at her young age, we've seen her carry herself with more focus, awareness, and kindness. She is stronger physically and mentally because of it. The studio is clean and welcoming with an energy that makes you want to stay. They offer Kangan water which is a huge bonus. There's always plenty of parking and the community here is full of amazing people who genuinely support one another. The vibes are just different--uplifting, positive, and empowering. Gracie Barra Costa Mesa isn't just a place to train. It is a place to grow. Whether you're looking for a powerful way to build confidence in your child or you're an adult wanting to challenge yourself in a life changing way, this is the spot. I couldn't recommend it more.

Master John and the other instructors are the reason we have been there for four years - and…read morecounting. Discipline, self-confidence, self-control, and commitment - it's all there!

Wow. I cannot say enough about this place. I took my son for a first time free class and by the…read moretime we were done I was ready to hand Mr. John all my money. This place is amazing and teaches them so much and encourages them to learn on their own and the instructors are so patient with the kids. I appreciate their approach to discipline while still having fun and practicing self control, while still overcoming fear and facing challenges. 10 out of 10. If you have a little sign up now. Sign up yesterday, you won't regret it.

Charles H's review is baseless and without merit…read more If your judgement of a dojo is based on changing rooms and high-quality wood floors, the nearest 24 Hour fitness would prove to be worthy of your praise. CMKD is not a for-profit organization with the financial means to provide "quality private club" type of atmosphere for casual participants to come by to be "wowed". The dojo has a long history of volunteer effort that goes back decades. The "torn up floor" was salvaged by hand when the building was a racquet ball court back in the 80s. Many of us used our bare hands to pull out the nails that were nailed into the wood planks. By the end of the effort, our hands were blistered, splintered, and all cut-up. The wood-flooring was salvaged because the church didn't have the money to buy new wood floors at the time they were organizing. There are sensei that were just young kids at the time they helped salvage the wood floor. And today, their calloused feet practice on them and teach others with gratitude that the dojo found a home in the church for as long as it has. There was a time when the dojo had rented space with deteriorating wood parquet floors that would splinter and injure the kenshi. Despite the poor floor, the dojo's membership survived and thrived, which is a testament to the true value of the dojo -- its teachers, members, and family -- the people, not the physical building itself. As for mentorship -- mentorship is not an automatic entitlement because a member is "new". Mentorship is a gift that is earned through respectful diligence and dedication to Kendo, and to the volunteers that spend their own resources and time to cultivate sincere kenshi who are willing to put in the time to teach themselves. I speak for many of us when I say that if we could get back our deceased sensei with the payment of a lifetime of practice on splintering wood floors and with no proper room to change in, we would gladly do it.

Summary: If you're looking for a practice that's consistent, low-demand on competition but has…read morecompetitive people, is a good workout and has high ranking sensei that can push you if you want to be pushed then CMKD is good. The Practice: "Habitual" Something great for your kendo development is that you always know what you're going to do at the dojo. Warm-up, basics, open sparring. This simple routine emphasizes fundamental practice and there's never any confusion or down time. It's regimented so that you make the most of your practice time. The Development: "Clean" Among the kids, their kendo becomes quite beautiful here as kendo is an art. Competition isn't something forced, but practiced for recreational purposes but some members do well beyond that level. Many of the adults have very nice kendo as well considering practice is only twice a week. The Sensei: " They are high ranking, good hearted, not intimidating once you get to know them:) Bonding: I hear they sometimes go out to Korean BBQ for team bonding before tournaments.