Phenomenal instruction and an elite training atmosphere! The longer I train at Boran Jiu Jitsu, the more value I see in it. Mr. Boran has built an exceptional school and facility, and his leadership directly reflects in the outstanding skill level here. Many newcomers with outside experience frequently compliment this academy for its depth of knowledge. Because of Mr. Boran's vision, the senior belts possess highly impressive expertise, yet they remain incredibly supportive, helpful, and dedicated to developing everyone's Jiu-Jitsu and self-defense skills. Give this place a try--you will quickly see the excellence he has created. read more

Professor Boran is an awesome person and an absolute legend. Unfortunately they are a little far from me so I can't come here full time. Professor Boran will be rolling on the mats with you while offering top notch instruction. And let's face it...the price is unbeatable! Highly recommend read more

If I could give more than five stars, I would. Our son has been training at Boran Jiu-Jitsu for three years now, and it's hard to put into words just how much this place--and especially Coach Boran himself--has impacted our family. What started as a class to build confidence has grown into something so much more. Coach James Boran is more than just an exceptional martial artist--he's a remarkable human being. A black belt under Joe Moreira and one of the original "Dirty Dozen" (the first 12 non-Brazilians to earn a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), Coach Boran brings decades of experience, fierce competitive spirit, and technical mastery to every class. But what sets him apart isn't just his accolades--which include World Masters and Pan American titles--it's his unmatched patience, consistency, and heart. He teaches Jiu-Jitsu, yes--but he also teaches character. Through his calm guidance, our son has grown into a more confident, kind, and respectful young man. He's learned how to win with humility and lose with grace. He's learned the value of discipline, the strength of perseverance, and the joy of hard work. We've seen real transformation. Our son is happier, more grounded, and carries himself with pride--not just because of what he can do on the mats, but because of the person he's becoming off them. And that's because of Coach Boran. If you're looking for a place that teaches Jiu-Jitsu at the highest level while nurturing character, community, and resilience, look no further. Boran Jiu-Jitsu is a rare gem, and we feel incredibly lucky to be part of it. read more

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The best Jiu Jitsu lessons in all of Costa Mesa. I wish I signed up my 6 year old up sooner to Boran Jiu Jitsu. The classes are an hour long, you can take your kid every day of the week if you want. They're incredibly knowledgeable and keep the kids engaged with all the different lessons. It only took my soon a week to get hooked into the world of Jiu Jitsu because of Coach Boran & Coach Timothy. As a parent I'm excited he will learn discipline, self defense & patience all while having fun. read more

Mr. Boran is a gifted teacher of jiu jitsu, self-defense and general fitness for all ages and levels. He intuitively understands how to meet his students where they are and help them to level up. His teaching is clear and precise and infused with a sense of genuinely caring for the wellbeing of each of his students. We came for the free trial 3 years ago and have been locked in ever since. I feel like we found a rare gem and it's been a lifesaver for me, a mom of 3 active children and also for my husband who has been training here. Students learn not only jiu-jitsu but also self-control, respect and lifelong fitness habits. Highly recommend! read more

Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - My son earning a stripe from Mr. Boran. - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Home of one of the Original members of the dirty dozen, James "The Avalanche" Boran. Have been training under James at Boran Jiu Jitsu for over 14 years now and have nothing but good things to say from the kids program all the way to the adult program. Not just focusing on sport Jiu Jitsu but also def defense, confidence boosting, and most importantly bettering yourself not just on the mats, but off as well. Boran Jiu Jitsu 10/10 everyday of the week. read more

Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My kids have been training with Coach Boran for over a year now. Their skill has grown immensely & they enjoy the classes. They learn technical skills & how to roll with one another. read more

Our daughter is a fan of Mr Boran (so are my wife and I). His kids classes are fun, challenging, and rewarding. Highly recommended!

What a great group of guys and teaching staff. I've been training with James Boran for a little over ) months now and the quality of instruction is top tier. The students are supportive and helpful. Very happy with my experience. read more

So happy to have chose this place to train my daughter. She's building her confidence, learning self defense, and overall becoming a well rounded individual. Thank you Coach Boran read more

SUPER AMAZING INSTRUCTOR .. Safe, Friendly, Great Instructions & Learning & Fun !!! Highly recommend this ..!!!

Amazing Gym. Been training there for a little over a year now. James is a Master. Lots of incredible high belts and always a few beginners to get good training with. Definitely recommend. read more

We enrolled our 2 sons Beck (now 9y.o) and Brix (6 y.o) 2 years ago. They attend approximately 2 days a week. With Mr Boran's training we have been more then happy with their progression. Mr Boran creates an atmosphere of both discipline and fun. Everybody spars based upon their ability not gender. We are lucky to have the opportunity for our boys to learn from a master of Juijitsu. I also want to thank Mr Timothy for his training. My only concern. is that soon, my young boys will be able to "tap me out" read more

Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Best place ever. Took my son here to give him something to do and he really loves it. Got a hole month free and the instructor is amazing with the kids. My son can't wait for the next day to come back. He really enjoys it. Have been to another one and my son didn't really like it but this place he absolutely loves. The instructor is awesome. Will definitely recommend to everyone and will continue to bring my son here. Great prices. Great instructor. read more

Boran Brazilian Ju Jitsu is one of my BJJ competition secret weapons! Although I primarily train at another club in Norco, CA, James Boran's is on my travel training list when I gear up for competition Gi Jiu Jitsu. Boran has an excellent array of higher level belts at every work out and he himself is a Fourth Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt that's certified by the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation) and the USBJJF (United States Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation). At the particular competition sport BJJ work out I was at, there was 1 Black Belt, 2 Brown Belts and 6 high stripe Purple Belts. Plenty of experience to make my drive worth while! In particular, one of his multiple time Pan American and Master's World Champion, Brown Belts really helped point out some holes in my game. Also, I'm a Master's competitor and had ZERO problems with the younger guys trying to "beat on" the new guy / visitor! Also available are Competiton No-Gi, MMA, No Gi for kids and Kids Sport Jiu Jitsu. This is my favorite club to tune up my BJJ in Costa Mesa! read more

Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Team Avalanche after a competition work out. James Boran in the center, and I'm to the Right / in the Purple Belt! - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Whoa! I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet! My son has been training with James for almost two years now. Mr. Boran is amazing with kids and very knowledgeable about Jiu Jitsu. My son has learned so much and has become really good at Jiu Jitsu and more confident in himself over the time he has been training there. James is encouraging and challenging at the same time. He is respectful of everyone and expects that of all who attend his classes as well. Even I trained with him for a bit and should probably go back. Lol. There are classes for everyone; little kids, youth, men and women alike. You also get a great deal on unlimited monthly classes unlike many other places around. If you are looking for a comfortable, knowledgeable, and fun place to train, definitely check out Boran Jiu Jitsu! read more

Based on 1 month of membership. Daily attendance 1 star for parking .. it's a small lot. 5 stars for membership rates 6 days a week for less than a "Ben" a month. 5 stars for style of teaching This is the kids first introduction to jiu-jitsu, and they just love it. 5 stars for instructor. Boran is experienced and disciplined. It shows in how he instructs the children to act and behave. Mutual respect is given between instructor, students and parents alike. Boran is very knowledgeable. read more

Boran's just celebrated 14 years and is still going strong. Real Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a real team environment. Everything you want in school whether you are brand new to bjj or looking to develop more. Stop by, meet James, the team , and give it a try. read more

Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Representing Team Avalanche at competition. - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Coach James Boran is awesome with his students. The kids love working hard for him. It's very apparent that he really enjoys what he does. Team Avalanche feels like a family. read more

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Instructor Boran has instilled structure and confidence in my 8 year old. So much in fact that I am motivated to take lessons as well. I highly recommend any parents who want it spend productive time with their kids to join as well. read more

Funny story - my family and I moved to Costa Mesa about 18 months ago - on day 2 or 3 of living here, we decided to go for a short walk to visit some of the local shops and such - we had coffee at a local coffee shop - and as we were leaving the shop we noticed the sign, "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu" and "Ultimate Self Defense" so we headed over just to take a look. This was in the morning hours - so we didn't know what to expect. Long story short, because I'm a fan of MMA, I've always wanted my then 7 year old to practice some form of martial art. I asked my son if he wanted to give it a try (plus it's a free month), and unfortunately he wasn't interested at that time. Fast forward to 2 months ago (January 2018) he has been asking to join now for about 2 months - and so we headed over to Borans place and signed him up and also signed up my daughter. Mr. Boran is an excellent instructor. He's very good with kids - you can tell he's been doing this for a very long time. He's passionate about the sport and equally passionate about teaching his students. He's well respected and he respects all. Parking is tough at times - small lot w many shops there - get there early and parking is no problem. Overall 5 stars read more

Stopped in this weekend to check out the place as I was in the area. James, as well as one of the higher rated members (brown belt), were extremely welcoming and friendly. He allowed me to sit in and watch some of the drilling/rolling taking place. Definitely plan on stopping by again in the future, seemed like a great establishment! read more

My 6yr old has been going to Boran Jiu Jitsu for approximately 6 months and absolutely loves it. He cant get enough and I cant believe the progress he has made in such as short amount of time. Even for a 6 yr old he is much more disciplined/confident in himself, stronger, slimmer and physically and mentally fit than he was last year. The girls in the class all appear confident and strong no matter their age. Mr Boran is the most fun, patient and dedicated coach I've met, the kids listen to him and try their hardest to perform their best for him, he cares about all his kids and teaches them to become confident and strong individuals with his words, actions and teachings. We love Team Avalanche, everyone here from the other JJ kids, the other coaches, and parents are so welcoming and dedicated to this craft, I hope to continue going here for many years to come. Kids classes are offered every evening and Saturday mornings, with kids as young as diapers coming in and learning! There's no fixed schedule or appointments, you can show up to any class to participate and the monthly pricing is very reasonable! We love the BJJ family! read more

Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Crab crawlin! - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great instruction. Family friendly laid back envorinment. Tough competition for both adults and kids from beginning to advanced. The core group of students of all age levels continually do well in gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu tournaments at the highest levels. Good value for the level of instruction. read more

In the past I've attended both beginning classes, women's self defense classes, as well as having my children in the children's classes. The knowledge and background training that James Boran has is impressive. He is a top notch instructor and his passion for jiu-jitsu is very addicting. read more

If you have young kids i cant recommend Mr. Boran and his team enough. They are ALL so well trained and great with kids. First thing my kids learned was "how to fend off someone trying to abduct them"... 2nd, what to do when someone bullies them...3rd, to respect your partner who is helping you to learn technique (This ties into not becoming a bully). They have a great time, plus it's also a whole hour of exercise... In addition to all the above great reasons to try this class, the biggest one is that as a parent I want my children to grow up and feel confident in the world, like they can physically take care of themselves. Helping my kids establish self defense skills, routine, regular exercise and self control are just a few reasons I pat myself on the back as a parent. read more

I have been doing bjj since 1995 and have known james boran for a long time and I'm a 3rd degree black belt under Mr Boran. If you looking for quality, personal, family friendly environment look no further. From the beginner adults to advanced the instruction is superb at any given time there will be at least 2 black belts on the mats to guide you in your bjj journey under the tutelage of Mr Boran. So in short if you are in the area and want to visit no problem if your looking for high standards instruction this is a one stop shop. read more

I have trained in various martial arts for over 30 years and am a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Boran Jiu-Jitsu academy is one of the few schools in the area that is still focused on pure traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Beware as some MMA schools lack in technique as they try to combine too many martial arts. If one wants to learn multiple martial arts, it's usually better to learn each from an expert . Start with one and build a foundation. Boran Jiu-Jitsu is a school where you can learn excellent technique from numerous black belts. The classes always start on time and are taught by a black belt. For a beginner in BJJ, you can come without fear of getting hurt. There are no attitudes and new students and visitors are always welcomed. With this, you will get an unbelivable workout. Many students lose 20+ pounds within the first 3 months. The kids classes are all taught by Mr. Boran with 2 or 3 assistants. The kids learn self-defense, do lots of drills, strength exercises like rope climbing, practice falling, train in submission technique, and when they grapple an adult watches over each pair. My twins have trained here for almost 3 years and Mr. Boran has been a great mentor to them. One of my sons suffers from anxiety and the training has helped his self esteem immensely. The school is open 7 days a week with no gi classes on Wednesday and open mat on Sunday. The senior students are always willing to help and answer questions. The school is also very reasonably priced and there are no testing fees, belt fees or hidden charges. Even school competitions are thrown at no charge. read more

James Boran runs a solid BJJ school; friendly, safe, professional and focused on helping students reach their potential.

James is amazing! My boys love him and have learned a ton from him. He is great with the kids and a reasonable price.

My kids and I love Mr Boran and his methods of teaching. Definitely a confidence builder for any child or adult.

James Boran has a passion for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and it shows. His kids class is amazing. He teaches by positive feed back and will always help the kids who are struggling to help them learn the technique. He not only teaches self defense and competition training - he also teaches and commands respect. At the end of class the kids are usually rewarded with a game of ninja stars (dodge ball with ping pong balls). The kids think they are playing a games and never realize just how much they are refining their reflexes, He takes a true interest in his kids. I was so inspired, I started taking his adult classes. It may not be the flashiest studio in Orange County, but I can't imagine my son or myself training anywhere else. James Boran is the real deal! read more

My five year old loves it here. Mr. Boran works well with kids and provides a high energy environment.

My son has been studying jujitsu at Boran for many years. Mr Boran is a wonderful mentor and teacher. His influence has positively impacted my son's life outside the studio. I would definitely recommend this studio to anyone interested in jujitsu. read more

A great place to train with great instruction. Clean, organized, respectful and competitive. The sport and training is taken seriously and camaraderie is real with the egos left at the door. If you are looking for a good place to train and develop, this is it. read more

Whether you want to learn the basics or compete at the largest tournaments in the world, you will find Boran Jiu-Jitsu a great place to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ("The Gentle Art"). The head instructor, James Boran, is a 5x Pan Champion, World No Gi Champion, an official USBJJF recognized professor and third degree black belt. The school also has many top notch black belts who help teach and who compete at the highest levels of the sport. It is a very family friendly and laid back environment. If you want to learn more about self defense and the effectiveness of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, come and check out a class. read more

As a student, I highly recommend this school. The owner of the school, James Boran, is unbelievably good. There are numerous black belts, brown belts, and purple belts that are very helpful to the lower belts. There are Gi and No-Gi classes. The classes start with about 45 minutes of cardio and stretching. Then we do about a half hour of tecnique. The classes finish with about an hour of training. BJJ training is about the most intense cardio workout that you can do. There are kids, beginner, and advanced classes. read more

Our 5 1/2 and 7 year old children have been training with James for a year. He provides a great environment for the kids, they get to exercise, learn and have fun. James genuinely cares for each of his students. They have a special class for 4-7 year olds so they get a lot of individual instruction. I am grateful we found Boran Jiu Jitsu my kids love it and so do I!! read more

My son has attended classes at Boran JJ for a little over 2 years now. The classes unlike many BJJ classes are all taught by a true Blackbelt, in this case Mr. Boran. He does not let others teach the class except maybe another Blackbelt named Bill Messick and that's rare. Both Mr. Boran and Mr. Messick have competition Gold and Silver medals in the (No Gi & BJJ) Worlds and PAN AMs but the classes are geared toward learning technique, respect and discipline not competition. Sometimes Mr. Boran and Messick collaborate and teach a class together. Other Blue and Purple Belts assist in teaching as well but do not run classes. My son is ADHD and "on the Spectrum" (mildly autistic). He's grown leaps & bounds from Jujitsu and the curriculum. Another child in the class has too and in both cases their gross motor skills, dexterity, strength, communication, listening skills and confidence have increased dramatically. The kids have fun too and make friends on the mat. Watching the older kids help the younger kids is a sight. Unlike many other martial arts Jujitsu is pretty tough and you're not promoted just by attendance and paying Mr. Boran. Your kid may be there for 4 years and only move up one belt color. It's all about skill and maturity, not belts or strength. The kids learn to scrap but in a controlled manner to avoid injuries and sportsmanship is paramount. Real life scenarios in self-defense are taught (anti-kidnapping, -bullying techniques etc.). read more

My sons have been attending classes for over three years. They enjoy the team training as well as the one on one instruction they get from Mr. Boran. This is a great place for kids to learn self defense skills, self discipline and above all good sportsmanship and respect. They are teenagers now and are participating in the adult classes once a week. Boran Jiu-Jitsu is a great place for kids to train, make friends and elevate their self esteem. read more