What they actually learn
Grappling is the delivery mechanism. The lesson is composure.
Kids jiu jitsu at 10th Planet Portland is grappling only — no striking, no sparring they are not ready for. Age-appropriate drills and partner work, in a structured, supportive space where the coach knows every kid’s name.
What parents tend to notice first is not the armbar. It is that their kid stands differently, handles losing better, and stops escalating things at school — because a child who genuinely knows they can handle themselves has much less to prove.
At a glance Kids jiu jitsu
- Groups
- Lil Legends, Kids, Teens
- When
- Weekday afternoons
- Contact
- No striking
- Focus
- Anti-bullying
- Partners
- Picked by the coach
- Parents
- Welcome to watch
Three age groups
Right class, right age
A five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old need completely different rooms. We run them separately rather than lumping everyone under 16 together.
-
Years old
Lil Legends
Forty-five minutes built around movement games, balance and taking turns. The jiu jitsu is real but it arrives disguised as play, which is the only way it works at this age.
- Class length
- 45 min
- Days
- Tue & Thu, 4:00 PM
- Classes a week
- 2
-
Years old
Kids Jiu Jitsu
The core youth class. Positions, escapes, controlled partner work and progressively more live grappling as they earn it. This is where the real technical base gets built.
- Class length
- 60 min
- Days
- Mon–Thu, 4:45 PM
- Classes a week
- 4
-
Years old
Teens Jiu Jitsu
Treated like grapplers, not like big children. Full technical instruction and live rounds at teenage intensity, with a route into the adult classes when they are ready for it.
- Class length
- 60 min
- Days
- Tue & Thu, 4:45 PM
- Classes a week
- 2
Parent questions
What parents ask us first
What age can my child start?
Four, in Lil Legends. At that age the class is mostly movement, balance and turn-taking with jiu jitsu woven through it. From seven they move into Kids Jiu Jitsu, and at thirteen into Teens.
Is it safe for kids?
Yes. There is no striking of any kind in kids jiu jitsu. It is movement, positional control and technique, with coaches choosing every partner pairing and live rounds introduced gradually as each child is ready.
Will this make my child more aggressive?
The opposite, in our experience. Kids who train grappling get their competitive need met on the mat and learn what real physical struggle actually feels like. That tends to lower the temperature at school rather than raise it.
My child is shy. Will they cope?
Shy kids often do best here, because the structure is clear and nobody is asked to perform in front of the room. Tell the coach beforehand and they will keep an eye out for the first few weeks.
How often should they train?
Twice a week is plenty to make real progress without it swallowing the week. Some kids come four times because they want to, and that is fine too.
Can I stay and watch?
Yes, always. There is space to sit at the edge of the mat and you are welcome to stay for the whole class.
What do they need to wear?
A t-shirt and shorts or leggings with no zips or pockets. Bare feet on the mat, flip-flops for walking off it. Nothing to buy before the first class.
Mat pass Admit one
Bring them in for a free class.
Watch from the edge of the mat. If they love it, we will talk. If not, no harm done.
- Wear
- A t-shirt and shorts. Nothing else needed.
- Next class
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