Every one of our coaches has walked the exact path you're about to start. They know what it feels like to be new, intimidated, and unsure — and they know exactly how to get you from your first class to your first real breakthrough.
Picking a gym is easy. Picking the right coach is what actually determines your results. Bad instruction wastes months of your time, builds bad habits, and — worse — can get you hurt. Most people don't know what to look for, so they end up training under whoever happened to be on the schedule.
That shouldn't be a gamble. You deserve coaches with real rank, real competition experience, and a real track record of developing students — not just a black belt hanging on the wall.
Every coach on this mat started exactly where you are — nervous, out of their depth, wondering if they belonged. We remember what that felt like, which is why patience and real feedback come standard with every class, not just for advanced students.
Our team is led by a 3rd Degree Black Belt and retired professional MMA fighter with over 40 years of combined grappling experience, developing black, brown, and purple belts who actively compete and win. This isn't a franchise with rotating instructors — it's a coaching staff built over years, under one system.
You don't need to know anything about jiu-jitsu to start. You just need to show up.
Step on the mats, meet the coaches, and see the system in action — no pressure, no obligation.
Whether it's fundamentals, competition prep, or a private lesson, you'll be matched with a coach suited to your goals.
Real accountability and real reps mean real progress — on the mats and everywhere else in your life.
The best way to find your coach is to train with them.
Try A Free ClassConor started wrestling at 5 years old — but that didn't stop the bullying. He was picked on for his size all through school, weighing just 112 pounds his senior year. Tired of feeling scared and on edge in social situations, he made a decision: he would become the best fighter on Earth.
At first he thought wrestling was the answer — he went on to win Colorado state titles in Folkstyle, Freestyle, and Greco-Roman and compete five years at Ithaca College. Then he saw the first UFC, and everything changed. He sought out Eddie Bravo for jiu-jitsu, Chris Riley for Muay Thai, and Frankie Liles for boxing, building the complete game that carried him through seven years as a professional fighter in the IFL, Elite XC, and Strikeforce. When his hips failed in 2012 he retired with a 9-5 record.
After retiring, Conor dedicated his life to training others — so they could avoid making the same mistakes he had, and so they could feel what he'd spent years fighting to find: the ability to move through the world unafraid. He opened 10th Planet Denver in 2018, and in 2024 he opened 10th Planet Longmont to bring that same system, and that same sense of safety, to more of Colorado. He continues to compete himself, most recently taking Bronze at the IBJJF World Championships in Las Vegas.
Adam started his journey at Northern Illinois University, joining their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club in 2014 seeking discipline and an outlet for his competitive nature. A brown belt who has trained with 10th Planet Denver since day one, he's become one of the gym's most active competitors, winning gold in multiple submission-only tournaments. After teaching at Denver for several years, Adam took on the role of head coach at the new Longmont location, teaching alongside his wife Sheila. You can still catch Adam teaching noon All Levels classes Monday and Wednesday at 10th Planet Denver in addition to leading Longmont.
Del's grappling career started his sophomore year wrestling at Arvada West High School. After almost two decades off the mats, it was putting his kids in jiu-jitsu that reignited his curiosity. Starting with wrestling under Conor Heun, Del quickly recalled the explosiveness the sport demands, and his training partners encouraged him to try jiu-jitsu — he fell in love with the gentle art. When he isn't building his functional mushroom business, UMBO, with pro athletes including former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer and UFC Hall of Famer Rashad Evans, Del is dedicated to savoring life through jiu-jitsu. Catch his classes at 6:00am Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Ben started wrestling in 1989 in Merrill, Wisconsin at age 4, becoming a multiple-time Wisconsin National Team Member in Greco and Freestyle. A four-year starter and team captain at Merrill High School, he set the school win record and placed 6th at State his junior year, then wrestled at 149lbs for the University of Dubuque. Ben later trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine, earning a degree in Western massage and Eastern medicine. He met Conor in 2012 while both worked as personal trainers, and dove headfirst into jiu-jitsu and MMA, earning his brown belt in 2024. Ben offers one-on-one sessions in massage, strength training, and grappling.
Sebastian started his jiu-jitsu journey in 2021 and it quickly became a passion. He's constantly studying new techniques, traveling to train at other 10th Planet locations including ATX, Vegas, and Lombard, but always comes home to Denver and Longmont to share what he's learned. Sebastian competes as much as possible, making his professional debut at F2W 213. When he isn't on the mats, he's an award-winning mixologist at high-end establishments around the state.
Sheila started training in 2016 after her partner convinced her that learning self-defense was a necessary skill, and became immediately hooked on both the physical and cognitive challenge. She earned her blue belt in 2019 and, drawn to 10th Planet's no-gi style, moved to training full time at 10th Planet Denver. She began coaching as a substitute for the women's class and developed a passion for growing the community of women in the sport. In March 2023, after 4 years at Denver, Sheila earned her purple belt, and when Longmont opened in 2024 she expanded her reach teaching women and children there. Outside jiu-jitsu, she and her husband Adam run The Yuppie Kitchen, a vegan pop-up food business.
Real self-defense skill. A community that holds you accountable. The confidence that comes from testing yourself against a resisting opponent — and getting better every single week.
Another year on the sidelines. No new skill, no new community, no answer to "could I actually defend myself." The gap between where you are and where you want to be only gets wider.
Your first class is free — come meet the coaches and see what 10th Planet Longmont is about.
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