Hurricane Jiu Jitsu
“Good instruction that white-black belts can comprehend and learn from, beautiful facility and the most hospitable athletes training there.”
Best Self-Defense Classes near Cleveland, OH
2 of these schools are based in Cleveland; the others serve Cleveland from towns including Beachwood (9 mi), Bedford Heights (10 mi) and Brook Park (7 mi).
13 open weekends · 14 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 18, 2026
Revolution Fight and Fitness
“I was FAR from being in good physical shape but everyone there is welcoming so it made it easy to keep walking in.”
Devil Dog Martial Arts
“I recently had the pleasure of enrolling my kids in both a private lesson and a group lesson at Devil Dogs Martial Arts, and I couldn't be more impressed with the experience!”
North Coast Jiu-Jitsu Club
“A great place to learn jiu jitsu, and very welcoming to beginners.”
Rio Pro Brazilianjiu Jitsu
“My first day was fantastic and I'm looking forward to many more.”
Riverview Martial Arts & Fitness
“The class has a great sense of community and overall I just enjoy learning from Master Ritvo, the other instructors and my fellow classmates.”
Short self-defense courses listed for Cleveland, OH are spread across the 15 cards on this page. Who each course is aimed at, where it runs and how often it repeats comes from the school itself, with ratings drawn from public reviews.
Area overview: Cleveland, OH
The 15 schools on this page are rated from 4.0 to 5.0 across 654 reviews; 4 have 50 or more reviews and 14 are rated 4.5 or higher. The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "skills" and "atmosphere". 12 are open on Saturdays and 6 on Sundays. 1 lists staff certifications (NSCA). 10 have ten or more years of experience, the longest 40 years. 1 offers a free trial or consultation; 1 is family- or locally-owned and 2 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for all 15 of the schools on this page; 10 publish a contact page; 10 list a public email and 3 take bookings online. We count these figures across the schools on this page; distances are straight-line, and hours and prices change, so confirm the details with the school before you enroll.
Do the schools on this page travel out to Cleveland?
Many do. 2 of the 15 listed here sit in Cleveland and the others are within 15 mi, which matters less in this category because the instructor usually comes to your room. Ask about travel before you rule out a school on the address alone.
Control Martial Arts
“Very intelligent, skilled and passionate about martial arts as well as an all around kind human being”
1-Up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
“Paul and Jon do a terrific job explaining techniques and methods, both verbally and visually at a pace that benefits each individual's learning style.”
Tracy's Karate
“Great martial arts he flipped me like a ragdoll.”
Crooked River T'ai Chi Ch'uan Center
“The best place to learn tai chi!”
Black Lotus Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy
“Top level instruction-4 Black Belt instructors who are invested in their students.”
Beachwood Academy of Self-Defense
“I learned many different skills and foundations within the first few weeks I was there and I could tell that Sensei really wanted us all to gain as much as possible from each technique so that we could be prepared for any situation in real life.”
Maxout Sports
“We signed up our 4 years old and he loves it.”
Mayfield Karate & Minna Jiu Jitsu
“My 8 yr old daughter has been going since September, she loves going and class has been helping with her focus and confidence.”
Golden Pyramid Martial Arts Center
“I give the owners and instructors 5 stars for the care and time they give to their students.”
Why these companies made our list
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