Certain Victory Martial Arts & Fitness
“Wow what a amazing place all the trainers and staff are great thank you all so much for helping better my self”
Best Self-Defense Classes near Marlborough, MA
3 of these schools are based in Marlborough; the others serve Marlborough from towns including Natick (10 mi), Hudson (3 mi) and Framingham (6 mi).
14 open weekends · all 15 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 19, 2026
New England Martial Arts Athletic Center
“Master Cooper and Master Red are very good teachers and that's why I really like this school.”
Villari's Martial Arts and Wellness
“The instructors are wonderful and skilled at balancing discipline and hard work while keeping it fun so the kids stay engaged.”
Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Framingham
“My son (4 years old) looks forward to every class and has an absolute blast with Professors Rodrigo, Nicholas and Ovi.”
Metro West Academy of Jiu-Jitsu
“Kids get exposure to lots of things, from leading other, younger kids, to leading classes when they get experienced enough.”
Daniel Gracie Academy Northborough
“This academy has a great kids program Frankie”s knowledge and love for the martial arts makes the kids learn the way is fun and respectful at the same time.”
Short self-defense courses listed for Marlborough, MA 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: Marlborough, MA
The 15 schools on this page are rated from 4.6 to 5.0 across 1,092 reviews; 4 have 50 or more reviews. When students and parents rate these schools on specific qualities, they most often praise quality (90%), professionalism (82%) and communication (72%). The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "skills", "atmosphere" and "confidence". 13 are open on Saturdays and 3 on Sundays. 4 have a BBB rating of A or A+. Domain records put 9 websites of the schools on this page at ten or more years old; the oldest dates from 2000. 2 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for all 15 of the schools on this page; 14 publish a contact page; 12 list a public email and 4 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 Marlborough?
Many do. 3 of the 15 listed here sit in Marlborough 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.
New Horizon Karate & Jujitsu
“The classes are small enough to allow for one on one teaching as well as practice with other students, which builds a nice camaraderie with the other kids.”
Versus Jiu-Jitsu
“Professor Rodrigo is world class, and his students are some of the nicest people I've met in jiu jitsu over the years.”
Metrowest Tang Soo Do
“The total number of years of martial arts experience amongst the instructors is staggering, most of whom also have had their own kids train at the school over the years.”
Alchemy Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
“He embodies all of the positive traits that a martial artist should have.”
Cormier's Self Defense Academy
Bay State Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
“If you're on the fence about trying something new like jiu jitsu, you couldn't ask for a safer more welcoming, kind and patient place than Bay State Jiu Jitsu.”
Gung-Ho Self-Defense Classes
“My son is eagerly waiting for the classes and he feels much more confident now, in case any situation arises or he is attacked”
Bancroft Boxing Gym
“The classes are amazing and all the trainers are very knowledgable, helpful and encocuraging.”
American Shaolin Kempo Concepts
“Master Phil did such a great job with the help of his wife Mary for our sons 5'th birthday party!”
Why these companies made our list
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