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Ares East Mesa BJJ Academy
“I'm currently a white belt, and my BJJ skills have been significantly changed because of the coaching, teaching, other students, and general atmosphere here.”
Best Self-Defense Classes in Mesa, AZ
24 schools listed · 20 in Mesa · 1 open 24/7 · 19 open weekends · 20 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 16, 2026
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Farias Jiu-Jitsu
- World Champion
- Compete
- Black Belt
“My son is 6 and pretty sure he has ADHD and they are patient and willing to teach him although he "rack disciprine" (south park joke either get it or you don't).”
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Faction Combat Mixed Martial Arts Gym
“Also the benefits are huge weight loss, self defense and confidence building, I study the combatives portion but you won't go wrong with any system learned here!”
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East Mesa Karate
“We have also been so impressed with the physical and behavioral skills our son has learned and with all of the fun activities that they plan every month for the kids!”
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Precision Martial Arts
“This year has been a very crazy year with the quarantine and they have really stepped up to make sure that the children's best interests are always the #1 priority.”
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Spartan Nation Combatives and Fitness
- Team
- Feel
- Self Defense
“The entire team of coaches Dan ,Jason in strength, Jaden with adolescents and Jon in rehab will always do whatever it takes to help any member in need in anything they may need a hand with!”
Short self-defense courses listed for Mesa, AZ are spread across the 24 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: Mesa, AZ
20 of the 24 schools we list are based in Mesa; the other 4 serve Mesa from Scottsdale (21 mi), Gilbert (7 mi) and Tempe (12 mi). 23 of the schools on this page have a rating, from 4.0 to 5.0 across 1,590 reviews; 11 have 50 or more reviews and 20 are rated 4.5 or higher. When customers rate these schools on specific qualities, they most often praise quality (94%), professionalism (91%) and communication (77%). 1 is open around the clock; 19 are open on Saturdays and 4 on Sundays. Domain records put 13 websites of the schools on this page at ten or more years old; the oldest dates from 2005. 3 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for all 24 of the schools on this page; 16 publish a contact page; 17 list a public email and 10 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 Mesa?
Many do. 20 of the 24 listed here sit in Mesa and the others are within 25 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.
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Gracie Jiu Jitsu Mesa
- Classes
- Mats
- Learning Environment
“The teaching is in depth and thorough but the instructors are always great to make sure everyone has a chance to learn at their own pace and have their questions answered.”
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Gracie Barra East Mesa Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Self-Defense
- Valley
- Knowledge
- Gold Medal
“East Mesa Gracie Barra gym was one of the best decisions we've made for our 4 year old son, Professor Lucas & Professor Joao are incredible at teaching ...”
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Tao Martial Arts
- Class Sizes
- Learn
- Studio
“I really enjoy Kyo Sa Nim's attention to detail when teaching each technique and how easily he adapts his instruction to meet an individual's learning needs.”
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Revive Jiu Jitsu
- Community
- Passion
- Learn
“His expertise and passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu shine through in every class, making it an enriching experience for both newbies and seasoned practitioners.”
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Barrier Academy
“J onathan hosted a private lesson for me and my friends. He was super helpful, kind and thorough. He took our unique situations in to consideration and made sure to cover the likely scenarios that we may face. I would strongly recommend taking his wo...”
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Ares Arizona Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Black Belt
- Learn
- Skilled
“This academy is an incredible place to train and grow in my journey to becoming a seasoned Jiu-jitsu practitioner under the 10x world Champion professor Nava.”
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Universal Fitness AND Mixed Martial Arts
“Lutrario is such a great teacher, and the environment and community are exactly what I was looking for - encouraging, educational, and friendly, full of people eager to help each other.”
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American Wushu Academy
“Aside from the camaraderie and encouragement from Sifu, the types of exercises they do at AWA fall perfectly in line with our son's physical therapy requirements.”
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Advanced Defense Solutions LLC
“Their experience was very helpful to tighten up our shot groups as well as teach us so good drills to do after the course.”
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Essential Aikido
- Sensei Tom
- Learn
- Self Defense
“When my 13 year old daughter told me she wanted to begin martial arts training, I knew that it would be something she would enjoy, but I needed to find a dojo that offered a nurturing environment with people her own age and size.”
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Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun of Az
- System
- Learn
- Classes
“HFY Wing Chun is a system based on principles and is excellent for self defense regardless of your size, added bonus is that the teacher is determined to teach you, its a good amount of cardio, your fellow martial artist are all understanding and wil...”
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Sharkside Jiu-Jitsu
- Classes
- Technique
“I've been doing their jiu-jitsu classes for a few months now and have seen a huge improvement.”
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Coach Decker's Martial Arts For Kids and Families Academy
“They are proficiently learning basic judo in a short amount of time, but more importantly, respect and discipline are also being instilled; all in a fun and supportive environment.”
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Horse Lords
“Believe it or not, we have riders who come through our clinics who have been attacked, know someone who has been attacked or has had to deal with a rude and unhappy person on the trail. Trail riders are experiencing people who are living on the trail...”
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Evkm Self Defense & Fitness
- Endurance
- Intensity
- Trainers
“Also, everyone is very supportive and there is a lot of female participation in sparring and other classes that are usually dominated by men (which is not the norm at other gyms).”
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Carlson Gracie Team AZ
“I was only in town visiting family and the nice people at Carlson Gracie BJJ not only let me train there, but also helped me prepare for an upcoming tournament.”
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10th Planet Scottsdale Jiu Jitsu
- Community
- Area
- Traveling
“I passed through since I'm from out of town and only attended a single session, but the crew here at 10th planet Scottsdale immediately made me feel at home.”
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Legacy Martial Arts of Scottsdale AZ
- Master
- Motivated
- Stars
“As great as the training and exercise is for our kids we love the emphasis on responsibility and core values that Master Calantog bases his training on.”
Self-Defense Training Services in Mesa, AZ Cost Estimates
Minimum cost
$187
Maximum cost
$559
National Average
$286
Avg Per Hour Rates
$75
$249
$385
Average price range is based on 547 cost profiles
Why these companies made our list
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