Five Rings Jiu Jitsu
“You get the feeling everyone is there learning and helping eachother out along their own path independent of belt color, age, experience, size, all of it.”
Best Self-Defense Classes in Portland, OR
19 schools listed · all 19 in Portland · 14 open weekends · 17 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 16, 2026
Straight Blast Gym Portland
“They teach them about everything on the steps to get where are you from time is it will take longer but if you keep trying you will get your there.”
W1 Taekwondo
“Overall, it has had a transformative effect on my child's development, making it a highly recommended activity for children with ADHD.”
Tigerstyle Combat Sports
“The jiu jitsu instructor Liz is very much observant as well and explains the basics and shows the proper techniques.”
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One With Heart Martial Arts + Self Defense
“It makes feel like everyone has a place and that no one is left out.”
G.i.r.l.s. Gym
“So much fun and they work so well with beginners like me!”
Short self-defense courses listed for Portland, OR are spread across the 19 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: Portland, OR
All 19 schools we list here are in Portland itself. We have 22 schools in Portland on file; this page shows the highest-rated 19. 18 of the schools on this page have a rating, from 4.4 to 5.0 across 1,064 reviews; 8 have 50 or more reviews and 17 are rated 4.5 or higher. When students and parents rate these schools on specific qualities, they most often praise communication (88%), professionalism (88%) and quality (88%). The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "skills", "confidence" and "community". 14 are open on Saturdays and 7 on Sundays. 3 have a BBB rating of A or A+. 12 have ten or more years of experience, the longest 42 years. 2 are family- or locally-owned and 3 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for all 19 of the schools on this page; 15 publish a contact page; 13 list a public email and 5 take bookings online. We count these figures across the schools on this page; hours and prices change, so confirm the details with the school before you enroll.
How do I get a course outline from schools listed for Portland?
By email, and 13 of the 19 schools here publish an address. Write with the group you have in mind, the room you can offer and what worries the group, then ask for a plan of the session. A school that replies with a price and nothing else has told you something.
Industrial Strength Gym: Fitness & Jiu Jitsu
“I love that there is an organized training schedule, and the gym offers multiple class times to accommodate busy schedules.”
Renzo Gracie Jiu Jitsu Portland
“I mainly take the fundamental classes with Ruben, and he explains the moves in an incredibly accessible, yet thorough fashion.”
Southwest Portland Martial Arts and Crossfit Hillsdale
“What sets this place apart is that Lara and Wally are really attentive and effective teachers who connect well with my two shy kids through intentional, thoughtfully structured lessons.”
Unicorn Jiu Jitsu
“I had been training at Unicorn for about 6 months and loved every second of it.”
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Bethany US World Class Taekwondo Martial Arts Academy
“Neat, organized, very well maintained and good instructors.”
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Portland
“Humble, knowledgeable, genuinely good people who are passionate about living a good, healthy lifestyle while helping others do the same.”
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Flying Tortoise Kung Fu
“They offer plenty of classes for folks of all ages and schedules, and they are always so welcoming that you can just pop into a random one and you're guaranteed to make a friend by the end of it.”
North Portland Martial Arts and Movement
“I feel so very fortunate that my 9-year old daughter is in his class, and I wholeheartedly recommend him and his studio to other parents.”
Team Quest MMA
“They're great at pushing you to where you want to go, whether it's just for fitness or if you want to really get into fighting.”
Portland Jujitsu
“I believe Portland small circle to be one of the best things has happened to me in the last 20 years and I do believe that the sensei is very knowledgeable and very accommodating to individuals.”
Instinct Defense Academy
“He creates a challenging environment where individuals can grow and develop their skills in martial arts and self-defense.”
Pacific Renbukai Karate Official Japanese Dojo
“I highly recommend this place for those whom the traditional side of karate appeal to, for those who used to practice karate and want to get back into it, for those who compete in MMA, boxing, kickboxing or other combative/noncombative sports as cross training, for those who desire something different in their fitness regimen (you WILL sweat a lot), and for those who just desire more confidence (once you train for a while, you'll find that confidence).”
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Why these companies made our list
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