MA Fitness Kickboxing
“A friend introduced me to MA Fitness after years of being sedentary, (multiple surgeries etc) frustrated and doubtful I would ever be able to find my “workout niche”, again.”
Best Self-Defense Classes in St. Petersburg, FL
24 schools listed · 5 in St. Petersburg · 14 open weekends · 22 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 18, 2026
Inside Control Academy
“Highly recommend this gym, whether you are just looking to get in shape and learn some self defense, all the way up to those that want to be serious competitors.”
Master Tony Perri Taekwondo
“He takes what he does seriously he knows when to push you even if you want to quit, he also knows what you need to work on, when you fall he's always there to pick you up I am so blessed to have a taekwondo coach as good as him!”
Mike Price's Martial Arts & Fitness
“Mike helps you understand why we're doing each exercise and if it isn't working for you, he will take time to explain a different workout that is more suited for the individual.”
Tactical Defense
“I retook the course 2 years later as a refresher (because luckily I'm not having to use these skills on a regular basis) - the second time around felt even MORE resourceful and impactful being able to recall and practice the tactics gained the first ...”
Tampa Bay Krav Maga
“The instructors Dora and Kylie are wonderful, talented, competent, strong and you know they care about you and they want you to be the strongest version of yourself, just by the way they treat/teach you.”
Short self-defense courses listed for St. Petersburg, FL 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: St. Petersburg, FL
5 of the 24 schools we list are based in St. Petersburg; the other 19 serve St. Petersburg from towns including Largo (10 mi), Tampa (19 mi) and Pinellas Park (5 mi). 23 of the schools on this page have a rating, from 4.2 to 5.0 across 1,882 reviews; 14 have 50 or more reviews and 22 are rated 4.5 or higher. When students and parents rate these schools on specific qualities, they most often praise quality (96%), professionalism (92%) and communication (77%). The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "skills", "atmosphere" and "confidence". 14 are open on Saturdays and 3 on Sundays. 1 has a BBB rating of A or A+. 18 have ten or more years of experience, the longest 39 years. 2 offer a free trial or consultation and 4 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for all 24 of the schools on this page; 20 publish a contact page; 20 list a public email and 8 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 St. Petersburg?
Many do. 5 of the 24 listed here sit in St. Petersburg and the others are within 20 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.
Oh's Martial Arts
“He's learning respect for himself and others monthly homework assignments to improve home life like good hygiene, listening to parents and cleaning up after themselves.”
Gracie Barra Clearwater
“The self defense classes prepare you for the advanced classes, and the the variety of gi and no-gi classes as well as open mats, wrestling, a kids program and an all-female self-defense class make this the best school in town.”
Bushido Karate Academy
“He has improved in so many ways; from his level of respect for himself as well as others, his self worth and confidence has improved drastically, he has made goals for himself and has achieved them, most of all he has a huge supportive family at Bush...”
Ryan Dean's the Dojo Martial Arts and Fitness
“I taught the kids school for 2 years and it is the best place for kids to develop socially and channel their energy into something extremely positive and self developmental.”
South Tampa Jiu-Jitsu & MMA
“Extremely talented instruction and partnership with Tampa Muay thai give this school everything you need to build a successful toolbox for self defense, or successful fight tactics.”
Elevate Martial Arts South Tampa
“South Tampa's best Is a great place for kids to learn professional Tekondo's techniques and a lot of skills for life, confidence, responsibility, respect and more.”
Robson Moura Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Tampa
“Although some techniques at first glance looked too advanced, the time was taken to break it down to its elements gave me the confidence, that with some drilling, I could definitely hit these in active sparring.”
Gracie Tampa South MMA and BJJ
“Whether you are just starting out and would like to improve your fitness and confidence, or you want to be the next UFC champion, expect to become part of a community of like-minded individuals working towards their goals collectively.”
Supremacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
“If you are on the fence about getting back into training or looking to start training for the first time, I encourage you to call or message and set up a visit so you can see for yourself.”
C.o.b.r.a Self Defense Systems
“WOW, everything i thought would work in a bad situation was wrong and thanks to the scenario based approach i quickly learned how to properly defend my family and myself and to discard those faulty ideas i had.”
Safety Harbor Jiu-Jitsu
“I have been training at this academy for almost 2 years and every day I wake up with the same enthusiasm as the first day, not only because I became a sports fan but because of the sense of family and team that exists and that they showed me from the...”
Rising Tide Jiu Jitsu
“Professor Brian and the amazing staff truly care for the people that train here and it is easy to tell by the emphasis they place in safety, security, cleanliness, and overall well-being of everyone around.”
Hidden Leaf Jiu Jitsu
“The instructors study and teach the best positional systems of jiu jitsu, and are excited to work with each student personally to develop high understanding and application of moves.”
Chinese Martial Arts Center
“The kids classes are exciting, fun and challenging; the adult classes are a great workout; and both teach the students valuable self-defense techniques and traditional Chinese martial arts styles.”
Clearwater Martial Arts and Fitness Academy
“Professional, top quality martial arts instructors.”
Champion Tae Kwon Do
“Champion has helped my boys with learning respect, confidence and the skills they need to protect their selves if ever need be they also excelled better in other sports and activities.”
Dynamic Defense Martial Arts
Physical Culture Combat Club
Why these companies made our list
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