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Team Shark
“Super happy and pleased with my results this program has changed my life in so many ways from regaining my confidence, energy levels and a winning mentality!”
Best Self-Defense Classes in San Antonio, TX
24 schools listed · all 24 in San Antonio · 18 open weekends · 23 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 16, 2026
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Marra Senki Jiu-Jitsu Academy
“Found it to be a place for serious training in a safe friendly environment- best of both worlds- and they have a lot of training options on the menu....”
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Gfteam San Antonio
“Mike and Emma are great instructors, great teammates, everybody is friendly and courteous wether you are a competitor or just trying a new workout you will love this school, great atmosphere.”
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Semper Fortis Jiu Jitsu
- Competition
- Judo
- BJJ
“I just got back into Jui Jitsu, but I had travel work time coming up, I didn't want to lose that mentality and progress so I asked my coach for a place he recommended while in San Antonio, immediately, he said to go here--for good reason.”
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Brazilian Top Team
“Whether you're looking for just general health and a fun exercise or are serious about competing, the staff is always welcoming, knowledgeable, and so kind.”
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Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu San Antonio
“I stayed & signed the acknowledgment wavier for the upcoming class and was greeted by the professor and his students as I stepped on the mats feeling welcomed to train.”
Short self-defense courses listed for San Antonio, TX 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: San Antonio, TX
All 24 schools we list here are in San Antonio itself. We have 47 schools in San Antonio on file; this page shows the highest-rated 24. The schools on this page are rated from 4.4 to 5.0 across 2,474 reviews; 15 have 50 or more reviews and 23 are rated 4.5 or higher. When students and parents rate these schools on specific qualities, they most often praise professionalism (90%), quality (82%) and communication (75%). The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "skills", "confidence" and "knowledge". 18 are open on Saturdays and 1 on Sundays. 3 have a BBB rating of A or A+. 12 have ten or more years of experience, the longest 37 years. 1 offers a free trial or consultation; 2 are family- or locally-owned and 2 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for 23 of the schools on this page; 18 publish a contact page; 13 list a public email and 7 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 San Antonio?
By email, and 13 of the 24 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.
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Ferocious Fitness Boxing Gym
- Meeting
- Discipline
- Son
“They have the most tiring and fun workouts I've seen, I've been going to the 10am class with coach Francisco and coach chandler and they really give me a workout.”
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Pinnacle Martial Arts Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA San Antonio
- Practice
- Parents
- Coach Daniel
“The coaches and staff are great, coach Daniel is very knowledgeable and cares a lot about seeing his students improve and is always pushing us to get better.”
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Legacy Martial Arts
“It's not the fanciest gym I've seen, but what it lacks in appearances is made up 10 fold in how great you feel about yourself after leaving this place for the day.”
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Buck & Doe's Mercantile
- Accessories
- Boutique
- Lesson
“The range portion was a hoot as my wife was extremely anxious of firing a gun for the first time but Bob was very reassuring and coaxed my wife into firing 50 rounds as if this was not her first time.”
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Kingdom Martial Arts Academy
“I was gonna go to a different gym at first but after seeing some of the content Charles posts online, I wanted to go to KMA and learn from a real professional.”
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National School of Martial Arts
“Whether you want to do tourneys, increase your balance and flexibility, or just want to do some awesome tae kwon do - NSMA is the place for you and/or your kids!!!”
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Gracie Barra San Antonio- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Self-Defense
- Belt
- Competitor
- Learn
“While I don't get to visit as often as I would like when I am in town, and can make it in I am always made to feel welcome - even though it is not my “home” school.”
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Rodrigo Pinheiro Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Confidence
- Learn
- Team
“My brother and I did the technique together, which was followed by specific training using the positions covered, then we broke off into five 6-minute rounds.”
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Kung Jung Mu Sul (Kjms)
“Having been in the martial arts business for over 20 years, it gives me great pride to see what Mr Aaron has accomplished for his students (old and new) at this studio.”
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Sanchin Karate School
“Best value with the most kid friendly instructors - we've looked at five different options and decided that this one was definitely the right choice!”
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Dance Center of San Antonio
- Desk
- Ballet
- Skills
“I am acquainted with the owners of this studio, and if I had a child desiring to take dance lessons, you can bet this is where they would receive instruction!”
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Gracie Jiu Jitsu San Antonio
- Passion
- Seminar
- Lessons
“With that said, I ended up going to another school (for now) due to location, however the lesson learned here I was able to actually retain and employ multiple times in my other school.”
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Club K.O. Boxing & Personal Training 1
- Hands
- Strength Training
- Fitness
“There's a great variety of classes, the instructors give great feedback while still being encouraging, and the class times are super convenient for working schedules.”
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Brazilian Top Team
- Champions
- Foot
- Black Belt
“The team consists of accomplished practitioners who are not only skilled competitors but also possess a deep understanding of the technical aspects of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.”
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Korea America Taekwondo Academy
“Martinez creates a class environment that is discipline but a space where we can have fun and grow not only our muscles and abilities but our minds as well.”
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San Antonio Jiu-Jitsu Academy
- Adults
- Skills
- Fitness
“My kid loves it”
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Team Delima
- Mats
- Strategy
- Black Belt
“I have trained at a few schools throughout San Antonio as well as trained with a large melting pot of mixed martial artists that rotate in and out of Ft Sam Houston.”
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Universal Judo
- Olympic
“When we relocated to Dallas, we put her in another dojo, but she was invisible among 100 other kids, but at Universal she got her attention and training.”
Self-Defense Training Services in San Antonio, TX Cost Estimates
Minimum cost
$188
Maximum cost
$562
National Average
$287
Avg Per Hour Rates
$75
$250
$387
Typical price range is based on 523 cost profiles
Why these companies made our list
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