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City Boxing
“I came to City Boxing looking for a gym that can not only provide a great workout, but also teach true boxing techniques, and they've exceeded my expectations.”
Best Self-Defense Classes near San Marcos, CA
1 of these schools is based in San Marcos; the others serve San Marcos from San Diego (21 mi).
all 24 open weekends · all 24 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 16, 2026
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Full Potential Martial Arts Academy
- Karate
- Learning
- Yoga
“It's provided me with a great opportunity to not only learn about martial arts, but how I should react when confronted with a violent situation and what I should do to protect myself.”
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10th Planet San Diego Jiu Jitsu and Training Center
- Home
- Skill
- Felt
“Fast forward to July/August 2021 I spent the month training back here while in the area and it's still the same great people with the world class instruction.”
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THE Arena
“Very good environment, different types of martial arts, the sign up process was plain and simple Ken was able to fully explain it without any doubts great place to start if you're new into martial arts!”
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Swiftkick Martial Arts San Diego
- Behavior
- Self Defense
- Black Belt
“That little personal touch can make an uneasy child more comfortable, that little thing, has stayed with me all this time and I think it is what makes Swift Kick so special.”
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Atos Jiu Jitsu HQ
“I have been going here since 2015 and if you're looking for a professional, high quality, family friendly, or competitive and clean place you are in the right spot.”
Short self-defense courses listed for San Marcos, CA 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 Marcos, CA
The 24 schools on this page are rated from 4.6 to 5.0 across 4,270 reviews; 22 have 50 or more reviews. When students and parents rate these schools on specific qualities, they most often praise professionalism (89%), quality (87%) and communication (76%). The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "atmosphere", "skills" and "knowledge". All 24 are open on Saturdays and 7 on Sundays. 4 have a BBB rating of A or A+. 17 have ten or more years of experience, the longest 74 years. 1 is family- or locally-owned and 5 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for all 24 of the schools on this page; 22 publish a contact page; 17 list a public email and 14 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.
How do I get a course outline from schools listed for San Marcos?
By email, and 17 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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Impact Krav Maga Self-Defense
- Teach
- Learn
- Passionate
“Yury and Veronica are very strong teachers of Krav Maga and are especially suited to breaking down the technical elements of Krav Maga into terms that a beginner can understand and digest easily.”
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White Tiger Kung Fu
- Mind
- Healthy
- Weapons
“The curriculum includes but is not limited to strikes, defense, footwork, Internal and External forms, weapons, physical and mental conditioning, chi gung (power meditation), sparring, and herbal knowledge.”
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Rada Jiu Jitsu Academy
- Knowledge
- Train
- Skills
“I think that in jiu jitsu you have to feel that you are being part of the academy to have that connection, which I felt since the first days of training session.”
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Soca Brazilian Jiu Jitsu San Diego
- Adults
- BJJ
- Black Belt
“I joined this martial arts school in late 2022 and since joining they treated me as if I belonged, it's like a big family where everyone is working towards getting better and helping you get better.”
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CCW USA Firearms Training
- Future
- Informative
- Ability
“I have been shooting for a few years but was quickly humbled by their teaching as their instruction didn't only improve my skills but also my confidence.”
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Odyssey Training Center San Diego
- Martial Arts
- Jiu Jitsu
- Atmosphere
“The boxing, muay thai, and jiu-jitsu classes are of exceptional quality, and the instructors are both knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about what they do.”
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Clark Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy
- Competition
- Professors
- Respect
“World class instruction, number of classes to choose from throughout the day, deep bench of talented competitors, airy and clean facility, friendly atmosphere.”
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Legion American Jiu Jitsu San Diego
- Craig Jones
- Sunday
- Mouth Wash
“Shout out to coach MIHA for signing me up and coaches Austin and Mike on the beginner course on teaching the foundation of the techniques to improve and have fun and skills in case to”
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Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu Pacific Beach
“Best BJJ academy in San Diego area right now, Top level instruction, clean, great vibes, awesome kids program, very well worth price plus location unbeatable.”
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99 Jiu-Jitsu HQ
- Area
- Environment
- Showers
“Professor Tellis is a Legend in BJJ for being for being an innovator of techniques (turtle/octopus guard), World Champion (still competes after 2 decades), and has trained numerous World Champions (Cobrinha/Galvao).”
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West Coast Martial Arts Academy
“Students are provided opportunities to develop character traits and positive social skills that will help them to be successful at school and in the community.”
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Victory MMA & Fitness
- Desk
- Classes
- Weights
“The class was with Jeff Glover, and despite being taught for individuals with a lot more experience than I, he effectively introduced topics in such a manner that I learned a ton.”
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Eidson Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
“Whether you are a single guy or gal looking to start jiu jitsu/judo or a family looking for a safe place for your kid/kids/family to learn, this is the place you're looking for!!”
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San Diego Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Mixed Martial Arts
“Whether it be Sensei Walter, Sensei Justin, Sensei Carlos and Sensei Tyler training the kids; or Sensei Tim, Sensei Dillon, Sensei Rick, Sensei Jason, Sensei Garrett and Sensei Billy training the teens and adults!”
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Freestyle Martial Arts
“We have watched him grow and develop over this past year and have noticed great changes in his abilities to listen, follow directions, and pay attention.”
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Alliance Jiu Jitsu San Diego
“The chill vibe, the friendly detailed instruction, the cleanliness, the big mat space, the large amount of World Champion Instructors/Students/Competitors, the diverse availability of classes and the lack of strong ego.”
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The Training Center
- Mats
- Facility
- Floor
“5 months ago with zero experience and coach Ivan, Chris, and the whole team have done such an amazing job with me I was able to compete with confidence in my first BJJ tournament after only three months of training.”
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North Park Jiu Jitsu Academy
- Mat
- BJJ
- Journey
“If you want to be around students and instructors with a mindset of learning north park is great family environment for the kids classes and womens and beginners classes.”
Self-Defense Training Services in San Marcos, CA Cost Estimates
Minimum cost
$174
Maximum cost
$522
National Average
$267
Avg Per Hour Rates
$70
$232
$360
Average price range is based on 404 cost profiles
Why these companies made our list
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