American Martial Arts Gym
“All coaches have a substantial amount of patience, understanding and more for anyone who wishes to train to be their best.”
Best Self-Defense Classes near Waldorf, MD
3 of these schools are based in Waldorf; the others serve Waldorf from towns including Springfield, VA (19 mi), Washington, DC (21 mi) and Alexandria, VA (17 mi).
21 open weekends · all 24 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 16, 2026
3D Self Defense
“The Head Instructor, Sifu Bledsoe, has also taught my son and his confidence and martial arts skills have soared.”
Kidz Kick
“I am pleased with my son's progress and would definitely recommend to anyone thinking of enrolling their child in Martial Arts!”
Scorpion Defense Training Group
“Best instructor gives good classes and tactic skills and is very detailed I recommend this class”
Black Cat Jiu Jitsu
“Whether you're serious about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or simply passionate as a hobbyist, it's the perfect place for you.”
Six Blades Jiu Jitsu Nova
“No matter the belt, all are super welcoming to new students and they've created a great culture of learning and fun.”
Short self-defense courses listed for Waldorf, MD 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: Waldorf, MD
The 24 schools on this page are rated from 4.6 to 5.0 across 1,640 reviews; 14 have 50 or more reviews. When students and parents rate these schools on specific qualities, they most often praise professionalism (93%), quality (87%) and communication (79%). The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "skills", "atmosphere" and "community". 18 are open on Saturdays and 8 on Sundays. 13 have ten or more years of experience, the longest 30 years. 1 is family- or locally-owned and 3 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for 23 of the schools on this page; 18 publish a contact page; 16 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 Waldorf?
Many do. 3 of the 24 listed here sit in Waldorf and the others are within 35 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.
Fort Washington United
“Great place for young people to get fit and learn self defense techniques.”
The Jiu-Jitsu Academy of Southern Maryland
“They are very patient with brand new students (like me) and the culture is all-around very welcoming and not intimidating.”
Potomac Kempo
“He is patient, will push you, is down to earth, empathetic, and a genuine person.”
Southern Maryland Martial Arts & Fitness
“Love this cozy gym, I have been attending since 2021 there is plenty of space to weight lift/oly lift.”
Pagano BJJ
“Mike is a very good instructor who's passionate about sharing jiujitsu, watching people grow, and spreading the martial arts ethos.”
Yang's Taekwondo
“Excellent place to learn taekwondo, Grand Master Yang is excellent at teaching children and adults alike.”
Krav Maga Northern Virginia
“They are available to help out and answer questions at given time.”
Yamasaki Academy Woodbridge
“I highly recommend this place if you're looking to get in the game, even if it's a further drive than others.”
N-Flux
“I would also strongly recommend the other classes offered by the studio - boxing, kickboxing, grappling (ground fighting), sparring, and urban ninja (strength/conditioning).”
Groundworks Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
“Spent 7 months there, this place is genuinely as good as it gets for learning BJJ.”
Jow Ga Shaolin Institute
“Great Do Jo with excellent facilities and awesome teachers”
Relentless MMA & Fitness
“I've been exercising or involved with sports most of my life and within 2 months my disappearing abs were transformed into an 8-pack.”
Evolveall
“We all love Evolve all my sons favorite class is the black belt class he loves all the teachers and team we definitely recommend them”
Beta Academy
“I was immediately welcomed and the training environment made me fall back in love with the art.”
Estilo Jiu Jitsu
“The smaller class size gives you opportunities to address your skillset 1 on 1 with the instructors, and the quality of training partners is great.”
Lineage BJJ
“I enjoyed watching and learning the steps by step instructions to put a person in a position to leave you alone..”
Full Circle Martial Arts Academy
“As well the academy feels like one big family where they look develop the whole student.”
Rachanon Boxing
“When I sit and observe sessions, I appreciate how well Juned keeps him on track (he has ADHD and is easily distracted), pushing him to do more than he thinks he's capable of physically, while guiding and encouraging him along the way.”
Why these companies made our list
Is this page useful? Yes
No
Is there anything wrong with this page?
