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Crosley Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
“I have suffered a few injuries (purely due to my own clumsiness) and the team at Crosley have been wonderful with checking in on my recovery and helping me to modify/prevent injuries.”
Best Self-Defense Classes near Walnut Creek, CA
3 of these schools are based in Walnut Creek; the others serve Walnut Creek from towns including Oakland (12 mi), Vallejo (18 mi) and San Ramon (11 mi).
20 open weekends · 23 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 18, 2026
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Essence BJJ Walnut Creek
“I've also trained at various BJJ gyms around the country and, in my experience, I've found Vini and the RGWC crew to be the most welcoming to beginners and visitors!”
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Dominat10n Jiu Jitsu
- Atmosphere
- Confidence
- Belts
“My four-year-old son, my eight-year-old daughter, my husband in his thirties, and myself, a woman in my thirties, have all been able to find great joy in learning this sport.”
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Streetwise Self Defense
“Showed us all the various defensive moves for an array of situations and made us practice.”
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Kungfu Dragon USA — Pleasanton
“The classes are well-structured, engaging, and filled with positive reinforcement, which has greatly boosted my son's confidence both on and off the mat.”
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Crispim BJJ Barra Brothers
- MMA
- Skills
- Environment
“We've been to other gyms/academy's and although they all claim to have a family atmosphere none can compare to Crispim BJJ Barra Brothers in Pleasanton.”
Short self-defense courses listed for Walnut Creek, 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: Walnut Creek, CA
The 24 schools on this page are rated from 4.2 to 5.0 across 817 reviews; 2 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 quality (94%), professionalism (87%) and communication (65%). The topics that come up most in reviews of the schools on this page are "atmosphere", "skills" and "community". 19 are open on Saturdays and 8 on Sundays. 3 have a BBB rating of A or A+. 18 have ten or more years of experience, the longest 40 years. 2 list coupons or special offers. We have a website on file for 23 of the schools on this page; 21 publish a contact page; 17 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 Walnut Creek?
Many do. 3 of the 24 listed here sit in Walnut Creek 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.
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Bay Area Martial Arts
- Classes
- Age
- Life
“We didn't think it could get better but just completed a b-day party where all 25 kids had an incredible time learning martial arts, swords and light saber fighting techniques.”
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Guila's Kaju-Kickboxing (Dba) Maximus Combat Sports Academy
- Skills
- Adults
- Son
“Excellent dojo for kids and adults to not only learn martial arts/mma, but to also gain discipline, confidence, determination, and new set of useful skills, etc...”
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BK Roots Fitness
- Knee
- Yoga
- Back Pain
“All these years have compounded and caused pain by incorrect training but over the last year I have been pain free (except the good kind for sore muscles).”
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Rio Combat Team
- Muay Thai
- Knowledge
- Mats
“Whether your goal is to compete or learn BJJ and Muay Thai as a hobby and to keep in shape, Rio Combat is a great and friendly place to train for all age groups.”
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Six Blades Jiu Jitsu
- Black Belt
- World Champion
- Environment
“I can advise anybody to go visit this school, Eduardo is a real fun and respectful guy and he has been doing bjj for an eternity both in the states as well as in Brazil.”
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Combat Fitness
- Price
- Boxing
- Train
“If you are a beginner training MMA, Boxing, Kickboxing and Muay Thai or just want to learn self-defense and get a great work out, def come to Combat Fitness!”
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Four Elements Fitness
- Strength
- Yoga
- Tailor
“Because I haven't regularly trained at another gym I can't speak with much authority on how it compares to other BJJ gyms, but I think that FEF stands out in a few ways...”
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Mineiro Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Atmosphere
- Matter
- Tournament
“Everyone is focused on learning and helping each other improve, which promotes a positive and supportive environment - not just during the classes but also during open mats.”
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510 Judo
- BJJ
- Community
- Skills
“When I first came to Oakland I had tried out about a dozen schools in the area and Oakland Judo stood out amongst them all, even when they had the smaller facility.”
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Team Santos Jiu Jitsu
- Community
- Competitions
- Train
“Walked in a small gym when I was 19 years old, tried my first day at jiu jitsu with team Santos almost 5 years later I'm still lucky to be training with them.”
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Delgado's Martial Arts
“He used to tell us how his fighting style helped his former students who joined the military, and I always thought it was just bragging, but then I went and joined the US Army in 2006 as an MP and it was true.”
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Soaring Eagles Taekwondo
“My daughters go to Elite public school, their after-school program offers free classes.”
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Pallens Martial Arts Tri Valley
“My daughter attended Pallen's Martial Arts school for 3 years and in that time I witnessed a huge improvement in her self confidence and respect for others.”
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Han Martial Arts
“What's more, what you learn here - focus, listening, trying (never quitting), practicing, discipline, respect, and self-control -- are foundational elements that help you in all aspects of life.”
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Martial Arts America
“The discipline and conditioning my kids receive from martial arts (Taekwondo, Jujitsu, Eskrima, and Krav Maga) have helped them do well in school, sports, and community service.”
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East West Kungfu Academy
- Championships
- Silver Medal
- Gold Medal
“The oldest one participated a little bit over a year and when in the competition at 2024 Golden State Wushu Championships got his gold medal and silver medals.”
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School of Chinese Martial Arts Hei Long
“We try to attend as much as possible, with school and work we make it a minimum of two days a week and I have seen significant improvement in my son, such as his focus and ability to follow instructions.”
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Cuong Nhu Redwood Dojo
“And with the virus closing everything down, she's switched to Zoom, which is less than ideal but one hell of a lot better than nothing...”
Self-Defense Training Services in Walnut Creek, CA Cost Estimates
Minimum cost
$166
Maximum cost
$498
National Average
$255
Avg Per Hour Rates
$67
$221
$343
Typical price range is based on 539 cost profiles
Why these companies made our list
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