De La Costa Academy
“If you're looking for a martial arts academy with excellent instruction, a positive team culture, and a place where you'll continue to grow both on and off the mats, I highly recommend giving this academy a try.”
Best Self-Defence Classes in Ottawa, ON
8 schools listed · 7 in Ottawa · 7 open weekends · all 8 rated 4.5+
Data verified October 19, 2026
We are still growing
There are too few quality options within 25 km, so we have expanded area of coverage to up to 100 km from you. This includes Ottawa and several other cities.
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Krav Maga Ottawa
“The instructors are wonderful - they are positive and encouraging, while at the same time, they push you to expand your comfort zone and prepare you for real-life conflict.”
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Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Ottawa
“He makes everyone in the class feel comfortable with safety being a top priority.”
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Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts
“This is the only Muay Thai gym I've ever been to, and I've never thought about trying another one because the coaches here are professionals and just amazing overall đź’Ż”
Tina Takahashi Martial Arts
“It's a badass fighting family running this gym with a deep well of knowledge and I look forward to picking their brains further and competing at higher levels as I know they can take me there.”
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Zen Mixed Martial Arts
“I've been coming here a little over 3 months and I've been able to learn and improve so much in such a short amount in both Mauy Thai and BJJ.”
Short self-defence courses listed for Ottawa, ON are spread across the 8 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: Ottawa, ON
7 of the 8 schools we list are based in Ottawa; the other one serves Ottawa from Manotick (20 km). The schools on this page are rated from 4.6 to 5.0 across 809 reviews; 7 have 50 or more reviews. 7 are open on Saturdays and 3 on Sundays. Domain records put 3 websites of the schools on this page at ten or more years old; the oldest dates from 2003. We have a website on file for all 8 of the schools on this page; 7 publish a contact page; 5 list a public email and 3 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 enrol.
Which course providers listed for Ottawa describe their courses online?
All 8 cards carry a website link. Look for a real outline, who teaches, and who the course is for. Stock photography of a woman throwing a man in a white studio is not an outline, and schools that keep their content vague are often selling the same session to every audience.
Inner Hero Martial Arts & Fitness
“You can tell he really enjoys what he does.”
Gracie Barra Manotick
“I've had the opportunity to train at many academies over the years, and as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, I can't say enough good things about this one.”
Why these companies made our list
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