Women's Self-Defense
Practical self-defense drawn from BJJ. Taught in a supportive setting at Carlos Machado Jiu Jitsu - The Colony.
Is Women's Self-Defense the right fit?
- Age Range
- Ages 16+
- Experience Level
- Beginners welcome. Instruction is calibrated to each student's current level.
- Students Who Thrive
- Anyone who shows up consistently. Effort matters more than starting point.
- Problems It Solves
- Builds confidence, discipline, and real skill through structured practice.
Self-Defense That Reflects How Real Situations Actually Happen.
Women's Self-Defense at this academy is grounded in two principles. First, that most real-world situations escalate gradually and can often be defused before contact becomes necessary. Second, that when contact does happen, the techniques that actually work are the simple, well-drilled ones, not flashy moves that fall apart under pressure.
The class draws directly from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the martial art that most reliably allows a smaller person to defend against a larger attacker. No prior martial arts experience is required, and the class is structured so techniques work for any body type and any fitness level.
Free workshops are offered periodically and listed on the schedule page. They are a community offering, not a sales funnel.
- Awareness and de-escalation
- Standing escapes from common grips and holds
- Ground-based escapes from worst-case positions
- BJJ-based positional control and submission defense
- Scenario drills under controlled stress
When Women's Self-Defense runs.
Current class times for this program are listed on the full weekly schedule.
60 min · Workshops and dedicated sessions
Book your free trial class below, or see the full weekly schedule.
Michael Madeley
5th Degree Black Belt under Carlos Machado
Professor Madeley is a 5th Degree Black Belt under Carlos Machado. He started martial arts at age 7, was introduced to BJJ in 2001 by Klay Pittman at Texas Tech, trained at the original academy in Rio after college, and moved to Dallas to train directly under Carlos Machado. He earned his black belt in 2009 and has led students and teams to multiple DFW competition wins.
LEARN MOREWhat Women's Self-Defense delivers.
Real Skill, Real Progression
Belts and milestones are earned through demonstrated competency, not handed out on a calendar. Students see measurable advancement in the first months and own every step of it.
Calibrated to Where You Are
Instructors meet each student at their current level. Intensity, complexity, and resistance are tuned per student, so beginners and experienced students train productively in the same room.
Coaches Who Actually Coach
Every instructor on staff holds a recognized rank in the discipline they teach and has completed our internal coaching certification before leading a class on their own.
What to Bring on Day One.
- 01 Athletic clothes for day one
- 02 Water bottle
- 03 Hair tied back if applicable
- 04 No experience required. Show up exactly as you are
What Families Are Saying
Live Google reviews and student feedback will appear here.
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Common questions about Women's Self-Defense.
Do I need to be in shape to start?
No. The class is built to be accessible to any starting fitness level. Techniques rely on leverage and position, not on strength.
Will there be sparring?
Live sparring is not part of the regular class. Instead, we run scenario drills with calibrated resistance so you can apply technique under realistic stress without the injury risk of true sparring.
Is this taught only by women?
The class is led by qualified academy instructors. Reach out for specifics on the current instructor lineup.
When are the free workshops?
Workshops are scheduled periodically. Check the schedule page or call the academy at (214) 494-6111 for the next one.
Skills Worth Building Before You Need Them.
Try a real Women's Self-Defense class before you commit. Pick a time on the calendar, show up, train, decide from there.
No contract · No experience required · Walk-ins welcome
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