Practical self-defence classes in Melbourne.
Learn to stay aware, keep your distance and protect yourself with Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do — simple, direct skills you practise in every class, in a small group with personal corrections.
Jeet Kune Do Legacy Academy runs practical self-defence classes for adults and teens (14+) at Unit 6 / 72-80 Hampstead Rd, Maidstone, in Melbourne's inner west. Group classes run Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm and Saturday at 9:30 am, each lasts 60 minutes, and your first class is free.
Self-defence training that fits a working week
Three 60-minute classes a week, no contracts and a free first class. Prices and packs are on The Way.
What our students say.
What our self-defence classes cover
Self-defence starts long before anything physical happens. Every skill below is taught step by step and adapted to your level.
Avoid it before it starts
Reading people and places, keeping your distance, using your voice and knowing when to walk away. The best fight is the one that never happens.
Stance, footwork and range
A balanced guard and mobile footwork let you control the space between you and a threat — the foundation of Jeet Kune Do's idea of interception.
Simple, direct strikes
The straight lead, low kicks and basic combinations: few techniques, drilled until they work under stress, not a catalogue of moves.
Grabs, clinch and getting up
Trapping, clinch work and grappling basics so you can break free from a hold, get back to your feet and create space to escape.
Skills that hold up under stress
Partner drills get more realistic as you progress. Sparring starts only at intermediate level, always supervised — and it is never compulsory.
Confidence and control
Training teaches calm under pressure and the judgement to use only the force a situation needs. Strength and character go together.
Why Jeet Kune Do works for self-defence
Bruce Lee built Jeet Kune Do — "the way of the intercepting fist" — to be simple, direct and efficient. Instead of fixed forms, you learn principles: intercept the attack, use the shortest line, and adapt to whatever is in front of you.
That makes it a practical choice for self-defence. You train kicking, punching, trapping and grappling ranges in one system, so you are not lost when a situation moves from one range to another.
At our school you learn it from Sigung Ricardo Vargas, who was trained and certified by Sifu Jerry Poteet and Sigung Richard Bustillo — two of Bruce Lee's own students. Read more: Is Jeet Kune Do effective in a real fight?
Who trains with us
Complete beginners
Most students start with no martial arts background. The 12-week Foundation rotates, so you can start any week and nothing is lost if you miss one.
Women and teens
Women train in every class, and teenagers can join from 14. See women's self-defence for our planned workshop.
Martial artists from other styles
Coming from Wing Chun, Kung Fu, boxing or karate? You will recognise a lot — and see what JKD adds. JKD vs Wing Chun.
Prefer one-on-one? Book private self-defence lessons with Sigung Vargas. Training in South Australia? See self-defence classes in Adelaide.
Where we train in Melbourne
Our school is in Maidstone, in Melbourne's inner west — about 10 km from the CBD, close to Footscray, Maribyrnong and Sunshine.
- Address
- Unit 6 / 72-80 Hampstead Rd, Maidstone VIC 3012
- Parking
- Free parking at Hampstead Rd
- Bus
- Route 406 — stop Wattle Rd/Hampstead Rd
- Phone
- 0459 785 073
Students travel to us from all over the north and west:
- Essendon
- Moonee Ponds
- Avondale Heights
- Brunswick
- Broadmeadows
- Footscray
- Maribyrnong
- Sunshine
- Yarraville
Three steps to your first class
Leave your details
Fill in the short form — it takes about 30 seconds.
Get a call within 24 hours
Sigung Vargas calls you for a short chat about your goals and books a class time that suits you.
Train — your first class is free
Wear sports clothes; group classes train barefoot. No experience or fitness level needed.
Guides worth reading
Is Jeet Kune Do effective in a real fight?
Is Jeet Kune Do effective in a real fight? An honest look at JKD self-defence: alive training, fair criticisms, lineage and how we train in Melbourne.
Read →
What is the best martial art for self-defence? An honest comparison
Is there a best martial art for self-defence? An honest look at Krav Maga, BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, Wing Chun and JKD, from a Melbourne academy.
Read →
How to choose a self-defence class in Melbourne (a checklist)
How to choose self defence classes in Melbourne: questions to ask, red flags, real costs and a checklist table. Free first class at JKD Legacy, Maidstone.
Read →Questions people ask
Do I need to be fit to start self-defence classes?
No. You start at your own level and the instructor scales every drill. Fitness comes from training — you don't need it before your first class.
Is sparring compulsory?
No. Sparring is only introduced at intermediate and advanced level, always under the instructor’s supervision, and you can choose not to spar.
What is the minimum age?
Classes are for teens and adults from 14 years old. We do not run kids’ classes.
What should I wear?
Comfortable sports clothes. Group classes train barefoot. Bring a bottle of water.
How much do self-defence classes cost?
Your first class is free. After that, options start at A$175 for 5 classes, with a 12-class pack (A$350), Monthly Unlimited (A$240) and 3-Month Unlimited (A$650). There is an enrolment fee and no lock-in contract. Details on The Way.
Where are you and is there parking?
Unit 6 / 72-80 Hampstead Rd, Maidstone VIC 3012, in Melbourne’s inner west. There is free parking at Hampstead Rd, and bus 406 stops at Wattle Rd/Hampstead Rd.
Start with one free class.
Leave your details and Sigung Vargas will call you within 24 hours to book a class time that suits you. No payment, no commitment.
Book your free class →