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Defend Yourself review

Defend Yourself has grown 14% between 7 Sept 2026 and 2 Nov 2026, by its published member count. It is free to join, with paid tiers inside.

A review on the numbers, not an opinion: nobody here has joined Defend Yourself, and nothing below is a verdict.

Defend Yourself is a Skool group on the principles and lifestyle of jiu jitsu, led by James Driskill, created in August 2025.[1] Driskill is a third-degree black belt under Rickson Gracie and serves as Rickson's teaching assistant and full-time uke.[2][3]

How we measure · Report an error or ask for removal

Members
533
Published price
Free to join, paid tiers inside
Members, last 30 days
+44
3 Oct 2026 to 2 Nov 2026
Rank by members
#3,010
of 6,078 sellers listed here
Size rank in niche
#126
of 268 sellers listed in sports and athletics, by published members
Check the Course score
77
B, above average
Niche
Sports and athletics
278 listed here
Created
23 Aug 2025
Skool publishes this date
Readings
12
since 7 Sept 2026

About Defend Yourself

The group covers techniques, workouts and philosophy, drawing on decades of martial arts training, competition, weapons work and self-defence situations.[1] Members are invited to share their own experience, and a start-here section in the classroom introduces the material.[1] The about text also links to Rickson Gracie's own online self-defence classes, which are a separate offering.[1]

On The BJJ Project, Driskill's courses run from a first-steps course called Kickstarter through a Building Blocks framework to a programme called Suitcase, and private training and seminars can be arranged.[2] The coach profile describes the teaching as invisible jiu-jitsu, built on efficiency, breath control and connection.[2]

Sources

  1. Skool listing: skool.com/defendyourself, as collected 28 Sept 2026
  2. Other: thebjjproject.com, retrieved 1 Oct 2026
  3. Other: dsgear.com, retrieved 1 Oct 2026

Compiled by Check the Course from the sources listed, to the best of our ability.

What the listing describes
NicheSports and athleticsFormatCourse

Read from the listing’s own words: what is offered, never how well.

What is inside

Course modules
821
Courses
33
Posts, all time
268
People running it
3

Counts published by Defend Yourself on its own page, read on 28 Sept 2026: how much is included, never how good it is. Listed as run by james-driskill-1817.

How we knowSourced & dated
Observed on 2 Nov 2026 from Skool source page archived copy da4403859806.
Observable monthly ceiling
Not calculated

This community is free to join, with paid tiers inside. The readings record the free join price, not the prices of the paid tiers, so no ceiling is calculated.

Against the sports and athletics niche

Percentile among the other 277 sports and athletics listings here, each seller counted once for size.

Size53rd
smallestlargest
Check the Course Score
77BAbove average

Ahead of 77% of the 13,575 Skool communities we track, including ones without a page here, on the measures below, each read from a figure Defend Yourself published itself.

  • Size 53% of the scoreahead of 68%
  • Growth 27% of the scoreahead of 75%
  • Track record 20% of the scoreahead of 46%

An algorithmic position among tracked listings: not an endorsement, a guarantee or advice. How the score works.

  • Members up 14% since September 2026. Measured by Check the Course.Members up 14% since September 2026. Measured by Check the Course.

    Net member count up 14% between our first reading, on 7 Sept 2026, and our latest, on 2 Nov 2026.

Run this community?

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It links to this page and shows the date it was measured.

Style
Members up 14% since September 2026. Measured by Check the Course.
Where it goes

<a href="https://checkthecourse.com/communities/skool-defendyourself"><img src="https://checkthecourse.com/badge/skool-defendyourself?kind=growth" alt="Members up 14% since September 2026. Measured by Check the Course." width="360" height="76" loading="lazy"></a>

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Evidence and signals

Listed on 533 members.

Evidence: measured.

First recorded
7 September 2026our first reading, not its launch

Tracked over time

Member change
+9+1.7%over 4 days+44+9.0%over 30 days
Price change
Unchanged at all 11 readings with a price

12 observations over 56 days.

Member count
4704804905005105205305337 Sept 20262 Nov 2026change

Observation log

Observation log
ObservedMembersChangePriceCeiling / month
2 Nov 2026533+9Free + paid tiersNot calculated
29 Oct 2026524+16Free + paid tiersNot calculated
27 Oct 2026508+6Free + paid tiersNot calculated
25 Oct 2026502+1Free + paid tiersNot calculated
21 Oct 20265010Free + paid tiersNot calculated
17 Oct 20265010Free + paid tiersNot calculated
13 Oct 2026501+2Free + paid tiersNot calculated
10 Oct 2026499+7Free + paid tiersNot calculated
6 Oct 2026492+3Free + paid tiersNot calculated
3 Oct 2026489+6Free + paid tiersNot calculated
28 Sept 2026483+14Not recordedNot calculated
7 Sept 2026469Free + paid tiersNot calculated
Average per week, last 30 days3 Oct 2026 to 2 Nov 2026+10
Average per week, since first reading7 Sept 2026 to 2 Nov 2026+8

Milestones observed

Milestones observed
MembersCrossingBetween readings
500Passed10 Oct 2026 and 13 Oct 2026

Course content readings

Course content readings
ObservedPostsModulesCourses
28 Sept 2026268+11821+2533+1
15 Sept 202625779632
Added per week15 Sept 2026 to 28 Sept 2026+5.9+13+0.5

Common questions about Defend Yourself

What is Defend Yourself?
Defend Yourself is a Skool group on the principles and lifestyle of jiu jitsu, led by James Driskill, created in August 2025. Driskill is a third-degree black belt under Rickson Gracie and serves as Rickson's teaching assistant and full-time uke.
How much does Defend Yourself cost?
Defend Yourself is free to join on Skool, with paid tiers inside, read 2 Nov 2026.
How many members does Defend Yourself have?
Defend Yourself lists 533 members, read 2 Nov 2026.
How has Defend Yourself's membership changed?
From 469 members on 7 Sept 2026, our first reading, to 533 on 2 Nov 2026: up 64, or 14%.
How does Defend Yourself compare with other sports and athletics communities?
The niche median is 476 members. Pricing benchmarks by niche.
What do you get inside Defend Yourself?
Defend Yourself publishes 821 course modules, 33 courses, 268 posts, 3 admins. Communities with the most course content.

Alternatives to Defend Yourself

Same niche, nearest in published size. Not a recommendation.

Is this your community?

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