Self Defense for Women...questions

[Quest33]

What is the most ideal class for a woman who is seeking self-defense? How would it be structured? What do you expect from the instructor? Do you appreciate an instructor who gets physical (creating as real as situation as possible)?

 

I have had various women ask about self defense but none seem to be serious enough about it to stay with it. I had one female prison gaurd who seemed more interested in actually sparring and having it out with the attacker than to learn fight/get away tactics. The girl that has attended came for a couple of weeks has unregular attendance. She claims that the class is good and has given good feedback.

 

Do most women have a lax attitude about self defense? Are they intimidated by it? How can I reach these ladies so as to help them best?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

I've always believed that women should be treated no differently then men in my classes. I also believe taht for self-defense purposes, you would do women an injustice if you had a "women only" class, as they are most likely to be attacked by a man, not a woman, so why not learn how a man attacks...not a woman?

 

Yes, I believe that most women are lax about personal self-protection, and don't take it seriously. Not all of course, as I've had ladies in my classes that could do some major damage to a man that attacked them. To me, a womans primary advantage in such a situation is the advantage of surprise, and that's what we dwell on and spend the most amount of time on. Surprise the attacker, and do MAJOR damage, then escape. I've had the opportunity to teach 3 seminars on this subject in the past.

[ramymensa]

I say they should train in mixed classes too

 

But I'm even more mean ... I don't think a person (man or woman) has got to benefit that much from only self-defence classes. For best results they should be involved in a tougher program. Working twice a week and then sitting on a couch for the rest of the week won't do any difference.

 

Before you take my head of for being so obnoxious, let me tell you I've been there, done that. Except for I was going at self-defence classes and a complementary activity for my Shotokan training and I've seen the differences. There were a lot of persons who were doing just the sd course and had no idea of what fighting means or even having a goog guard. So my opinion is that in order to be effective a sd course must me long and well structurred. Doing 20 classes means nothing. In order for the techniques to work in a real life situation, with the adrenaline rush and surprises from the enviroment, they sould be a second nature and that comes from MANY YEARS of training.

 

My opinion

[Beka]

I think there's a major "martial arts are for boys" feeling that keeps women away. We may be scared to get hit, but more importantly, and dissapointingly, I think we're often afraid to be strong. After I started MA I got VERY no-nonsense. I don't take nothin' from nobody nomore. And at the beginning, that kinda scared me because it was NOT how we're taught to be.

 

I think getting a woman to sign up for your class is all in the wording. I joined MA because I wanted to do something awesome, and frankly, I wanted to protect myself as excessively as I could (I need the upper hand, not just an even field so I can run away--I'm a slow runner), so I'm probably not the one to ask.

 

What I think any self-defense class for woman absolutely REQUIRES is teaching a woman how to get out from under a man once she is on her back. If her arms are pinned above her head or behind her back, and she's stuck between his legs or underneath most of his body weight, it is absolutely IMPERATIVE that she know how to get out of it. An old group around here called Girl Army taught a lot of different moves to get out from under a man. They worked, too.

 

Also, I think 'weapons' training with everyday purse objects--wallets, nail files, the purse itself, pens, keys, etc--would be a good idea. And of course, a little bit on the importance of pepper spray and how to use it quickly and effectively.

 

I think if you can teach a woman that it is okay to hit, that you ARE capable of hitting with force and assertion, causing a lot of damage, then they will recieve a valuable piece of knowledge. It isn't that all women are weak until awakened, but far too many are unaware that they aren't wimps.

[Beka]

oh, and i agree with raymensa. I think the SD class should be taught in such a way that would intrigue someone to stick with MA and therefore be much more useful. I've taken rinky dink SD classes... boring... I don't remember a dang thing, either, but I fall asleep running through my kata in my head...

[Squawman]

Alot of women don't want to take the regular MA class because it's just not for them and I will agree with them, although I have alot of women in class. But women do want to know self defense. As Beka stated a women should know how to get out from underneath a man and I agree. I think a person should know how to fight off an attacker but I also think that you would be doing a person alot of disservice if you didn't show them how to keep from getting attacked in the first place. Men want to control women by intimidation either with verbal threats or a weapon and women need to learn how to take control of a situation. 80% - 90% of the time you can talk your way out of a confrontation so why don't self defense classes focus on that huge percentage and not the little 10% - 20%. I can teach a person how to get out of a wrist grab 4 or 5 different ways but when the adrenalin is flying can they actually do it?

 

I teach a class called EZ Defense which was developed by Bill Kip and Peyton Quinn. The class is totally different than any other self defense class around and we have excellent success with them. Not in terms of people saying that they fought people off but that they have the self confidence to take control of a situation if they are confronted. I even teach kids from 4 yrs old to 15 yrs old doing the same seminar just varying it to suit the age.

 

My biggest concern is that people with a black belt have a false sense of security and that if they are not trainned in real life senarios then they probably cannot defend themselves on the street.

 

Anyway thats my 2 cents and I will give the web address for EZ Defense and also my e-mail if you want to talk about it more.

 

https://www.fastdefense.com/ezdefense.htm

 

eflener2004@yahoo.com

[delta1]

I teach a class called EZ Defense which was developed by Bill Kip and Peyton Quinn.

 

I was going to suggest something like this for both the ma students and those who only want to be a little safer. But I find myself reduced to just agreeing with Squawman on everything. Good advice!

[karatekid1975]

I started MA to learn self defense. I agree with ramymensa that the defenses have to become second nature. I've been to self defense classes. One was boring. Nothing they taught would work. But the other, they taught how to use everyday things for weapons. I ended up helping in that class (I was already in MA, so they had me help the other women).

 

I think if you have a woman martial artist teach the self defense class (with a male assistant doing the attacks), it would make it more realistic. As Beka said, and I agree, that it also should involve the most common attacks and how to get out of it. Plus they should be taught how to use verbal sparring to get away BEFORE the attack can happen.

 

I also believe that these one time quicky self defense classes don't work. You need more training for the defenses to work. I think the instructor of those courses should, at least, explain a bit about MA and try to talk the women into taking it.

[Dijita]

As a girl here are my opinoins:

 

I am in martial arts, more specifically a martial arts that is quiet demanding as far as the contact is conern. We train with quiet a lot of hard contact in class, and in tournements we experience quiet a lot of hard contact. I love it, and I'm not intimidated by it, but I knew what I was getting into when I joined the style that I chose.

 

As far as self defense is concerned... I didn't really join martial for the reason of learning self defense. I am being trained to be a good fighter in class, and if I happen to be able to use it in a real life situation that's a bonus, but it's not the reason I am there.

 

I wanted to join a martial arts that has that "traditional" environment. I want to take it all in, the katas, the focus on basic techniques, the respect. I also liked the idea of realistic contact, and that's why I chose Kyokushin. I find it A LOT of fun, challenging and great for both my focus and my physical self.

 

Oh, and just to add... I prefer to train co-ed. I wouldn't like being segregated with females all the time.

[Fat Donkey]

I find the hardest thing in teaching female students is instilling aggressive confidence in them. This may sound * but what I do is let them hurt me a little. I find when they complete a good tehnique and it connects and causes damage (to me). They get wowed. The problem is they want to keep practicing it