[Wed 4 Oct, 19:53]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)
self-defence - (37 replies)
Has anyone here studied martial arts or taken a self-defense course? Also, did you ever have to use it, either while abroad or at home? If so, did it work? I'm thinking of taking a self-defense/awareness course. Thanks.
Anonymous
[Wed 4 Oct, 21:08]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)1. Re: self-defence
Hi,
I took a self defence course a number of years ago. I have never needed it but it has given me a lot of confidence. I think this in itself is valuable. Many men who think about attacking women want victims. I think the more confidence you show, the less the chance of something unpleasant happening. It it nice to know that you may stand a chance of getting out of a sticky situation.
Also - martial arts doesn't always mean you have to fight. Much of the time you learn techniques to buy yourself enough seconds to get yourself away.
hope this helps
Seoulman
[Wed 4 Oct, 22:17]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)2. Re: self-defence
'A' self-defence course may not necessarily be enough. Knowing how to protect yourself and fight takes practice like being competent at anything else. In a real situation there are so many situations that you need to be able to get out of.
Yes confidence is a very big factor and is important but a course without some consistent practice MAY not be enough.
NixPix
[Thu 5 Oct, 01:29]
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(GMT +10)3. Re: self-defence
I have been doing kickboxing for about 6 months now and apart from improving my fitness level quite considerably it has given me extra confidence - I presonally prefer a martial arts rather than a self defence course, as you are learning an ART as well as being able to defend yourself which I find quite satisfying..but that is entirely your choice. I would recommend a kickboxing class as I now feel a lot more confident that if I did get attacked i could handle the situation a lot. I actually felt a difference in my confidence after just the first class. I sometimes go to mixed classes and sometimes go to women only classes - I find they are very similar but sometimes in the womens class ...it leans more towards self defence and%2
NixPix
[Thu 5 Oct, 01:32]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)4. not sure what happened to the rest of my reply....
....it leans more towards self defence and handling yorself if being attacked by a man.In the martial arts you also do grading which again i find like it is something to work for..Definatley a good idea - we should all know how to defend ourselves in a threatening situation.i have never had to use the skills I have learned and hopefully i never will -( and you should remember that the first thing you should always do in a confrontation is run if you can) I think it is very rare that a woman would have to use such skills - but its nice to know that if I needed to - I could...
GOOD LUCK!!!!
Blackbelt
[Thu 5 Oct, 01:47]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)5. Re: self-defence
Good advice Nixpix
One more piece - never be too confident. I have seen several people in several different martial arts (usually the karate, tae kwondo, kickboxing types) who have watched too many Bruce Lee flicks get too confident in their abilities. 8 months is helpful but I wouldn't be too sure of yourself. I've seen too many men and women get their asses kicked because they were too confident and took unnecessary risks or wanted to prove how tough they were.
xanax
[Thu 5 Oct, 03:15]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)6. Re: self-defence
i agree with most of what's been said - that a martial art is the way to go for true long term confidence, health, happiness.. etc. i started taking karate when i was 10, and by 17 i had won a few championships and though still a brown belt i felt prepared enough to take on anyone.in the school i attended, you could teach as soon as you got your blue belt, which shows that it isn't only the bruce lee blackbelt who knows enough to defend themselves - you can be at any level, and still posess the skills it takes to carry yourself with confidence in most situations. self defence isn't to learn how to beat someone up, it's to learn how to take the energy of the attacker and turn it on themselves. it gives you skills - both physical and mental - that will help you in all areas of your life, not only when you are challenged. i have used my skills much more while travelling than at home.. and i don't know if i would feel the same strength and confidence while travelling if i didn't have these skills under my belt, so to speak. men differ from country to country some feel it's their right to walk up to you and grap your tits. some think it's okay to follow you back home.. and some - no matter what country you're in - think they can do anything they feel like, without consequences. surprise them! it's SO satisfying to surprise someone and watch their face or their back as they run away from you. i took a self-defence course once to see what it was like - in comparison and perhaps it seemed silly to me because i knew 'other' ways of defending myself, but i really don't thinkthat one day, or a weekend, could do all that much to help you. you need practice - so thatwhen confronted - you don't have to think about anything you just do it. it will come naturallyto you with practice. i really think that ALL women would benefit from this.
Anonymous
[Thu 5 Oct, 10:46]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)7. Re: self-defence
I have to agree with all of the above. I took up Kempo Karate to learn some defence before I go overseas. I think that it has been one of the best things I have done. Not only for fitness and wellbeing, but for the techniques and skills I have learnt to feel confident with stomping all over the place on my own. Learning somesort of defence will be of benefit. I'm lucky that with my karate club they offer karate, Tiabo(sp?), kickboxing and ground grappling. Ground grappling is the best, we practice with all belt levels (men and women) on how to get yourself out of a situation when on the ground or when somebody is on top of you and possibly strangling you. No mucking around. We do get stranggled, but why pretend. Out in the real world somebody ain't going to be gentle. I have only done 7 months, but I can see a difference in myself for it. And no I haven't had to use it and I hope I never will. Keep Safe!
Anonymous
[Thu 5 Oct, 14:23]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)
8. Re: self-defence
Ditto to the above re martial arts. I'm a kickboxing student of 18 months and love it. Apart from the fitness, toning, cute guys (yum!), and general wellbeing, I really notice the difference when I'm in potentially unsafe situations - ie going to the carpark after a late night at work. I actually think about my stance, and what I would do if someone jumped me at that moment. I'm still nervous that I might be attacked, but have confidence in my ability to put up a damn good fight. And my instructor said it best - your best defence is running away, only fight if you have to, and then only to give yourself space to get away.
A note too about taibo (sp). I wouldn't recommend it as a method of learning self defence. It's a great workout and you use similar movements to kickboxing, but you don't actually hit anything or practice with a partner, so the benefits as a self defence technique would be minimal.
Smoker
[Thu 5 Oct, 18:31]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)
9. Re: self-defence
Don't confuse feeling more confident with being an accomplished street fighter. The best defence is prevention so skip the bravado and stay in the street light, keep your keys in your hand etc. I know taking a self-defence class is very cool and makes you feel good about your self etc but don't mistake those good feelings for being transformed into Bruce Lee.
They're many reasons to enjoy Martial Arts that have been touched on by the above posters but to use for self-defence on the street really is last on the list. I am over six foot and am two hundred and ten pounds of muscle from lifting weights and have studied martial arts for twenty years but still believe the best defence for everyone is doing your Ben Johnson on steroids impression in the face of a street attack.
It would be more valuable to go over to the local track and run 400-meter interval wind sprints three times a week than do ten years of martial arts to use in a street attack.
Just through any thing you have in your hand at the assholes head and then do a 180 and blast out of the starting blocks is the best response to a street attack. If I had to bet on a 220 pound thug with a knife or a 150 pound 4th dan black belt male in a street fight, my money would be on the thug. A 120 pound woman with a six-month defence course from a couple years ago has no business dealing with a street attack by standing her ground and trying to duke it out. This is just not practical.
Getting hit is what is so strange about a street fight. In most Martial Arts and Self Defence classes you get don't get punched in the face with a bare fist at full force all that often. This is why full contact martial arts even though they use gloves like Muay Thai and Western Boxing are the best martial arts for street fighting. Long pants kill the Muay Thai high kicks but kicking above groin really never happens in a street fight unless someone is on the ground anyway. Boxers and kick boxers are used to getting punched in the face so don't fold when it happens in a street fight. Muay Thai and Western Boxing are not cool, pretty and sophisticated like Kung Fu, Karate etc but are a lot more valuable in a street fight.
I remember in the 1970s twice the best Hong Kong Kung Fu guys when to Thailand to fight the Muay Thai fighters and only one Hong Kong guy got out of the first round. Not because Muay Thai is a "BETTER" martial art but the Muay Thai fighter was just used to being hit and the Kung Fu guy wasn't (The video of this series of these fights is pretty interesting if your into that).
My point in all this is that as a woman don't think your feel good self defence class is going to be valuable in a street attack. Go ahead and take it but just feel good about it don't try to use it. Instead use your Nikes.
An exception to the above is if you are attacked in doors by a date, boyfriend, neighbour etc. Here you can't run but the attacker will have his guard down etc. This is where the self defence class might be of some practical use. A better tactic than trying a knee in the groin or finger in the eye is to use what every is in the room like a lamp, plate, silverware etc as a weapon but it you do so go for the kill, don't threaten, or warn him to back off or telegraph your intention to bust the lamp over his head. Just whimper fake that your are giving in draw him in with his guard down and then use anything (big glass ashtrays are always good) to hit him as hard as your can. If you really think you are in danger just do it and don't stop until he is unconscious on the floor. Then for good measure work him over with your heels.
Better to be a defendant in court than a rape victim dead or in the hospital.
Self defence courses and martial arts in general are great for meeting cool people, getting fit, and general feeling good but don't belong in a street fight. That is what your running club is for.
Kind of a related funny story I have is I used to date a lawyer in Toronto who had a divorce client who was beat up by her drunken husband for years. During this period of being beat up she still got some measure of revenge. After working her over the drunken husband would go into the bedroom and pass out. The battered wife would then get a frying pan and go in and hit him as he was sleeping over the head and effectively knock a sleeping attacker unconscious.
The funny quote she made to my lawyer friend was "And you know Lori he always woke up with a splitting headache". I can't help but smile when I think of the wife beater spending years having to live with such intense headaches all the time.
Be careful out there, smoker
Girl_Interupted
[Thu 5 Oct, 23:29]
Gumly Gumly Time
(GMT +10)10. Re: self-defence
Post #9: Some good advice in there and a great story about the wife smacking the sleeping wife beater. I hope the wife beater still is suffering from terrible headaches.
I also have taken a couple of woman's defence classes over the years and always thought they were more about feeling confident than practical ways to fend off a determined attacker. I can't stand them but I am beginning to think learning to use a gun is the only real answer but it is of course no use for the traveller. Overseas travellers should keep the drinking and drup use under control to stay sharp and travelling in a little pack is a good idea. Women suffer from such a difference in size and strength from most attackers it might be that using weapons is the only reasonable option but of course there is always the fear that the weapon will be taken away from you and used against you.
Not a whole lot of good ideas regarding this problem are there?
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