Self defense class.

Have any of you or your partners ever taken one? Was it worth the time? Last night I attended our annual Take Back the Night march to raise awareness of sexual assault and domestic violence at the university. One of the speakers has the largest martial arts center here in town and gave out coupons for a free women's only self defense class. It's 4 weeks, every Sunday. Minimum age is 13 but I spoke with him and he will allow my 11 year old daughter to attend with me. She was with me so he could see she's not some little immature lilting daisy. She's almost as tall as me.

Alaska has the highest rate of sexual assault in the country per capita, and Fairbanks has the highest rate in the state. I work for an off site location of the w.. omen's s...hel...ter. In the last 2 months we have had a situation escalate enough that I am sleeping with a .357. I'm not much of a scardey girl and know I can hold my own when it comes to run of the mill encounters. But you have to be extra careful with crazy...

I put the "..." in some minor attempt to not have my name and that word searchable.

I haven't taken one, but I did date a Royal Marine for a time and he showed me a few moves(minds out of the gutter please....you know who you are) It has been beneficial, although I have never used them. Personally, I would go, what have you got to lose? and it may help you and your daughter, don't forget your son as well, boys need to know this stuff too.

A lady needs to know how to protect herself because of all of the sicko's out there that think they can take advantage of a lady just because she is a women. I have a good friend that has a 16 year old daughter that is a brown belt in Karate, and I saw her throw a 45 year old man on his azz!
I think she would surprise a rapist a lot, and he would probably regret attacking her. Take the courses!

I think the classes are a great idea. TAKE EM!

I already take karate. Our instructor devotes 2 sessions every year to personal defense (as opposed to sparring and learning technique). These classes are about exploiting your opponents weaknesses, knowing the quickest way to incapacitate them and leave them unable to persue you. Very valuable stuff. It works well for me because I am using the skills that are taught every week, but in a different more "practical" way that we are not allowed to use on one another in class. My daughter has been taking Karate longer than I have. She's used on bullies on teh playground at school (When she was 8) and we accepted the consequences given by the school but after hearing the whole story, did not punish her and told her she was right to defend herself. The school has a Zero Tolerance policy for fighting.


Goog

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Originally Posted by greatgoogamooga

She's used on bullies on teh playground at school (When she was 8) and we accepted the consequences given by the school but after hearing the whole story, did not punish her and told her she was right to defend herself. The school has a Zero Tolerance policy for fighting.


Goog

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Pretty nice to hear some school officials have common sense.

I say go for it. I have not taken them but did take my grand kids to karate class for some time. I was amazed at how simple some of the moves are and how incredibly effective they are.

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Originally Posted by greatgoogamooga

I already take karate. Our instructor devotes 2 sessions every year to personal defense (as opposed to sparring and learning technique). These classes are about exploiting your opponents weaknesses, knowing the quickest way to incapacitate them and leave them unable to persue you. Very valuable stuff. It works well for me because I am using the skills that are taught every week, but in a different more "practical" way that we are not allowed to use on one another in class. My daughter has been taking Karate longer than I have. She's used on bullies on teh playground at school (When she was 8) and we accepted the consequences given by the school but after hearing the whole story, did not punish her and told her she was right to defend herself. The school has a Zero Tolerance policy for fighting.


Goog

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It's a shame, I had a friend who got expelled from highschool some years ago because he hospitalized someone in the process of preventing a sexual assault. They guy who went to the hospital had it coming, this was apparently not his first time. However, fighting was unaccpetable, no matter what the reason, so they had to kick him out of school. The ought to have named him a hero in the school paper instead.

As far as self-defense classes, I'm mostly self taught from a mix of what friends have taught me, videos, reading, observing others, and doing cross-martial-arts sparring with friends. I don't think I have the discipline for a normal class, but what I've done so far gives me more confidence in my safety when I'm unarmed.

By all means take the classes. I took them for several years. My oldest son took them for 4 years, and the younger kids for more than 2 years. Amazingly, we never had a piece of broken furniture in the house.... :boxer:

Regardless, keep sleeping with that .357, and carry it whenever you can.

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Originally Posted by GreatUsername

I don't think I have the discipline for a normal class, but what I've done so far gives me more confidence in my safety when I'm unarmed.

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I would encourage taking regular classes (slightly biased, here). The skills we learn need to be built into muscle memory through repetition. When you see someone coming at you a certain way, you learn to respond a certain way and your reflexes are quicker as a result. Karate guys aren't really lightning fast (well, some of them are) but they see it all slower and can anticipate.

Goog

That's a good idea Goog, and I know it well from my fiddle lessons. But time is a huge factor here. I work one full time job and own two businesses, raising two kids by myself, and live in a dry cabin (so must haul water), live out of town so have to drive in every day, etc. It's not that my time is precious (so is my life obviously), but there just isn't very much of it.

My class started in September 1966 and lasted until August 1992.

Puhlease Winnie - a Royal Marine?

My wife was restrained by an acquaintance, (never told me till years later), because he wanted to make a point. That got her into a martial arts class, Aikido, (they called her "the bulldozer" she is very intense when going) eventually she started her own club. I am very careful not to surprise her (from painful experience.) :)
My son married her top student, he is also very nervous. :)
So by all means do take classes, in whatever style is available to you, its all good.

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Originally Posted by Old GI

My class started in September 1966 and lasted until August 1992.

Puhlease Winnie - a Royal Marine?

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Yea, I've had the basic military training but that was "several" years ago.

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Originally Posted by Old GI

My class started in September 1966 and lasted until August 1992.

Puhlease Winnie - a Royal Marine?

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Oh yeah:whistling:

Take the classes. I had 4 years of a self defense MA and hope to start again soomn. Even if you can't do it on a regular basis you'll have something to fall back on if you need it and it will be great for your daughter.

Im kinda on the fence about some self defense classes, some of them just give a person a false sense of security! A small women face to face with a large man may get a few hits in but unless you have the power to stun and disable in 2 or 3 blows your screwed!!!!

Karate alone is not really uhh... Anything that's going to protect you. One class will probably do virtually nothing for you. Get involved in some martial arts that will actually be useful. Even them it takes a couple months to actually gain tr muscle memory for any skills to save you. Oh yeah and you have to continually practice. You don't use it you lose it.

Something useful ive started picking up is doce pares.

Look for that or even just eskrima classes. You can find a stick just about anywhere in any situation...

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Originally Posted by RandyRhoads

Karate alone is not really uhh... Anything that's going to protect you.

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Not sure what your experience with karate is, but I have to disagree. There are variations on what is considered "Karate" depending on it's country of origin and the teacher's spin on it. Our teacher is former military and teaches basically hand-to-hand. How to block, punch, kick, etc. It's not about breaking boards. We have tournaments against opponents who are attempting to punch or kick you to score points. Take those same techniques to the street and you are defending yourself.

We hardly ever fight with a sturgeon. :)

Goog

I have a video of one of our classes, just to show how serious we are about self defense.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piWCBOsJr-w

Goog