| Women's self-defense classes can be invaluable | | | | martial arts instructors do, each woman should do |
| for protection, but care must be taken that the | | | | her homework and find an instructor who |
| self-defense techniques taught are right for the | | | | particularly focuses on this for at least some of |
| students in question. Because self-defense is an | | | | the class. If it's not possible to find a martial arts |
| extremely popular topic these days, even those | | | | instructor who can specialize in self-defense, then |
| who are not experts in women's self-defense can | | | | you can still find a self-defense instructor separate |
| be teaching classes. It behooves you, therefore, | | | | from martial arts, but take martial arts training |
| to find the right training and instructor for you, | | | | nonetheless to both increase physical endurance |
| based upon what you want. | | | | and help you manage and diffuse the mental |
| First of all, many self-defense techniques taught | | | | challenges that go hand in hand with a physical |
| to men will not work for women, because | | | | attack situation. |
| women are both faced with different situations | | | | In this case, you'll want to find a self-defense |
| (i.e., rape) that men are generally not faced with, | | | | instructor that does NOT focus on tough guy |
| and they lack the physical brute strength that | | | | tactics, such as fighting off your attacker. In most |
| most men have. In short, women have only | | | | self-defense situations, this is not practical for |
| about half the brute strength of men (although | | | | women, since as stated before, it's the wrong |
| they often do tend to have greater endurance | | | | way to react in a given situation that involves |
| strength, which is nonetheless unfortunately not | | | | women. |
| often useful in attack situations). Pound for pound, | | | | Rather, the instructor needs to focus on women's |
| because men have more muscle than women do, | | | | strengths, including intuition, and focus on the |
| they are simply stronger for "short | | | | ability to size up the situation and get out of it |
| burst" strength situations, such as lifting -- | | | | early so that an attack doesn't even happen. |
| or fighting off an attacker. | | | | Should an attack occur, the woman should |
| Second of all, while men are likely to be punched | | | | practice "distract and run" techniques, |
| or kicked in the attack situation, women are more | | | | such as throwing your keys in the opposite |
| likely to be slapped, grabbed and pinned. This | | | | direction and then running the other way. Another |
| means that women need different techniques to | | | | tactic is to learn the ability to "talk your |
| get out of particular situations and to protect | | | | way out of" a particular situation should it |
| themselves than men do. | | | | begin to escalate. |
| Martial arts techniques comprise one way to | | | | One of the biggest things a good self-defense |
| somewhat even the score for women, despite | | | | class should do is to put the kibosh on a woman's |
| their generally smaller size and diminished brute | | | | tendency to be "nice" in difficult |
| physical strength compared to men. Martial arts | | | | situations. Should you find yourself in the face of |
| can not only increase women's sense of security | | | | an attacker, that simple pause where you |
| and safety because they are better able to | | | | hesitate because you don't want to |
| defend themselves, but it also comprises a way | | | | "hurt" someone may lead to your |
| of life that will help them manage challenges in | | | | undoing. Therefore, you should always follow your |
| general, not just in dangerous situations. | | | | intuition and get out of the situation as quickly as |
| In order to best utilize martial arts in the area of | | | | you can, even if it means hurting your attacker |
| self-defense, women need to find an instructor | | | | to get away. |
| that specializes in self-defense. Although many | | | | |