Are women self-defense classes pointless?

[xhaydenx]

No offense, but I completely disagree with this. A girl might get lucky with a really crazy eye gouge, or a truly devastating groin shot, but that’s going to be like winning the lottery. Most of the time it will only piss a male attacker off even more, and get her punched in the face even harder.

If a girl really learns a “lapel choke” as you say, and she has really trained her ass off with the move, she can choke a man unconscious with his shirt. The chances are still not great - weight classes & gender differences are a thing - but it’s a lot higher than that ‘hi-yah’ striking stuff.

Stuff like this would be a lot better for a girl to learn for unarmed self defense than striking:



^^
and even still, most girls would have to train the hell out of these moves for at least a year or more before they even *start* to become proficient enough for the street.

I think you're misreading what I'm getting at and what the OP was asking. Of course, a girl is going to way more effective in these situations if she's, as you say, "trained her ass off'", but the OP isn't asking about that. He was asking about those shorter, often one-night self- defense programs that a lot of gyms do that are geared towards girls.

That video is great. But again, no girl - or boy for that matter - is just going to learn how to throw up a triangle choke or a guillotine that quick. Takes time to learn how to do that properly, as you said.

You can do enough damage pretty easily even if you're a girl just to give you a chance to get away. A half-decent hit to the balls is going to hurt any man.

We're not talking about 'hi-yah' fly kicks and spin kicks here, talking about things girls can learn quick, either physical movements to parts that hurt, or just psychological approaches they can learn quickly to at least give them a better chance to get safe.

 

[Goon Dog]

I taught some of these back in the day. We focused on situational awareness, avoidance, soft tissue strikes (through the target) and escape. In that order. The simple fact is if the first 2 don't keep her out of harm's way she's probably in trouble. She's better off pairing the first 2 with range training and a concealed weapons permit.

 

[LHWBelt]

For the most part yeah. I've taught my wife a few things that have helped me in fights though. Now she knows how to punch properly and it actually hurts. I feel fully confident if a midget attacked her she could take him.

 

[babycart]

One of the things that signify a 1-day WSD seminar had worked is that their participants had a change of heart in their choice of footwear, or at least trying to build competence in running in their favorite footwear, no matter how flimsy. Note that this is only one of the signs.

 

[Fluffernutter]

I worked at a gym that hosted a weekend women's defense seminar.

Many of the clients signed up thinking they were going to learn how to turn their keys into weapons or how to take down attackers.

The reality was that the instructors wrote the curriculum after the book above.

"If Ted from accounting makes you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to go on a date with him."

"If your cousin Ted lingers on his hugs during the family reunions each year, you don't have to invite him this year."

"It's perfectly fine to ask someone your trust to walk you to your car if you parked far away from the office door today."

"If Billy is being picked on my Teddy at school, Billy's teacher/parents do not have to ensure that they become friends by pairing them off on class projects, or sit next to each other in the cafeteria. Don't don't force a victim to spend more time with their tormentor."


We have fear for a reason: self preservation. Why have we told ourselves to ignore it....jjust because we don't want to be rude?"

 

[Fluffernutter]

Most are just marketing for the martial arts school or public service for a police department. The truth about what really good self defense seminars teach is about situational awareness. They may teach a few hands on things to get away and run for help. The awareness of your surroundings and listening to your inner conscious telling you something is sketchy is what a good self defense course should be teaching.

I cannot agree more with this.

It's all about being aware of your surroundings. Pay attention if something feels off and adjust (i.e. get out of there).

 

[Organic Damage]

A single class is maybe enough to talk about common sense strategies to avoid violent situations, and maybe learn a grip break or something, but that’s about it.

Most of the time it seems like the ‘experts’ teaching these things know jack shit about realistic fighting systems though, and are filling soccer moms’ heads with useless garbage that will get them beaten up or worse in a real situation.

1 class isn't enough to get over the biggest hurdle, which is that inexperienced people tend to freeze up in these situations.

You need to drill repeatedly so muscle memory takes over instead of hoping you'll be able to think about how to react during the situation.

Honestly these women should save themselves the money and just repeat "Eyes, nose, throat groin" over and over until it's memorized.

 

[salamander]

Not at all.
I've personally ensured that my nieces have the proper mindset for this age: Never ever be a victim even if you have to go thumbs deep into the eyes of the one who put his hands on you.

 

[Protectandserve]

Vast majority are pure crap. Especially the whole "use your keys to punch " ones. Had some friends in college who took one of those sponsored by a local church. It taught the keys thing.

I had them punch my hand with their closed fist, all of them threw basically a slap with closed fist. All holding a key would have done is tear the shit out of the webbing of their hands.

Eye gouges, groin kicks, etc cannot be trained or done full speed. It is unrealistic to think someone can perform something without being able to actually train it.

Also psychologically very few people are going to viciously eyegouge someone.

 

[NewS]

Watch this thing in horror. It's 2018 and they still teach this kind of rubbish, and people still attend without researching

http://video.sky.it/news/cronaca/sempre-piu-donne-frequentano-corsi-di-autodifesa/v439419.vid

 

[MikeMcMann]

No offense, but I completely disagree with this. A girl might get lucky with a really crazy eye gouge, or a truly devastating groin shot, but that’s going to be like winning the lottery. Most of the time it will only piss a male attacker off even more, and get her punched in the face even harder.

If a girl really learns a “lapel choke” as you say, and she has really trained her ass off with the move, she can choke a man unconscious with his shirt. The chances are still not great - weight classes & gender differences are a thing - but it’s a lot higher than that ‘hi-yah’ striking stuff.

Stuff like this would be a lot better for a girl to learn for unarmed self defense than striking:



^^
and even still, most girls would have to train the hell out of these moves for at least a year or more before they even *start* to become proficient enough for the street.

Good practical stuff that a well trained woman could use. Of course i think we are talking about women who are not well trained.

For them I think the point of some limited training is just to make them 'aware' of their circumstances and to give them some tools they can use to try and break and run which should be the goal. 99% women should not be looking to fight and win a fight with an aggressive male. They should be looking to do something to disrupt him so they can escape or call for help. And the limited training MIGHT give them the confidence and tools to do that as most guys attacking women are bullies and not expecting any type of coordinated resistance.

So yes as you say a few techniques on hand breaks and other breaks that can gain her space to scream and/or run would be all that should be focused on in a day class. Make sure at least that those become ingrained.

 

[Seaside]

Bite a dick off and dont let your bite go. If he forces it into her mouth.

Also eye gouge

Groin strikes

Are easy things to be taught.

Pepper spray. If your in america get a gun.

 

[salamander]

Also psychologically very few people are going to viciously eyegouge someone.

Not if you train em' young.

 

[Peteyandjia]

I think you're misreading what I'm getting at and what the OP was asking. Of course, a girl is going to way more effective in these situations if she's, as you say, "trained her ass off'", but the OP isn't asking about that. He was asking about those shorter, often one-night self- defense programs that a lot of gyms do that are geared towards girls.

That video is great. But again, no girl - or boy for that matter - is just going to learn how to throw up a triangle choke or a guillotine that quick. Takes time to learn how to do that properly, as you said.

You can do enough damage pretty easily even if you're a girl just to give you a chance to get away. A half-decent hit to the balls is going to hurt any man.

We're not talking about 'hi-yah' fly kicks and spin kicks here, talking about things girls can learn quick, either physical movements to parts that hurt, or just psychological approaches they can learn quickly to at least give them a better chance to get safe.

If we’re really just talking about one class, then personally I think there is absolutely nothing physical - whether it’s the choke, or the eye gouge route - that the average woman will learn that will actually be useful. Maybe a grip break, that’s about it, tops. One class is a drop in a bucket.

 

[Alphaboy]

I taught my girl how to kick a guy in the nuts with her shin and the only time she has ever used it was on me when we were drunk and I said her mom was a bitch.

At least you know she can use it.

My girl knows a decent amount for someone who doesn't roll because I'm always grappling her.

 

[Peteyandjia]

Watch this thing in horror. It's 2018 and they still teach this kind of rubbish, and people still attend without researching

http://video.sky.it/news/cronaca/sempre-piu-donne-frequentano-corsi-di-autodifesa/v439419.vid

This is my favorite / worst bullshit one

Witness legendary ‘self defense expert’ Gabrielle Rubin

 

[Alphaboy]

Women can't fight men. Everyone's knows that.

A man would have to be such an astronomical pussy to be subdued by a woman

me and my ex would play fight and as soon as she started to get a little rough I would bump it up from 10% to 50% and she was just completely and utterly hopeless. So much so that it scared me how vulnerable she was.

she was no small petite girl either

Somebody post the video of that fat girl throwing the dude like a ragdoll.

 

[Spoken]

Classes I’ve helped teach are pretty honest about what a smaller opponent can do. It’s always about escape and flee

 

[Alphaboy]

This is my favorite / worst bullshit one

Witness legendary ‘self defense expert’ Gabrielle Rubin

Ha! The top comment is from Tim Kennedy...

"Please stop posting these. You are going to get people killed."

 

[Peteyandjia]

Ha! The top comment is from Tim Kennedy...

"Please stop posting these. You are going to get people killed."

Yeah I first heard of her last year when the MMA world caught wind of her bullshit