This section is for informational purposes, we do not offer defense training.

 

With proper training, any person - male or female, of any size-can defend against any other person. Even elderly persons and people with physical disabilities can learn to fight back effectively by learning about the many ways in which every assailant is vulnerable. The essence of physical self-defense is knowing how to exploit those weaknesses quickly and decisively.

Physical self-defense isn't like a sport, however. You don't necessarily have to stand toe-to-toe and brawl with someone to defend yourself against that person. If you've never studied physical self-defense, you might be surprised at how many ways there are to fight. Learn the right way to poke attackers in the eyes or kick them in the knees. Some classes show you how to use Mace, pepper spray, or similar deterrents.

To learn physical self-defense, you need to train with a qualified instructor. A book or videotape can give you some tips, but only an instructor can make sure that you're maintaining the proper body mechanics and applying the techniques properly. Many fighting techniques work only when done with extreme precision.

Self-defense classes are designed to teach you some practical techniques within a short period. Make sure that a qualified instructor is teaching the class you sign up for and that the training includes actually hitting another person. You can't learn to fight a person by just hitting a bag and kicking in the air. The best self-defense classes employ a heavily padded person who pretends to attack the students.

Martial arts training is much more involved. You don't learn a lot of practical applications right away. Usually, you train only 2 or 3 days a week, and most of the time during the first few months you're stretching, learning foreign words, and practicing simple movements. Not all styles of martial arts are designed for self-defense. Some styles are used primarily for tournament fighting, which has little relationship to street fighting. In a tournament, people are heavily padded and must follow strict rules about how and where to hit.

For self-defense, the styles that require the least amount of time to learn include jujitsu, judo, and the martial arts as practiced in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. A dedicated student can use those styles effectively within 6 months of training. Styles that look graceful and flowery-like Aikido and Kung fu-can also be effective for self-defense, but they usually take several years to learn.