What is the difference between
Martial Arts
and a
Personal Safety/Self-Defense
Course
Martial Arts
and a
Personal Safety/Self-Defense
Course
There is a large distinction between martial arts and pure personal safety/self-defense. Most martial arts offer long-term programs, levels to be achieved, required memorization of a series of choreographed techniques, controlled sparring and the study of various weapons.
Most females seek information on how to stay safe and/or fight back, and are not interested in spending four to six years studying a martial art in order to feel more secure. Personal safety/self-defense is a conscious, proactive approach to life. It is comprised of a series of both learned and inherent behavioral and cognitive options that you must choose to put to work for you. It should include a series of physical personal safety/self-defense options which could be used, as a last resort, if you were to encounter a physical altercation/assault.
What can I learn?
A good personal safety/self-defense course can provide many benefits. The following are some important areas that should be covered:
Most females seek information on how to stay safe and/or fight back, and are not interested in spending four to six years studying a martial art in order to feel more secure. Personal safety/self-defense is a conscious, proactive approach to life. It is comprised of a series of both learned and inherent behavioral and cognitive options that you must choose to put to work for you. It should include a series of physical personal safety/self-defense options which could be used, as a last resort, if you were to encounter a physical altercation/assault.
What can I learn?
A good personal safety/self-defense course can provide many benefits. The following are some important areas that should be covered:
- Facts and statistics about crime and personal safety/self-defense.
- Myths that keep violence against women in place and growing.
- Cognitive and behavioral options-tools like awareness and intuition that can be used to avoid an altercation/attack.
- Boundary-setting information - how to communicate "NO!"
- Physical personal safety/self-defense techniques that an average person can learn easily, practice and use if necessary. Courses that use padded male attackers, when presented safely and consciously, offer the most "real life" training experience.
- Information resources - survivor information and safety tips.
- Who is/are the instructor(s)? Male or female? Does the class offer padded male attackers for a realistic training experience?
- What does the course teach? Does it offer a well-rounded curriculum with both physical and behavioral options?
- Will I have to "re-live" or "re-create" an attack if I have experienced one in the past? (If you have survived domestic violence, a sexual assault or any type of abuse/assault, you may not want to re-live it in front of the class. Select a teacher who does not require you to do that if you don't want to. However, learning how to fight and being able to practice on a male padded attacker is enormously empowering for a lot of people.)
- Is the course appropriate for my age group?
Some of this information comes from The National Coalition Against Sexual Assault,
website guidelines for selecting a personal safety/self-defense course by
Kerry Kolmar, Director of Martial Hearts, Inc.
website guidelines for selecting a personal safety/self-defense course by
Kerry Kolmar, Director of Martial Hearts, Inc.
A personal safety/self-defense course can empower you with techniques and ideas to interrupt an assault long enough to escape. No type of personal safety/self-defense course can guarantee you 100% - there are no guarantees. Anyone can be victimized even if you have taken a personal safety/self-defense course. Once you've completed a personal safety/self-defense course it's up to you to put the information you gained to work for you in your day-to-day life.
Your ability to effectively use the physical personal safety/self-defense options that you learn will be dependent upon your ability to remember what you learned in the course and your willingness to practice - with intensity and regularity - those techniques.
Your ability to effectively use the physical personal safety/self-defense options that you learn will be dependent upon your ability to remember what you learned in the course and your willingness to practice - with intensity and regularity - those techniques.
Take care and STAY SAFE!Anny
A Survivor
The Realistic Female Self-Defense Company
"Raising female awareness and skills to reduce susceptibility in response to violence."
www.annyjacoby.com
www.realisticfemaleselfdefense.com
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