Reality-Based Women’s Self-Defense Program - What to Look For | TamPola Magazine

Reality-Based Women’s Self-Defense Program - What to Look For

March 25, 2008 – 7:34 am

by Jeffrey M. Miller

When choosing a quality, women’s self-defense program, first and foremost, you must ask for and thoroughly check out the instructor’s credentials. This is true regardless of whether you’re…

* an Adult who wants to be able to handle herself, or…

* a parent who wants to make sure that your daughter can protect herself

This point cannot be emphasized enough, because, like practically nothing else in your life…

… your life could depend - literally - on the choice you make.

Unfortunately, the world is littered with people who are supposed to be knowledgeable, skilled, and wise, but are nowhere close. You’ve seen it. You probably know a few yourself.

I’m not suggesting that someone who’s a xxth degree black belt cannot defend himself. But, if gicen the choice, who would you trust with yours or your daughter’s life,,,

… an individual who has learned what they know within a paradigm that relies on the rule-laiden environment of a tournament arena - that focuses on winning a trophy or earning a belt, or…

… a person who has a background and actual experience with having to deal with real attacks from real aggressors and had to insure that what they were learning would allow them to survive?

We both know the answer to that, yes?

Other Considerations for Girls and Women’s Self-Defense

What follows is a partial list outlining some of the other factors that are major differences in what men and women each have to deal with in a self-defense situation.

* Cultural Influences - in our culture, at least, women are taught from early childhood that physical fighting was not appropriate for “good-girls.”

Oh no! What would people say?!

* Situational Self-Defense - sexual assault and rape are two of the most significant differences between men and women when it comes to what each has to worry about in an attack.

Where men will generally come up against the more obvious, fight-like attack, women are more often required to deal with what we might call subtle attacks like being “toyed with, or date-rape scenarios.

Add to this the strength differential discussed earlier, and you have a very different situation, requiring very different self-protection tactics.

* Wrong Information - I think that most martial arts and self-defense teachers and instructors mean well. They aren’t out to take advantage of you. I think it’s just that…

… these people lack the fundamental, real-world experience to go on - they don’t know any better - and end up in a blind-leading-the-blind kind of situation.

… they make assumptions that seem logical and rational within their own frame of reference.

The problem is that we’re talking about self-protection here…

… self-defense for women and teen girls…

… girls self-defense. Not…

… alphabet soup. Where, if you screw up, you can just empty the pot and start again.

Coming at women’s self-defense with the wrong skills, or not being prepared for the realities you’ll have to deal with, could be the worst - last - mistake you ever make.

About the Author:

Before you buy another women’s self-defense book, you must look at the womens-self-defense information at Jeffrey Miller’s site. Be sure to subscribe to his self-defense newsletter.

Tags: Women