Self Defense Seminars and classes are sweeping the nation in popularity. People are lining up to take these seminars in efforts to gain skills to increase their own personal safety and security. The increasing popularity of these seminars can only point to the increased violence in our world that is unfortunately a reality for all of us.
How many of us strive to be successful in our careers, give our children a great education, build our financial wealth and keep healthy? Yes, most of us can claim to want some, if not all of those things. Now, how many of us really strive to protect all of those hard-earned things by learning self defense? It may sound far fetched, but in reality if you are attacked, you may lose your career, your ability to make money, your health and happiness. Shouldn't we put as much effort into defending ourselves against a possible attacker as we do the other important things in life? One of the best gifts you can give yourself and your family is self defense.
Here are some recent statistics on attacks in our nation:
- Males are more likely to be victimized by a stranger, while females are more likely to be victimized by someone they know
- A person who fights back gains an 86% chance of avoiding the rape/attack and incurs little chance of additional injury.
- Think women are attacked more than men? Think again... Recent FBI Crime Reports found that males are victimized at rates 22% higher than females
There are four key points in my philosophy on self defense:
- Learn that quickest and most efficient ways to get away. It is a proven fact that the longer you are in the situation, the worse the situation will become for you.
- The most effective self defense is non-striking. Engaging your attacker with groin kicks, hits to the nose, etc. is not the most effective way to get out of a situation. Subduing them or sweeping them off their feet gives you more of a chance to flee.
- Being in great shape will greatly increase your chances of effectively defending yourself.
- Practice, Practice, Practice... Self defense should become an automatic response, not something you have to think about when attacked. If you only attend a one-day seminar and you don't use your newly acquired skills to practice everyday, you will not retain the knowledge beyond a few months. Self defense should be like riding a bike... you never forget how to ride, no matter how long it's been.
I recently opened a new Martial Arts and Fitness Facility in Manoa Marketplace. One of my goals was to offer a self defense class that incorporated all of my beliefs on self defense within a (45) minute time frame. It was an exciting challenge that I am proud to say has become one of the most popular classes we offer. The class is designed as a total body work-out, just like our other classes... Boxing, Kickboxing, Jiu Jitsu, etc. In this class we give our members an incredible workout while teaching them self defense skills. Instead of sitting and watching a self defense seminar and practicing the moves only a few times, our students are active the whole time. If you are being attacked your body goes into shock mode. So, one of the most effective ways to learn self defense is while your body is physically tired. This ensures that you are able to perform the techniques while under stress.
Here is one of the basic techniques that we teach in the first level of self defense:
1.) You are most vulnerable when you are on your back. An attacker will always attack from one side. Your "protection leg" is the leg that you will use on the side where you are being attacked. In this case the victim is using her left leg as her "protection leg". Put the foot of your "protection leg" into the attackers hip bone.
2.) When the attacker moves in, use your "protection arm" to grab their ankle. Your "protection arm" is on the same side as your "protection leg".
3.) The next step is to hook your other leg behind their other knee. This will prevent them from moving to another angle for attack.
4.) Push into attacker's hip with your "protection leg" while pulling in with the foot that is locked behind the attacker's knee. Pull the ankle with your "protection arm". This will throw the attacker off balance and sweep them onto the ground.
6.) As soon as you feel the attacker falling, jump to your feet. Keep a hold of his ankle until you have jumped up, this will prevent him from getting to his feet and then RUN AWAY!
Contact The Studio and Grappling Unlimited's owner, Egan Inoue at (808) 988-6200.
www.thestudiohawaii.com
