Self-Defense: Girl Power!
“Fight Like a Girl” the ironic slogan for the Women’s Self-Defense Institute, just about sums up the growing popularity of self-defense, kickboxing, karate, and mixed martial arts among women. Being able to defend yourself is a life-long skill, and unfortunately women seem to more often be the target of many random attacks.
“Young women must always be aware that they are targets,” Sensei Richard Lanza says, “know your surroundings, have a plan of action . . . be prepared, know what you can do and have a backup plan.”
Learning the Ropes
If grabbed by a stranger, remember the four most sensitive areas on a man’s body are the eyes, knees, groin, and throat. On a woman, there are three: eyes, throat, and knees, writer of a 2005 Associated Content article titled Ten Self-Defense Tips for the Average Woman states.
Techniques like these are often taught in women’s self-defense courses, offered through karate dojo’s, fitness centers, and even seminars given in corporate offices.
Karate STL, in Saint Louis, MO is just one of the schools that offers self-defense seminars for women. These are offered every few months. There are also weekly adult karate classes. The Michigan Martial Arts Project does just the same.
“The most beneficial part of self-defense courses and training for females is getting them used to the feelings of getting grabbed, startled and feeling uncomfortable,” Sensei Lanza says.
Titan Fitness and MMA, a school near Pennsylvania State University campus, offers similar classes to college students. “The goals of this program are suited to give individuals the opportunity to learn effective self defense skills while increasing fitness levels. The program can also be utilized as a stepping stone for those women with higher martial arts aspirations,” the company says.
Aside from survival, martial arts is a great workout. Fitness Centers and gyms across the country offer group instruction of martial arts and kickboxing as an added jolt in your workout. Bally Total Fitness, a gym with about 300 locations nationwide, is a prime example of this. New York Sports Clubs, and its affiliates in the Boston, Washington and Philadelphia area offer a number of group classes including Boxing, Kickboxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Body Combat, Tai Chi, and more. Other popular styles of martial arts are akaido, judo, and kung fu.
According to I Am My Defender, an online organization for women’s self-defense, there are a number of additional advantages to practicing martial arts.
1. Your mental and physical health will improve.
2. You will experience a boost in self-confidence.
3. You will better understand your body dynamics and its capabilities.
As women more often become targets, it will be important for everyone to learn self-defense, Sensei Lanza says.
