We have started up a weekly self-defense class at our club and it is something that I truly believe EVERYONE should have some training in. My background is in self-defense - specifically a system called Krav Maga and I have noticed that there are a lot of terrible self-defense information out there online and in books (as well as misconceptions in the online community as to what Krav Maga actually is). After taking a deep dive researching this, I still see videos every day on Instagram that teach techniques I find much less effective, much more difficult, and often put the defender in even more danger. This is what led me to start up a self-defense class at our gym!
Below are some FAQs about the class, what we teach, and self-defense in general:
Can I start any time?
Yes! Doesn't matter if you've taken any of our previous classes or have any experience whatsoever in self-defense training. You can (and should) start any time! And the best time is NOW!!!
What equipment do I need?
Nothing! Just yourself. No wraps nor gloves are used.
Will I get hurt?
No, you will not get hurt but we will be dealing with some tough situations where someone could be choking you or trying to pick you up and take you somewhere. This might be uncomfortable but we want to make sure you learn the proper techniques to get away safely.
Do I need a partner?
No. We will definitely partner up at times to practice things but we will always have even numbers.
Is this a fitness class?
No. We will warm-up and there will definitely be some work but the goal in this particular class is not fitness.
What do you teach exactly?
We teach you how to deal with a threatening situation in a way that gets you out of danger as quickly and as safely as possible, based on the system I mentioned earlier, called Krav Maga. Self-defense is not fighting, where the goal is to win based on either an agreed upon ruleset or common sense type of rules (like two guys squaring off in a bar fight, going at it until one of them can no longer stand up). Self-defense is about survival by any means necessary.
What is the difference between Krav Maga and other martial arts?
Every single other martial arts and fighting system have some form of sport-like competition, as mentioned earlier, with certain rules and a specific format. Maybe it did not originate that way in some cases but that is what it has become. With many of the Asian martial arts, like Karate, Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do, there is also a showy, demonstration type of component as well. Not that those are bad things and are often beautiful to watch but if part of the goal is look good/cool, it may not translate well to a street survival scenario. Krav Maga is based solely on survival, with no rules. This doesn't mean that Krav Maga is better than other martial arts. It is just different but I also know that not every school teaches it properly. The system itself was originally based on self-defense only, which includes unarmed combat as well as defense against modern weapons.
Who would win a fight, someone who has trained extensively in Krav Maga or MMA/Muay Thai/Jiu-Jitsu/etc.?
I have seen this asked many times online in places like Reddit and Quora and I am only mentioning it here to further explain how the very question is flawed at its base. Someone who has trained extensively in Krav Maga should not be fighting anyone on any level. The goal is survive as safely as possible, not "win" a fight. That may not seem like a big difference in certain circumstances, but the more I learn, the more I realize how that simple distinction changes everything. If I am squared up against another fighter and we are about to go at it, I have already failed at self-defense.
As to whether or not someone would be able to survive when challenged by a fighter, that depends entirely on the individuals and the situation, not so much the system. It also depends on who the individual trains with, and where they train. I have read things about various martial art schools that are totally different than where I trained. In general, any time anyone tries to tell you that one skill is better than another is speaking from a place of ignorance.
What are the 3 Tenets of a good self-defense system, o' wise one?
#1) A self-defense system should be something anyone can learn and can work in a variety of different scenarios with opponents of different sizes, strengths, mental states, and physical conditions.
While it is impossible for any technique to work ALL the time in EVERY possible situation, we want to play the percentages. Anything that relies on something like physical strength (like picking up or physically moving your attacker) or specific conditions (your attacker is wearing a gi and you are on a padded floor in a well-lit gym) is not a high-percentage technique. You could be attacked at any time, under any condition, by any attacker and the system must account for that as much as possible.
#2) A self-defense system should be something that can be learned by anyone relatively quickly and be as simple as possible.
Besides the time it takes to learn and train and practice, a more complicated martial art as a self-defense system will be harder to remember in a real-life situation. I can't tell you how many things I have seen in online demos where someone will go through a series of steps to defend themselves when a much easier option is staring them right in the face. The more steps you have to a technique, the much less likely you are to remember them all in the heat of battle and the more chances something may go wrong.
#3) A self-defense system should purely be based on survival, putting the defender in as little danger as possible and getting them to safety as quickly as possible.
As mentioned several times now, and something I cannot stress enough - self-defense is not a fight. The goal is to get away safely. The best way to do this is to put yourself in as little danger as possible. I see many techniques where the defender will take the attacker to the ground. This is a huge, unnecessary risk. You certainly may survive okay but why limit your ability to leave the scene by going down and staying locked up with someone? Plus, what happens if there are multiple attackers? The ground also introduces additional variables and we want to eliminate as many of those as possible.
What if my attacker is bigger and/or stronger than me?
First of all, I want to say again that this is exactly the type of situation self-defense training should be geared towards. This is not a sport and there are no weight classes or rules, and most of the time, it is a bigger, stronger person who would actually attack you. It can be difficult situation for sure but you can survive it. It depends on the attacker and their goals. You may be able to overcome the disadvantage by getting away. You might be able to surprise the attacker with something unexpected that buys you time. This is why we want to make sure that none of our techniques rely much on physical strength or stature.
Will fighting back just make them more angry and hurt me more?
This is a good question. And sometimes the answer is yes. But there are a lot of variables to consider, with the main being - what does this person want with you? Are they trying to just rob you? Then maybe just give them what they want if you really think they will go away. But what if they are trying to sexually assault you? Fighting back may indeed make them fight harder but it also might help you to escape the situation. Is that worth taking the risk? Or what if they are trying to take you somewhere? I can tell you what I have heard from many people in law enforcement as well as experts on these subject: fight for your life. If this causes your attacker to hurt you more to stop you from escaping, so be it. Getting taken to another location is almost always something you want to avoid at any cost. But this is a judgment call you have to make in the moment, based on the situation. You need to be prepared to make a decision.
What if my attacker has a weapon?
There are many techniques to defend against any weapon. Nothing is 100% and the cost of being unsuccessful can go up dramatically with a weapon for sure, particularly with guns and knives (especially knives). Just like in the question above, you will have to make a judgment call during a very tense moment. If the attacker has a gun pointed to your stomach and tells you give them your wallet/purse/phone/whatever and you think that giving them those things will make them go away without shooting you, by all means, do it! Money or material possessions aren't work risking your life for. If that attacker wants to take you somewhere, it is certainly possible they intend to kill you anyway so you may want to consider trying to escape. You will want to know your options.
C'mon, I can't really defend myself if someone has a gun on me, can I?
If they are close enough, you certainly can. Even if they are further away, you might be able to do it but it will require getting closer first. In some ways, a gun is actually easier to deal with than a knife. More people die from knives in general and you may likely not even know they have a knife until it is too late. Guns may be used to threaten you and the disarm is easier because you can grab a gun from any angle except one and get out of the line of fire. I often hear people say something to the effect of that no human can move faster than a bullet so there is no real way to defend yourself in that situation. Besides having plenty of cases where humans have effectively disarmed people with guns, the logic is flawed. You don't have to be faster than a bullet. You just have to be faster at getting out of the line of fire than someone's brain telling them to pull the trigger and aim properly. That all being said, we all know guns can be extremely dangerous and that there are situations that you can’t anticipate, or even know are occurring. But in some cases, risks can be mitigated, and we should prepare to be able to try.
What about me carrying a weapon? Or something like pepper spray?
If you do this, make sure you are well aware of all federal, state and county laws regarding the weapon you carry. Another thing to consider is that if you get into a self-defense situation, there is a chance this weapon can be used against you. With pepper spray in particular, it can easily get into your eyes too, depending on the situation. You also may be able to find things you can use for weapons out in public if need be. The easiest example is a restaurant or bar. You've got plates, bottles, cups, silverware, hot things, even Tabasco sauce can be a good weapon. You might think I am kidding put try putting a dab of that in your eye some day and see what happens. Only kidding, do not try this. But I am not kidding when I tell you that it is painful and temporarily disabling. The point is that you can use different things as weapons and the more aware you are of what's around you, the better chance you'll have in general if a self-defense situation arises.
What is the best self-defense technique I can use?
I already gave this one away but it truly is awareness. I know it's not as fun or interesting to anyone wanting to learn physical self-defense techniques but it 100% true. Nothing else even comes close really. Being aware of your surroundings, people, buildings, exits, entrances, other escape routes, etc. is the best thing you can ever do to keep yourself safe. Besides just using these skills to avoid or potentially get out of a dangerous situation, demonstrating some sort of awareness can also make you less of a target when it comes to predatory crime. Certain criminals look for people who are not paying attention to victimize. You don't want to be walking around paranoid all the time either but do keep your head up, your eyes open and focused on the situation you are in, the people and things that are around you, and if you have any gut feelings about something being wrong, go with your gut and take some action!
