Teaching Women's Self Defense Through Ninjutsu

[Mr_Wood]

I will admit though, the Kid is onto something when he mentions the idea of keying in on the startle effect,

Yeah these are great to have, we were training some just last night, but slightly different than that of the Wiz's. i.e cover up, elbow to solar plexus or whatever is there and continue as you wish.

[Cavin_M]

Well I've just read through all the posts, then decided to watch the clip to see what all the fuss is about. Personally everything I saw and heard in the clip is very, very different to what I would teach a female who wishes to reduce her chances of becoming a victim of crime.

Now I'm not going to take the piss or make jokes cos as WD said this is a very serious matter and I've personally known a number of females (and males) who were victims of serious sexual assaults, as children and adults.

So, apparently Wiz is a 'black-belt' in a number of martial arts, but what is it that can qualify someone to teach 'women's self defence' or self defence in general for that matter? I'm not sure I really know, but maybe that would be a more productive discussion, no?

Cavin

[Steve James]

what is it that can qualify someone to teach 'women's self defence' or self defence in general for that matter? I'm not sure I really know, but maybe that would be a more productive discussion, no?

True. It would also help if women would contribute what they need or think they need.

[Wanderingdragon]

Here, I beg to differ somewhat, I think there are two very distinct abilities that qualify one to teach self defense. 1 knowing how to use the body aggressively with proficiency, and 2,having done so in real life. These are no small requirements, but I think if you meet them you are most likely aware of what it feels like to be scared stiff and how to overcome that feeling, and become aware of your body the dangers it encounters, and realize the necessary action to get to safety. The fear you overcome is useful adrenal energy to be used with unbridled aggression in every effort to survive. If you have this in your experience, you have something to offer.

[Cavin_M]

Hey WD, what's up?

Who are you differing with? I made no suggestions, so dunno if you were talking to me.

I agree with both of your points. But there's got to be more to it to teach 'self defence', right? Both sound more applicable to defending oneself, than teaching others to do so.

Couple that come to mind off the top of my head- situational awareness, criminal profiling, victimology, use of force legislation etc.

Ones adrenal-response is all important when the shit hits the fan but how can you teach this to someone who has not experienced real violence? It's very hard to replicate in training, when you know your coaches/training partners haven't actually got bad intentions.

I think that Steve Morris' method is probably the most effective training I've come across, basically 'taking the fight apart' and pushing aggression and intent to the nth degree.

I hope this discussion takes off as violence is what interests me, compared to many of the martial arts discussions which I simply have no interest in.


Cavin

[Steve James]

There could be a thread about how to control the startle reflex, but there'd still be only one way to find out if it worked. The same holds true for harnessing (if not overcoming) fear; but imo they're different things. Andy posted a video of a special services operative walking through an environment where explosions are going off behind him. Betcha he's been there before, but he can't teach anyone how to be like him. People are hardened through experience, not from training --except in sports where training is (should be) harder than the competition.

I'd also say that self-defense is more about survival than how to win a fight. It's easy enough to just say "Take up a martial art" --and spend a few years practicing. Maybe it was in this thread, but someone (rightly) argued that just getting in better shape might be more helpful than studying any art. The only problem with that is that getting in shape takes as much time --as learning dodgy techniques. Studying martial arts, however, at least gives people a start at that process while (hopefully) learning useful things.

I know I've mentioned the story of a friend of mine who went to a gym saying that he been challenged in a bar to a fight and had to go back in a month. So, he asked a boxing coach to teach him. The coach gave him two rolls of quarters and said, "Go home and just punch the air with those rolls in your hand for as long and as hard as you can." He started doing this religiously, every day. In about four weeks he went back to the coach and said he could do it for 15 minutes straight. He said he felt confident he could go back to that bar now. The coach said, "Now, it would be homicide."

[Cavin_M]

Nice post Steve. The initial paragraph is exactly the problem that I was getting at in my round-about way. I think that many people (probably the vast majority) will simply never have what it takes to survive as they just don't have he life experience of dealing with violence.

Wolves are few, but sheep are many.

Cavin

[Wanderingdragon]

Yeah true on all counts guys, guess I was speaking more on who would be and what would make someone qualified to development an actual start to finish course.
The opposite of the "startle effect" is the " nerd effect " , every bully has seen when the victim becomes so afraid and because of his own frustration over the fear they explode in a blaze of fierce unbridled strength and intent, usually lo g enough to escape eminent danger. This can be trained. Though Frankensteins are created

[I am...]

Yeah true on all counts guys, guess I was speaking more on who would be and what would make someone qualified to development an actual start to finish course.
The opposite of the "startle effect" is the " nerd effect " , every bully has seen when the victim becomes so afraid and because of his own frustration over the fear they explode in a blaze of fierce unbridled strength and intent, usually lo g enough to escape eminent danger. This can be trained. Though Frankensteins are created

I recall in 9th grade seeing a kid that had been picked on almost daily for 3 years decide he had had enough. He took one of the big guys on our football team that had said something to him moments before, pinned him against a wall by his throat and hit him once in the mouth. The guy lost 7 teeth and looked like he had been shot. Nobody picked on him again

[AllanF]

The idea that you fight like you train is only partially right as no "training" can let you know exactly what it is like to be in a real confrontation, particularly one involving weapons.

That said the following clip helps to illustrate some of the intensity of emotions/fear/freeze responses.

[Steve James]

Ah, the questions should be directed toward those who've survived such knife attacks.

I think the vid is good, but I think it's rare for someone to walk up to you holding a knife "and" talking shit. If you ain't armed, you should be running or looking for a weapon --probably both. Otoh, if you allow someone to get that close to you, yeah, you'll be in just the kind of life-or-death struggle that the video illustrates. Btw, this guy seems like he's using techniques from the joint (i.e., penal system). It's the blitz shank --which is usually into the back and neck first. So, often what happens is that the person is stabbed without realizing it, then has to fight off more attacks. Anyway, getting into the knife fighting techniques is somewhat different than women's self defense, even in terms of attitude. As he points out, in the situation he describes, the motivation is high and someone is going to get cut. He's right that it's definitely not about a simple sd technique.

[Sajite]

Ah, the questions should be directed toward those who've survived such knife attacks.

I think the vid is good, but I think it's rare for someone to walk up to you holding a knife "and" talking shit.

Putting self defense in situational terms is a wate of time.
What can turn tables are a se3ries of phisical and psicological attrbuttes. Situation "training" is a infinite chain of useless "ifs"... "What if there's more than one attacker", "What if th eknife is longer", "what if it's raining", "What if you're swiming in the water".... "IFs" are for business purposes only.
SelfDefense training is more about "SELF" than about "DEFENSE"

[Steve James]

Fair enough. So, what is the self training? Fergit the defense.

[Mr_Wood]

confidence stuff like the video Rob posted. How you carry yourself, mind frame etc...

[Steve James]

One would apply that how in the last video situation?