Self defence classes

[Orion]

If you've never been to, or ever experienced a self defence class and would like to, what has stopped you going?

What would you expect of a good class/school?
What would you expect of a good instructor?
What would your expectations be about the training and what things would you like to learn?

 

[Odyne]

Can people who already took self defense classes answer this too?

 

[The Jester]

If you've never been to, or ever experienced a self defence class and would like to, what has stopped you going?

Not sure if what I do counts as self defence.
I was interested in Krav Maga for a while, but then I thought it was too violent.
,

What would your expectations be about the training and what things would you like to learn?

That they'll teach me how to:
Disarm someone with a knife/gun/other weapon
Pin someone down
Knock someone unconscious.

What would you expect of a good instructor?

Someone who's serious. But not too intimidating.
I went to a few kickboxing classes, but I didn't like the whole alpha-male culture.

 

[Orion]

Can people who already took self defense classes answer this too?

Yep, even better. Let me know your experience went and what you feel was good or could be improved.

 

[IndigoSensor]

I have done karate when I was in 9th grade. I actually did begin to enjoy it after a while. Until we got to sparring. I couldn't do it anymore. It felt so completely wrong to me to fight someone else like that, no matter the context or the notions about it. I attemted to disscociate my mind and emotions from it but it truly is impossible. If I didn't actually have to involve myself with another person I would likely enjoy it. I think it largely has to do with my adversion to certain kinds of physical contact.

What it comes down to is I am simply not a physical fighter, at all. It just isn't me and it is one of a few things that I truly can not force myself to be. I could be a physical person in a solitary sense (and after some internal stuff that went on last night, I can see myself building up to that eventually).

 

[NaeturVindur]

Whats stopping me? The time for the class conflicts with Fencing. Thats all.

 

[just me]

Do you want to use a type weapon? Your own hands and feet, etcetera(your body)? Your mind?

Do you want to be able to defend yourself anywhere at any time or just at home?

A simple key in a parking lot becomes a weapon. A Cross ink pen can be deadly. Do you want to use deadly force or just enough to show you can defend yourself?

Here is a wealth of information from a rather broad diversity of information that may help you.
http://www.budoseek.net/vbulletin/forum.php

 

[Matariki]

If you've never been to, or ever experienced a self defence class and would like to, what has stopped you going?

Personally I'm not the biggest fan of self defense classes as many of them are very unrealistic in their approach of technique and teaching. I believe that the best way to learn self defense to take up a martial art where you are learning the basics on a weekly basis. Free, full contact sparring is the closest thing you are going to get to real life self defense. Practicing sparring is a great way to build confidence, which will have a large impact on self defense. Self defense is more psychological than it is physical.

If you have trouble sparring in the ring, then good luck on the street.
The street is far more intense than the ring. Unlike the ring, anything goes in self defense.
That's why training in full contact sparring will give you more of an advantage in self defense.

What would you expect of a good class/school?

A good school for me would be a one that practiced on a weekly basis and focused on the fundamentals. I would personally avoid a school which advertised anything such as 'Woman's self defense classes' that alone paints a very unrealistic picture of self defense. Most attacks on women are usually done by men or gangs of kids. There is a major difference between a male and a female psychologically when it comes to sparring and self defense. A good school will have mixed training classes, where kids train with adults in both sparring and self defense. A good school will focus more on proper training rather than the building itself. I prefer to stay away from flash gyms as you will be paying for more than the classes are actually worth.

What would you expect of a good instructor?

First of all a good instructor should be humble in his or her approach, but stern in their training. As an instructor they represent their school. A good instructor should be confident in what they are teaching and not be afraid to correct bad technique or inappropriate behavior. A good instructor will explain each technique thoroughly to their students and give demonstrations on how that technique can be used in sparring or self defense. A good instructor will encourage (not force) their students to give 110% at every training session and should be able to recognize if their student is pushing themselves too hard or too little. An instructor should be patient and accepting towards their students, not belittling or egotistical. A good instructor is someone that you should be able to trust and show your respect towards, whether it is training or outside of the school that you attend.

What would your expectations be about the training and what things would you like to learn?

I am a practitioner of Boxing and Muay Thai Boxing.
In my training I expect to learn something new every time and improve on the basics of the art. Every time I go to training, my goal is to better myself and to push myself a little further.

All in all though for anyone that is considering taking up a martial art for self defense should consider the following art forms;

Boxing, Muay Thai Boxing, Kyokushin Karate, Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Sanshou Kung-Fu, Systema, Sambo, Krav Maga and Savate. These are to only name a few, but these art forms from observation are extremely practical for today's self defense.

You will learn more about effective self defense through these art forms than any self defense program out there.

 

[slant]

I waz going to go before with one of my friendz but zhe never followed through, thuz we never went.

I mean I made a good attempt, if it failed then I guezz it'z juzt not happening. Too much effort to accomplizh.

My dad and I were alzo one time zuppozed to go to karate together but that never happened zo az you can zee my life iz full of zuch dizappointmentz.

 

[Majesty]

I've done karate and tae kwon doe. It's different from self defence but I hope it helps anyways.

It was very fun at first and I liked to being able to punch everywhere like a freak lol.
But in karate, we would only repeat katas and other move series. That was incredibly boring.
The teacher kept talking like if we were in an army. I understand it's not a circus, but it was way too much.

In Tae Kwon Doe, the teacher didn't seem to understand that legs don't fold in both senses.

What would you expect of a good class/school? Not too many people. In karate we were like 40 and if you don't understand something, it was too bad for you. :/ And with diversity, not do the same thing everyday.

What would you expect of a good instructor? No army leaders please -.- In Tae Kwon Doe, the room was full of pictures of the teacher. It was almost like a comedy movie. He would focus on the stronger people instead of the people who were a bit less good. He was also a bit rude, and he would NEVER badly explain. So pretty much a nice, fun, modest, inspirational(?) and understanding teacher.

What would your expectations be about the training and what things would you like to learn?
A bit of everything maybe. And fancy stuff xD

 

[toska]

I've never studied any martial arts, but I dated a guy for five years who was completely obsessed and studied multiple styles. He always told me that a lot of self-defense classes are watered-down and useless and it's better to study an actual style. If you are mainly interested in self-defense instead of a more aggressive approach, then aikido would be a good one to try. It's about redirecting the force of your attacker instead of directly opposing it.

 

[Exit]

Well, let me start by saying that I have been a martial arts practitioner for something like 15 years... I love it. Also, I've taken a whole bunch of different styles, both internal and external, ranging from styles which have focused on competition/ring sucess to styles which have been more of the "no nonsence/street self defence" varaity. So, that being said...

What would you expect of a good class/school?

Thats a tough one, as it depends entirely on what you, personally, are looking for. If I were you I'd start by trying to really acurately define what it is you are looking for in a martial art. Is it for fitness? Pure street style self defence? Just a new hobby? Want to focus on weapons or bare handed techniques?

After that, figure out if you prefer a "hard" or "soft" style. "Hard" styles are your more typical striking based martial arts. Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, Muy Thai, etc, all fall into this category, as well as Judo and BJJ. "Soft" styles are more along the line of Tai Chi or Aikido and focus more on the transfer of energy durring an engagement.

The expectations are going to be diffferent for each combination of goal and style.

What would you expect of a good instructor?

This one is easier, I think. A good martial arts instructor will not believe in the infalability of his particular style. He (or she, as is very often the case in a good instructor) will understand that it is not the style that makes someone a good fighter, but rather that it is the fighter who brings out the best that the art has to offer. They will also be creative, patient, understanding, diciplined and have very good communications skills.

Think of the best teachers you had in school. What charcteristics did they have in common? The subject matter is irrelevent; a good teacher is a good teacher.

What would your expectations be about the training and what things would you like to learn?

My expectations for training are very high. Because of my experience I dont want to go to a school that forces me to "learn" bascis that I have mastered several times over. If the instructor(s) is unwilling to let me quickly move on to more advanced techniques, I'll walk. I need to feel like I am learning, not just paying for the privledge of being there. Also, the vast majority of the time you spend in the class should be on actually practicing techniques/sparring. If you are spending 30 minutes of a 1 hour 30 minute class working on conditioning they are wasting your time. You are there to learn what only they can teach you. If you want to get better cardio, you can go running on your own time.

Personally I think that my ground technique needs work, so I would be looking for a good BJJ gym so that I could focus on take-downs/ take-down defence as well as submissions. However, I am also very much into the spiritual side of martial arts, and Aikido (if I can find a good school) focuses very heavely on that.

Edit: Spelling and gramar.

 

[Matariki]

I've done karate and tae kwon doe.

Taekwon doe? Where do I sign up?

I did ITF Taekwon-do for three years before throwing the towel in, now I eat Taekwon-do participators for breakfast using my epic Muay Thai skillz.

@ Exit

Thats sweet as! I've only been doing martial arts for 6 years.
What martial art or arts do you do?

 

[Orion]

Not sure if what I do counts as self defence.
I was interested in Krav Maga for a while, but then I thought it was too violent.

That they'll teach me how to:
Disarm someone with a knife/gun/other weapon
Pin someone down
Knock someone unconscious.

Someone who's serious. But not too intimidating.
I went to a few kickboxing classes, but I didn't like the whole alpha-male culture.

I see what you mean and how that could be a problem for you.

It was very fun at first and I liked to being able to punch everywhere like a freak lol.
But in karate, we would only repeat katas and other move series. That was incredibly boring.
The teacher kept talking like if we were in an army. I understand it's not a circus, but it was way too much.

In Tae Kwon Doe, the teacher didn't seem to understand that legs don't fold in both senses.

What would you expect of a good class/school? Not too many people. In karate we were like 40 and if you don't understand something, it was too bad for you. :/ And with diversity, not do the same thing everyday.

What would you expect of a good instructor? No army leaders please -.- In Tae Kwon Doe, the room was full of pictures of the teacher. It was almost like a comedy movie. He would focus on the stronger people instead of the people who were a bit less good. He was also a bit rude, and he would NEVER badly explain. So pretty much a nice, fun, modest, inspirational(?) and understanding teacher.

What would your expectations be about the training and what things would you like to learn?
A bit of everything maybe. And fancy stuff xD

Thousands of people before you, have experienced this same thing!

These responses are good and have helped me out a lot, thanks.

 

[Orion]

What it comes down to is I am simply not a physical fighter, at all. It just isn't me and it is one of a few things that I truly can not force myself to be. I could be a physical person in a solitary sense (and after some internal stuff that went on last night, I can see myself building up to that eventually).

[MENTION=387]IndigoSensor[/MENTION];

If your issue is that violence and aggression is not natural for you, then I understand completely. It's a big problem for me, when I'm training people. And for people who want to learn to protect themselves from violence. For instance my girlfriend is one of the least violent people in the world. Aggression and violence is something very alien to her being. I have talked to her in-depth about the kind of psychological training she would need. But know that there are ways of developing the correct "psychological state" to deal with violence, that your everyday personality can't deal with. The biggest issue is not training people how, but how to market this to the average, non-violent person without making them run away or squirm in discomfort at the thought of it.

 

[just me]

Rather than turn away from Tae Kwon Do, I highly recommend the book "Advancing in Tae Kwon Do" by Richard Chun. It explains a lot of the history, philosophy, and meditation of the art, along with self-defence techniques. Excellent illustrations, too. "It helps one develop an acutely sensitive awareness of the aspects and forces of nature." "It develpos the warrior's sense of mercy and benevolence, and teaches courtesy, politeness, modesty, and calmness, without vulgar pride or arrogance." It is peaceful when mastered, and can be deadly if needed. A master should never need to use his force to kill.

It tells the story of a sword being placed upright in a stream for testing. The sword was great and split the leaves in two as they passed over the blade of the sword. Another blade was made by a great sword maker that mastered strong spiritual powers. When it was tested in the same way in the same stream, the leaves rode the currents around the sword, avoiding it. I highly recommend Taekwondo.

 

[Reon]

What would you expect of a good class/school?

A good instructor with follows the rules strictly but is open enough to see the similarities in a variety of actions and moves.

What would you expect of a good instructor?

A firm grasp of what he or she is teaching and also a good judge of technique and such. I've seen masters who had no capability and masters with no capability to understand that some certain students aren't adapt at certain moves for physical reasons.

What would your expectations be about the training and what things would you like to learn?

Training wise I want the ability to defend myself, the whole philosophy dedication thing, and also the fluid aspect of being able to actually protect myself in real life. Most martial art styles in general don't really provide a stable platform of moves to realistically protect yourself. Self defense courses are, generally, piss poor and I wouldn't even bother teaching my friends most of the moves that will get you killed, especially if it inspires a false confidence in that particular person. I've taken Taekwondo, a small amount of Aikido, and I know bits and pieces of other martial arts. I want to learn Hapkido and Pekiti-Tirsia Kali. I feel that I have enough interest in those two subjects and, overall, those martial arts have enough fluidity to be useful.

Taekwon doe? Where do I sign up?

I did ITF Taekwon-do for three years before throwing the towel in, now I eat Taekwon-do participators for breakfast using my epic Muay Thai skillz.

I think better skills overall equals the win in a fight. Not so much "Style"

 

[invisible]

i've thought of trying aikido for confidence because i like the idea of turning someone's attack back on them. i'm not really an attacking type of person. but i've felt intimidated by the idea of some type of hyper-masculinised aggression culture mentioned. which i probably wouldn't find at all if i actually went to a class.

 

[toska]

i've thought of trying aikido for confidence because i like the idea of turning someone's attack back on them. i'm not really an attacking type of person. but i've felt intimidated by the idea of some type of hyper-masculinised aggression culture mentioned. which i probably wouldn't find at all if i actually went to a class.

Try it! My ex studied aikido for years. I know his male INFJ friend liked it a lot. He said there were lots of women there too. Didn't sound like a masculine aggression culture.

 

[Fallen_Adalia]

when i took karate i loved it!

I think a good karate class must have a great teacher, nearly all of my good experiences had something todo with something my teacher said or did.


For me Karate wasnt so much about what punches i knew or if i could break a piece of wood. For me it was a frame of mind. Our sensie was someone I looked up to and respected, its hard to not respect a person who teaches you how to fight, then tells you that he is always more proud when he hears that one of his students was able to stop a fight with reason and courage then with his or her fists. He said he hoped to instill in us the bravery, respect, and the ability to make good choices and to be honorable people. All the while he taught us how to fight, explaining that he hoped we would never need to fight, but that if the need arises we will be able to do what is needed and no more. we would figtht responsibly.

He taught us that it is our job to give back to the comunity and to help others because we are strong and we can.

when i started there i was in such a hurry to prove i was tough, and that i was just as strong as any guy. mostly because i was young and myy dad is your typical hispanic sexist old guy. one day after class my sensie was hsaking everyones hand, all the guys in the class always played a game with him to see who's grip was stronger... I wanted to try, when i went to shake his hand he held it gently and gave me a light bow. when i asked why he explained "when you are in class i will treat you like a warrior, when the class is over i will treat you like a lady, as you are both."
I realized i had nothing to prove, he treated all the girls and guys like warriors in class and all the girls like ladies after.. he respected his students and always pushed for the best in all of us.

All the sensies under him were the same in that respect. we were always encouraged to do our best, no one there wanted to give less then their best.

Sadly my parents stopped paying for classes, and eventually sensie moved to DC where he took over another dojo and his school wasn't the same anymore.

i think a good class of any kind is very dependent upon the instructor. it can make all the difference, the people from my dojo felt like family in a way, even though we were all very different.