# Basic self defense curriculum?



## Mark L (Feb 16, 2011)

A few of the folks I work with have been after me for a while to put together a series of sessions that'll serve two purposes: give them an intro to MA, and provide some rudimentary self defense capability.  Personally, I don't think the notion will get past the legal department, but it has prompted me to consider a curriculum.  

I don't run a dojo, have no interest in starting one (by any definition of the term), but am certainly open to sharing with those that ask for it.  I've been both practicing and teaching for quite a long time, so I have a bit to offer, and the notion doesn't scare me.  By way of background, my core is and always will be kempo, but the guy I've been studying with for the past dozen years has added lots of stand-up and ground ju-jitsu.

So the question:  What kind of stuff would you include in a 6-8 session curriculum?


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## K-man (Feb 16, 2011)

Before I comment.  Is the group work related or private?  The format would be different depending on that answer.  :asian:


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## Mark L (Feb 16, 2011)

It'd be on-site, lunchtime sessions, probably 45 minutes 1-2 times per week for a month or two.  That's why I think the lawyers'll never go for it.


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## Omar B (Feb 16, 2011)

Actually, I did something similar to this a few years ago in college.  Here's how I structured it.

Firstly you cannot teach kata, but you can use kata.  Teach basic striking and blocking then break down a kata into separate sets to show the basic striking and blocking ... as well as teaching stance and proper movement in the stance.

Tyhink of it this way.  Seido Kata 1 starts with a lower block with the left hand, a turn to the left, a step then punch.  So you have taught the application of sevaral things using this one "set."  You then vary the same set going to the next side, changing the attack so it may not need a gedan bari, but rather a jodan uke, etc.  You can take the same set, teach a new bit of tech then apply it to that set.  Everyone learns proper form, proper movement and people leave feeling they have learned something useful.  

You can also cherry pick sections from other kata to isolate and work in this way.


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## K-man (Feb 16, 2011)

In the time you are allowing I don't think you can teach enough offensive moves to make them instinctive.  I would spent time on escaping from trouble rather than getting in to more trouble by engaging.  I would be talking of colour codes and avoiding trouble.
The other thing I have in my course is escaping from holds and grabs and falling and rolling. My course is 12 weeks and contains nothing in the way of punching but open hand striking and some elbows, especially to the rear with a grab from behind.
Eye gouges and effective countering to the groin etc may not get past the legals but the material describe above should be ok.

The other thing I would do is pick the most common attack first, show how to get away from it and practise it each session. Second session add the second most common attack and so on.

What you may find is, once people get a taste for it they may like to continue in your normal class, that is assuming you teach SD on a regular basis.  :asian:


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## Mark L (Feb 16, 2011)

K-man said:


> The other thing I have in my course is escaping from holds and grabs and falling and rolling. My course is 12 weeks and contains nothing in the way of punching but open hand striking and some elbows, especially to the rear with a grab from behind.
> Eye gouges and effective countering to the groin etc may not get past the legals but the material describe above should be ok.
> 
> The other thing I would do is pick the most common attack first, show how to get away from it and practise it each session. Second session add the second most common attack and so on.
> ...


Exactly my thinking.  What I'm trying to get at with this thread is _what_ holds and grabs?  _What_ are the most common attacks?


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## jks9199 (Feb 16, 2011)

Who are the students?  What do they do?

You can find overall statistics about attacks -- but the reality is that violence is shaped by the place and offender.  A female college student is exposed to different sorts of attacks than a streetwalker who faces different concerns than a guy who's hanging out a neighborhood sports bar, and so on.


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## K-man (Feb 16, 2011)

Mark L said:


> Exactly my thinking. What I'm trying to get at with this thread is _what_ holds and grabs? _What_ are the most common attacks?


I start out with a handout I put together called "Self Defence without Fighting". 

First attack I deal with is an attempt to grab from the front. This could be lapel, sleeve, wrist, upper arm or shoulder.
Second attack is an attack from the side to grab the hair, neck, shoulder or waist.
Third most common, especially for women, is the hair pull. 
Fourth, attack to grab from behind etc. 
There are lists of attacks on the internet. How accurate their ranking, I couldn't say but they do seem logical.

I spend a lot of time on the common grab of the wrist because most people have an irrational fear of being held. :asian:


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## MJS (Feb 18, 2011)

Mark L said:


> A few of the folks I work with have been after me for a while to put together a series of sessions that'll serve two purposes: give them an intro to MA, and provide some rudimentary self defense capability. Personally, I don't think the notion will get past the legal department, but it has prompted me to consider a curriculum.
> 
> I don't run a dojo, have no interest in starting one (by any definition of the term), but am certainly open to sharing with those that ask for it. I've been both practicing and teaching for quite a long time, so I have a bit to offer, and the notion doesn't scare me. By way of background, my core is and always will be kempo, but the guy I've been studying with for the past dozen years has added lots of stand-up and ground ju-jitsu.
> 
> So the question: What kind of stuff would you include in a 6-8 session curriculum?


 
I'd keep is short and sweet.   In other words, the stripped down, bare bones material is what you should teach.  I say this because due to time, and the chances that the people probably wont practice what they've learned, you want simple, but effective things, that're easy to remember and easy to apply.  

What would I teach:

A basic stance, similar to a boxer.  From this stance, I'd teach some basic punches, as well as open hand strikes.  Basic kicks, ie: front, side, low roundhouse.  I'd also toss in some blocks.

I'd pick some simple defenses against some basic attacks, ie: punches, grabs, chokes, etc.  Kenpo techs. have a tendancy of being a bit long..lol.  That being said, keep the K.I.S.S. principle in mind.  

I'd keep the list of what you teach short and simple, and drill the basics over and over and over and over.  Muscle memory...they'll probably stand a better chance to remembering and being able to pull off simple effective things vs long, complicated moves.

I'd avoid joint locks and weapon techs.  This stuff will take longer to teach and longer to get good at.  If there is a strong desire to continue teaching, then by all means, feel free to dive into that stuff, but I'd focus on the empty hand stuff first.  

And last but not least, some good ol' common sense.  Being aware of whats going on around them, not being distracted, ie: talking on the cell, while walking to your car at 9pm, in the dark parking lot.  A good portion of SD starts with that IMHO.

As for location...if your work isn't too keen on the idea, perhaps the group would be interested in meeting at a park, the backyard, a garage at your house, etc.  

Hope that helped.  Good luck.


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