we have three physical foci in our school.
1. self defense against adults (i.e. abduction resistance). we don't teach many attacks against and adule -- they simply aren't effective. even a well-placed groin kick or eye poke isn't going to help an 8 year old against a 30 year old man. much as i wish it wasn't so.
instead, we use tom patire's system. yell like bloody murder and grab hold of something heavy, awkward or stationary. we teach specific hand and ankle locks so the child is inextricably linked with a swingset, tree, bicycle, other kid, street sign and making as much noise as possible. like previously mentioned, we train them to memorize a specific phrase calculated to get adult attention and aid.
2. self defense against other kids (i.e. bullies). here we focus on using the mouth and the brain first, including lots of escape and evasion techniques. for actual fighting techniques, we focus on stuff that will get the bully's attention without causing any real injury. stuff like a thumb jab into the midsection, or a knee strike to the thigh, or a hard inward block to the bicep.
3. personal development through rigorous training. forms, exercise, demanding moves or stances. shield work. breaking. all with the focus being on how this helps you build power over yourself, rather than on how this is used to demonstrate or obtain power over somebody else.
