Self Defense course

[thetruth]

I am looking at putting a self defense course together. I have seen a few which in my opinion offer too much. If I was just looking to teach people enough so that if they were in a sticky situation then perhaps something they were taught would help them would that be enough of an incentive for people to want to learn? Or do you have to make bold statements about how you will turn them into an invincable killer in 8 easy lessons? I would want to have a heavy emphasis on striking. How to corectly use all of your weapons and where to strike to create the most desired effect. Escapes from various locks and holds. How to apply a few locks and holds but only to break or maim not to hold. I personally think striking is the most under rated part of self defence courses. In this politically correct world it seems we must teach fluffy techniques that take 5 seconds to learn but years to make effective. Someone learning a wrist or arm lock in a self defense course will not be able to come close to pulling it off unless the get attacked straight after the course having practised that technique for an hour straight. It just won't be in their muscle memory. Striking is much more natural and easier to grasp and apply straight away.

Thoughts?

Cheers
Sam:asian:

 

[samurai69]

It depends on who you are targeting and if the course is something like a 6 x 1.5 hour course / 2 day seminar or a more continous course

i always teach awarness as the main point as for strikes and gross motor strike or strikes then getting away

 

[MJS]

I am looking at putting a self defense course together. I have seen a few which in my opinion offer too much. If I was just looking to teach people enough so that if they were in a sticky situation then perhaps something they were taught would help them would that be enough of an incentive for people to want to learn? Or do you have to make bold statements about how you will turn them into an invincable killer in 8 easy lessons?

I woudn't want them thinking that they're going to leave the course and be Supermen. There are folks who train for years, think they're Supermen, but they're really not.

I would want to have a heavy emphasis on striking. How to corectly use all of your weapons and where to strike to create the most desired effect. Escapes from various locks and holds. How to apply a few locks and holds but only to break or maim not to hold. I personally think striking is the most under rated part of self defence courses. In this politically correct world it seems we must teach fluffy techniques that take 5 seconds to learn but years to make effective. Someone learning a wrist or arm lock in a self defense course will not be able to come close to pulling it off unless the get attacked straight after the course having practised that technique for an hour straight. It just won't be in their muscle memory. Striking is much more natural and easier to grasp and apply straight away.

Thoughts?

Cheers
Sam:asian:

I'd used the KISS (Keep It Short & Sweet) principle when teaching a SD course. Keep in mind, that most people, after they leave the course, are probably not going to work the material on a regular basis. That being said, I'll use Krav Maga as an example. That is an art in which the material taught is simple, doesn't really require a ton of memorization, but is very effective. I'm not saying you have to teach KM in the course, but you can use their ideas to give you ideas as to what to teach.

Mike

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Try and keep it simple and yet give them something that will inspire. That is how I always try to handle basic self defense courses. When teaching them I always try to have a mix of standing and grappling techniques and and emphasis on getting away and contacting the authorities.

I usually focus on the following three things and this is my IRT copyrighted material :

1. Awareness
2. Avoidance
3. Action

Talk about how to be aware of your surrounding's and not just with your eye's and ear's but also with your intuition. (if it does not feel right it probably is not) Then talk some on how to avoid undesirable places, people, etc. A good example might be talk about where alot of fighting occurs, ie: bars and places with alcohol. If you are not there you probably will not get hurt. Yet if you are going then always go in a group.
(that is always important whether you be a man or a woman) Then finally when I do a seminar we go into the action phase. That is where we physically learn the defensive tactic skills that will be covered in the seminar. Striking, grappling, etc. all with an emphasis on getting away at the first possible moment. This type of format has always been successful for me during my IRT self defense courses. While I am not giving you permission to use the Awareness, Avoidance and Action verbage you certainly can come up with something similar. Good luck and I hope that your seminar is a fantastic success!

 

[samurai69]

Try and keep it simple and yet give them something that will inspire. That is how I always try to handle basic self defense courses. When teaching them I always try to have a mix of standing and grappling techniques and and emphasis on getting away and contacting the authorities.

I usually focus on the following three things and this is my IRT copyrighted material :

1. Awareness
2. Avoidance
3. Action

Talk about how to be aware of your surrounding's and not just with your eye's and ear's but also with your intuition. (if it does not feel right it probably is not) Then talk some on how to avoid undesirable places, people, etc. A good example might be talk about where alot of fighting occurs, ie: bars and places with alcohol. If you are not there you probably will not get hurt. Yet if you are going then always go in a group.
(that is always important whether you be a man or a woman) Then finally when I do a seminar we go into the action phase. That is where we physically learn the defensive tactic skills that will be covered in the seminar. Striking, grappling, etc. all with an emphasis on getting away at the first possible moment. This type of format has always been successful for me during my IRT self defense courses. While I am not giving you permission to use the Awareness, Avoidance and Action verbage you certainly can come up with something similar. Good luck and I hope that your seminar is a fantastic success!

just out of interest ....how can you copywright words

I use all three of them in talking about SD all the time..........???????

 

[bydand]

just out of interest ....how can you copywright words

I use all three of them in talking about SD all the time..........???????

Same way you copyright a book. Just words on a page, but it is the arrangment of those words that make up the difference. Go ahead and call your school "Kicks "R" Us" then see how long it takes to get a letter from Toys "R" Us telling you to change it or face copyright infringment. You probably do use all of those in self-defense, shoot we all do; but using them as a reminder "catch phrase" would be infringment.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

The words are not copyrighted but the step's I put them in and the advertising that is used tends to give me their use. You are free to use those words anytime you want and yet if you were to use them and bill your seminar as :

Awareness
Avoidance
Action

Then you might be infringing.
Hope that helps.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

So let us return to the topic at hand and try and help Sam out!

 

[bydand]

So let us return to the topic at hand and try and help Sam out!

I think this did/will help. The idea of a simple to remember list of SD actions is great. The three you use are excellant and will not only help Sam work through what to focus on, but the steps to present them to the SD classes. It would be easy enough to exchange your list with other words. Any ones that start with the same letter or spell out a easy, reletive word are very helpful. But also the knowledge that if you see it printed elsewhere, it probably isn't a good idea to heist the same thing and use it, no matter how "perfect" it fits your own course.

As for basic ideas, I think his is a good one. Keep it simple, situational awareness is key, Keeping out of a developing situation if you can is key, Doing everything you know how to do in order to get out of a situation you didn't see coming is key. Give them some strikes, kicks, joint breaks, and a knowledge that running to safety is the best.

 

[jks9199]

As others have said -- KISS is the best approach to self defense.

Use simple techniques that reinforce each other, applied in a reasonably realistic manner. In other words -- blocks should become starting points for hold/grab escapes, and so on. I wouldn't put a huge emphasis on striking; instead, put the emphasis on escape/stopping the initial attack, discouraging pursuit, and running away.

Then, grind those principles in with lots of repition!

And -- put lots of emphasis on recognizing situations and danger BEFORE self defense is needed. I'd also encourage investing at least a little bit of time in falling/rolling safely.

If you choose to introduce chemical weapons or other more "advanced" topics -- make sure you actually know what you're talking about first. Too many idiots try to teach pepper spray or stun guns without being qualified instructors...