What self defense do

[terryl965]

I was wondering about self defense classes what does your dojaang teach and how is it different from the regular classes at the school?

 

[The Kidd]

We encorporate them into our regular classes and teach several basic ones that are required for each belt test. I have tried to start teaching our students what I call "school self defense". Since we have so many students ranging in ages from 8 to 16 I have started going more to an Aikido or Ju Jitsu based self defense that focuses more on holds and submissions rather than strikes. Being a school administrator I have seen so often kids getting into trouble for defending themselves but they inflict more damage than the attacker would have. If I can teach them to control the person until an adult gets there then hopefully they will not receive consequences.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

Color belt students and children are exposed to general self defense applications of various techniques. Real self defense training is reserved for black belt studets. This includes specific form and technique application, vital spots, timing, joint breaking etc. None of this is stuff lower belts need to know. This is reserved for black belt students under Special Training.

 

[matt.m]

Color belt students and children are exposed to general self defense applications of various techniques. Real self defense training is reserved for black belt studets. This includes specific form and technique application, vital spots, timing, joint breaking etc. None of this is stuff lower belts need to know. This is reserved for black belt students under Special Training.

Everyone needs to learn basic self defense. Our GM teaches self-defense in the tae kwon do cirriculum, lower belts need to know that stuff as well. However, I will be real clear....they are not hapkido, they may look and smell like hapkido to the untrained eye that doesn't know what to look for but they are not hapkido.

Now, suffice it to say the self-defense techniques are a little different for kids than they are adults, but the adults learn the cirriculum of the self defense techniques. In my observation this leads me to believe that this instills interest in hapkido, therefore funneling students to that class as well.

Our GM has the school open Mon-Thurs 7-830 for TKD and Thurs 830-930 is hapkido.

To say that lower belts or the gup ranks do not need to learn the self defense techniques to me is just crazy.

 

[Fluffy]

I would say a combo of the two, if I have the extra time in the traditional class I will add SD to the class planner. Outside of that I hold a special class for both weapons and SD.

 

[bluemtn]

It's basically in the regular class, with a little more taught to women on another day at the dojang I attend. We're tested on it at each belt level.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

Everyone needs to learn basic self defense. Our GM teaches self-defense in the tae kwon do cirriculum, lower belts need to know that stuff as well. However, I will be real clear....they are not hapkido, they may look and smell like hapkido to the untrained eye that doesn't know what to look for but they are not hapkido.

Now, suffice it to say the self-defense techniques are a little different for kids than they are adults, but the adults learn the cirriculum of the self defense techniques. In my observation this leads me to believe that this instills interest in hapkido, therefore funneling students to that class as well.

Our GM has the school open Mon-Thurs 7-830 for TKD and Thurs 830-930 is hapkido.

To say that lower belts or the gup ranks do not need to learn the self defense techniques to me is just crazy.

Don't misinterpret what I said. I don't mean to imply that lower belts don't need to learn or don't learn self defense. They do. They learn how to correctly apply the techniques they are learning in basics, basic kicking, form, and one step. But keep in mind, color belt practice is the process of molding and training your body to be able to do what it will need to do after black belt. You are being given the letters of your alphabet and short words. That is what you are capable of at the time.
After black belt, it is time to take the letters and learn how to make words, sentenses, and paragraphs. In short, now you learn how to precisely apply what you have learned in different situations. I can't tell you how many color belts I seen who learned things they weren't ready for. Again, color belts are taught general self defense for the various techniques they are learning. That is what they are ready for at the time.

 

[searcher]

As a stand alone class I try to keep the techniques simple, but effective. Most of the SD classes have people who are not athletic and have little desire to train their body. Most of them freak when confronted so the skills they learn have to be of a "gross motor" type. Nothing complex or anything that requires to much thinking.

 

[zDom]

I have an opinion on what SD classes SHOULD teach:

More than techniques.

They should teach awareness. Being aware of your surroundings
a) makes it less likely you will be attacked as predators LOOK for people who are NOT aware

b) awareness makes AVOIDANCE (see below) much easier.



They should teach these three principles of self defense:

Avoidance, Escape, Application of Technique.

First: look for ways to AVOID getting into a situation where you need to seek an escape.

Second: ESCAPE! RUN AWAY! Call for help! Get to safety!

Third: apply technique so you can: ESCAPE!! (See above )

 

[searcher]

I have an opinion on what SD classes SHOULD teach:

More than techniques.

They should teach awareness. Being aware of your surroundings
a) makes it less likely you will be attacked as predators LOOK for people who are NOT aware

b) awareness makes AVOIDANCE (see below) much easier.



They should teach these three principles of self defense:

Avoidance, Escape, Application of Technique.

First: look for ways to AVOID getting into a situation where you need to seek an escape.

Second: ESCAPE! RUN AWAY! Call for help! Get to safety!

Third: apply technique so you can: ESCAPE!! (See above )

I agree with what you have said, but there may be a limiting factor. The question of how much time do you have with them? If it is a weekly class then you are right on the money. If it is a once a year thing you have to restrict how much they can learn or they won't retain anything.

 

[rmclain]

White belts begin learning self-defense right away as part of the normal curriculum - not a seperate class. They learn 10 basic self-defense situations (most of which involve takedowns): rear bear hug (arms pinned and arms free), full nelson, rear choke hold, front choke hold, front bear hug (arms pinned and free), lapel grab, wrist grabs, side throw. Before this (around lesson 2), students begin learning how to fall (back and side).

R. McLain

 

[zDom]

... students begin learning how to fall (back and side).

Kudos! Falling is important stuff that often gets overlooked.

 

[Bigshadow]

Color belt students and children are exposed to general self defense applications of various techniques. Real self defense training is reserved for black belt studets. This includes specific form and technique application, vital spots, timing, joint breaking etc. None of this is stuff lower belts need to know. This is reserved for black belt students under Special Training.

EDIT: I didn't read further, you answered someone else with similar concerns. Disregard. Thanks

I don't practice TKD, so please bear with me... But the bolded statements really disturb me, especially if the student is training for self defense. If they are there with the full understanding it is NOT self defense, then I don't see an issue. But if they believe they are recieving training that might one day save their life, then I believe that is an issue.

Also, I understand age IS a factor in how in-depth one will go.

If I mis-understood, I apologize.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

I'll use basic kicking as an example, since Tae Kwon Do focus so much on kicking. Color belt students, especially lower belts, practice kicking to develop accuracy, stopping power, and gross motor skills. In short, practicing kicking for the first couple of years is simply being able to get your foot to go where you want it to. How is a student supposed to practice kicking in a way that could conceivably save their life if they're still trying to get the basics of the actions down? From blue belt to red belt, now you add the element of speed and the mindset of looking at it as a technique that can possibly do some damage. But you are still in the process of developing it and tweaking it. You have by no means developed your kicking into a weapon.
After black belt, meaning you are now assumed to have well developed basics, you may now look at practicing your kicking from the standpoint of being able to save your life. This takes time. This is why real self defense practice takes place after black belt. Before that time, mentally and physically (for most students) you are simply not ready.