Self Defense/Martial Arts for women? Where to start?

RachelsReboot

I would like to get into some sort of self defense and or martial arts program. The field I am going into and currently do volunteer/non-profit work for has put me in a dangerous situation more than once and as I lose this weight and become healthier I also feel the need to learn a way to better protect and defend myself, but I am not sure where to start. Do any of you ladies have any recommendations?

Before anyone tells me to just get a gun, I'm working on that but I have some red tape to get through first.

bushidowoman

I sent you a private message, but I'm bumping this for you so that you can maybe get some more opinions.

dlwyatt82

For one-on-one situations, just about any martial arts training will be pretty effective, but some are more practical than others, particularly if you need to fend off more than one person. There's an art called Krav Maga in Isreal that is designed specifically for street fighting, for example, with the goal of incapacitating someone as quickly as possible by any means necessary. For a practical defense art, look for something without a lot of flashy kicks above the waist. Stick to kicks / trips aimed at the knees or lower, lots of elbows or short punches, and some grappling / joint locks. Many forms of jiu-jitsu fit this bill exactly.

As for carrying a gun, there is a lot of mental preparation involved that you can practice even before getting a license, mainly related to maintaining heightened awareness and threat identification / avoidance. Many people walk around practically blindfolded; you could walk up to them with an axe and they probably wouldn't notice until it was too late, and a gun may not help you if you don't see danger coming soon enough.

It's also a good idea to get very familiar with the firearms and self-defense laws in your state, and start running different scenarios through your head where you might feel threatened enough to draw your gun. By practicing these things in your thoughts, you can possibly avoid freezing up or making a bad decision when the danger is real and you're pumped up on adrenaline. I had a concealed carry license when I lived in Ohio a few years ago, and I spent several hours every week doing this sort of thing (in addition to practicing smoothly drawing and dry-firing from concealment).

jenready

I would contact your local police dept and see if they offer classes. I know mine does. They hold self defense classes for women often. If the police do not have one, sometimes your local community center will hold one. Another option is to take a martial arts or kick boxing class. Both will teach you some techniques that may be helpful as well as help you get in some exercise for the day. I also carry a can of mace that clips to my key chain just in case.

RachelsReboot

For one-on-one situations, just about any martial arts training will be pretty effective, but some are more practical than others, particularly if you need to fend off more than one person. There's an art called Krav Maga in Isreal that is designed specifically for street fighting, for example, with the goal of incapacitating someone as quickly as possible by any means necessary. For a practical defense art, look for something without a lot of flashy kicks above the waist. Stick to kicks / trips aimed at the knees or lower, lots of elbows or short punches, and some grappling / joint locks. Many forms of jiu-jitsu fit this bill exactly.

As for carrying a gun, there is a lot of mental preparation involved that you can practice even before getting a license, mainly related to maintaining heightened awareness and threat identification / avoidance. Many people walk around practically blindfolded; you could walk up to them with an axe and they probably wouldn't notice until it was too late, and a gun may not help you if you don't see danger coming soon enough.

It's also a good idea to get very familiar with the firearms and self-defense laws in your state, and start running different scenarios through your head where you might feel threatened enough to draw your gun. By practicing these things in your thoughts, you can possibly avoid freezing up or making a bad decision when the danger is real and you're pumped up on adrenaline. I had a concealed carry license when I lived in Ohio a few years ago, and I spent several hours every week doing this sort of thing (in addition to practicing smoothly drawing and dry-firing from concealment).

Thank you for your input. Gun training is not a concern, that part I have covered and have several years of experience with. I am not comfortable being unarmed and I need to learn to be since some of the agencies I hope to work with do not allow you to carry weapons.

GoldspursX3

Well I'm not a lady but I would recommend guerilla jui-jitsu. Very practical in a real world enviroment. Pretty common for any area to have a dojo near by.