I Need suggestions from women

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Sarge516
Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
in Chit-Chat
I've been asked to teach some self defense lessons to a group of women (all adults). I would like to know what women would want to know how to defend themselves against. I have some ideas, but I'd like to hear anything and everything from the women of mfp.

Things I was thinking of:
- purse snatchings
- escaping the "mount" (when someone has you pinned down and you're on your back)
- walking and awareness
- how to dish out pain quickly & get away
- show and demonstrate several pain sensitive areas/pressure points
- how to weaken someone's grip (escape tactic)

Yes, I realize I tee'd up plenty of opportunities for funny comments :), but if the comedians could hold their comments, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks for any suggestions.
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Replies

  • dinoskycm
    dinoskycm Posts: 267
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    What's the age range of these women? You say they are adults, but are they like college aged, twenties, thirties, middle aged? If I knew that, I may be able to help more.
  • imchicbad
    imchicbad Posts: 1,650 Member
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    how to escape being attacked from behind- grabbed
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
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    how to fight blind...essentially a lot of attackers will attack in the dark and you're left flailing...getting a sense of body spatial awareness and where the attackers weak points are in reference to your placement without relying on your sight would be huge i think.
  • Sarge516
    Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
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    What's the age range of these women? You say they are adults, but are they like college aged, twenties, thirties, middle aged? If I knew that, I may be able to help more.
    Probably 20 - 50.
  • bushidowoman
    bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Hair pulls--like if a guy grabs a handful of hair and starts dragging you.

    "Alternative" weapons. Belts, shoes, other items that may be within reach.

    Common tactics that attackers will use and how to avoid them.
  • Cassie8877
    Cassie8877 Posts: 177
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    how to escape being attacked from behind- grabbed

    ^^^ this
  • DJJW
    DJJW Posts: 519 Member
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    stray dogs.
  • Bucky83
    Bucky83 Posts: 1,194 Member
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    If someone has you on the ground ready to do the unthinkable.
  • Sarge516
    Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
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    how to escape being attacked from behind- grabbed

    ^^^ this
    Excellent, I wouldn't have covered that, but will now. Thanks.
  • Sarge516
    Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
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    Good stuff ladies thanks, I'm keeping notes, keep them coming. All excellent suggestions.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    I've been asked to teach some self defense lessons to a group of women (all adults). I would like to know what women would want to know how to defend themselves against. I have some ideas, but I'd like to hear anything and everything from the women of mfp.

    Things I was thinking of:
    - purse snatchings
    - escaping the "mount" (when someone has you pinned down and you're on your back)
    - walking and awareness
    - how to dish out pain quickly & get away
    - show and demonstrate several pain sensitive areas/pressure points
    - how to weaken someone's grip (escape tactic)

    Yes, I realize I tee'd up plenty of opportunities for funny comments :), but if the comedians could hold their comments, I'd appreciate it.

    Thanks for any suggestions.

    I'm not a woman but I think rather than dishing out pain, focus more on "disabling" them temporarily long enough to escape.

    One thing pretty much anyone being attacked (male or female) need to remember the most is the stay calm. So focus alot of staying calm

    Looks very good though
  • PomegranatePriestess
    PomegranatePriestess Posts: 2,455 Member
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    When you teach the pressure points, can you also teach "counters" to them, so that if an attacker were to use one of them on you, you could retaliate? Most people just think "OW OW OW" during the attack but if it were me, I'd want to think "I know the antidote to this."

    I would also like to learn how to disarm an attacker who has you at gunpoint or knifepoint, and how NOT to get disarmed! If a woman is carrying a weapon to protect herself, she needs to know how to not get it turned upon herself...

    One other thing getting more common here: Carjacking. Maybe speak to that a bit?

    I know, it's more than you can cover in one class.
  • MandaPaigeSparkles88
    MandaPaigeSparkles88 Posts: 1,289 Member
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    If someone has you on the ground ready to do the unthinkable.

    ^^^THIS!!!!!!!
  • disasterman
    disasterman Posts: 746 Member
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    I'll ask my wife but she takes full-contact karate so I think she has it covered :)
  • aegisprncs
    aegisprncs Posts: 240 Member
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    how to escape being attacked from behind- grabbed
    This is was what I thinking too. If your attacked with out knowing it from any direction and how to get away, AND do some damage so we can run.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    One thing they always started out with when I took self-defense was an imaging exercise where you would lie down with your eyes closed and imagine you are asleep in your bed when suddenly you wake up to someone on top of you. . . they asked us what we all felt, and pretty much everyone said, "fear." Then they had us lie down again and imagine we were snuggled in our beds and we heard an intruder down the hall in our kids' room. Everyone said they felt, "rage" or something along those lines. Then they talked about how women should be just as angry if someone threatens them personally, because we deserve to be safe and our children deserve to have mothers. It really helped the women focus on putting all they had into the training-- nobody half-assed it.

    A lot of women seem to have trouble finding a strong voice to say, "NO!" authoritatively, so some may need real encouragement to be loud and not be ladylike.

    My favorite moves from the class, in the event that escape was not readily an option, were bringing the attacker's head down onto my rising knee, thumbs-in-eye-sockets and fingers grab the ears to control the attacker with their own head (in a grappling situation), and throwing elbows like starting a lawn mower when attacked from behind.

    Women need to know that in a life-or-death situation, it is okay to fight dirty and do whatever it takes, and they need skills they can apply without thinking in a panic situation, automatic responses they have rehearsed over and over again.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    Oh, and carjacking: throw your keys as far as you can.
  • conservativek
    conservativek Posts: 74 Member
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    All your ideas look great so far. I would suggest that no matter what attack you're teaching the ladies to defend against, you advocate simple, tactical, practical, easy moves that can be used during the "adrenaline dump." It's terribly hard to remember a series of complex, martial art - like moves when you are having the fight or flight response to an attack. Thank you so much for caring about educating ladies in self defense! I'm sure I can speak for all of us in saying that I appreciate that. ;)
  • estherdfoster
    estherdfoster Posts: 127 Member
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    How to escape from being pinned down when laying on back an he is on top of you while arms are pinned down too an his body weight pressing against you...it happen to me couple months ago with my ex on me plus he is in military.
  • fosterr8
    fosterr8 Posts: 48
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    Dogs! I'm honestly afraid when a dog runs up to me, I feel helpless.

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