Opinions On Short Self-Defense Classes?

Robdude

I'm a total beginner, but I thought it might be fun to learn a Martial Art. Like most beginners, I don't know where to start, so I've been reading about the differences between things like Kenpo, BJJ, boxing, kickboxing, etc, etc...

Then I started looking to see what is near me (Dublin 4 area).

Anyway, I found that a lot of places also had short 'self defence' classes that seem to be separate from their regular classes or, in some cases, seem to be all they offer. I was looking at KravMagaIreland.com (I think that is what it was) and they have a weekend class for 395 euro.

It sounded almost a 'too good to be true' that you could learn a significant amount in just one short weekend.

Can someone help me? For you guys who have trained for years and years; what are your opinion of these things?

Peetrik

Just my opinion but Im a little skeptical of them.

If your looking for an introduction to an art then going to a normal regular class will give you a much better idea of what you will be learning (at a regular class) and it will be a lot cheaper.

If your looking to actually learn how to defend yourself then you need to ingrain and polish techniques by praticing them again and again and again. Only way to do this is by attending a class 3-4 times a week, ideally by full contact sparring in a club that has fighters that compete.

Again thats just my opinion

dubdamo

"It sounded almost a 'too good to be true' that you could learn a significant amount in just one short weekend. "

You have answered the question yourself.For it to work under stress it has to be ingrained into your muscle memory,just my 2 cents.

dave80

Dont waste you time and money on these courses tat will have you ready for the 'streets' in one weekend, join a club tat train for sport not self defence, you'll get at least 6 months of training for 395

cowzerp

Give me 395 and I'll give you 8 hours 1 on1 training, seriously-for that money you can get personal attention and learn at the right pace and could have your pick of good coaches, if willing to spend money like that get personal sessions off a good coach or just join a class and get stuck in, I'd suggest a competition style art as they use what works in most cases

Dyr

Nothing wrong with doing self defence but paying 400 bills for a weekends training though?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqk5of8LgLE

CIARAN_BOYLE

A lot of martial arts is preparing your body to use martial arts and you can't take a short cut on that. No matter what weekend class you do.

Pick a class and get stuck in for a longer team.

If you join a club thats competition based make sure its focus isn't point fighting if you want to learn self defense. There is a big difference between point fighting and any form of combat.

Doug Cartel

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Don't join a club that is too competition based if you want to learn self defense. There is a big difference between point fighting and any form of combat.

There are other forms of competition that go beyond point fighting.

Robdude

Thanks everyone. Your advice was very helpful. As suggested, I'm going to pass on the 'crash course' and join a club/dojo/gym.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Doug Cartel wrote: »

There are other forms of competition that go beyond point fighting.

good point edited

Dermighty

Robdude wrote: »

Thanks everyone. Your advice was very helpful. As suggested, I'm going to pass on the 'crash course' and join a club/dojo/gym.

If you do a martial art for a year or two you learn more than just moves. You learn how to use your body, weight distribution while moving, build muscles you may not have used that much before and most importantly you learn how people react when you act and vice versa. For me the biggest learning curve was timing (bjj). You might know every move under the sun but if you can use it at the right time it's not effective, eg pushing when you should bee pulling and pulling when you should be pushing. That's only obtained through experience and sparring.

Good luck with it

Zen65

Robdude wrote: »

It sounded almost a 'too good to be true' that you could learn a significant amount in just one short weekend.

Certainly you can learn a significant amount in one weekend. Unfortunately you don't acquire the skill to be able to use that knowledge unless you put time into it. In that regard paying €400 for a short course seems (IMHO) to be a bad investment.

Martial arts teach fighting. Self-defence is a little different, because it is rare that you will be challenged to a fight. To understand how to defend yourself you need to train / learn a great deal about managing your state of alertness, identifying the signs of potential aggression, applying avoidance techniques and talking down a conflict, as well as what techniques actually work in a self-defence situation. These things are rarely covered in a normal MA class. Of course knowing how Bruce Lee might behave in a fight is of no use unless you can do what Bruce Lee could do, and likewise learning how to pre-emptively strike an aggressor is not much use unless you practice.

So, if your MA club does not cover self-defence as part of its syllabus then just train in a MA that suits you and buy a good book or video that teaches you how to apply that skill. I'd recommend any of Geoff Thompson's videos (esp "The Fence") as a good guide to self-defence strategies. It's a lot less than €400 (I think I bought my copy for around €20 on the net).

Z

cowzerp

I don't teach self defense but I'm confident my lads could defend themselves as good If not better than people who train self defense as they defend against aggressive attackers all the time in a resistant manner-most self defense is-I'll do this and you defend like this type stuff

This video explains it better than I possibly could

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_vvI26NnwE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

pearsquasher

I agree with most posters... forget short-term SD classes especially for that money.

What IS useful in the short-term is a non physical discussion on the reasons why you might need to defend yourself and the consequences of this. But why pay for it when its free - http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/. This website is essential reading for my students as it goes into the pyschology behind physical assault.


If your serious about trying a MA out then its worth trying a few different clubs out over a few months with a mind on what the website above has talked about in terms of self-defence.

ziodro

Progress in Krav Maga comes fast but 2-day course or any other short course its not a good way. But in 3-4 months you can make a huge progress.
If you want to check how it works you dont have to pay.
Guy from St.Bosco Centre always give free trial lessons.
www.kravmagagroup.ie