teaching a self defence class for women

hagoonabear

Hi guys just wondering about any advice on starting a basic self defence class for women? I used to be a brown belt in kung fu and still know my stuff so was thinking of starting some classes in my area

KathleenMcCabe

Be brutally honest with a realistic approach regarding street attacks (empty hand or weapon) and in the home too. Find out what everyday items they have so that they can use against an intruder.

Best of luck with the class.

hagoonabear wrote: »

Hi guys just wondering about any advice on starting a basic self defence class for women? I used to be a brown belt in kung fu and still know my stuff so was thinking of starting some classes in my area

hagoonabear

Thanks for the advice was curious as I thought I would of have to have held a black belt to do this, better start researching some moves

KathleenMcCabe

If I went to a class with a brown belt teacher, and a class with a black belt teacher, id choose the one with the most direct honest approach and the one with the ability and passion to teach and wanting to teach for the right reasons. Belts don't necessarily mean you can teach.

hagoonabear wrote: »

Thanks for the advice was curious as I thought I would of have to have held a black belt to do this, better start researching some moves

Zen65

hagoonabear wrote: »

Hi guys just wondering about any advice on starting a basic self defence class for women? I used to be a brown belt in kung fu and still know my stuff so was thinking of starting some classes in my area

Why 'for women'?

What makes you think that the best approach for a woman to defend herself involves striking and kicking?

The statistics are stacked the other way: Women are far more likely to be attacked by somebody they know, and physical defence is the least useful thing to teach them. I'm not saying it should not be taught to them - far from that in fact, but if you're setting up a self-defence class for women then surely it should be at least tailored to the actual needs that women are most likely to have?

A class that is based on physical defence is far more suited to male students, because a male is more likely to need to apply those skills. Calling it "women's self defence" seems like a marketing ploy, motivated by somebody who possibly does not feel confident that he could teach to a male class???

I don't want to sound as though I'm picking holes in your idea, but the idea that "I used to be a brown belt in kung fu and still know my stuff" qualifies you to teach women's self-defence does not fill me with confidence. Why not just try teaching a self-defence class and see who shows up? Why not return to your kung-fu training and get an instructor's qualification, and then set up a club?

paul moran

Why not open a Kung Fu Class and pass on your style? If your brown belt has value, ie earned over a reasonable time and you have confidence in your ability then you should set a program within that area of expertise.

Unless you have experience in 'da street', have a solid competitive background, have done significant research and study or even better trained by a professional in the area of self defense instruction (and I don't mean the camo 'Krav Maga type' or 'crossfit martial arts' instructors) then you are not qualified to teach a specific Self defense for women course. You could be dealing with very vulnerable people or people who need to be taught to raise their awareness about their environment and its pitfalls. I believe that a self defense course can be taught in a one morning lecture and that all the technical stuff should be part of a progressive Martial Arts program.

I agree with those that the Self defense industry is a marketing ploy to prey on the vulnerable and those of low self esteem. Of course there are groups in society that might do with a self defense program, for example I have had requests to teach self defense to teachers and assistants in special needs schools, security companies and recently to librarians who are been assaulted in a particular area in Limerick. Those 3 courses would have to be very specific and very different to each other, who could claim to be able to offer a specialized self defense course without immersing themselves into these situations for a while before planning their courses. The same goes for 'Womens self defence' can you offer defense and advice on situational awareness; - home from work, out jogging, getting into your car, clothing and hairstyles, rape scenarios, etc???

If your Kung Fu is a decent system it will offer more than just the self defense benefits anyway. Better health, confidence, a great social outlet, then with drilling of techniques the self defense skills required for the fight should be more refined if the small chance of an attack was to occur ....

Obviously I'm from the train of thought that the 'Self defense' model for martial arts classes does more harm than good and is a very narrow minded approach to teaching Martial Arts.

Stick to what you know and pass on your Kung Fu knowledge, people will respond to that if you're a good enough instructor;-)

hagoonabear

Thanks, having had been victim of domestic abuse and having been through various situations where I had used my kung fu to help me, I would like to help others I don't wish to make self defence a marketing ploy but to actually help women, give th confidence to join my club meet friends and most of all get out of dangerous situations.

Oink

hagoonabear wrote: »

better start researching some moves

Op, I wish you all the best and all, but are you sure that you understand what you are taking on as a brown belt? Talk to your old sifu if you can, to see what he thinks.

Also, once you start charging people for a service, that comes with a lot of legal responsibilities, so make sure you know what the deal is. You'd better have a solid plan.

All the best with that anyway.

Edit: I've just seen your last post. You seem to genuinely want to help people anyway so that's a good place to start :-)

hagoonabear

Oink wrote:

Op, I wish you all the best and all, but are you sure that you understand what you are taking on as a brown belt? Talk to your old sifu if you can, to see what he thinks.

Unfortunately my kung fu master passed away a year ago, I think I will rejoin a similar club until I feel more confident to help others thanks, I am very serious about this I wouldn't even charge for lessons if I could get a free place to hold lessons in

shutup

Anyone who is teaching a woman's self defence class and is doing it for any other reason than to provide a social and active past time for bored ladies is not qualified for anything.
If you do fool some ladies into thinking this stuff actually works you are making the world a more dangerous place for them.

TheCowboy

Anyone teaching any self defence class should read about the garda karate expert who got 80k after a beating by a semi naked man. 20 years of training and being an expert and according to the Herald

The judge was told that the man had managed to grab Gda Power by the head and carried him "like a dishcloth" over his shoulder, before throwing him to the ground and dragging him by his right leg towards a nearby river.

and

He had later developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Power said he had lost confidence after the incident and had to give up karate.

So much for being karate expert. Wonder would bruce lee have beaten him? was he that good in real life

No offence to op but it does not seem very effective after 20 years of expertise

Mellor

TheCowboy wrote: »

Anyone teaching any self defence class should read about the garda karate expert who got 80k after a beating by a semi naked man. 20 years of training and being an expert and according to the Herald


and

So much for being karate expert. Wonder would bruce lee have beaten him? was he that good in real life

No offence to op but it does not seem very effective after 20 years of expertise

What has karate got to do with anything the OP (or anyone else) has said?

TheCowboy

Mellor wrote: »

What has karate got to do with anything the OP (or anyone else) has said?

what is the title of thethread?

ScottStorm

TheCowboy wrote: »

what is the title of thethread?

The thread is about teaching self defence to women, the op referenced kung fu as his backround.
I fail to see how either things relate to an elderly garda who used to do karate being manhandled by a naked giant.

Mellor

TheCowboy wrote: »

what is the title of thethread?

"Teaching a self defence class for women"

No mention of karate there either.
Kind of a strange reply tbh.

Zen65

TheCowboy wrote: »

So much for being karate expert.

An expert in a MA is not invincible by any stretch, and to think that they might be is to misunderstand completely the nature of physical violence. I have met people with zero MA training who were so strong that they were able to take any amount of kicks or strikes that I could inflict on them, and were too stable & strong to throw. Of course a kink to the groin or eyeball might stop them, but that sort of accuracy is rarely possible in real conflict situations.

In teaching self-defence, you should not start by teaching a MA. That's especially true when teaching women and children.

TheCowboy

Zen65 wrote: »

An expert in a MA is not invincible by any stretch, and to think that they might be is to misunderstand completely the nature of physical violence. I have met people with zero MA training who were so strong that they were able to take any amount of kicks or strikes that I could inflict on them, and were too stable & strong to throw. Of course a kink to the groin or eyeball might stop them, but that sort of accuracy is rarely possible in real conflict situations.

In teaching self-defence, you should not start by teaching a MA. That's especially true when teaching women and children.

That is what i meant it is naive to think traing will make someone invincible. it was not meant as offence to OP.

TheCowboy

ScottStorm wrote: »

The thread is about teaching self defence to women, the op referenced kung fu as his backround.
I fail to see how either things relate to an elderly garda who used to do karate being manhandled by a naked giant.

not an elderly garda who used to do karate. he was a 20 year expert so he said. Are you saying kung fu expert can beat any one including this naked giant?

Doug Cartel

TheCowboy wrote: »

Are you saying kung fu expert can beat any one including this naked giant?

He didn't say anything like that. Stop trying to drag this thread off topic.

Zen65

TheCowboy wrote: »

That is what i meant . . .

I know.

ScottStorm

TheCowboy wrote: »

not an elderly garda who used to do karate. he was a 20 year expert so he said. Are you saying kung fu expert can beat any one including this naked giant?

No, and none of your posts have had any relevance to the discussion.