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[Kentbob]

I am curious to hear anyone's opinions on why they think that women's self defense should be a separate subject, when it seems to me that self-defense is self defense.  You never hear classes called men's self defense, so why the delineation?  This question was first posed to me by my ex-girlfriend, and I have to agree with her that there really doesn't need to be a distinction, but I am curious to hear everyone else's opinon. 

[misshinryu]

I just had a womens self-defense class and the reason why I label it as such is becuase many women want it that way.
Some do not feel comfortable with other men in the class with them for reasons that many men do not understand.
When was the last time a group of women were staring at your ass and making comments about it aloud. Maybe some of us guys would not mind that but that could be the we are wired. I need that assurance every now and then about my butt, but not to digress...
John Lennon wrote a song called, "Women are the Nigger of the World.

[Kevbo]

I believe that a woman can benefit from being in a class with men for the reason that It is probably
a man that will assault them in most situations.
I also in past classes have seen men who needed a bucket of  ice water thrown on them,and women have left for this reason.
I in fact have recently  considered starting a womens only class where the only men would be a
professional male for scenario training. I have considered  this to have women to come and train that otherwise wouldn't.

[Kentbob]

You both make very good points...things that I never think about, mostly because I am a male.  I wouldn't want to host a class and watch the guys constantly checking the girls out...that kinda thing really disgusts me in a professional environment like that.  Any other comments?

[plouffeka]

It seems calling a class "Self-Defense" (instead of Master Tang's Five Finger Death) attracts more women than men.  Maybe guys see self-defense as a term of weakness or women see self-defense as exactly what they need without the artsy stuff.  Many women who come to the class were victims of violence at sometime in their lives and having too many (or any) males around can be intimidating.  I try to manage the environment so no one gets pushed into doing something they are not ready for.  I can see the importance of having a women's only class and how that would be helpful, but I agree you should have a male(s) brought in to practice against, since sadly many attackers are male.   

[Joe Hubbard]

Women’s Self-Defence or should I say getting women interested in training for street survival has been a difficult task for me.  In all the years that I have been teaching I have only had one dedicated female student.  I have tried numerous approaches, but it seems to me that women who really want to learn how to protect themselves do so because they have either been assaulted or repeatedly abused in their life and have finally made the decision that they are not going to be a victim anymore.

Continued…

[Joe Hubbard]

Most women who have called me to enquire about lessons seem to be more interested in a class that will reduce their waistline rather than reduce their chances of being attacked by a street thug after their Gucci handbag.  I really blame a lot of the hype attached to the “Thai Bo/Boxercise/Body Combat” culture that tries to sell an exercise package as a form of self-defence.  It amazes me just how easy the public is fooled by this rubbish. 

Just my opinion

Joe

[szorn]

Some of the issues have already been pointed out. Other possible issues- some women may feel uncomfortable attending such a class in the first place and being around a bunch of  men (even when they keep their comments to themselves) may make it even more uncomfortable. This results in a negative learning experience and one the women may not want to do again. It's possible that some women who attend the class have actually been assaulted, which means the last thing they want is to have men in the class who will be phyiscally touching them, or even near them when they are in vulnerable training positions. Another thing I have discovered, just as men get empowered when training with other men, women get empowered by training with other women. However, with all of that said, I still believe that it's important to have some interaction between women and men during the training, whenever possible, so that women come to terms with having to physically defend themselves against a man. If they see that they can handle it in the class room, it won't be a factor when their life may be on the line.



Steve

[Lance_Larsen]

Most women who have called me to enquire about lessons seem to be more interested in a class that will reduce their waistline rather than reduce their chances of being attacked by a street thug after their Gucci handbag.  I really blame a lot of the hype attached to the “Thai Bo/Boxercise/Body Combat” culture that tries to sell an exercise package as a form of self-defence.  It amazes me just how easy the public is fooled by this rubbish. 

I too have met the women who have taken Thai Bo and think that they can now defend themselves.  It is always followed by the half-assed side kick into the air ala "Charlie's Angels".  The horror.  The horror.

[gumbey]

when i was at the gym practicing my cqc/muay thai/jkd strikes on the heavybag, one of my peers was nearby doing tae bo (video hooked up to nearby tv/vcr) in the air. unforunately, she also has the "tae bo delusional invincibility syndrome".  while i was taking a 5 min. break, she ask me if all of this, especially the palm strikes/headbutting, was all that necessary? i said yes, if your life depends on it. i asked if she wanna try to learn. but she thinks my style is too rough. so we went on with our routine. after our own sessions were over and we left the gym together, she got in to a tae bo stance and playfully challenged me to spar with her. so i did. but i told her to keep her distance because i warned her i will try something she won't expect and i don't want acidental contact, which she isn't accustomed to.. i did a finger jab. she didn't see it. i then did a low round kick, which i executed with full speed that i spinned all the way around and then simulated a shoot (don't worry, i didn't take her down). she didn't expected that either and asked what the hell was that. i did this to make a point that a fight is very dynamic and down and dirty and isn't always done standing up. she then dropped the sparring stuff and then we went our separate ways. 

[Professor]

when i was at the gym practicing my cqc/muay thai/jkd strikes on the heavybag, one of my peers was nearby doing tae bo (video hooked up to nearby tv/vcr) in the air. unforunately, she also has the "tae bo delusional invincibility syndrome".  while i was taking a 5 min. break, she ask me if all of this, especially the palm strikes/headbutting, was all that necessary? i said yes, if your life depends on it. i asked if she wanna try to learn. but she thinks my style is too rough. so we went on with our routine. after our own sessions were over and we left the gym together, she got in to a tae bo stance and playfully challenged me to spar with her. so i did. but i told her to keep her distance because i warned her i will try something she won't expect and i don't want acidental contact, which she isn't accustomed to.. i did a finger jab. she didn't see it. i then did a low round kick, which i executed with full speed that i spinned all the way around and then simulated a shoot (don't worry, i didn't take her down). she didn't expected that either and asked what the hell was that. i did this to make a point that a fight is very dynamic and down and dirty and isn't always done standing up. she then dropped the sparring stuff and then we went our separate ways. 

Did you get her number?

[crane2]

As a female and a martial arts instructor for many years, I have struggled with this issue.  However, in my experience, many women are less intimidated in a female only atmosphere.  This is so even when men are behaving respectfully- as I believe Steve Zorn pointed out.  I do feel that it is important to have male instructors or students who are very professional in their approach and who are trained to assist in teaching this type of class.  Like it or not, some techniques have to be adapted due to differences in size, etc...
It is more realistic and will demonstrate better than words what it will take to defend against someone who is most likely going to be bigger and stronger.  Some women will over or under estimate their abilities and this will help them get a more realistic view.  In my experience, in seminars and self defense classes, many women have commented that "it's too violent" when we were teaching realistic street self defense tactics.  Therefore, I feel they need to get a realistic sense that they can defend themselves but that they will have to answer violence with violence.  Being "nice" isn't going to work when things get ugly.  This is best done in a "safe" environment.  Also, women are more likely to ask questions and give try harder in a female dominated atmosphere when they are first learning self defense.  If possible it's good to have a female instructor doing some of the demonstrating so they can see her and believe that they can also successfully work the techniques.
We have included education on psychological aspects, physiological aspects (e.g. adrenaline dump), legal aspects(what constitutes self defense, importance of reporting an attack, etc...),work impact against shields or armored opponents, weapons attacks, etc.... 
Karen

[gumbey]

i still have her number but we lost touch since she transferred to another duty station outside of the state.

[smsybert]

I gotta tell you about a rather funny experinece I had at the local gym, they have a heavy bag there. I was pounding away on the bag one day, and stopped to take a water break, and these two women walked up, one was kind of overweight, and the other was pretty well-toned-looking, she looked like she worked out a lot. The two girls started punching on the bag, kind of gingerly, and when I got back to the bag, the athletic-looking one askled me if the gloves were mine or "company property", and I replied they were mine, but "if you want to, try 'em on and bang away on the bag a little." The overweight one just started slamming away, no gloves on her hands, and seemed to enjoy it. Miss Athlete pulled my gloves on, and took a few tentative punches, and took the gloves off, with a look on her face like those girls on "Fear Factor" when they have to eat bugs or something. She handed the gloves back to me, and said, "These gloves, they're like, all sweaty." And she got out of that part of the gym as fast as she could  go. Meanwhile, her friend was still slamming away, bouncing that bag around like she'd done it all her life.
Ya win some, ya lose some.........
SMSYBERT

[Nick Hughes]

KentBob,

I don't know if anyone answered the original question which is why ladies self defense instead of just self defense?

The main reason I treat them as separate subjects is that I think they are.  The typical male is going to get in a fight with another man/men usually as an ego based thing in a bar, arguing over sports, the billiard table, a girl, spilled beer etc.  It's typically male posturing and the objective is to beat the other guy till he yields.  (In my day the loser would then buy the winner a drink...much more civilized then).

In the female's case she's more likely going to be the victim of sexual assault.  The attacker may grab her wrist while she's jogging to drag her into a car or off into a secluded spot.  He might hit her one time to stun her into submission, but he's far more likely to grab her and drag her (From my research in Oz twenty odd years ago talking to both victims and rapists) somewhere.  He'll then want her prone, pinned at which point he's going to start trying to remove clothing.

All of that is a far cry from what the young buck is going through at the local pool hall.

Also, I'm going to teach girls techniques better suited to their weaker upper body strength and bone structure.

I will only have men and women mixed classes when I do this (or draft some of my male students in to play the attacker) because that's what women are training for i.e. to deal with men.  If there incapable of facing that fear in class then I don't think they're going to do well against the real deal.  May as well get over that hurdle in the safety of the gym.

My dos pesos
N