What MUST be taught in a Self-Defense Course?

[Justin Chang]

I am teaching a very short Self-Defense Class (2 hours) in late November and was going over my past courses' syllabus and wanted to fine tune it a bit.

What do you think MUST be taught in a quick and dirty Self-Defense seminar?

The people attending will likely have no experience in Martial Arts or Self-Defense and most likely will not be following up with any additional training either. What would you offer someone in 2 hours time that could assist them in defending themselves in the futute?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

 

[wingchun100]

Personally, I believe in injecting a little reality check into a self-defense course. Let them know there is no way they can develop the muscle memory in such a short class. When they are attacked 2 months after their 2 hour course, they will not have the motor skills to handle it...unless they continue to train. This isn't so much for the curriculum of your course itself as it is for you to have a higher student body in the future. This is what is called an "upsell."

As for the course itself, you obviously don't want any complicated techniques or counters. Teach them to strike for vulnerable parts of an attacker's body while using not-so-vulnerable parts of theirs. Another biggie would be situational awareness: don't walk around zoned out on your cell phone, so you can notice the guy who has been following you for one block too many. Being able to spot danger before it gets physical is huge.

 

[drop bear]

How to ring the cops.

 

[Justin Chang]

Personally, I believe in injecting a little reality check into a self-defense course. Let them know there is no way they can develop the muscle memory in such a short class. When they are attacked 2 months after their 2 hour course, they will not have the motor skills to handle it...unless they continue to train. This isn't so much for the curriculum of your course itself as it is for you to have a higher student body in the future. This is what is called an "upsell."

As for the course itself, you obviously don't want any complicated techniques or counters. Teach them to strike for vulnerable parts of an attacker's body while using not-so-vulnerable parts of theirs. Another biggie would be situational awareness: don't walk around zoned out on your cell phone, so you can notice the guy who has been following you for one block too many. Being able to spot danger before it gets physical is huge.

I agree with all of that, I definitely try to give them a honest reality check and not try to sell them a product I cannot deliver. You will not learn to conquer any foe you will ever face for the rest of your life in my little 2 hour seminar, I will not be teaching you any moves that "will work 100% of the time GUARENTEED".

 

[Justin Chang]

How to ring the cops.

probably the worst response to my question.

 

[Steve]

In two hours, if you're teaching them any physical skills, you're wasting their time. Identifying high risk behaviors and deescalation techniques, along with how to ring the cops.

 

[wingchun100]

I agree with all of that, I definitely try to give them a honest reality check and not try to sell them a product I cannot deliver. You will not learn to conquer any foe you will ever face for the rest of your life in my little 2 hour seminar, I will not be teaching you any moves that "will work 100% of the time GUARENTEED".

Right...and not that we are in this because it's all about the Benjamins, but that will potentially give you repeat customers for the future.

 

[TwentyThree]

Situational awareness, avoiding going places where bad guys tend to be, making yourself a harder target, and recognizing when things are going bad and it's time to skedaddle.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I am teaching a very short Self-Defense Class (2 hours) in late November and was going over my past courses' syllabus and wanted to fine tune it a bit.

What do you think MUST be taught in a quick and dirty Self-Defense seminar?

The people attending will likely have no experience in Martial Arts or Self-Defense and most likely will not be following up with any additional training either. What would you offer someone in 2 hours time that could assist them in defending themselves in the futute?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

I'm assuming you were asked to do this as a martial artist, so they want some physical defense (otherwise, my answer would be all about avoidance, de-escalation, target hardening, etc.).

For a course that short, I'd give 15-30 minutes to some thoughts about avoidance and target hardening. Then, I'd pick a few responses that are close to what most people's flinch reactions are, and just teach those. No punches (if they don't have the form already, those won't be useful), but perhaps some knees/elbows. The only block I'll teach in a short course is what I call the "plow block", where you flinch both hands up and step into the attacker with both arms. No muscle memory development is necessary for that, and it works reasonably even if they step back or fail to step. Then, choose a series of attacks they can defend against with similar or progressive moves. All you can do in 2 hours is give them a few quick tools. As others have said, be clear with them about the limitations of what you're doing.

If you teach a program that might be a good choice, have someone from that program there with you so you can demonstrate what you guys do, so they can see how much farther the training can go.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

In two hours, if you're teaching them any physical skills, you're wasting their time. Identifying high risk behaviors and deescalation techniques, along with how to ring the cops.

It depends what was requested. For a 2-hour course, this would be my preference, but if I've been asked to teach physical defensive technique, I will focus on that. I'd still carve out a segment of time to teach some of these concepts, too, because that's the biggest value they'll actually get out of a short seminar like that.

 

[Danny T]

I am teaching a very short Self-Defense Class (2 hours) in late November and was going over my past courses' syllabus and wanted to fine tune it a bit.

What do you think MUST be taught in a quick and dirty Self-Defense seminar?

The people attending will likely have no experience in Martial Arts or Self-Defense and most likely will not be following up with any additional training either. What would you offer someone in 2 hours time that could assist them in defending themselves in the futute?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Are you teaching a self-defense class or a fighting back class?

 

[oftheherd1]

probably the worst response to my question.

Not in my opinion. It is good to know how to summon help if it will be needed. It is just as important to know when to summon help. Since so many carry cell phones these days, certainly that is a thing to consider. Be sure they know the quickest way to make a 911 call, even if their phone is password protected.

But also carrying a whistle of some kind to attract attention. And not being embarrassed about shouting at the top of their lungs. Many malefactors will be put off by things that call attention to themselves and if lucky, may disengage.

 

[oftheherd1]

In two hours, if you're teaching them any physical skills, you're wasting their time. Identifying high risk behaviors and deescalation techniques, along with how to ring the cops.

I know where you are coming from and agree two hours is not a lot of time to teach useful stuff. But beside situational awareness basics, they can be taught how to identify environmental weaponry, vulnerabilities such as eyes and gouging, kicking knees, how to appear non-aggressive until an opening appears. The advantages of living rather than protecting property.

 

[JowGaWolf]

How to ring the cops.

This deserves a funny and agree. 2 hours is such a short time that anything that only awareness tips and how to call the police are going to fit in. This is in the context of people who don't know how to punch or may never have punched in their lives.

A 2 hour session would be good for an introductory class to a much larger self defense seminar.

 

[wingchun100]

A couple more questions:

1) How many people are supposed to be attending?

2) Do you have anyone assisting in instruction with you, or who could at least go around and give people pointers as they try to execute techniques?

My point here is this: if you had 10 people and you are the only one who can give tips 10 times over...well, then you won't be able to teach too many techniques because your time will be drained super fast. Then again, that could be a good thing: picky only 2-3 actual physical techniques to show them. That way you will leave them wanting more...hopefully, for your sake AND theirs.

 

[Justin Chang]

Are you teaching a self-defense class or a fighting back class?

Self-Defense

 

[Steve]

It depends what was requested. For a 2-hour course, this would be my preference, but if I've been asked to teach physical defensive technique, I will focus on that. I'd still carve out a segment of time to teach some of these concepts, too, because that's the biggest value they'll actually get out of a short seminar like that.

Sure but the question wasn't whay is he obligated to teach.

 

[Justin Chang]

Not in my opinion. It is good to know how to summon help if it will be needed. It is just as important to know when to summon help. Since so many carry cell phones these days, certainly that is a thing to consider. Be sure they know the quickest way to make a 911 call, even if their phone is password protected.

But also carrying a whistle of some kind to attract attention. And not being embarrassed about shouting at the top of their lungs. Many malefactors will be put off by things that call attention to themselves and if lucky, may disengage.

I seriously doubt people are paying to attend a Self-Defense class to learn how to use their phone to call 911. And I'm equally sure that calling the police as you're being assaulted is going to work out well for you. Now avoidance techniques, calling out for help, rape whistles those would have been useful reccomendations.

 

[Kickboxer101]

I wasn't going to comment at first as I didnt want to sound disrespectful but since others have said it ill offer my opinion. Doing 1 2 hour class isn't going to teach much I mean martial artists train for years and years perfecting their techniques and moves to be able to defend themselves and learn what they know 2 hours won't be much and In all likelihood they'll have forgotten it in 2 weeks and will give them false sense of security. E.g they'll see something that could be trouble instead of just walking away some may think oh I've done self defence I can protect myself and stay around the danger which could get them hurt.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Sure but the question wasn't whay is he obligated to teach.

Agreed. When someone asks me for a self-defense class, I clarify whether they're looking for physical self-defense or how to avoid being a victim. Those are two different things, and my experience is that most folks are asking for a focus on physical self-defense, so I use it as a platform to bring in some avoidance knowledge, too.