subject: Learning the moves of Self Defense Training [print this page] Learning the moves of Self Defense Training
Lately you've been getting the urge to get into better shape. But you've also noticed that you don't feel as safe as you used to. When you go out at night, you avoid the problem areas of the city, but still you know that there could be trouble anywhere. Instead of taking the long way home, or trying to avoid every other person you see walking down the street, you need to gain more confidence in your ability to defend yourself against anyone who wants to come at you and harm you or your loved ones.
So, since you are such a smartie you've decided to combine self defense training and physical fitness with some basic martial arts moves. Good choice. There are many sites online that will teach you the basics so you can start getting into shape and feeling better about yourself.
A good self defense training website will give you the basics of getting yourself out of a jam as well as giving some helpful common sense tips on how to both spot and avoid trouble. A helpful reminder to "be vigilant" and remain aware of your surroundings is always good advice. I must warn you however to try and stay away from postings on forums and other community based websites by random people from around the world because, most of the time, these people have no idea what they are talking about.
Now comes the challenge: you want to incorporate those martial arts moves into your training. If you are going to check out studios, have a good honest idea of wher you are in terms of physical conditioning, flexibility and athleticism. A good studio will give you a full assessment because they don't want you starting at the wrong level. Like any other discipline, martial arts moves involve different skill levels. Make sure you start at the right level or the only person you are going to take down is yourself.
Once you become more adept at the basics of martial arts, you can learn how to incorporate them into your self defense training regimen. What you should find is that as you go through the process, whether at a studio or at home with an instructional video, your confidence will increase. Friends of mine who have trained in self defense all agree that they never seem to encounter trouble simply because they have a more confident aire about themselves. Some even told me that learning the martial arts moves made them better dancers.
One thing to keep in mind. Not all self defense training is centered around the martial arts. There are many other ways you can defend yourself, such as carrying some kind of legal weapon with you wherever you go, but if you are not one to carry weapons then martial arts training is probably the best direction for you to go in. So, remember to do your homework. There is a lot of information out there and there is no need to get short changed. Find out all you can. Learn the moves and increase your confidence. And stay safe.
