An Introduction to Self-Defense
Empower: A Women’s Self Defense Article Series
A lioness prowls the plains, confident and sure of her every step, knowing she possesses strength few can rival. The embodiment of beauty and power, she fears no one. Can you imagine living the life of a lioness, knowing you have the ability to protect the tremendous beauty you have been gifted with? I am here to tell you that you can. You can walk with confidence and no fear, knowing you possess the ability to protect yourself.
According to the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Many women feel unsafe at work, at universities and even just walking down the street. However, I do not believe it must be this way. Self-defense is a subject I am deeply passionate about and while I must disclose, I am not a professional or trained instructor, I have spent the last three years studying self-defense and a form of combat called Krav Maga. Studying Krav Maga has greatly impacted my life. I am able to walk with confidence and without fear knowing I can protect myself should the need arise, and I want to give that same opportunity to other women.
There are steps you can take to not only defend yourself, but to prevent and discourage an attack. In fact, a 2013 study conducted by the University of Oregon found that women who had self-defense training experienced fewer incidents of unwanted physical attention, because they learned to speak up and used techniques that discouraged further action. Knowing you can defend yourself is a very empowering feeling and I thought it would be a fitting title for this article series. The word empower is defined as “making someone stronger or more confident” and my hope is that through these articles you will gain confidence and strength from knowing you have the tools to protect yourself.
Throughout this article series, I intend to be as real and honest with you about the reality of various circumstances you may come across. Sometimes the reality of a situation can be harsh and, in some cases, a little scary, but it is more harmful to not have a realistic perception of what might happen, because then you will not be prepared to properly respond. My one piece of advice to you while reading these articles is, no matter how overwhelming or intimidating the amount of information might be at times, take it one step at a time and practice, practice, practice. When you begin to consistently apply what you have learned, it will eventually become a habit and a part of your everyday life. I have found this to be so true in my own life. By practicing consistently and incorporating key principles of self-defense, I can do things now that I did not think I could do three years ago. Time, patience and practice are going to be your greatest assets throughout this process, and I promise you will feel more prepared in the end. The world around you will not necessarily become safer, but you will have become more able to protect yourself.
While these articles may not provide you with formal training, my goal is that they will provide you with the necessary information and tools for you to feel you can prevent and protect yourself from a variety of circumstances. Every week, the articles in this series will feature a different topic regarding different areas of self-defense. These topics will include: situational awareness, striking techniques, what to do if you are being followed, dog attacks, defenses against being grabbed, chokeholds, being pinned down, weapon defense and EDC (Every Day Carry) weapons, just to name a few.
My hope is these articles will be a useful resource for you to refer to over the coming weeks. I will make available the resources I used to write the article or in some cases, I might post links to videos or other articles I have found helpful. I also want to let you ladies know I am also an available resource to you as well. If at any point you have any questions or would like to discuss a topic further, please let me know in the comments below and I will be more than happy to engage in a conversation with you. May you walk in confidence and without fear this week, knowing you are strong and beautiful.
“Self-defense is not just a set of techniques; it’s a state of mind, and it begins with the belief that you are worth defending.” -Rorion Gracie (AZ Quotes)
