WHAT SELF DEFENCE STYLE SHOULD I PRACTISE?

There are a few things to consider before choosing the martial arts style that's best for you.

Are you only interested in getting a good workout or in better shape before stepping foot in a martial arts studio? If so, then a cardio-kickboxing class might be the right choice for you. Cardio-kickboxing is a great way to introduce yourself to martial arts, and there's probably a class offered at your local gym. You won't learn intricate techniques, but you will build up the musculature and stamina needed for a lot of martial arts.  Getting in better shape and feeling stronger will definitely give you a huge boost if you decide to try a traditional form of martial arts.

You shouldn't worry about getting hurt (besides the occasional bump or bruise), but you still need to consider your comfort level when it comes to getting ‘up close and personal’ with someone you don't know. If you're ready to dive right into some hardcore fighting, then you might want to try Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, or Krav Maga. If you want to learn a martial art at a less aggressive pace, then Tae Kwon Do, Karate, or Wing Chun Kung Fu might be more to your liking.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a streamlined form of grappling designed for maximum impact that includes choke holds and limb locks. It's very intense and not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for self-defense, it can't be beat. There are belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but you won't be learning forms or katas to advance. Advancement in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu depends on how well you spar, which means you’ll have to prove your ability on the mat.

Muay Thai kickboxing will literally kick your butt, and it's one of the best standing fighting styles out there. And like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you'll only advance by actually fighting in the ring. There are a lot of schools offering "mock" Muay Thai that's really just a blend of other fighting styles, so make sure the school you choose has certified Muay Thai instructors.

Krav Maga is the official self-defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces, and it's specifically designed to teach you effective and practical hand-to-hand combat techniques. It's an amazing workout, and most schools have great programs for women.

You'll do a whole lot of kicking in Tae Kwon Do, but you'll also have to learn about the spiritual side of the martial art. Tae Kwon Do is very popular, so you probably won’t have any problem finding a program in your area.

Karate is the term most associated with martial arts, but there are a variety of styles of Karate to choose from. Karate styles are based on striking with both hands and feet, and you can find styles that emphasize either the more philosophical or combative aspects of the art.

Wing Chun Kung Fu is a martial art that emphasizes close-range striking and combat techniques, and legend tells that it was developed by a woman. Bruce Lee originally trained in Wing Chun, and if you've ever seen a martial arts film where the star is practicing on a wooden dummy that has sticks jutting out, he was probably practicing Wing Chun.

Capoeira is fantastic way of building self defence skills, whilst gaining cardiovascular fitness and advanced muscle development. As a street based martial art, it emphasizes close quarters sparring and creative offensive and defensive techniques.

In order to advance in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, or Wing Chun, you'll have to learn forms or katas, which are a specific series of complex movements. If the idea of have to actually fight to advance doesn't appeal to you, then you might want to one of those three styles.

Everyone is a beginner at some point, so you shouldn't be nervous if you've never punched or kicked anything before. At the end of the day, a martial arts studio is a business that needs new clientele in order to thrive, and women mean big business. Most studios will offer free or low-cost introductory lessons, programs for beginners, and programs designed specifically for women, so do a little research beforehand and find a studio that has a variety of options that suit your needs

9 MYTHS ABOUT FEMALE SELF DEFENCE

Myth #6 Women who survive are fearless.
The first effect in any violent situation is emotion, and the most common one is fear. When a man steps in front of you holding a knife, your adrenaline starts pumping and your heart beats faster. These are reactions that can't be avoided—nor should they be. It's the fight-or-flight survival instinct that allows you to focus on beating your enemy or getting the hell out of there.

 

Many people fear they will freeze up or act irrationally. When you know how to respond, you'll still feel a certain amount of fear that you could be hurt, or that you're about to cause harm to another human being, but that will be tempered with confidence.

 

Myth #7 Focus on blocking his attacks.
Many self-protection classes teach you to react to an attacker's actions. This defensive thinking can make you hesitate ("What is he going to do to me?"), lose focus (waiting to get hurt makes most people freeze), and ultimately be one step behind the attacker. In a threatening situation, don't worry about what he's doing; make him worry about what you're doing.

 

Myth #8 Try to back away from your attacker.
In life-threatening conflict, if you're not injuring someone, you're getting injured. Backing up or attempting to counter his "technique" with another technique (as is typically taught in self-defense classes) only gets you in more trouble: Your body is a lot better at going forward than it is at going backward; for every two feet you move backward, he can move forward three feet.

 

Myth #9 Hit as often and as quickly as possible.
Punching and kicking are akin to slapping an attacker around. If you're in danger, you need to throw all your weight into a single target, or "strike." Imagine you're facing a giant predator and you have a big sack full of rocks. Throw a single rock and "ouch!" is the only reaction you're likely to get. But swing the entire sack at him, hitting him in the head, and he'll be out cold. That's the difference between punching and striking.

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK

Every week, I formulate and test a total body workout to increase your arsenal of exercises. This week's workout is designed to work multiple muscle groups including your triceps, biceps, deltoids, trapezius, chest, hip flexors, abdominal, glutes(butt), quadriceps (thigh) and hamstrings.

 

The workout is designed to be executed in giant set fashion, you are meant to continue to the next workout with as little rest as possible.

 

• Rowing Machine (row 5000m as fast as possible)
• 25 Pull ups
• 25 Tricep Dips
• 4 sets of 10 Bench Presses
• 4 Sets of 10 Goblet Squats
• 4 sets of 10 Bicep Curls
• 50 Ab rollouts, using an ab roller or a barbell
• 50 Push ups
• Stretch for 5 minutes

 

Ensure that you keep yourself hydrated throughout the workout and take some rest when you feel tired. The aim of the workout is to push you to your limits, not kill you.

 

SHOCK THERAPY 4: THE LUMBERJACK 20

The Lumberjack 20 named for the soldiers and civillians killed On November 5, 2009, by a terrorist named Major Nidal Hasan. Its purpose is to get you outside your comfort zone, forcing you to show courage and become as badass as you can be.

 

A CrossFit hero WOD is not meant to be an everyday training regimen, nor should it be. These workouts are nasty, and for good reason, they take you to a place that you may never have been before. A level of discomfort that is indescribable to most that have never been there, and when it is over, you should feel accomplished not because of the time on the clock, but the fact that you finished, the fact that you put it all out there to honor a fallen Hero.

 

Give this workout everything you have. It will be tough, but in the end, I promise you will be proud of what just went down.

 

Lumberjack 20

• Deadlifts 20 reps
• Run 400 meters
• Kettlebell Swings 20 reps
• Run 400 meters
• Overhead Squats 20 reps
• Run 400 meters
• Burpees 20 reps
• Run 400 meters
• Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups 20 reps
• Run 400 meters
• Box Jumps 20 reps
• Run 400 meters
• Dumbbell Squat Cleans 20 reps
• Run 400 meters

MYTHICAL BADASS: DIOMEDES

 

"He fights with fury and fills men's souls with panic. I hold him mightiest of them all; we did not fear even their great champion Achilles, son of an immortal though he be, as we do this man: his rage is beyond all bounds, and there is none can vie with him in prowess." "While my Strength yet exists, not a single foe will escape me with life. The brave man makes an end of every foe."