During the summer holidays our parents decided that it would be good for us to join a self-defence course. Although we weren't thrilled with the idea at first, by the end of the 5 day course we had learnt so many new skills and felt way better equipped to deal with dangerous situations. We believe these skills should be common knowledge.
Why you may ask? Because everyone deserves to feel safe.
In this blog post we're going to give you 5 reasons why we feel that self-defence is an important skill for everyone to learn.
Reason #1: To protect yourself and others
Whilst this may seem obvious, it's always good to be prepared in case you face dangerous situations. Knowing how to get out of a "bear hug" or a "choke hold" can save your life. Though you may feel these situations will never happen to you, evidence shows that over 40,000 women in England and Wales were assaulted last year (2021). These numbers are terrifying but having a good self-defence skill-set could help you stay calm and make you less vulnerable when danger arises.
Reason #2: Empowerment and self-confidence
In our opinion, self-defence/ kick-boxing instructors are very strong and empowered people. Simply watching them demonstrate certain moves is inspiring and motivating to persevere with the sport. Achieving grades or succeeding at a move can provide a sense of confidence and help build self-assurance. Learning self-defence strengthens your mind and body. It has been proven to increase self-worth and productivity. Perfecting a kick that you've been struggling with can give you the motivation to persevere and achieve other things.
Reason #3: Fitness
Doing any sport will improve your fitness and health. Self-defence is a whole body workout. It strengthens your core, arms and legs. The NHS recommends that children aged 5-18 should partake in around 1 hour of exercise a day and 3 days of intense exercise a week. Learning self-defence kills 2 birds with 1 stone: it keeps you safe and also keeps you fit.
Reason #4: It's accessible to everyone
Anyone can learn self-defence. It's not easy but these techniques can be used by anyone, regardless of size or fitness level.
For example: here's how you get out of a hair grab.
What is a hair grab?
A hair grab is a common move that girls tend to use on each other. Someone can easily grab and pull your hair. It's a simple move but it leaves the attacker in total control.
How do you get out of a hair grab?
Grab the attacker's hand to regain control (shown by the top arrow)
Using the side of your fist hit your attacker ("hammer fist") around the elbow area/ just above the elbow
You could also knee your attacker or simply aim for weak points down the middle of their body
This should make your attacker let go and leave you free to run
Remember: the first rule of self-defence is to run
Reason #5: It can help you find your passion
Self defence can be a nice introduction to martial arts and can give you a taste of what the experience is like. Once you've developed a few basic skills, it can give you the confidence to explore new hobbies. You may find that you enjoy martial arts and it may encourage you to take up more classes in kick-boxing, judo or karate (which all make up the techniques behind self-defence). You might even find yourself interested in the culture of martial arts and find new respect for its origins.
So in conclusion
Even if self-defence is not for you, it could be for someone else. It might even safe their life. Knowing these essential skills is never a waste of time.
We hope you've enjoyed reading our post and encourage you to join a self-defence class :)