Self-Defense
Term 1-Module 4-Week 1
Self-Defense
Run the self-defense classes with a shorter, lighter warm-up of jumping jacks, shadow boxing, push-ups, and sit-ups.
While they are doing the exercises, your patter is any or all of the following:
1. Review what they have learned so far in terms of soft skills, not physical skills. TPM, Soft Targets, How Bad Guys Choose a Victim etc.
2. Discuss a local crime and analyze it for them and with their input. This is important as their analysis of the crime will change through the module.
3. Preview what is going to happen in this class.
Watch this first
The skills and drills you are about to learn and teach are TOTALLY DIFFERENT from the other modules.
You can invite the students to come to class in their regular clothes provided they are similar to what they would wear to the gym or to school.
No jewelry. Be careful of nails scratching.
Your presentation of this is CRITICAL. Students must work as school zone speed unless you say otherwise.
This is a different world from martial arts, and one of the key success factors is your ability ignite the energy in the class.
You want to play the fine line between creating adrenaline in the class and scaring them.
Much of that has to do with your word patter, volume and tone.
Here are examples.
Life Skill: First Aid
Download this and preview the lessons, posters, and stories for each age group.
Download First Aid
Self-Defense Class Orientation 1
To the class:
“Why is self-defense the most important skill set we teach?
Because you do not want to be a victim of a criminal. You want to make sure you’re never separated from what you love most, your life. This has to be a major priority. More important than your possessions and your social life.
People insure their cars, iPhones, and houses, yet never spend a dime on ensuring their own safety. So you are doing what most want to do but never do. Congratulations.”
Each class during warm-ups is the perfect time to remind students of what they’ve learned so far. TPM is a great example. Look for local crimes you can break down to illustrate TPM.
Self-Defense Class Orientation 2
Define Self-Defense
People typically associate self-defense with a physical altercation or fight. We approach self-defense in a more holistic way.
- If you are not where an attack could happen, that is self-defense.
- Avoiding conflict is self-defense. Learning how to use your voice and words to persuade or dissuade is self-defense.
- Developing a Teflon ego (insults just slide off) that is not concerned about being insulted or verbally attack is self-defense.
- Learning to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations is self-defense.
- Staying fit so you can physically defend yourself or run away is self-defense.
- Staying away from bad people is self-defense.
- Reading and educating yourself is self-defense.
Time-Place-Method (TPM)
Cell Phone Demo
Some people think that all they need to do in an altercation is to call 911. Parents send their kids out and say, “If need anything, just call me.” Let’s see how that works.
Passive vs Fighting Stance
We all know fighting stance, but in a self-defense situation, do you want to signal the bad guy that you’re ready to fight? No. We want that to be a surprise like stepping on a land mine.
That’s why we use a passive stance. It looks like we don’t want to and are not ready to fight, but we are.
The Grind
Review Skills
Review
TPM
Passive Stance
5 EKB Elbow strikes
How to Push
Action vs Reaction Demo
You can have the students do this by pairing off. The bad guy uses his fingers like a gun. The thumb is the trigger.
Student 1 points index finger gun to the head.
Student 2 disarms just like it was a real gun. This is a fun and effective way to illustrate Action vs Reaction.
Skills: Hammer-fist & Catch Block
Home Invasion Scenario
Run each student through this. You may have to do this in the next class as well to get to everyone.
2. https://vimeo.com/269634212