Self-Defense Experiment: What is the best learning method?
In this video, we try to emulate the teaching formula used in a typical online women’s self defense video: showing an assortment of techniques only once or twice.
This video is intended to raise questions about teaching methods. Many people feel more confident or empowered after watching self defense videos or attending a self defense class. This confidence is often bolstered with the knowledge that the technique is “legitimate” or that it is taught by an “expert”.
Join brand new student Karen in a self defense experiment where we attempt to counter the deadly wrist grab that self defense instructors constantly warn us about.
I found that using the “correct” techniques is not enough. You must learn to act rather than to be acted upon. This is a skill set that requires consistent training over long periods of time.
Thanks for watching. Now get out there and train!
Yeh. It's really difficult basically. I've had first hand experience against a heroin addict in Rio de Janeiro – there was just nothing I could do to shake the guy off, and all he wanted was my money (which he didn't get but he managed to take my watch and a friends watch right off our wrists before we even knew what had happened). The guy was lean and obviously really experienced at mugging people. The whole thing must've lasted maybe 20 seconds at most – I couldn't get a kick or a punch off. He was moving his hands and repositioning himself constantly. I wasn't even bothered about the money – as I was insured (I didn't even have that much on me). It was more just I wanted to get this guy off me and I couldn't without risking escalating the whole situation (while I had no idea if he had a knife or not?). It was my own fault though. Normally I would be careful. But I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings and didn't keep enough of a distance from someone walking past me. While it was dark. Idoit basically. And I was drunk as well. I got off lucky I guess.
Great video, really interesting to hear what you student had to say about the training, how she responded to the attack and how she felt the little training she had was not very helpful in that kind of situation.
The Gracie's teach a wrist grab counter that's really great. Theres a video of reners wife pulling it off. That one Is super effective. I like your students style! Tough girl!
I live in Texas. My daughter is 10. She can't legally carry a gun yet, so she carries pepper spray and a stun gun with 200kv. I am going to get her an asp (collapsible baton) but I need to train her with it so it is not taken away from her and used against her. She is also being trained in aikijutsu and muay thai. When she turns 18, she will upgrade to a purely lethal arsonal.
There is something that you will never be able to simulate in a controlled environment: Human Emotion. You can recreate a grab, a knife attack, a punch, a push…but emotion? The emotion of someone deliberately wanting to harm you? You cannot….That is why all of these "Self Defence" classes are sort of useless. However, knowing a couple of tricks might come in handy, but at the end of the day…it's all about kicking them nuts and running away as fast and far as you can from your attacker!
Prevent!!! Smaller and weaker victims will ALWAYS need weapons, etc. Anyone teaching women's self defense without weapons is a FRAUD. Pepper spray, taser, ASP, knife, gun, etc. Cheaper than years of lessons and effective on day one. Unlike MMA… WEAPONS are shortcuts!!
An example I can think of is learning how to do an armbar from an opponent's grab or hold.You're not going to learn how to do it in 3 minutes or an entire class. These things take time to learn.
My instructor taught me if they have two hands on your arm and you have one hand free, that’s to your advantage because you can strike them in the face. I don’t think self defense for women is going to be helpful unless you train against men who are giving you live, aggressive resistance. It’s why I specifically trained in mma style self defense under a guy with only a large male sparring partner as my opponent. They beat the shit out of me every class for a solid year, but I honestly feel way more prepared for real life situations. Way more intense than the three years I spent at a mixed gender krav class, with the instructor always pairing the women up together and not allowing full sparring.
I think anyone should try out these kind of desperate situation in a controlled manner in these gyms. Karen immediately realize the fact that "prevention" is the best technique with just a short session, means this is probably the best "self-defense" lesson.
Yeah for sure a few self defense classes aren't going to do anything, just like a few classes on brain surgery aren't going to make you a brain surgeon. I noticed that her default reaction to the surprise attacks was to resist force with force and that is always going to favor the stronger person. The essence of many of those wrist escapes depends on being able to use a large muscle like your abs against a small muscle like the forearm in combination with leverage. As soon as you start to pull away, you loose the ability to do any of that. It's going to be super hard for a small person to beat a large person under almost any circumstances, but I think there are ways to increase your odds, but it for sure would require live resistance training. Good video.
We did a lot of 'grab me here' and 'bear hugs' self-defense but none of them involved dynamic movement. I said 'when someone does a bear hug aren't they going to lift you up and then throw you down? The instructor did not like hearing this.
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Major respect to this student. What a great sport with an amazing attitude.
Great video. Must have been hard for her to share.
YOU FORGOT THE YOGA PANTS ! AGAIN! DON'T YOU KNOW THEY GIVE YOU SUPER STRENGTH AND TECHNIQUE?!
But he used two hands that’s not fair!
Attacked in Sri Lanka, watched her friend being attacked by 5 drunks, and another attacked her…
She didn't run away?
Can't teach that in self defense even to many men (, including so called fighters)
prevention is key, fighting is a last resort.
TLDR: avoid trouble
Yeh. It's really difficult basically. I've had first hand experience against a heroin addict in Rio de Janeiro – there was just nothing I could do to shake the guy off, and all he wanted was my money (which he didn't get but he managed to take my watch and a friends watch right off our wrists before we even knew what had happened). The guy was lean and obviously really experienced at mugging people. The whole thing must've lasted maybe 20 seconds at most – I couldn't get a kick or a punch off. He was moving his hands and repositioning himself constantly. I wasn't even bothered about the money – as I was insured (I didn't even have that much on me). It was more just I wanted to get this guy off me and I couldn't without risking escalating the whole situation (while I had no idea if he had a knife or not?). It was my own fault though. Normally I would be careful. But I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings and didn't keep enough of a distance from someone walking past me. While it was dark. Idoit basically. And I was drunk as well. I got off lucky I guess.
Great video, really interesting to hear what you student had to say about the training, how she responded to the attack and how she felt the little training she had was not very helpful in that kind of situation.
inspiring instructional video. But she hasn't seen nothing yet. Those dangerous machete wielding zombies out there.
The Gracie's teach a wrist grab counter that's really great. Theres a video of reners wife pulling it off. That one Is super effective. I like your students style! Tough girl!
I live in Texas. My daughter is 10. She can't legally carry a gun yet, so she carries pepper spray and a stun gun with 200kv. I am going to get her an asp (collapsible baton) but I need to train her with it so it is not taken away from her and used against her. She is also being trained in aikijutsu and muay thai. When she turns 18, she will upgrade to a purely lethal arsonal.
There is something that you will never be able to simulate in a controlled environment: Human Emotion. You can recreate a grab, a knife attack, a punch, a push…but emotion? The emotion of someone deliberately wanting to harm you? You cannot….That is why all of these "Self Defence" classes are sort of useless. However, knowing a couple of tricks might come in handy, but at the end of the day…it's all about kicking them nuts and running away as fast and far as you can from your attacker!
Prevent!!! Smaller and weaker victims will ALWAYS need weapons, etc. Anyone teaching women's self defense without weapons is a FRAUD. Pepper spray, taser, ASP, knife, gun, etc. Cheaper than years of lessons and effective on day one. Unlike MMA… WEAPONS are shortcuts!!
An example I can think of is learning how to do an armbar from an opponent's grab or hold.You're not going to learn how to do it in 3 minutes or an entire class. These things take time to learn.
My instructor taught me if they have two hands on your arm and you have one hand free, that’s to your advantage because you can strike them in the face. I don’t think self defense for women is going to be helpful unless you train against men who are giving you live, aggressive resistance. It’s why I specifically trained in mma style self defense under a guy with only a large male sparring partner as my opponent. They beat the shit out of me every class for a solid year, but I honestly feel way more prepared for real life situations. Way more intense than the three years I spent at a mixed gender krav class, with the instructor always pairing the women up together and not allowing full sparring.
I think anyone should try out these kind of desperate situation in a controlled manner in these gyms.
Karen immediately realize the fact that "prevention" is the best technique with just a short session, means this is probably the best "self-defense" lesson.
Just Noticed
Do you upload at midnight?
Surely our timezones are close.
everyone has a plan until they got punched in the face!
she would be average around here but good for me.
Well of course what she learned there wouldn't help, you guys don't teach Bullshido's amazing chi techniques.
Nice vid! (As usual)
Yeah for sure a few self defense classes aren't going to do anything, just like a few classes on brain surgery aren't going to make you a brain surgeon. I noticed that her default reaction to the surprise attacks was to resist force with force and that is always going to favor the stronger person. The essence of many of those wrist escapes depends on being able to use a large muscle like your abs against a small muscle like the forearm in combination with leverage. As soon as you start to pull away, you loose the ability to do any of that. It's going to be super hard for a small person to beat a large person under almost any circumstances, but I think there are ways to increase your odds, but it for sure would require live resistance training. Good video.
We did a lot of 'grab me here' and 'bear hugs' self-defense but none of them involved dynamic movement. I said 'when someone does a bear hug aren't they going to lift you up and then throw you down? The instructor did not like hearing this.