|
Self Defense vs. the Martial Arts
Contrary to what you see in movies like Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, Once Upon A Time in Mexico or even in television shows like The Avengers or Alias, the average woman cannot stand toe-to-toe with even the average man and �slug it out�. (Of course, the women presented in these entertainments are not average women. They are the penultimate, a physical fitness goal which women should strive for).
However, even if a woman had the reflexes, speed, hard body (to absorb blows) and strength to stand toe-to-toe, she still wouldn�t want to do it for any appreciable length of time. Why? Because physical violence should be the last resort for a woman (as it should be for a man). Violence is the last resort, and should be used for self-defense only.
These days, a woman needs to be able to defend herself from both men and women. It�s a pity that the more independant girls and women are becoming, the more they believe that using violence against another woman is a sign of strength rather than a sign of uncivilized behavior. (If a boy cheats on his girlfriend, nine times out of ten the girl doesn�t dump the boyfriend, she attempts to beat up the girl who�stole� her man. Such at least is what we see in the advertisements for those embarrasing shows such as Jerry Springer. (I say ads, because nothing on earth could make me watch these kinds of shows in which people make fools of themselves in front of millions of viewers). Here�s a tip - your boyfriend cheats on you - dump the boyfriend. No need to get mad at the girl - he�ll cheat on her, too.)
In self defense, you do not stand toe-to-toe with a man or woman and exchange blows until someone falls. You develop the reflexes to avoid your opponent�s first attack, the speed to land an attack before your opponent can deflect it, the ability to incapacitate your opponent quickly (i.e., hurt them), and then the knowledge of your surroundings as to how you can safely get away from that opponent into a safer location. All this is contingent upon your presence of mind - which must not be blurred by drugs or alcohol, which would render any knowledge of self-defense moot.
Enrolling in a martial arts class - from judo to karate - is a good thing, in that it will give you exercise, give you strength, and increase your self-confidence - but you must not be overconfident. Simply knowing a martial art is not enough. What if your opponent also knows judo, or karate? What you must know also is self-defense. How to avoid or defuse violent situations, first of all. What to do to quickly incapacitate someone who is attacking you if you can�t avoid violent situations.
Let�s face it. Fights in the movies or on tv are good clean fun and no one gets hurt. In real life, that�s not the case. Violence is the last refuge of the mindless, and it hurts everybody.
|
