"Makes me that much stronger" - read and vote!

This weekend, I kneed a man in the groin so hard, it left a slight bruise on my leg. But oh, did he deserve it…and let me tell you, for those of you have never delivered a swift kick to the nuts, it feels gooood.

Allow me to explain.

On Saturday, I took a self-defense course called FULLPOWER with my friend Renata. Three other women who had enrolled in the class bailed on us, so we got very individualized attention from our martial arts instructors Sterling and Anne. I know this isn’t exactly a diet- or weight-related topic, but it absolutely is tied in with self-esteem and empowerment, which is why I wanted to tell you all about it/scream from the top of my lungs, “Sign up for a class today!”

We started with a sit-down talk about our motivations for taking self-defense and learned a bit about perpetrators, what they look for in a victim and good and bad ways to walk, carry yourself, respond to verbal harassment, and so forth. I told the threesome about an incident just a few days earlier where I’d been walking down State Street downtown, about 5pm, moving along with the hustle and bustle of fresh-from-work Chicagoans. I’d been waiting for an email from an editor so I was more or less completely engrossed in my cell phone/mini-computer/little handheld air supply and as I walked. In retrospect, I realize my head was down, my shoulders hunched, my guard completely off. Out of nowhere I heard someone call out, “Lolly!” (my husband’s nickname for me) and it was him, waiting for me on the corner with a none-too-pleased look on his face.

“You should have seen yourself just now,” he told me. “It was scary watching you. There was a huge man walking right behind you, your Sam (our name for my faithful work bag, a Kate Spade number called the Large Sam) was totally open and you had no clue what was going on.” He wasn’t so much admonishing me but mentally shaking me awake to what a target I looked like.

So I was glad that Sterling and Anne had us practice walking with our heads up, shoulders back, making sure to look left and right every so often. We also did this with varying scenarios, such as a man (Sterling playing the role) trying to get in our way, saying something undesirable or indicating we were in a dangerous situation. Renata and I learned the power of our voices and how we have every right in the world to yell, “STOP!” or “Get Away From Me!” I think a lot of women might feel like calling out such a command is silly, or we’ll look like worrywarts if the potential perpetrator is actually just a bum or even a man (or woman) who means no harm. But you know what? Who cares? Which is better – feeling silly or being hurt?

We then moved on to physical moves, learning how to, say, quickly jab someone in the eye or, if grabbed from behind, slap them where the sun don’t shine (yes, even a slap can be enough to stun someone, giving you time to run). After practicing the moves, Sterling gamely suited up in what can only be described as a giant football uniform/spacesuit costume, with an oversized, padded helmet with nets for eyes. He looked like an outerspace jock on steroids but his purpose was clear: To simulate a few attacks on each of us; in return, we could punch, kick and fight our way back without fear of hurting him. (This is where the aforementioned knee…well, knees…to the groin took place.)

What a rush! Of course, I understand these were highly idealized circumstances but to be able to scream and jab and kick my way free from an “attacker” felt so empowering! Both of us left the class on a women’s rights high, confident and so happy we had done something so crucial for our physical and emotional health. I can’t tell you how highly I recommend this – it’s not just for girls going off to college, it’s not just for women living in high-crime areas. It’s for all of us.

PS I encourage you to visit the website - they offer courses around the country and also have specialized classed for kids and teens. Do it!!!

Comments

One of my friends took a martial arts class when she was a kid and it paid off as an adult. She was attacked once and was able to remember how to get out of an attacker's grip in college.

I took a self-defense class in grad school and use the principles it taught to this day. It's SO much about how you carry yourself, and your attitude, and just being aware. A big part of what they taught us was how not to become a victim, as well as getting away from an attacker.

lol this is funny, women get so emotional when it comes to self defense and suddenly feel invincible haha lol. Kids do it as well sometimes but no one does it more then women!

I encourage everyone to take self defense but dont suddenly think your invincible, remember every thing you think you can do to your attacker (who remember will probably be stronger, taller, faster a better fighter and have surprise on their side) can do to you.

Dont miss understand what i am saying, learn self defense but just remember it takes YEARS of practice not one session to even stand a remote chance of defending yourself on the streets in a street fight - and that it is avoidance, being street smart, not walking on empty places alone etc that is the best defense