tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11626279.post2102650151424970675..comments2024-01-19T09:04:03.601-08:00Comments on powering down: self defensenulinegvgvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007178148902846658noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11626279.post-7637316250661111232009-04-14T06:03:00.000-07:002009-04-14T06:03:00.000-07:00I'm kind of in the same boat as apple jack creek.....I'm kind of in the same boat as apple jack creek...at least as far as violence in a struggle. I would definitely recommend Tai Chi. <br /><br />I've spent the better part of my adult life around martial artists and its true that a good one will win a fight but a great one will win without fighting.<br /><br />great post aaronKoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12359855844113965258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11626279.post-59015276500165317552009-03-26T14:19:00.000-07:002009-03-26T14:19:00.000-07:00Thanks for all your comments. And Jennie wow were ...Thanks for all your comments. And Jennie wow were you right. I'm not a great speler but somehow this one slipped through without any spell check at all. I have remedied that.nulinegvgvhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05007178148902846658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11626279.post-885269648239482972009-03-26T12:43:00.000-07:002009-03-26T12:43:00.000-07:00Nice post Aaron, I'm a big fan of marital arts tra...Nice post Aaron, I'm a big fan of marital arts training for people of all walks of life. The health benefits can be really exciting, beyond that, the knowledge that you can defend yourself puts the world in a new light.<BR/><BR/>If I can put forward a small bit of constructive criticism, this post could have used a round with the spell checker. Parts were rather garbled.Jenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03994844081172979101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11626279.post-84966568009471116692009-03-25T11:58:00.000-07:002009-03-25T11:58:00.000-07:00I don't think I could use violence against someone...I don't think I could use violence against someone else - I'm sure that there are circumstances where I might by reflex or instinct, but it's not on my list of 'options of choice' (I am a Quaker, and a small, not-very-strong female to boot). So, since learning or practicing ways to inflict violence effectively and 'safely' isn't one of my options, I do have to think about other things: if I am in a situation where I think I might be in danger, what could I do to protect myself and my kids and my property? <BR/><BR/>My choices are different, but they still need forethought and planning. The same way you need to prepare to defend yourself effectively with martial arts or weapons, you also need to prepare to defend yourself with words or non-violent actions. Where could we hide that would be safe while someone rummaged through the house? Where should we run to if we needed to get away in a hurry? What kinds of things could one say to a threatening person that might talk them out of violence?<BR/><BR/>I'm focused on your point 5: always have options other than physical violence. I think I'll put some more time into contemplating some practical alternatives.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08892085037131749502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11626279.post-68227583298271208102009-03-19T16:46:00.000-07:002009-03-19T16:46:00.000-07:00I would highly recommend Krav Maga. The basic mov...I would highly recommend Krav Maga. The basic moves are easy to learn. You can just learn the basic stuff or continue advancing a long ways. I've been out of class for over a month now due to some injuries and really miss the practice.Chilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11406176434011890590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11626279.post-20351401969949621482009-03-19T15:20:00.000-07:002009-03-19T15:20:00.000-07:00My family takes Tai Chi and Wing Chun Kung Fu clas...My family takes Tai Chi and Wing Chun Kung Fu classes together. Wing Chun is an excellent discipline for women and other folks of smaller stature and strength. I am a fat middle-aged woman with bad knees. Tai Chi has helped me become stronger, improved my balance, and made me more physically confident. I have a clue about how to defend myself and my family. I also feel better about sending my DD15 out into the world - I know she can kick someone's butt if need be.<BR/><BR/>Something a lot of people don't think about until they take a martial arts class - we live in a society that generally discourages us from touching strangers. Being inside someone's personal space, being very close to someone you don't know, touching someone's body - none of that happens much for women, since we don't have as many contact sports as men. I can pick up children all day, but it was distinctly weird, at first, to handle adults I had just met, and have them touch me to guide my motions. At first I kept thinking, "Is my breath bad? Does my butt look fat? I should use hand lotion more often." But that avoidance of touch could interfere with your ability to take action to defend yourself, unless you get over it. <BR/><BR/>Know what it *feels* like to grab some aggressively, to feel your fist hit live flesh, to use your own muscle and weight to take someone's balance and make them fall down. Also know what it feels like to *be* hit, how to recover from falling down, how to push someone off you on the ground, how to keep moving even when you are hurt. Otherwise, in a real emergency, the sheer shock of being smacked in the face could stop you cold. This is especially important if you have a history of being abused, where threats or violence could trigger an anxiety attack or other uncontrollable reaction. You need to regain the ability to think in the face of a threat. Practice, with other people, is what gets you there.Matriarchyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11626790347402266263noreply@blogger.com