A Quick Look At Martial Arts And Women And Self Defense

When you turn on the news, you always see a story or two about a violent criminal on the loose. Now, the truth is that the streets are actually quite a bit safer than they’re made out to be. You can walk to your car at night every day for the rest of your life, and the odds are actually against your being harmed by some nutjob. However, the possibility is there, and it is very real. When it comes to martial arts and women, the whole point is to be safe.

Martial arts for self defense are a must for everyone, and especially for women, who are statistically more likely to become victims of violent crime. Going in, you do need to be realistic. No matter what the movies show you, a black belt won’t grant you the ability to dodge bullets, you won’t be able to leap twenty feet into the air, do a triple back flip, and come down heel first on some thug’s head. But, martial arts training will help you to defend yourself and to be unafraid when walking to your car after work.

Let’s run down some of the more popular forms very quickly…

American Kick Boxing

For self defense and an aerobic workout, kickboxing is as good as it gets. It’s all about heavy hitting power, speed, and practical application. Any form, outside of, say Tai Chi, is effective and efficient for self defense, but kickboxing is all about practical application more so than the philosophy, culture or tradition of the arts.

Thai Kickboxing: Muay Thai

Thai Kickboxing, or Muay Thai, is probably the deadliest form of martial arts, even more so than the fabled Ninjiutsu (which is, honestly, more of a form of physical training than it is strictly a martial art). Muay Thai is not focused on self defense. Muay Thai is focused on eliminating threats, permanently. Even if you try to pull your punches, the entire focus of Muay Thai is to break bones, rip flesh and rupture internal organs. The focus is on elbow and knee strikes, and the signature move has you grabbing your attacker’s shoulders and pulling downward while simultaneously driving your knee up into their chest as hard as you possible can. Scientific tests have shown this attack to have all of the stopping power of a car smashing into a wall at forty miles an hour. The aim is to snap the ribs and jab them inwards to stab at internal organs. If you want to study Thai Kickboxing, stop and consider whether or not you would be okay with carrying that sort of power, as it’s not a martial art for pacifists.

Okinawa Style Karate

Okinawan Shorin Ryu, or Shaolin Style Karate, is the salt of the earth of martial arts. Here you will find mental, spiritual and physical training to turn yourself into a walking weapon, as well as a leader in life. It’s not bunk: Karate is backed by centuries of tradition and philosophy that make it not only a fighting art, but a lifestyle, and something of an extended family. Karate students refer to their sensei much as a person refers to their father, and the sensei’s sensei is given the respect of a grandfather. Training in Karate, you’re not only learning how to fight, you’re also becoming a part of a tradition and a lineage that goes back generations.

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