Self-Defense Smarts

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If you’ve never taken a self-defense class, it’s high time you get yourself enrolled. It seems like a very glass-half-empty thing to do, but I say better safe than sorry. I took a two-hour class a couple of years ago and had a great experience learning techniques to defend myself should the need arise.

The Sports Club/LA will be offering women’s self defense and empowerment workshops this month in honor of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month. If you’re near a Sports Club/LA, enroll in a class. Or find another facility and take a class. And definitely read these tips from The Sports Club/LA’s instructor Jennifer Cassetta, a 3rd-degree black belt in HapKiDo.

Top 5 Self-Defense Tips

1. Think like a predator. Predators prey on the weak. They watch and observe, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Start spotting signs of weakness that may make you a target. Walking while listening to your iPod or walking and texting are two distractions that might make you an easier target.

2. A weapon is not a weapon unless it is drawn. Don’t rely on anything in your purse to save you. All the mace in the world cannot help you if you have to fumble around your purse to find it. Attacks happen quickly, in a matter of seconds, so you must be prepared to use a weapon to defend yourself. Workshops such Stilettos and Self Defense™ can teach you how to use everyday items such as your cell phone as defense weapons.

3. Your body is a weapon. We were all born with very dangerous weapons. Our hands, elbows, knees and feet can all be deadly weapons if we know how to use them. Many women don’t even know how to make a proper fist, let alone deliver a fierce punch with it. Learning just the basic mechanics about your body can give you that edge to get out of harm’s way.

4. Know three main targets. Learn the three best targets on your attacker to put him down quickly or at least to give you enough time to get away. Eyeballs can be gruesome, but impairing an attacker’s vision can save your life. Striking your attacker’s throat can disable his breathing long enough for you to deliver a blow, and kicking a man in the groin is always your best bet to getting a man to his knees, literally.

5. Release your inner she-beast! Every woman has an inner power that can be tapped in the face of adversity. Sometimes this power is enough to avoid trouble in the first place by using your inner awareness or scare your attacker away with your extreme confidence and fire. Don’t be afraid to unleash your inner she-beast in any dangerous situation!

Stay safe out there, ladies! —Erin