Quick-and-dirty self-defense classes in Seattle
July 5, 2010 2:14 PM Subscribe
Ass-kicking lessons in Seattle: Looking for personal recommendations.
I have a female friend who will be embarking on a year-long solo world tour visiting several somewhat politically and socially unstable regions. I would like to get her a gift certificate for a full-contact self-defense workshop or short series of classes. I'm looking for recommendations for specific self-defense styles and especially for specific class sites/schools that can give her a solid grounding in situational awareness, moves to use on an assailant, etc. We're both in Seattle.
She'll be leaving in a few months, so I'm looking for a quick-and-dirty here's-how-to-incapacitate-someone-in-six-sessions-or-less type of thing.
I'm willing to spend up to $200 - $300. Cheaper is, of course, better.
(Yes, I know that the goal of these classes is to teach you to identify and remove yourself from a bad situation before ass-kicking is necessary. I'd just like to give her some extra skills. And it takes no packing space!)
I have a female friend who will be embarking on a year-long solo world tour visiting several somewhat politically and socially unstable regions. I would like to get her a gift certificate for a full-contact self-defense workshop or short series of classes. I'm looking for recommendations for specific self-defense styles and especially for specific class sites/schools that can give her a solid grounding in situational awareness, moves to use on an assailant, etc. We're both in Seattle.
She'll be leaving in a few months, so I'm looking for a quick-and-dirty here's-how-to-incapacitate-someone-in-six-sessions-or-less type of thing.
I'm willing to spend up to $200 - $300. Cheaper is, of course, better.
(Yes, I know that the goal of these classes is to teach you to identify and remove yourself from a bad situation before ass-kicking is necessary. I'd just like to give her some extra skills. And it takes no packing space!)
There is the Feminist Karate Union and Seven Star Women's Kung Fu. It's a shame that Home Alive is defunct, because that was a great place to learn about not just how to get out of a situation, but how to be prepared for anything. Both of those organizations were recommended by Home Alive.
(I took a Home Alive course and found it more valuable than I ever could have anticipated.)
posted by micawber at 3:34 PM on July 5, 2010
(I took a Home Alive course and found it more valuable than I ever could have anticipated.)
posted by micawber at 3:34 PM on July 5, 2010
Insights Training Center has a great weekend-long unarmed self defense class.
posted by Jacqueline at 4:21 PM on July 5, 2010
posted by Jacqueline at 4:21 PM on July 5, 2010
I would heartily second Krav Maga, but I would also point out a few other things:
-Shoes for running. The other side of the self-defense coin is the art of beating feet, running like hell. Fighting certainly has its place, but she should be ready to run her ass off.
-Map of her AO. If she's running, she needs to have some idea where to run to.
-A bright flashlight. Something that kicks out 60 lumens would be ideal. Surefire makes lights that can cause discomfort and disorientation to night-adjusted eyes, enough so that she can take off while the perp is still blinking. Also, you can't go to jail for shining a light at someone, which brings us to....
-Some idea of local laws. In Britain, for example, self-defense is frowned upon to a ridiculous degree. It's very easy to land in the dock for protecting yourself in ways that would earn a simple "atta-girl" from American cops.
posted by Doctor Suarez at 10:59 AM on July 8, 2010
-Shoes for running. The other side of the self-defense coin is the art of beating feet, running like hell. Fighting certainly has its place, but she should be ready to run her ass off.
-Map of her AO. If she's running, she needs to have some idea where to run to.
-A bright flashlight. Something that kicks out 60 lumens would be ideal. Surefire makes lights that can cause discomfort and disorientation to night-adjusted eyes, enough so that she can take off while the perp is still blinking. Also, you can't go to jail for shining a light at someone, which brings us to....
-Some idea of local laws. In Britain, for example, self-defense is frowned upon to a ridiculous degree. It's very easy to land in the dock for protecting yourself in ways that would earn a simple "atta-girl" from American cops.
posted by Doctor Suarez at 10:59 AM on July 8, 2010
Whatever it is, just make sure it covers a couple of basic things and covers them well. I think Krav Maga tends to...add things in, but they may work out well for you.
If you would like a suggestion for someone (not me) who teaches privately, will make sure you learn something, and is within your price range, MeMail me.
posted by P.o.B. at 2:16 PM on July 8, 2010
If you would like a suggestion for someone (not me) who teaches privately, will make sure you learn something, and is within your price range, MeMail me.
posted by P.o.B. at 2:16 PM on July 8, 2010
« Older I'm looking for examples of well-known or iconic... | where can I study comfortably in Paris at night? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:25 PM on July 5, 2010