Best self-defense for a complete beginner?
What style of self-defense would be best for someone with no experience?
I’m not athletic or very flexible, but I’m hoping to learn some self defense. Is there one that will be able to give me some skill in the art, but will not be too demanding in the beginning? I’ve heard that most forms of self-defense require a minimum level of fitness in the beginning.
Yes, I could carry a weapon, but that’s not always possible in case of a attack. For example, a lot of places don’t allow pepper spray.
in your case, i would just carry some pepper spray or a tazer.
Ah, but a weapon you carry can be taken from you and used on you… And many places prohibit these weapons. (This includes Australia, where I happen to live.)
Let me say, you don’t have to be an athlete to defend yourself successfully. A criminal who wants to rape a woman or kill a man just goes ahead and does what he know works for him. He has done it before, and most of us are too “civilized” to deal with it. His “tool” is violence, with or without a weapon.
There is only one self-defense system I would recommend, it is called Target Focus Training, and it is run by an ex-US Navy SEAL named Tim Larkin who I met when he came to Sydney Australia recently.
I strongly suggest you check out his website at: http://targetfocustraining.com/
Mr Larkin teaches his students to use simple, easily-learned principles to destroy an attacker who is trying to kill you. It does not matter if the guy is armed with a knife or a gun or if there are multiple attackers. This is not stuff you would use in some macho barroom brawl to show how tough you think you are. If you use it inappropriately, you will go to jail.
Most martial arts CAN be effective if you learn them from a competent instructor and effectively internalize the system. It sounds like you need to find an instructor that will start out gently imprinting proper movement while you gradually develop fitness and flexibility. Ask around.
Hi rlssec. I take it you have never actually done a TFT course with Tim Larkin then?
You would be surprised how many experienced martial artists train with him and come away with a whole new way of looking at things after just 20 hours of instruction. And I’m talking about serious martial artists here. Guys who have decades of training under their black belts and are teachers in their own right.
Let me second David’s recommendation. In the martial arts you’re still training in a sport environment. Self defense isn’t about sport. If an attacker is more gifted physically than you, you’re screwed. With TFT there’s no advantage being athletic. And what happens if you get attacked in the next week or two. You may not have time to “gently get started” and then spend ages training. If you love working out great but the TFT method gets you up to speed very quickly without any conditioning. I know a guy who only watched their Weapons DVDs and completely leveled some dude who stuck a gun in his face through the car window. I’ll tell you, if he can do it, anyone can. It works. Read the book they have on their website, How to survive the most critical 5 seconds of your life, and you’ll be miles ahead. And you’ll understand why you may want to rethink any ma training. http://www.targetfocustraining.com/book.html
Personally I am into Aikido. I’m only a lowly White belt but I have heard that a green belt in our club was recently faced with a guy trying to take her mobile phone. He didn’t get the phone but he got a nasty shock.
As I have said I’m no expert but it seems to me that a green belt would have enough skill to basically defend themselves. My sensei says you can get to green belt within a couple of years. I’ve benn going fir about two months now 3 hours a week. I have been warned that my grading will probably be around november.
I think you can learn other martial arts faster but Aikido seems to take a lot longer.
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