posted on June 30, 2003 04:43:06 PM new
taken a full full-force, full-impact self defense class where participants actually practice fending off a role-playing "attacker"? If so, what are your thoughts on the class?
Full-force full-impact self defense classes are different from karate or other martial arts classes - you learn various techniques about how to avoid confrontation with an attacker but you also get to practice first-hand how to defend yourself against an attacker. From what I've read so far, there are usually two instructors, one female, one male. The female instructor works with each participant of the class to show them the various moves/techniques, then the participant gets to practice what they learned on the male instructor, who is encased in padding from head to toe to prevent injury. It starts off at a rather slow pace, making sure the participants do the techniques properly, with the female instructor there to guide them. Then as the class progresses (it's 20 hours of instruction), the participants get more aggressive with the "attacker" and practice their techniques as if they were really fending off a true attack - part of the program is to get your adrenaline going because that's what would happen in real life situations and you learn how to handle yourself in such situations.
I started reading the book "Beauty Bites Beast" by Ellen Snortland - it`s a book about how women should be more prepared to defend themselves against a possible attacker. The book mentions Impact Personal Safety and KidPower full-force, full-impact classes (www.fullpower.org and www.prepareinc.com) and I am so inspired after reading the first 2 chapters that I decided my children and I need some additional education in the personal safety arena. I`ve just begun my quest to find a class that`s taught in my area, but I`d be interested in hearing about your experiences with the class.
