Various service providers regularly offer courses in self-defense, sometimes as a four-hour crash course, or over the course of a few weeks to months. But what is really important? What effort do you have to expect? What benefit should the course have for you? Which scope makes sense at all? Here you will find answers to the most important questions, if the topic is interesting for you.
What does self-defense mean?
By definition, the self is the center of personality. On the physical level, the seat of personality is located in the frontal area of the frontal neocortex. This is optimally protected by the convex shape of the stable skull bone. Thus, the concept of self-defense has a strong psychological meaning, because on a purely physical level, we naturally want to protect the entire body from harm, not just the forehead. It is simply also important to know that you can defend yourself when it matters.
This psychological effect of self-defense skills cannot be done within a four-hour course. Therefore, I consider such offers as charlatanry and also mean-dangerous and irresponsible. Likewise there is also never a 100% security. There is no overcomer, no invincible fighter and if I am forced to self-defense, I am always in a dangerous situation.
Do I need to be able to defend myself?
I only have one body, which must function perfectly for as long as possible, even if the circumstances are once outside the horizon of expectation. It is a simple calculation. If I don’t invest anything in my ability to defend myself, I won’t have that experience to fall back on. This raises the question of how important the issue is to me. Anyone who has first looked into it will see that there are many promises on the market. The loudest voices promise maximum success through the cheapest and shortest courses.
What are the benefits of a self-defense course?
How much time and effort do I want to put into preparing for a situation that may never occur and is unlikely to go as planned? So if I prepare intensively and continuously for the rare eventuality, it is of course out of proportion. But if I want to prepare, it makes sense to think about the objective of the course.
What should be the scope of a course with the objective of self-defense?
In addition to acquiring pure defensive capability, it makes sense from the point of view of the effort-benefit factor to combine several aspects of physical and mental well-being at the same time. A course program with the objective of self-defense ability that covers the topics of fighting ability, health and meditation fits very well into a work-life balance. However, there should be no skimping on the topic of fighting ability.
How many topics are covered in the courses? There’s defending against punches and kicks, grappling, grappling, pushing and pulling. How can I avoid being thrown? And, if everything has gone wrong: Can I manage on the ground? Will I be able to get back up safely? These are all aspects that are more than worthy of consideration.
How much effort is involved in the training?
The body needs two to three training stimuli per week to adjust to a load. Varied courses, qualified instructors and a positive social environment lead to a meaningful and at the same time enjoyable use of free time, especially if participants would like to go to training more than three times a week. Some even decide to train as instructors in order to be able to lead well-founded courses themselves. When the time is spent pleasantly yet purposefully, the idea of effort fades into the background.
Then lifelong learning and practice among friends becomes the norm, keeping you healthy and fit, and allowing you to maintain many different social contacts. And as with everything, constant practice is simply important. It’s simply not enough to have done something at some point. Constant practice is the way to success, not only in self-defense. Learning and practicing self-defense skills can also be the key to outgrowing one’s own strengths and weaknesses in other areas of daily life as well, and overcoming even major obstacles and hurdles with perseverance and achievement, and sometimes with composure.
Related links
Interesting on the subject are the following articles at Wikipedia:
