It is really good to hear some of the stories of the great instructors such as Bruce Tegner. I read his books and saw him in some interviews as a child.

Great idea to keep it simple for teaching a good defense. One of my first karate match ups came from a guy that took lessons and heard I had read some karate books. He asked me what I would do if he tried to attack me.

I had read Bruce Tegner’s books and as the guy jumped into this beautiful karate stance, I snap kicked the guy from a neutral stance (just standing there with my arms at my side). The kick hit the guy’s knee and he instantly fell to the ground – rolling around holding his knee. Bruce’s techniques really worked.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Let me add this: my father was a student of Bruce Tegner’s in Los Angeles in the early 60’s and achieved a black belt (in karate I think?). When I was about 10, Dad showed me some basic self-defense moves if anyone ever grabbed me (Batman was very big at the time and even if I was a girl I wanted to punch and pow). I learned some good ones: the two fingers to the eyes, the weak little finger twist, stomping on toes — but appropriately girly defenses.

A few days later, Bruce came by the house. Dad wanted me to show Bruce my moves as kind of a party trick. Bruce watched solemly, offered a few bits of advice on technique, then asked Dad if he could show me one more move. Dad agreed.

Bruce stood up and cupped his hands over his crotch. “See this, honey?” he asked helpfully. “If you can get to that with your foot or your knee, hard, you can get away fast.” While Dad tried to catch his breath, Bruce continued, “Even if you have to use your elbow or fist, that’s it, honey, all you need to know.” Bruce sat down. Lesson over.

Can’t say I ever needed the lesson, thankfully, but I will never forget it or the confidence it gave me!

Women their whole lives have had the fact men are stronger, reinforced (positively and negatively). This is some real inertia to overcome for most women as they don’t really believe in their hearts of hearts it is possible for them to best a man in any physical confrontation.

Even loved ones have fostered this myth due to egos and such. One example I will give is when I showed my step-daughter some self-defense moves (at around 12 years old), her father “proved” to her that it would not work. True there was more going on there but that is the attitude most men take to women really being able to defend themselves.

The reason I cut women some slack here and want them to think they can defend themselves is because if one believes something, they can achieve it!

Also many men are threatened by the possibility that women could do something that would incapacitate them! I am not similarly threatened (I don’t know if you are – not saying that), but many men are!

So men similarly threatened by women having some strikes that could take them out try to say that it would not hurt them to be kicked in the nuts!!!

True I agree with you that you that women do not need to hurt someone to prove this point… it is obvious to you and me. I am saying what is the harm if they find a willing partner (I don’t understand the willing partner part) and try some light kicks to boost their confidence (poo pooed by men their whole life as impossible) that they CAN hurt men in self-defense!?

I’ll close with one story about me as a young man and my massive ego. I had an old girl-friend in karate (I think she was a brown-belt at the time) who took and eventually taught a short-term self defense class with a women’s organization. She would come home and tell me that women could with just a short-term self-defense class, successfully defend themselves against men.

I would smile but say it would not work against me – a black belt and we would end up trying stuff. One time she laid down on the bed and told me to try and have my way with her (pretending I was rapist).

I came into the room and lunged at her from the foot of the bed. She started up kicking at me to which I easily slapped them away and started to come into her guard (to use modern vernacular). I tried to grab her (because at this point I was thinking this was just role play and I was going to have some fun) thinking I had her now!

She hooked both of my arms out of the way and poked my forehead with simulated eye shots! She could have just as easily clapped my ears (to break my ear drums) and my visions of a fun daytime romp turned to a realization that I had grossly miscalculated my position of power!

So here is the deal that I am sure you are aware, women are viewed as sex objects by men and as such and if they play their cards right, men take chances they never would if sex was not on their minds… and woman can and should take any advantage they have if attacked. Including overcoming any psychological disadvantage.

I’m not sure if we will agree but I appreciate the opportunity to explain my position here. I do think you are on track with this but as I say, woman should be granted some poetic license while they explore their power and belief in self-defense.