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.

As for women needing to personally experience the effectiveness of a groin-shot on a male target: this is totally unnecessary and it’s usually an excuse to gratify other needs. I don’t need to break someone’s arm to know certain techniques will have that effect just as I don’t need to kick someone in the balls to know he’ll probably bend over in excruciating pain. The effectiveness of martial arts techniques has been proven thousands upon thousands of times so I don’t see the need to hurt someone in order to ‘feel empowered’ or feel confident with my techniques. It’s always funny to see or hear about people questioning the value or effectiveness of techniques while it’s clear to anyone with even half a brain they’ll cause serious damage when properly trained and applied but then again confidence and heart is everything in a fight: you can be the best at kata or have loads of technical expertise but if you don’t keep your cool and seize an opportunity when it’s presented to you (killer-instinct) than it will all be for naught. This is why I still have doubts about the whole concept of women’s self-defense: in theory it’s great to teach women a few simple techniques to defend themselves but if they freeze up or they just can’t summon the necessary aggression and determination they’ll never be able to make it work for them. I’m aware this applies to certain men aswell as women but my experience is that in general men find it easier to train hard and acquire a certain mindset while most women I know that train in the MA will not be able to fight effectively even if their life depended on it. If you don’t train with a certain mindset (at least pretending it’s for real and he’s really out to hurt you) and you complain about minor inconveniences like a bit of rough treatment, fatigue or pain then you probably shouldn’t be training martial arts or at least have no illusions about actually being able to use this stuff for real. If you’ve only driven a vehicle at no more than 30 mph in a safe enviroment than you cannot possibly expect to be able to drive a formule 1-car without crashing.

Yep I have taken plenty of glancing blows to the groin and have been able to tough it out for a bit. As I mentioned to Chris, you should not bet the farm on one move. As you also mentioned there are other options.

I think we’d agree the first step is for women to get into the dojo and take some training.

I had a hard time watching the video too. Thanks for your insight.

Hi Zara,

I’ve always like using fakes to set up other moves. Women that have little martial arts training will probably not learn this nuance so just going for the commonly taught self defense moves will be what they try.

The cool thing for women is men discount women’s ability to defend themselves and if the they (the women) play their cards right and use a little surprise – they can usually land a solid groin shot and have time to follow up or get away.

I’ve always thought some instructors sucking them up out of harms way was more of a pallor trick for all of the chances of a practical application like you said.

As for the girls practicing on “willing” partners, all I can think to say about that is different strokes for different folks.

Thanks for adding clarity to this subject Zara.