Even taking a class from someone who’s qualified to teach it, such as a certified krav maga instructor, can have the opposite of its intended effect. While yes, learning something is better than nothing (and it actually helped this woman who used what she learned to defend against an attacker), it can also lure women into a false sense of security. Knowing what to do if a problem arises is good, but ignoring basic safety precautions because you think you can handle an assailant can land you in the hospital or the morgue.
In the past few years, there’s been a surge of gyms offering “women’s self-defense” courses, and from a business standpoint, it’s a smart move. Every day, there are stories about women who are beaten, raped, and murdered by people who are much bigger and stronger than them, so it makes sense that we’d want to take whatever precautions we could to prevent ourselves from becoming a statistic. Hell, I started my own jiu-jitsu journey nearly five years ago after a close call, and I’ve since used it to defend myself in another sketchy situation. It’s a dangerous world out there, and we should absolutely be doing everything we can do stay safe in it.
The problem, though, is that many of these classes and tips have the potential to do more harm than good. I came across a video yesterday filmed for women’s lifestyle magazine Marie Claire and promoted by My San Antonio that featured fitness coach Lena Marti teaching five “self-defense” moves. The problem? Every last one of them was utter BS and actually put the victim in a more vulnerable position than they started in.
Thankfully, most of the comments on the video were by people who saw right through the nonsense. Even to the untrained eye, it’s pretty clear that Marti’s moves wouldn’t work against anyone who was over the age of twelve and, you know, awake. But that’s probably because, at least as far as her website suggests, Marti has no certification (and an unknown amount of any training) in any kind of martial art or self-defense system. She’s an accomplished fitness coach and model, but unless she’s leaving out some pretty significant information, she’s less qualified to teach self-defense than a brand new blue belt.
By Averi Clements
