What does 'situation-based reality focused self defence' mean?

Another name for this could be Women's Empowerment Self Defence but there is no real criteria for this so we've created our own category, but it's not based on just guesswork and ancient martial arts. 

1. BASED ON RECENT SCIENTIFIC DATA

Our self defence is based on recent science and data, not something an ancient Chinese Kung Fu master told his Shaolin Temple student who told his student who then passed it on to another student nine hundred years ago.

Our self defence is modern, innovative, for now.

If you want to know more about the data elements then please check the FAQ that gives you more of that. 

If you want to know more about our coaches and their credentials, then check the bios tab at the top.

2. DEALS WITH THE FIVE MAJOR THREATS WOMEN FACE

We help you become empowered against what data says actually happens to women and girls - being followed, grabbed, hit, relocated and/or overpowered. These five things can happen in any of the four most common locations, whether indoors or out, home or on holiday. By focusing on centre of mass to generate forces we can apply that principle to pretty much every movement we make. So now, immediately, we become stronger at everything we do because we are using our bodyweight correctly. The other way to get powerful, the traditional way, is to train for years, build muscles, learn techniques endlessly. But that is an outdated way and takes years to do. We can help you become multiple times stronger in just one session. Yeah, it sounds impossible, but sounds can be deceptive - because we're doing it!  😊

3. BASED ON SPORTS PRINCIPLES, POLICING AND A LIFE OF NECESSARY SELF DEFENCE LEARNINGS

This is not for ninjas, assassins or soldiers. You can go to Krav Magaga, Kickboxing or Jiu Jitsu if you want to be a soldiering ninja assassins. For empowering self defence we need to handle massive overwhelm, and learn how to get away, get home, eat cake. We don't need to stay, fight to the finish and win medals and stand on podiums. To do that takes a lot more skill. It's also a different mentality to stay to fight and finish the job compared to wanting to just escape and get away. 

All women and girls can be be multiple times stronger at resisting being pulled or pushed (or relocated). All women and girls have inside them the ability to hit really hard (if they have no other choice). What we need is to be able to escape and to hit really hard. And it's easier to do than most people think.

Once we have the basic knowledge of what to do on the ground, what to do when standing up, we can now apply those same skills to almost anywhere - on holiday on the beach or in an unfamiliar hotel room, or at home, or on the street. The same skills will apply, with some minor adjustments and understandings. 

And now you are much stronger and more ready to defend yourself than every before. 

AbSoLutely it is.

In self defence we have to make sure we are always trying to get away and always being loud. 

Running away, if it is possible to do, is the first thing. As it says in the book Introducing Women's Self Defence attacks on women tend to happen in more isolated spaces. The attacker doesn't want to be seen. In men's self defence it is often an ego battle and the attacker wants others to witness his prowess and bravado against another man. He often wants witnesses so he can be talked about after. 

In women's self defence it is the opposite. So running away not only might help you escape from the situation you're facing, it could actually get you to a less isolated place where he is not going to pursue you. 

If you run, around the corner might be someone on their phone who you didn't know was there. 

If you run, you might be able to bolt into a shop or a building, even someone's house with the tv on you can knock on the window and get their attention. 

Running away is a very good thing. We don't have to stay to fight in self defence. We can leave that to the ninjas.

It certainly is.

In women's self defence the man doesn't really want to be caught. He doesn't really want to be watched, SHOUTING and just being LOUD ALL THE TIME is a great deterrent that really does work.

It is not anecdotal but evidential that women who have shouted have deterred potential attackers. The attacker wants you to be quiet and cooperative so he doesn't get caught. Being loud is going to get him caught. He might just run away if you're too loud for too long.

I have also seen shouting to work in other ways. A shout actually stopped a man from moving forward with his attack on a woman. I'm not sure if it was the shock of being shouted at or that it made him come to his senses in some way, but either way it stopped him instantly as he moved forwards.

SHOUTING works. 

Just SHOUT for HELP! 

Or just be super loud, regardless. 

1. We coach bespoke courses that fit the needs of workplaces and individuals. We can deliver short courses live and in-person or offer online courses or a hybrid version consisting of in-person with online pre-recorded sessions and follow ups. We have delivered basic skills to 350 schoolgirls in a day. We have conducted longer courses for mother and daughter groups, that included a more comprehensive skillset. And we have conducted taster sessions at universities and other establishments too. We are quite flexible to the needs of our clients. 

2. Our signature online course is One Step Ahead. This course covers the absolute fundamentals needs for women's self defence, from the psychology and tactics to the best techniques for the modern world. The course also comes with the training manual/ebook of Introducing Women's Self Defence.

3. Our training manual and reference book is Introducing Women's Self Defence. This is a training manual, created to build you layer by layer, as you go along. 

4. Man Approaching From Behind. This is a course we usually in one of two ways. Option One. Online only. Option Two. We deliver in person, with an option to have the online course to practice in your own time.

(Note from Hafiz - Not only am I the Chief Coach but I also have to work on the website and much more! So, apologies but I haven't finished this bit yet! I will get round to it soon, I promise.)

*Significantly less sexual and physical assaults over the long term.*

*Assaults significantly shorter, escape times quicker and injury levels lower.*

*Return to fulfilling lives in a shorter time than those who had not taken self defence.*

• Senn, C.Y., et al. (2015). Efficacy of a Sexual Assault Resistance Program for University Women. New England Journal of Medicine. A longitudinal study (Data collated over four years). 

Some quotes from the Hollander and Senn studies:

“I actually had to use what I learned, and it worked. I was strong and in control”

"I feel I can take care of myself. ”

“I’m not just a victim waiting to happen"

“I’m stronger than I thought. Women are told we’re weak, but that’s just not true”

“I feel I have tools to protect myself. I’m not afraid anymore”

Those who take self defence are less likely to become victims of assault*

• Hollander, J. A. (2018). Empowerment self-defense. In L. M. Orchowski & C. A. Gidycz (Eds.), Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and Resistance: Theory, Research and Practice (pp. 221–244). Elsevier.

If you genuinely want to learn to defend yourself you need more than just a few techniques. You really need a more wholistic approach that covers psychology and tactical knowledge. This might sound like A LOT to learn but actually it's not. You just need to understand how to beat fear and freeze for example, so that when you freeze up you know how to bypass it. (This information is in our course Introducing Women's Self Defence - but I'm just going to tell you anyway that it's basically this: get angry. Anger beats fear every time. If you get yourself angry in a situation where you need to bypass freezing up, then you will break the freeze.)

With the physical techniques we use concepts that apply everywhere and in most positions so you don't have to remember everything in a time of panic. For example, using your elbow when you hit/punch etc, gives you so much more power than not using it. Applying your centre of mass to this then really doubles your power immediately, and I mean immediately. In fact, if you push someone, or your resist being grabbed and pulled about by using your centre of mass, you suddenly and immediately become much stronger. So the centre of mass is a concept that you can apply to generate pretty much all the forces you need. So now, suddenly, you are pretty much able to generate forces in so many things that you do! (Centre of mass is one of four things that really really increase your power. We call these principles The Magic Five. These allow you to generate greater forces and increase your overall ability to do everything. Whether you’re being grabbed or you’re on the floor or you need to hit someone, we will show you how to be much much stronger at it all by using only technical and scientific knowhow. This is a big claim from us but it is a fact. 

Being Followed

Understanding the Threat: Being followed can occur in any environment and is often more psychological than physical in its initial stages. It emphasises the elements of fear and uncertainty, significantly impacting the victim's sense of security. This threat is not restricted to dark alleys or secluded streets; it manifests in places presumed safe, such as inside office buildings, residential areas, parking lots, and during everyday activities like walking to a car or using a restroom in a restaurant or bar.

Common Scenarios:

1. Domestic Situations: In some cases, a person may be followed by someone they know, which can happen even within the confines of their home. In domestic violence situations, as the woman attempts to walk away she is often followed.
2. Public Spaces: Including but not limited to streets, parks, subways and even beaches have been spaces that women have reported being followed.
3. Transitional Spaces: During commuting to and from work, while alighting public transport and even in train carriage themselves.
4. Work Environments: Often overlooked, workplaces can also be a common setting for this threat, where individuals may be followed to their offices or cars in the car park, especially in the darker winter nights or in more isolated locations.

Why It Happens: The motivations for being followed can range from curiosity and infatuation to premeditative aggression. In many instances, the perpetrator seeks to gauge the potential reaction or vulnerability of their target before escalating to more direct forms of confrontation.

How to Deal with Being Followed:

1. Awareness: Always be aware of your surroundings. Trust your instincts - if something feels off, it likely is. Use The Three Second Rule and check other indicators as shown in the book Introducing Women’s Self Defence and the course One.Step.Ahead.
2. Avoid Isolation: Stay in well-lit, populated areas. Avoid taking shortcuts through less-traveled or poorly lit areas when possible.
3. Change Your Route: If you suspect you’re being followed, change your route. Do not lead the follower back to your home or place of solitude. Move to a more public space or even walk into a shop or restaurant or bar and inform the staff. It is rare that they won’t help you.
4. The Fence Position: If the follower gets close then you need to get into a defensive stance. This is crucial not just for physical protection but also as a psychological barrier. It conveys confidence and readiness to defend oneself, often deterring the follower. Our course Man Approaching From Behind extensively covers the situation of being followed and what to do. The course is created from over a decade of police knowledge, insight and application of this technique.
5. Communicate: If in a public place, head to the nearest group of people or store and inform them of your situation. Do not hesitate to contact the police if you feel threatened. This is covered in the book Introducing Women’s Self Defence as well as the course One.Step.Ahead.

Empowering Actions:

• Take Self-Defence Lessons: Gain confidence by knowing how events unfold, how to overcome psychological blocks such as fear and freeze, and how to physical protect yourself.
• Carry Safety Devices: Consider carrying lawful protective devices based on local regulations, such as a personal alarm.
• Use Technology: Apps that allow you to share your location with trusted contacts or alert authorities can be a lifesaver in situations where you are being followed. If calling the police, give your location first rather than telling them what’s happening first. Knowing the location they can get to. They don’t even need to know what’s happening if your call gets cut off. 

Being Grabbed

Understanding the Threat: Being grabbed is an assertive and invasive action that physically restrains or controls the target. This form of aggression is one of the first physical contacts in an assault, serving as a means to overpower and dominate the victim. The act can vary from a firm grip on the arm to more aggressive forms like being held around the waist or neck/hair/clothing.

Common Scenarios:

1. During Confrontations: Whether in a domestic dispute or public altercation, grabbing is often used to impose control and intimidate. 
2. Isolated Spaces: Parking lots, alleys, or any secluded space where the assailant might follow first, or jump out in an ambush, due to a lack of bystanders who can intervene or act as witnesses
3. Social and Workplace Settings: Unfortunately, inappropriate physical interactions, including grabbing, can also occur in social environments and professional settings, where they are often under-reported. In social settings it could be a drunk ‘friend’ or colleague who has no intention other than to control the situation right now and he takes the physical approach of grabbing at the wrists.

Why It Happens: Grabbing is a direct physical assertion of power and control, intended to immobilise or begin to move a victim against their will. The motivations might include asserting dominance, initiating a more severe assault, or preventing a person from leaving a situation. In many cases, it is a precursor to more aggressive actions.

How to Deal with Being Grabbed:

1. Immediate Reaction: The first few seconds are crucial. Quick, decisive movements to break the hold are necessary. Techniques such as twisting against the thumb (the weakest part of the grab) or using leverage to your advantage are effective here. But for more serious situations, when it’s not just a drunk colleague at a party, a more appropriate response might include striking them or even more severe actions.
2. Using Your Voice: Shouting or screaming are a great form of self defence just as running away is. These are always the best things if you can. It is best to always attract attention in women’s self defence situations. The attacker rarely wants to be seen or caught and the evidence shows that shouting and screaming is often enough to make him hotfoot it. Vocal resistance will startle the perpetrator and could possibly alert bystanders - who might not even be able to see you. Sound travels around corners, goes high, low and far away, and screams tend to get noticed rapidly.
3. Stay Balanced: Keep your feet firmly planted and take control of your Centre of Mass. You need a stable stance to help you maintain balance and gain leverage to break free.
4. Retreat to Safety: Once free, create distance between yourself and the assailant. In self defence we don’t need to stay and fight and finish the job. We are not ninja or assassins or soldiers or Krav Maga superstars. We just need to create distance, stay loud and get away. Move to a public area and seek help.

Empowering Actions:

• Self-Defence Training: Our course Man Approaching From Behind deals most effectively with being grabbed as do One.Step.Ahead and the book Introducing Women’s Self Defence. 
• Awareness and Prevention: Always be aware of your surroundings and the people around you, particularly in isolated areas or if someone is following you.
• Safety in Numbers: When possible, stay in groups as there is safety in numbers.
• Legal Protection: Understand your rights and the legal recourse available in your region for situations involving physical assault. Check out the law on pre-emptive strikes - it will only take you about five minutes and you’ll know in what situations you can hit first to protect yourself.

In basic terms, this is self defence based on real life scenarios. The scenarios that women fear the most and statistics from the World Health Organisation, UN WOMEN, the FBI, the British Home Office and police have recorded.

These include things such as how to escape from someone who is pinning you down. How to not get dragged into a room or vehicle. How to avoid getting pushed into the road or pushed towards an area you don’t want to go to. Such things. Things that really happen. Not kung-fu and flying kicks against imagined scenarios. Defence against real scenarios that women face.

All women intrinsically know these two things are different. 

Studies show that there are five common threats that women face. They are often at the start of a confrontation, as well as during. They are also the pre-cursors to more serious incidents. If we can stop these at the onset, and fight them throughout a conflict if things got deep, then we increase our chances of success.

Combine this with the four most common locations where offences occur - the home, when commuting/travelling, in public places and in isolated spaces, and now we are dealing with pretty much any situation that you can face.  

That is the 5X4 Safety Blueprint.

It covers pretty much all you need to know for self defence, without covering battlefield skills and how to assassinate someone, like you'd learn in Krav Maga, Karate and Kung Fu.