Wednesday Journal

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wednesday Journal
26
Wed, 09-21-2005 - 8:13am

I'm teaching my sports conditioning class.






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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Wed, 09-21-2005 - 4:29pm

The creator of the Model Mugging Program (his name is Matt Thomas) used to run a dojo and teach martial arts. He has a very extensive background in martial arts and taught a LOT of people. One of his very best students was raped on her way home from one of his classes and her martial arts skills could not help her defend herself. That was his inspiration for developing his program.

Going through the program, they explain why traditional martial arts don't necessarily serve as the best tool for self defense for women. Part of the classes were the hands-on street fights (meaning that you get attacked by a guy in a mugger suit AND verbally assaulted as well) and a few times, I reverted to my kickboxing moves because they were familiar. They never worked. My fights always went on longer when I started to use my kickboxing moves.

This is just my experience. I'm certainly not saying that someone who's taken aerobic kickboxing couldn't defend herself. It's possible she could. But, in all honesty, most of the aerobic kickboxing classes are much more about getting your heart rate up instead of perfecting form so that you could connect with a target if you tried. And on top of that, most of the kickboxing instructors I've seen have terrible form. It works great for the heart rate, but the technique leaves a lot to be desired.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 09-21-2005 - 5:07pm

also aerobics kickboxing doesn't help you learn how to actually strike a person, take a

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 09-21-2005 - 5:40pm
It takes all kinds, I guess!





iVillage Member
Registered: 10-27-2003
Wed, 09-21-2005 - 10:08pm

kickboxing moves and knowing how to manipulate your opponent are two different things. Sure, I can teach a yellow belt how to kick, punch, and strike, but are they going to know what to do when they are attacked? A good martial-arts program is going to teach the students how to respond. I would rather know how to get away before I get taken down to the ground, that is my personal opinion. I studied a grappling art and felt very uncomfortable with it. I do sport tkd now, and even there we teach the students how to get out of the way, block, and use the opponents momentum.

I am sure there are students of both grappling selfdefence and traditional martial arts who could get in trouble on the streets. Nothing can prepare a woman for everything. I am lucky that my current instructor is a Nashville police detective and he is really good at coming up with scenarios and how a criminal thinks. He has even brought in real guns, which turns my stomach, but at least it prepares us (they are not loaded).

Paula

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2004
Wed, 09-21-2005 - 10:08pm

This morning, at boot camp, the microphone didn't work so I had to yell. Since I'm now teaching 4 long nights of piano a week (up from 1 before) I have had to learn how to use my voice more efficiently during piano but I'm still recovering from the damage I did the first week at work. So to save my voice, since I knew I had to teach piano from 4-8 tonight, I turned down the volume of the music and asked the class to bear with me...some were actually whining that the music was too soft. In this situation, I don't care what they think..it's my voice....my health...and probably unlike the complainers, I use my voice professionally (singing and whatnot) so I'm going with what feels right for me.

Speaking of the complainers, one of the regs in that wednesday morning boot camp is really enthusiastic but there was one time she really drove me nuts. She had her teenage daughter at the class and was coaching her form, like when we were doing lunges, she actually stopped her own workout and PT'ed her daughter...now daughter didn't have the greatest form but was obviously a beginner and not really being unsafe, that's why *I* didn't say anything and it really annoyed me because I felt like she was undermining me. That same class, she also complained that the music was too slow. I already had it cranked up pretty fast and there were some older ladies/beginners in the class so I told her I couldn't make it any faster for safety reasons... (remember, the woman's own daughter???)

I'm off to rest my sore, sore voice. *croak*





Lilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Thu, 09-22-2005 - 7:14am
I can't yell for long either without my voice hurting.





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