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From: welsch@houxu.UUCP (Larry Welsch)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Self Defense
Message-ID: <311@houxu.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 15-Feb-84 08:34:23 EST
Article-I.D.: houxu.311
Posted: Wed Feb 15 08:34:23 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Feb-84 04:35:41 EST
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 41

eater of fist lines

		   Self Defense for the Lay Person

So you want to learn how to defend yourself. The best defense is don't get
into a dangerous situation. So you ask what do you do if you cannot avoid
a dangerous situation. First, learn to be alert. Pick out whose around
you. See what your environment is. Always have a plan ready in the event
that you are attacked. Second, learn to look alert and confident. Look
like you know what your doing and that you are not afraid. You ask what do
you do if you are attacked. RUN! RUN like hell! Also YELL! YELL like a
goddam banshee! Finally you ask what do you do if you cannot run and yell.
Go limp and let the attacker have whatever the attacker wants. Whatever
you do, don't struggle and don't hurt the attacker.

Why is this good advice.  I contend it is good advice because there is no
way in hell a few courses in some martial art is going to protect anybody
in a fight against a mugger.  Oh yes the instructor might be able to 
protect him/herself.  But, anybody else, like hell.  Remember that is how
the instructor makes her/his living.  Also remember that a mugger makes
his/her living by mugging.  Even an instructor who is mugged is at a big
disadvantage.  Muggers don't walk up an say now lets prepare for a
mugging.  They have the advantage of surprise and the first blow.  Muggers
don't go through a ritual, they just do it.

I have never been mugged.  Of course the fact that I am built like Rosie
Greer doesn't hurt.  On the other hand nothing pisses me off so much as
the assumption many people, including martial arts instructors, make
that they can throw me around at will.  Yes there are holds that are
effective against someone like me, but the average lay person and most so
called martial arts instructors don't know how to apply them properly.  Last
time I was volunteered at a martial arts demo for women, the demonstrator,
a "woman student" executed some funny kind of karate kick.  I just grabbed
her heel and picked up right up off the ground by her feet and then gently
set her down.  

Now what would I do if I was mugged, why I would follow my own advice.
RUN - RUN like hell.

			Larry Welsch
			houxu!welsch