Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site hlhop.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!mhuxj!mhuxi!mhuxh!hlhop!ljs From: ljs@hlhop.UUCP (Lotta Stallman) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Self Defense - comments on Spafford article Message-ID: <278@hlhop.UUCP> Date: Wed, 22-Feb-84 23:01:22 EST Article-I.D.: hlhop.278 Posted: Wed Feb 22 23:01:22 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 23-Feb-84 06:21:15 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 47 To Gene Spafford: Your article (and attitude) remind me of my karate instructor: "Unless you are willing to hurt your attacker, you might as well just do anything he wants." He's right. Untrained people, especially women, seem to have an innate reluctance to physically damage or disable another person. Occasionally in our dojo we practice street defense, and I have learned at least two things from these classes. One is that the average man is much stronger than I thought. I was always a big kid, and never had any trouble fighting with other kids in school - girls or boys. When I grew up and put away childish things I retained the impression that I was probably still as strong as a man my size. My karate training quickly dispelled that illusion. Another thing I learned was that strength is not a determining factor in a street situation. Surprise, aggresiveness, and the famous "one good technique" often save the day. "All you need is one good technique," my teacher said, one good strike or kick to slow down or disable your opponent, and you will control the situation. It is not difficult to break an elbow or a nose or an eardrum; you just have to know what to do and be quick about it. In street situations, eyes, knees, and groin are the three vulnerable areas. Your attacker can't reach you if he's blinded or has a broken kneecap or is in severe pain. And once he's down, you make sure he doesn't get up for a while, and invoke the first rule of karate: run away. Don't wait for his friends to show up. In general, I agree with Gene's comments, and think his article was a good "man page" for street defense. I have never had to use this knowledge, either - and hope I never will - but it's still a good thing to know. By the way, an excellent book on this subject is Py Bateman's "Fear into Anger, a Manual of Self-Defense for Women," Nelson-Hall, 1978. Ms. Bateman is a karate instructor, whose book emphasizes forethought, conditioning, a realistic appraisal of situations and an agressive attitude. Chapters include Staying in Shape, Weapons Defense, Impromptu Weapons, Special Situations and The Prevention of Rape.