Self Defense

At the end of class Saturday, we pair off to work on self-defense moves.

I'm always a bit skeptical about all but the simplest self-defense moves. I mean, when is this actually going to come in handy? I don't get into bar brawls. No one has ever thrown a punch at me (except for my kids in their younger days).

Actually, it could be a bit misleading. Most women are raped and attacked by someone they know. You're not going to be arms length when you know it's coming.

In class, we try two moves that I promise I will never use in real life. In one, you practically lie down to trip the other person, then kick them in the kneecap. . . another was a hip-throw.

The men who share a mat with me and my partner are really getting into it, though. It's Brian A. and Jim, so no surprise! Those two really enjoy fighting, and they rarely hold back. It's not "light to no contact" with them when they spar!

I point out the problem with the floor-tripping move.

"You can't run away! You can't get away from the bad guy!"

"The purpose isn't to run away, I think," says one of them. "It's to hurt and maim."

"You guys have been playing too many video games," I say.

During the hip throw, they take turns throwing each other with gusto. They're big guys, so they make a resounding SMACK as they hit the mat. Ouch.

Luckily, there's more to class than self-defense. Ms. Pryor has us pick out a trouble spot in our forms and we practiced it over and over, to her counts. Kind of like practicing piano or the flute, where you go over that tricky chord change or run ten times in a row to get it down.

It's very helpful. I finally get that last part of Won Hyo down with those tricky reverse inside-outside blocks!