Most women consider self defence an optional skillset that tends to be on the bottom of their list (if it’s there at all). They often believe that rapists and other violent criminals are so rare, that it just isn’t worth the time or money to learn how to defend themselves. This is a very dangerous mindset. The fact is, a woman who does not know how to defend herself is at a significant disadvantage. A good self defence class can teach you how to be an active participant in your own protection, and empower you with the confidence that comes from it.

The best self defence classes for women combine practical striking and an efficient training curriculum with a welcoming and supportive environment. A quality class will also help you to develop muscle memory, which can be crucial in a fight-or-flight situation.

In addition to learning self defence techniques, a good self defence class will teach you how to identify dangerous situations and high-risk scenarios. It will also give you tools to set physical and mental boundaries, so that you are not an easy target for those who would take advantage of you.

One of the most important things a woman can do to protect herself is to listen to her intuition and trust her instincts. Many women ignore that little voice inside of them when it tells them something is wrong, but if you’re trained in how to listen and respond to it, it will be much easier for you to make the right decision.

If you find that you are often in dangerous situations that could lead to violence, it’s also important to learn how to disarm an attacker before they can do too much damage. A good self defence class will teach you how to use techniques like wrist locks, arm bars and choke holds to control an opponent. However, this is not a substitute for striking and should only be used in conjunction with other techniques.

Another useful technique for defending yourself is using your body weight to your advantage. A good self defence class will also teach you how to grapple, which is particularly useful if an attacker is trying to grab or subdue you. Judo is a great martial art for this, as it focuses on close-range grabbing and submission wrestling.

The first step in learning self defence is to sign up for a class that suits your lifestyle and abilities. If you are a beginner, it may be better to start with an online course that provides videos broken down into bite-size chunks on different topics so that you can watch them a bit at a time and practice slowly and safely at home.

Other options for self defence are to join a gym or enroll in a martial arts or combat sport class. Some local rape crisis centers offer self defense classes, as do some YWCA’s and community colleges. You can also look into private trainers who specialize in female self defence.