Grounded Self-Defense
Martial Arts Techniques
Instruction in each of these areas includes: in person presentation of material, in-class exercises for individuals and for groups, and access to instructional material for out-of-class practice and reminders
Moving / Blocking
Hitting / Striking
Students will learn the basic movements and concepts of generating powerful kicks and punches. Students will have opportunities to practice against heavy targets as well as precision targets.
Breaking / Locking
Students will learn and practice the basic concepts of joint locks, and will have chances to practice them with each other and the instructor. Joint locks are the foundation of joint breaking, and instruction in joint locking includes these elements. Locking techniques are applied to both the upper body (hand – wrist – elbow) and lower body (foot – ankle – knee).
Pushing / Moving
Students will learn how to effectively move an attackers whole body in single motions. Students will have chances to practice controlling attackers via controlling the attacker’s hips as well as via their head.
Martial Arts Concepts
The practical techniques of YOU Defense are learned through exercises, drills, and scenarios. The techniques are practiced directly with the instructor, individually, with partners, and in groups. The technical curriculum is focused on teaching all things through a small set of core martial arts concepts, listed below:
Zanshin
Zanshin: Combative Awareness
- A deep and total awareness of your surroundings.
- Linking your mind to your body; training your mind to listen to your “gut feelings,” and your body to act on them instantly
- Good zanshin will see you stopping attacks before they even have a chance to start!
Ma'ai
Ma’ai: Combative distance / controlling your space
Total awareness of the space in-between you and an attacker, and of how close you need to be to an attacker to effectively launch a physical defense
Total awareness of the space in-between you and an attacker, and of how close an attacker would need to be to you to effectively attack you
Kamai
Kamai: Combative ready position / owning your shape or stance
Learning to quickly and easily find your combative stance to defend yourself or launch attacks
Creating stances and movements with immense power and structural stability, and using these to end attacks
Yamabiko
Yamabiko: Call out attack / controlling your boundaries
Allowing yourself to identify attack situations, and challenge them before they impact you
Completely controlling an attacker in an attack situation by controlling how the attack occurs
Takemusu
Takemusu: Creating infinite techniques / being the author of your story in every situation
Learning to use your awareness, distance, stance, and boundaries to create any technique
Learning to allow yourself to be powerful, to move without searching for a technique