Statistics are alarming regarding crime against a person. Almost one in two people will be or have been assaulted, robbed or even antagonized and ridiculed by a bully. The one thing that usually goes through the victims’ minds is “If only I could do something about it or what can I do to stop it?” For quite a few women, they turn to kickboxing as a form of self defense.
When you think of self defense, you likely think of having to use some type of force to protect yourself. The problem is that sometimes, you are not well-matched with your attacker. For instance, what good would a knife do you if the assailant had a gun? The gun is a lot quicker than a knife so there must be some other way to diffuse the situation and get that gun (or any other weapon) away from the perpetrator. Kickboxing is one thing that seems to be a good fit for most women who are seeking a discipline which makes allowances for self defense.
Keep in mind that if an assailant has a weapon, you should not necessarily jump in feet first flashing any newfound kickboxing moves. When the sides are in the favor of the perpetrator, it is not a fair fight and you could lose big time. You have to choose the right time which may not occur if you are unarmed while your assailant has a weapon.
Kickboxing is often lumped into the martial arts category as it closely resembles several disciplines. However, it is not a martial art but rather a combination sport which incorporates boxing and kicking. The goal of kickboxing is to defeat your opponent by placing well placed hits using your feet, fists and even the shins. The sport shows elements of Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai, two actual martial arts disciplines.
Taking your life into consideration, you will discover that kickboxing can be quite a competent self defense tool. When you are learning the sport for self defense purposes, you should make a conscious effort to keep distance between you and the assailant. You should attack on the offensive rather than defensive first as it can diffuse a situation and whatever you do, do not let the assailant pin you down to the floor as this renders your kickboxing skill virtually useless.
Once the threat is firmly established, you may have to take the first kickboxing step toward protecting yourself. Catching the perpetrator when they are in a weak position means you have a better chance of getting away. You want to ensure that you stay upright as this is the best way to use the kickboxing skills you have acquired. Two things could happen – first, your assailant will try an alternate approach and get you to the floor or second, they will give up because you are too much trouble.
In a kickboxing lesson, you would primarily be learning some of the boxing basics such as the uppercut, jab, crossed punches and hooks. Of course, there is the kicking too. Some instructors like to mix things up a bit and incorporate some off-shoot disciplines such as the Muay Thai or Tae Kwon Do listed above. For instance, the Muay Thai can be quite helpful for fledgling kickboxers as it involves the use of knees to jabbing and striking your assailant. (Can anyone say “kneed groin?”)
All in all, kickboxing is the least complicated to learn in terms of self defense. And while it is not a true martial arts discipline, it will likely always be referred to as such. You can get a leg up on the competition today – tray kickboxing!
