When we talk about personal empowerment, safety isn't a "nice-to-have" - it's straight-up non-negotiable.
But look, let's be real: in you've ever been attacked, you know that in the strength department, women draw the short straw. But by studying a martial art, technique can become our secret weapon to even the playing field.
Here are the best self-defense classes for women that can actually give you an edge if you're in trouble.
Best (And Worse) Self-Defense Classes For Women
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - YES
Muay Thai - YES
MMA - YES
Boxing - YES
Wing Chun - NO
Judo - NO
Krav Maga - With Caution
1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) - YES
Originating from Japan and then evolving in Brazil, BJJ focuses on ground combat, allowing a smaller person to use their body weight to defend against a larger adversary using leverage.
This is far more effective than trying to use your upper body strength against someone twice your size as your legs are far more powerful than your arms or fists.
Why it’s effective: BJJ focuses on ground combat, allowing smaller individuals to neutralize larger attackers using leverage and technique rather than strength. This is crucial for women, as it enables them to defend themselves effectively without needing to overpower their attacker. BJJ practitioners are trained to use their legs and hips—typically stronger than upper body muscles—to control and submit opponents.
Equipment Needed:
Bike Shorts: Something they don't usually mention in Jiu-Jitsu classes is the indispensable role of bike shorts. Trust me, your gi will betray you and head for your ankles faster than a sprinter at the starting block! So, unless you're planning to moonlight as a breakdancer, bike shorts are your best ally. They ensure that the only thing hitting the mat is your opponent, not your dignity
2. Muay Thai - YES
Hailing from Thailand, Muay Thai, or "The Art of Eight Limbs," uses strikes involving your fists, elbows, knees and shins.
Why it’s effective: Known as "The Art of Eight Limbs," Muay Thai teaches you to strike with fists, elbows, knees, and shins. This makes it a comprehensive striking martial art that allows women to maintain distance from an attacker, unlike boxing, which focuses only on fists. The versatility of striking points makes Muay Thai extremely effective for real-life confrontations, as seen in its success in combat sports like MMA.
Equipment Needed:
Shin Guards: Protect your legs during training and while practicing defensive kicks.
Equipment You Need:
With shin guards, it's like wrapping your legs in a 'no-bruise' zone. Sure, you might feel like a medieval knight gearing up for battle, but trust me, the first time you check a kick with these bad boys, you'll be thanking the Muay Thai gods.
3. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) - YES
MMA combines techniques from striking arts like Muay Thai and grappling disciplines like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Why it’s effective: It prepares you for a variety of self-defense situations, from standing confrontations to ground attacks. MMA’s success in competitive fighting proves its real-world applicability, making it one of the most practical martial arts for women.
Equipment Needed:
Headgear: Protect yourself during sparring sessions where strikes to the head are common.
Equipment You Need:
In MMA, one piece of equipment stands out for its importance: headgear. When you're in the ring, those strikes can come fast and hard, and it's not just about having a strong offense. Defense matters, and that's where headgear comes in. It's not just about cushioning blows; it's about keeping your head in the game – literally.
4. Boxing - YES
Boxing is excellent for self-defense and street fights as boxers are trained to gauge and maintain optimal distances during confrontations.
Boxing helps you deliver quick punches and it places a strong emphasis on defensive maneuvers, particularly against incoming punches.
Why it's great for women: You'll learn to land and receive punches and get a full body workout improving your strength, speed and endurance.
Equipment You Need:
Before you commit to a boxing gym or class, this musical boxing machine adjusts speeds and difficulty so that you can practice striking and punching. Each movement and rhythm is precisely engineered to sculpt your body and boost your mental focus.
Equipment Needed:
Gloves and Pads: For practicing punches and kicks during training sessions.
5. Krav Maga (With Caution)
Krav Maga was developed for the Israeli military and focuses on quick, aggressive techniques meant to end a fight in seconds. It teaches you how to target vulnerable areas like the eyes, throat, and groin, which can be crucial in a real-world scenario.
Not effective: Krav Maga lacks the emphasis on live sparring, which can limit its effectiveness when compared to combat-tested disciplines like MMA and BJJ.
Equipment Needed:
Mouthguard: Protect your teeth during aggressive drills
Martial Arts to Avoid for Self-Defense
Wing Chun: While Wing Chun is effective in very specific close-combat scenarios, it has proven to be less effective in real-world, dynamic situations. It lacks sparring and does not provide the versatility needed in self-defense scenarios.
Judo: Although Judo focuses on using an opponent’s strength against them through throws, it heavily relies on grips with a gi, which may not be practical in everyday street situations. It's also less effective in scenarios where striking or maintaining distance is crucial.
Finger tape is a highly recommended piece of equipment for Judo practitioners. In Judo, fingers are often subjected to strain and stress due to gripping the gi of the opponent. This repeated action can lead to finger injuries or joint pain, making finger tape a crucial item for protection and support.
Since Wing Chun is tailored for extreme close-quarters combat, this makes it particularly useful for situations where you might face multiple assailants in confined settings.
Equipment You Need:
So, have you settled on your marital arts of choice?
One last pro tip: Attackers don't want to fight you, they want an easy target. By striding confidently and staying alert, with your head held high and shoulders squared, you significantly diminish the chances of being singled out.
Your best chance of defense is situational awareness - or if you are cornered, running as fast as you possibly can, kicking, screaming, yelling. And bever let someone take you to "Point B" under threat of a weapon. Then you'll be in serious danger as they have even more control once they can move you to a different location.
If you have some techniques down you're belt, you stand a better chance at evading harm. Let me know in the comments below if you've ever tried a self-defense class or a martial arts lesson!
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These recommendations are atrocious and dangerous. Why is Wing Chun on here to begin with, let alone above MMA and Boxing? Wing Chun has been proven completely ineffective in real fighting (MMA has proven this for decades). Judo is questionable as well, considering it relies so heavily on getting grips with the gi (which no one on the streets would be wearing). Training MMA, kickboxing/Muay Thai (in my opinion, better than learning boxing for self defense since kicks allow you to maintain a longer distance from your attacker), wrestling, or BJJ are all generally good recommendations. Judo and Krav Maga are highly questionable, as we do not see them being used with any notable level of success in MMA, nd Wing…