If you are currently attending college, chances are that there are free women’s self-defense classes or martial arts training offered. This is a great way to get started because you are in a comfortable environment with your friends, and it’s free.
All universities are different and may teach them differently, but overall, I would assume that the atmosphere of the classes would be similar at most colleges.
Taking these classes on campus makes it feel very realistic because there have been many instances at many different colleges of students getting robbed, attacked, etc.
To be able to defend yourself is a great skill to have while going to college because you are walking to classes and work frequently.
Taking the class makes you realize how important this type of training is for women and how it could actually help you in real life.
Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and learn something new while you have the time and resources available to you.
How to find self-defense classes
No matter what college you go to, you should be able to find what classes are offered on the school website. You can see when and where your school may offer self-defense classes. There are also many workout clubs at different universities that may offer self-defense classes or help you find somewhere to take a class.
There is a well-known girl’s workout group across the country called CHAARG. This group meets for weekly workout sessions and offers weekly classes at alternative places all for the original cost of $45 a semester.
This is just an example of one club but there are many others for all different genders and types of people.
I had a friend tell me that back when he went to college he trained in a fighting martial arts program. He also said even today at OSU some of his buddies teach Jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai to students at the University for a very low monthly cost.
Usually, at the university, the cost is half what it would be at a local gym.
You do not have to be super active or strong to participate in these clubs or classes. They are there to help you better yourself and learn new things.
College is the perfect place to learn new things and start learning to be more self-aware.
We also offer online self-defense classes if you do not want to go to a public class.
Keep an open mind about self-defense
If you are putting yourself out there to learn about something new, you need to keep an open mind. This is the best way to take in the most information and get the most out of the class.
Even if you don’t understand some of it, just allow yourself to focus on the fact that this information could really help you in a real-life situation.
Being at college by yourself should be enough to convince yourself that self-defense is a big deal. Knowing how to defend yourself will give you a little peace of mind and keep you safer in many bad situations.
Having any knowledge and education about defending yourself is better than not knowing anything at all.
If anything, the self-defense class may also open your mind up to what really goes on in the world and make you more aware of what goes on around you.
It is so important to go into the class wanting to get more educated and have an open mind in order to get the best results.
What to expect when training
You need to expect to work hard to punch, kick, yell and beat the hell out of an attacker. This is why you will be taking a self-defense class to learn how to fight back.
This is not a knitting class. The instructors may be a little hard on you but that is because they want you to train hard to fight hard.
We have a saying in the MMA training program I take and it is you will fight like you train.
If you do training half ass then your fighting skills in a real situation will be bad. Train hard so that when you need it you can stop an attack and get to safety.
You will be doing techniques to help you fight off an attacker so learn them so you can use them.
If you want additional training to get really good at fighting then join any of these clubs at your local university.
- Jiu-Jitsu number one fighting art to join
- Muay Thai
- MMA training
- Any ongoing self-defense training classes
- Judo
If none of these are offered then any martial art class is better than nothing.
Just do your best when training
They may teach you movements and techniques quickly because they only have a certain amount of time to get through the information, they want to teach you.
This is good because you are getting as much information out of this session as possible so don’t get upset if you don’t have time to perfect each move.
It is also important to actually try when they tell you to attempt moves with your partner. Messing around and giggling and not actually attempting the techniques will not teach you anything.
In order to get the best results, you should give your full effort at learning each move so that they stick in your mind for future reference.
You are already taking the time out of your day to go to this class, so you might as well listen and try your best so that you get the most out of the time you spent there.
It seems like a little thing, but in the end, it actually does make a big difference in what you actually end up learning. This is such a safe learning space to take this class in any way.
You are already used to taking other classes here that you take seriously for a grade. So take the time to put the same focus on this class without the pressure of grades.
This class definitely has relevance to your everyday life. The best part is that most likely you aren’t even paying for this if the university sponsors the training. So, not only are you getting great valuable information about self-defense, but it is also free.
The clubs for training to fight or learn self-defense may cost some money but if you want ongoing training it is worth it.
Just training two days a week in Jiu-jitsu or Muay Thai will rocket your fighting skills in 3 months. If you can stick with it for a year not many people will be able to hurt you before you hurt them if you are attacked.
Do more than one self-defense class
If you feel that you enjoyed learning about this, but you didn’t learn enough, keep going to more. Find more opportunities to take classes and further your education about self-defense. You can never know too much, and it will only help you.
You could also spread the information to those around you so that they can go to training with you. Encourage your friends to get involved and go with you because everyone should know a little about self-defense.
If you only go to one class, that is okay because you know more than you did before.
However, continuing to go is always a great idea because it will allow you to really perfect certain techniques and make self-defense almost second nature to you.
It works just like most other things do. The more you practice the better you get.
Spread the word about your training
It may seem like I am reiterating this point, but it is so important to tell others about this subject and spread awareness. The more people that you can educate about this topic the better.
If you like your experience it is very easy to pass on the information to your friends and family. Plus, if you go to another class it would be fun to go with those who are close to you. You could make people realize how important it is to be educated on self-defense.
Some people try not to think about it because it is a scary topic, but it is so important. It is a scary topic, but you could end up being in a less scary situation if you are knowledgeable about it.
The more that you talk about and tell others about it, the more likely they are to get interested in themselves.
Word of mouth is actually very powerful and probably more powerful than you know. Also the more that you know about it and talk to others about it, the more you learn as well.
Others may know a lot on the topic of self-defense that they can share with you if it is brought up in conversation.
You can never stop learning and you can learn anywhere. Talking about attending a class could spark an interest in those around you and help them get educated on something that maybe they just never thought about before.
Many times the thought of self-defense classes doesn’t cross people’s minds.
If they aren’t hearing about it is easy to see why they wouldn’t know about the opportunities, they have to better themselves and give themselves peace of mind.
Just don’t be afraid to tell others about your experiences and spread the word about the importance of self-defense.
Conclusion
Overall there are many different things to know about self-defense classes and many ways to go about them. If you have the chance to go to a free class sponsored by the university, take advantage of it. If you aren’t even paying for the class, you really have nothing to lose by attending.
Even if you do not excel as much as you were hoping, at least you got a free opportunity to learn more about defending yourself.
You don’t have to be perfect at it, you just want to know enough to get yourself out of a bad situation if you need to.
Self-defense isn’t about technique and perfection it’s about getting out of a situation safely. The more that you hear and learn about the topic, the better prepared you are for any situation.
Self-defense is something that many people brush off, but it is actually a very great skill to have. It can give you peace of mind and make you feel safer.
Even if you feel you didn’t do super well in the first class, never be afraid to attend another one and learn more. The more educated you are the better.
Also, don’t be afraid to tell others about the classes and your experiences so that those around you can feel safe as well.
Lately, there have been some bad things occurring on college campuses so don’t be afraid to take the initiative to help know how to defend yourself.
You may also like to read: The Best Self-Defense Weapons for Women and Men
