Self Defence Course for Musicians' Union, Plus Q&A

 

A couple of weeks ago I trained members of the London branch of the Musicians’ Union – a UK-wide trade union for musicians with over 30,000 members. They had received requests in surveys that members would like self defence training due to the significant amount of late night travel that is part of the profession.

I delivered a three-hour self defence course that gave their members a basic understanding of self defence; we covered topics including:

• Understanding the enemy and yourself

• Awareness and avoidance of dangerous situations

• Improvised weapons

• Pre-emptive strikes and the law

• Physical responses to different scenarios.

 

Changing views on self defence

I’ve been reviewing the feedback forms and I’m pleased that participants found the training to be of value – with 100% of feedback forms showing a rating of ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the self defence course overall.

When asked in evaluations ‘Has the training changed your views on self defence?’ here are some comments from participants:

“I feel more confident in protecting myself”

“Just upping my awareness is great and I’ll change some of my behaviours, like headphones at night.”

“Yes, I can do it.”

“Yes. It makes me look at possibilities of what to do, and has made me aware of all I’m capable of.”

We had a lively session with lots of discussion and questions. I wanted to share just a few of the ladies’ questions and my answers, as these may be of use to you.

 

1. How to spot danger/warning signs when talking to someone or when out alone? And what to do when you feel it’s not right?

Really, you’re looking for unnatural behaviour in people – so their body language and what they do and say. In close protection work, we’re looking out for how people move, are they going against the natural flow, are they giving off any signals with how they stand or walk.

Ask yourself, why are they approaching you? And how are they approaching you? Does anything feel out of the ordinary?

I’ve said it before, but you must trust your gut instinct. If something feels wrong you need to act on it, don’t fight against it.

If you feel uncomfortable or that something isn’t right then you must get yourself away and out of that situation as soon as possible. This might mean running away, asking passers by for help, knocking on a door where there’s a light on or preparing yourself for a confrontation if there’s no other option. E.g. Getting your improvised weapon (such as keys, spray) out of your pocket/bag.

 

2. When can you physically defend yourself in a situation you feel uncomfortable in?

It is your own personal decision as to when you feel you need to defend yourself physically. This may mean making a pre-emptive strike if you think you are in imminent danger and are going to be attacked.

If you have distance between yourself and the would-be attacker then use the opportunity to get away, quickly. If they have closed the distance on you or you are blocked in and feel that you are going to be attacked then act first to gain the element of surprise and time to run.

Your safety is paramount, no matter what. If you feel pushed to a point where you need to take physical action then you will be able to justify your action later. You must act as you deem necessary to protect yourself.

It is worth taking some time to think about what you would do in such a situation. Being positive, having a plan and knowing what you will do if the worst should happen will make you better prepared.

Don’t worry about what anyone else might think in that moment or afterwards, just consider what you need to do to stay safe and what feels right to you.

 

3. How can you feel safe when walking home at night? Perhaps when wearing a dress and heels and getting unwanted attention from men?

This is something that you know you’re going to have to do at the end of the night, so you need to plan ahead. Make arrangements to walk with someone, pre-order a taxi, arrange a lift.

The key thing here is to avoid being alone late at night, especially in a dress and heels. It is a sad fact that, as a woman, this will make you more of a target for attackers.

If you can’t avoid walking somewhere on your own then:

• Take some jeans/leggings and flat shoes to wear when you leave (this immediately makes you a harder target, reduces your vulnerability and makes you more mobile)

• Have your improvised weapons ready in your bag or hand

• Have a plan of where you are going and how you will get there

• Be positive.

It’s so important to act confident so that you don’t look vulnerable or like a victim. Walk with your head held high, take strong, determined steps, know what you are doing – don’t be faffing around on your phone or looking around like you are lost.

The most important thing is to feel empowered and know that you can defend yourself – you will do whatever it takes, you are stronger than you think.

 

Corporate Self Defence Courses

I hope this information has been of use to you. If you would like to discuss a bespoke self defence training course for your business, get in touch for a chat.

 



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