(unarmed) Self-Defense course/instructors in PGH?

[Johannes_Paulsen]

The (future) Mrs. jkp1187 is interested in taking an unarmed self-defense class, I think preferably with an instructor in a one-on-one setting (although classes may be okay.) Can anyone recommend anyone in the Pittsburgh area? (Shadyside-Sq. Hill preferred.)

Thanks in advance....

[D-FENS]

There's a group of CMU folks that run the Pittsburgh Submission Fighters group. Kind of like Fight Club.

I used to teach a level I and II self-defense course in High School. I don't have any credentials or anything like that but I am a really big guy. I can show your wife/gf some basics and let her kick my ass a bit.

As far as organized instruction, I really don't know of any places off-hand. Perhaps TonyF has a friend he can suggest.

Why not have her get a gun?

[Johannes_Paulsen]

Why not have her get a gun?

She doesn't want one.

It was a job to convince her that a CCW permit for me was okay. Which sucks, b/c she does a lot of travelling for work (like driving across the state to Philly and various small colleges in the hinterland,) and that worries me.

We're agreeing to disagree on this for now.

[Emptymag]

She doesn't want one.

It was a job to convince her that a CCW permit for me was okay. Which sucks, b/c she does a lot of travelling for work (like driving across the state to Philly and various small colleges in the hinterland,) and that worries me.

We're agreeing to disagree on this for now.

The reasons for folks not wanting/liking firearms varies greatly.
If she simply distrusts firearms due to the danger/fear factor, that's easily corrected through simple education. I have a co-worker who wasn't anti-gun, but she was "afraid" of them. You know, "guns go off" crap that had been drilled into her head by the media. I started explaining how they work, gave her some books to read and offered to take her to the range and let her shoot. After she had a better understanding of how different firearms operate, she said she'd like to "try it". I took her and after going through the safety rules first, I field stripped my Glock and showed her how everything works so she could understand that it's a machine, a TOOL... not some piece of steel forged by Satan with a will of it's own, intended to slaughter schoolchildren. Once someone understands that a firearm is not going to harm anyone without the help of a human hand, they can breathe a sigh of relief and hopefully give in to their fear and start having FUN! My co-worker had the biggest grin on her face the day she tried shooting for the first time.
Respect for firearms is mandatory. Fear of them is just plain silly.

Oh, and the unarmed self defense thing? can't help there, but it's an excellent idea. No reason she can't learn to kick the snot out of someone AND learn how to shoot if necessary. It's good to have options.

I suggest you let her kick the snot out of THC, but not until after the 15th since he was nice enough to "organize" the group shoot!

[dragonlibra]

She doesn't want one.

It was a job to convince her that a CCW permit for me was okay. Which sucks, b/c she does a lot of travelling for work (like driving across the state to Philly and various small colleges in the hinterland,) and that worries me.

We're agreeing to disagree on this for now.

I'm female, have 27+ years of martial arts training and having said that with her having to drive so much she really needs to get a CCW. Martial Arts training is good but the average female is not going to be able to go toe-to-toe with most men. And what if there is more than one attacker? Good grief, take a look at some of the criminals these days - the suckers are muscular from all the time they weight train in prison. Hell, I have no illusions I could win a physical confrontation with them. I'd rather have 10+ rounds of hollow point and the training to send them center mass.

Martial Arts training is a good thing for any woman to have of course, but IMHO you can't just take a quickie course.

I've been out of the martial arts for a few years so I'm not familiar with what is good around Pittsburgh at the moment. I'd stay away from most of the schools where you see classes full of rugrats. Yeah, you'll learn some good things but you got to know what is good and what is BS and a lot of them are nothing but high-priced useless belt factories.

I wish Pgh area had a good Krav Maga school. I can tell you I always thought Kenpo looks like it has some good/hard combat application. Look for some course that specializes in adult combat MA training. And make sure you watch a class or two or have the instructor give you a 1/2 hour or so of free instruction. And realize you need to train for years not months to be really proficient.

Another thought would be to get a Taser unit. I know there's a new unit being marketed to civilians with a laser sight that retails for about $350. Also suggest a good quality pepper spray.

Myself, I have a CCW and I carry everywhere I can. Plus I carry a Kershaw folder in both pockets for strong hand or off hand use, but again for knives, get training. And not a bad idea would be a keyring self-defense tool like a kubotan for added striking power and get training for that.

You might have her read Paxton Quigley a woman who was anti-gun till a friend was brutally raped. Paxton then learned to shoot and carry a gun and is a champion of women learning to defend themselves. http://www.paxtonquigley.com/

Hope this helps from a female perspective.

[GRoPA]

Hell, I have no illusions I could win a physical confrontation with them. I'd rather have 10+ rounds of hollow point and the training to send them center mass.

Are you married?

[TonyF]

As far as organized instruction, I really don't know of any places off-hand. Perhaps TonyF has a friend he can suggest.

I'm not a martial arts guy. The only stuff I know stems from the H2H courses we offer. What I do know is that it takes several (many) years of dedicated martial arts training before it becomes useful on the street.

The other thing I know from talking to the martial arts trainers whose courses we sponsor is that classical Judo is probably the most practical of them all insofar as the learning curve vs. usefulness on the street.

Our director, Pete, has been studying Judo diligently for about seven years now and trains at a Judo school somewhere on Brownsville road. I can get the name and address if you're interested.

If she's looking for a "six week" course in unarmed defense that will give her the tools and skills needed to fend off an assault, she is operating under a terrible misconception regarding the practicality of martial arts training.

[rwilson452]

Six week training?

Way back in the olden days when I started martial arts the old korean master woldn't let us on the mats for two months, we had to learn philosophy first. Later I figured out he was sorting us out/ those that were left he knew were dedicated to learn. Those that left just wanted to fight. Certainly you could never run a successful dojo that way today.

PS that bamboo rod hurt when he hit you with it. I can't remember half of what he taught me, rather what his sons taught me. The mental part stayed. It was the first lessons I had on "reading the street" or tatical awareness I think they call it today. Learning body language. I'm sure it has saved me some hard times many times over.

I'm not a martial arts guy. The only stuff I know stems from the H2H courses we offer. What I do know is that it takes several (many) years of dedicated martial arts training before it becomes useful on the street.

The other thing I know from talking to the martial arts trainers whose courses we sponsor is that classical Judo is probably the most practical of them all insofar as the learning curve vs. usefulness on the street.

Our director, Pete, has been studying Judo diligently for about seven years now and trains at a Judo school somewhere on Brownsville road. I can get the name and address if you're interested.

If she's looking for a "six week" course in unarmed defense that will give her the tools and skills needed to fend off an assault, she is operating under a terrible misconception regarding the practicality of martial arts training.

[dragonlibra]

Are you married?

No I'm not. And I'm one who enjoys my freedom.

BTW, I couldn't agree more with Tony and RWilson452. Six weeks is not long enough. Several years is more like it.

I too trained under a Korean master - and it was tough back then - heck we used to have 2 1/2 hour classes and the our uniforms would come out soaked. We learned to take a hit as well. Now I'm really disappointed how watered down the instruction has become - now it's one hour of fairly easy instruction and mostly non-contact.

Judo is not bad though it would not be quite my ideal for street fighting, but you would learn how to fight on the ground. IMO some of these mixed martial arts would be good where you would learn striking, kicking, and grappling on the ground.

BTW, Kim's Judo School is the one I know of on Brownsville Road. Can't say good or bad since I haven't seen how they train. I would expect that if that is the place Pete trains then it is a good school.

[TonyF]

Judo is not bad though it would not be quite my ideal for street fighting, but you would learn how to fight on the ground. IMO some of these mixed martial arts would be good where you would learn striking, kicking, and grappling on the ground.

The things is, if you have a typical mugger and a victim who is going to try and resist, it probably will end up on the ground, hence the lean towards Judo.

BTW, Kim's Judo School is the one I know of on Brownsville Road. Can't say good or bad since I haven't seen how they train. I would expect that if that is the place Pete trains then it is a good school.

That might be the place. Pete often refers to the owner as Master Kim. He's also Korean.