Teaching (8 y.o) dd self defense?

Should I teach her on my own (ie. Poke eyes; Kick em where it hurts; scream) or send her to a self defense class ($$$)? She doesn't have any brothers that she fights with; which is where I pretty much learned what not to do if you want to be an aunt.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 14 2009 Posts: 2094

my bro was picked on as a kid (he was really skinny) &learning ningitsu helped him defend himself

I took tai kwan do in Jr high & it teaches you a lot. How to avoid a fight, self discipline, self confodence ,respect (for yourself & others).... plus fitness is great for kids!

Senior Member Joined: Oct 03 2011 Posts: 136

I teach a self defence class, ju-jitsu, I think it is great, I teach only to use in extreme cases eg on strangers who attack you and not on your friends and family plus it is fun, gives you confidence and keeps you fit it also gives you good discipline which can be applied to all areas of life

Active Poster Joined: Jul 03 2012 Posts: 61

@ima m My DH takes Ju-Jitsu and has a brown belt from 10th planet. He always says that Ju-jitsu is not a stand alone system for hand to hand combat. If your in someones guard then your better off poking them in the eye, kneeing them where it counts or using small joint manpulation then trying for a submission. He tells people that ju-jitsu is a sport. He told me to take muay thai as he thought you have to be very skilled to wrestle someone 100 pounds heavier then you.

Platinum Member Joined: May 07 2008 Posts: 8984

Go for a class taught by a pro, preferably a class specifically on self-defense for women rather than martial arts. The martial arts are not very helpful in a real attack situation unless you;re amazingly cool-witted with the reflexes of a cobra and the predictive skills of a chess grand master. My fil had a high-level martial arts belt, but when he was attacked in the subway, he whacked the perp with his bag and kicked him where it counted.

be sure that the instructor balances the defense moves with the precautionary statements. I told dd not to use the maneuvers during a regular fight with her brothers but only if she felt she was in real danger. I did not tell her not to use them on relatives because R"L it happens that children are molested by close family members. I wanted her to know it was ok to defend herself against anyone--even a brother, father or grandfather if G-d forbid it came to that.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 26 2008 Posts: 2101

I very strongly recommend Krav Maga. It's literally a self defense class. What I ilke about it is that if you find one made especially for kids is it teaches you EXACTLY what to do when in danger, and it is not limited to physically fighting. They teach you that your priority is to get away from the bad guy and run to safety. So whether that means yelling, running away, calling for help, or kicking the person in the groin, they'll teach you how to escape.

Gold Member Joined: May 09 2010 Posts: 2158

I took karate starting from age 6 or so, and the schools I went to were really good about teaching both martial arts and practical self defense. I'd send her to a formal class (some JCCs or county parks and rec departments offer special sessions) or lessons, either just in self-defense or in a martial art (which can be excellent for a person in a lot of ways) where practical techniques are also part of the curriculum: you can easily talk to the teacher or school head to find out how they work it into class sessions.
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My dad sent me to judo as a kid. Fail. I just refused to do it and let the other win from start to get away with it. I hated it... I hope you can find something your child will like, or at least see as useful. A few moves, that's always good.
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