I started this semester wanting to amp up my workout routine and I certainly found out how. A typical workout for me is usual a 45 to 50 minute circuit of lifting, isolating certain muscle groups on certain days, and 30 minutes of cardio  (stair master and spinning). This semester I wanted to add something else to my routine and try something new. If you didn’t know SDSU has a variety of physical fitness classes you can take for credit and that is how I found Self Defense for Women. Initially I was thinking of taking a beginning judo class or maybe kickboxing. I thought I would start with self defense and work my way up to judo.

The class has ended up being so much more than I expected. I thought we would learn some simple techniques to get away from an attacker, but we are actually learning how to take on an attacker from every angel and every position. We’ve learned proper falling techniques, how to prevent and escape being choked, and how to escape hand grabs and hair pulls. That was all apart of the first few weeks of classes. Now we are actually being attacked by judo assistants, these guys are trained fighters and wear fully protective body gear. When we are doing the attacks we wear a mouth piece and head gear. Some days the attacks start on the floor and other days we get taken to the floor.

The class’s main goal is to teach you how to keep distance from your attacker and top prepare you for any kind of assault. With all the attacking and falling the class seems scary but it isn’t. You are learning valuable skills and its empowering. With it being an all women class you get to bound with other girls and help each other do better in the course.

I highly recommend this class to any women looking for something to empower you and teach you how to defend yourself. It doesn’t matter if you are fit, weak, small or big this class is built for every woman. This class is beneficial to all, even for someone like me who does weight training. This class doesn’t only build skills but it also builds confidence!

Tip of the Week: Never be scared to leave your comfort zone!

Song of the Week: Hey Mama ft. Nicki Minaj & Afrojack