The 7 Best Self Defense Classes to Protect You from Threats

As a prepper, you want to be ready for anything.

Civil unrest.
Street fights.
A zombie outbreak.
Muggers in a back alley.

Sure, it’s good to have weapons to face off against these threats. But what would you do if you find yourself without them?

Here’s what you can try: channel your inner Bruce Lee and learn hand to hand combat.

In this blog, we discuss why you should learn self defense, how to find the best self defense classes, what the best martial arts for self defense are, and more. Let’s dive right in:

Why Should You Enroll in Self Defense Classes?

Self defense classes for women, men, and even children can mean the difference between life and death—or major injury. The world is a tough place, after all, and unless pigs start to fly, there’s always some form of violence going on.

With that said, here are some reasons why you should take self defense classes:

When Times Are Desperate, So Are People

Picture this. S has HTF.

But you’re not worried. You’ve got all your emergency food supplies stocked and you’re ready to bug in. There’s nothing you haven’t thought of, so what could possibly go wrong?

People.

Reckless people.

Reckless, desperate people.

Face it, not everyone will be as ready as you. And you definitely don’t want to underestimate people when they’re desperate. Thugs may just break into your home and try to steal all the stuff you’ve prepped.

Do you want to give them that satisfaction? Absolutely not.

That’s where knowing how to defend yourself will come in handy.

To Keep Yourself Safe

The bottom line is that the person you can count on the most is yourself. So, it would do you a world of good to take self defense classes.

You’ll never know when you need it—in the streets, at your local bar, or even at Costco.

Women, in particular, can benefit from self defense classes.

How often has a woman walked home alone at night and felt like something was off? Way too many times to count.

In a survey conducted in 2018 among 1,000 women nationwide, 81% of those surveyed had experienced some kind of sexual harassment or assault in their life. Most of the time, these incidents happened in public spaces.

To the lady reading this, there are tons of self-defense classes for women you can take. We don’t want you to ever be in a situation where you feel unsafe and vulnerable.

Learning self-defense can change your life. When you know how to put a stop to creeps, you’ll feel more secure and empowered—no matter where you go.

To Keep Your Family Safe

Self-defense may start with yourself, but it doesn’t have to end with you.

If you’ve got family members who can’t defend themselves, then it’s up to you to keep them safe. Learning hand to hand combat can help you with this.

Now that you’ve established you need self-defense classes, what’s next? It’s time to find the right ones for you. Here’s what you should know:

Where Can You Find the Best Self Defense Classes?

The first thing you have to know before you start is that there are different self defense classes out there. Each one has its own perks, but it’s not without snags, either.

When it comes to choosing a style or sub-style, it really all comes down to your personal tastes.

That being said, here are some things to ask yourself when looking for the best self defense classes:

• What kind of approach do you want to adopt? A defensive or offensive one?
• Would you prefer throwing kicks? Or are you more comfortable throwing punches?
• How do you know if the instructor is the real deal?
• How much are you willing to spend for your classes?

Want to learn which fighting styles are considered effective? Read on to find out:

What Are the Types of Defensive Fighting Styles?

Your eyebrows may be raised right now, but hear us out.

Yes, the following fighting styles may be classified as defensive. But trust us, like the offensive styles we’ll discuss later on, they can pack quite a punch (literally).

Aikido

This fighting style comes from Japan. It involves going inside the attacking space and using your opponent’s movement against them by either applying a joint lock or tossing them like yesterday’s leftovers.

When translated, Aikido means the “Way of the Harmonious Spirit.” From that alone, you’ll know that this fighting style focuses on non-violence. In fact, one of its fundamentals is the attacker’s well-being. Because of this, it’s best to combine Aikido with another form of martial arts.

Word to the wise, though. Aikido is one of the most complex forms of martial arts out there. If you want to learn how to defend yourself fast, you’re better off with learning something like Krav Maga.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

You can thank the Gracie brothers for developing this form of jiu-jitsu after their time learning Kodokan judo in Japan.

Also known as “human chess,” this fighting style exclusively targets ground fighting. It’s considered one of the most effective martial arts styles today. Ever watched a UFC competition before? If you have, then you’d know how BJJ can make or break a match.

BJJ teaches fighters to use proper weight distribution and leverage to beat stronger or larger opponents. It’s a combination of ground control, takedowns, passes, and submissions.

Submissions are what makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu one of the most lethal fighting techniques around. You’ll learn joint locks, chokes, and cranks. In most BJJ tournaments or studios, cranks aren’t legal. That’s how you know how terrifying it is.

Krav Maga

What is Krav Maga? For starters, it’s a martial art that’s been gaining a lot of traction because of its ability to disable opponents faster than you can say, well, Krav Maga.

This fighting technique was developed by the Israeli Defense Forces and fuses Jiu-Jitsu, Aikido, Judo, boxing, and other fighting styles. This combination can make quite the devastating blow on opponents.

Krav Maga teaches you how to counter your opponent’s attacks, spot their weak points, and put them in an exposed position. Since it’s meant to subdue threats quickly, its moves are simple and usually dirty. Krav Maga isn’t pretty at all.

This would make a great form of self-defense when you’re facing multiple attackers. They’ll be running for the hills in no time (if they still can).

Judo

When you translate it from Japanese to English, Judo means “gentle way.”

Now, we know what you’re thinking—a gentle way isn’t exactly what you want in a fighting style. But then again, pro fighters like Rick Hawn and Ronda Rousey use judo, so don’t count it out just yet.

Judo’s considered less as a way of attacking and more of a way to deflect and immobilize opponents. Instead of using all your energy up, you’ll use your attacker’s momentum against them.

This style of fighting revolves heavily around throwing and grappling. It’s actually meant for use in worst-case scenarios.

Gunning for something a little more offensive? No problemo. Let’s head on over to the next section:

What Are the Types of Offensive Fighting Styles?

If you’re determined to go down a more assertive route, you’ll have your pick of self-defense classes. The fighting styles you see listed below center on quick and powerful striking.

Muay Thai

Throw boxing, kicks, knees, clinching, and elbows together and what do you get? Muay Thai, Thailand’s national sport.

Known also as the Art of Eight Limbs, this fighting style can be pretty frightening. Check out professional matches on YouTube, and you’ll see what we’re going on about.

Muay Thai fighters use their shins to let loose brutal strikes that can render their opponents useless. If they’re targeting any part of the head, they use their elbows to wreak havoc.

Then, there’s the clinch. We can’t talk about Muay Thai and leave out this technique. The Muay Thai clinch is a great thing to use against an aggressive opponent. It involves holding them in order to launch jarring knee strikes.

Just a warning, though. Learning how to clinch isn’t the easiest. If you’re persistent, though, it will pay off in survival situations.

Overall, we’d say that Muay Thai is one of the best martial arts for self defense.

Boxing

Boxing has been a part of the Olympics since the time of the Ancient Greeks. It’s a fighting style everyone, their mom, and their dog are familiar with. And many see it as one of the best self defense classes to take.

Now, when you box, your focus should be exclusively on landing punch after punch on your foe while dodging their blows at the same time. You also want your fist to stay close to your face for protection.

If your aim is to be the next Rocky, then it won’t be difficult for you to find a gym and your very own Mickey.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo and boxing are like fire and ice—total opposites. While boxing centers on punches, Taekwondo is all about kicks.

This form of martial arts started in Korea back in the ’40s. It’s a fusion of classic Korean martial arts and Japanese Karate with characteristics of Chinese fighting styles.

As we mentioned earlier, Taekwondo’s focal point is on kicking techniques (which typically aim for the head). When you consider how much force can be produced from a kick, you won’t be surprised that people get knocked out with just a single one.

And it’s a no-brainer, but being a Taekwondo pro requires being in great shape. How else would you be able to pull off all the powerful, high spinning kicks?

Bonus: Self Defense Tools

Besides self defense classes, it won’t hurt to arm yourself with a few self defense tools. Here are some of our suggestions:

• Pepper spray
• Taser
• A tactical flashlight (to disorient attackers)
• Small hand tools like screwdrivers or keys

Notice how these items are easy to carry? It’s better to go for tools like these since you can bring them nearly everywhere. Just make sure you know how to use them; otherwise, attackers can take and use them against you.

Final Thoughts

There are many things you’re prepping for—running out of food and water, pandemics, natural disasters, and getting lost in the wild.

But shouldn’t you also be ready to take on muggers, looters, and assaulters?

Knowing self defense may just save your life and your family’s lives one day.

You can try the fighting techniques we’ve listed or any form of hand to hand combat, whatever you feel is best. And it goes without saying, you should only use what you’ve learned in worst-case scenarios.

Oh, and don’t practice your moves on some random guy on the street. A punching bag, kicking pads, or your classmates would do.

What are the best self defense classes you’ve taken? Did you ever have to what you learned in a real-life situation? Share your experience down below.