Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watarts.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watarts!molefeuvre From: molefeuvre@watarts.UUCP (Michael O LeFeuvre) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: Self Defense (long, but interesting) Message-ID: <8199@watarts.UUCP> Date: Tue, 8-Jan-85 14:53:43 EST Article-I.D.: watarts.8199 Posted: Tue Jan 8 14:53:43 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 9-Jan-85 02:09:55 EST References: <191@usl.UUCP> <3392@mit-eddie.UUCP> Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 31 > From (barry!mit-eddie) > > > >One last comment I'd like to make is in support of the martial > >arts for women. Some one on the net (with regard to the street- > >crossing issue) brought up the question of female/male equality > >in terms of strength. Well, the martial arts are a valid means > >of balancing out this difference between the sexes. > > Or at least it takes away one male advantage...the physical one. It also > brings about a great self confidence, and a greater resistance to intimidation. > Furthermore, the knowledge that you can do major damage to the idiot giving > you a hassle at the bar eases the degradation of his action, even if you do > nothing in retaliation. And that is a great comfort. > Mostly, I agree with xxxxxxxxwhat I have read on the net about martial arts and self-defence for women, but there seems to be one thing glossed over. Martial Arts skills are do not "take away" the advantages of size and strength. A lifetime of training will not make someone elses muscles smaller or their reach shorter. It only gives you an advantage of your own. Enough training can make up for an extra thirty pounds and longer arms, but your opponent remains dangerous. And if your opponent also has training, they are more dangerous still. It is all a matter of degree. In fact, I think the major advantage of martial arts training for women is psychological, but no less real for that. Carlo @ the U of Waterloo