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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