It's not self defense for supermen -- it's self defense for people.

I guess I tended to think that if it was something that attracted you, it was ipso facto too much for me.

Me too, Betsy.

I'd rather just bite that one guy's tongue again, have him curse at me and never speak to me again. That was quick and tidy.

This is classic.

I guess I tended to think that if it was something that attracted you, it was ipso facto too much for me.

Pfah. There are people in there twice my age, and half it. Shorter, taller, skinnier, fatter, less limber, everything.

It's not art. It's a self defense system.

It's not art. It's a self defense system.

It's the running, ita, that makes me feel like throwing up. And hitting Polgara.

Hm. Do your guys know somebody they respect up here in the People's Republic?

I am wimpy, hear me whinge.

Is it just here, or does everyone spell it "whinge" nowadays? I'm a traditionalist--it's "whine" for me.

Yes, but you get bruised and stuff.

I get bruised from breathing. Don't mind me.

There is more fitness training than in your average self defense class (well, not compared to Allyson's kickboxing, but compared to short-term courses), but the point is that if you're attacked, panic is going to exhaust you immediately. If you can't defend yourself tired, you can't feel safer.

It's the running, ita, that makes me feel like throwing up. And hitting Polgara.

Running depends on your instructor -- some never warm you up that way, others (which now seems to include me) will get folks running the second there's enough space. The hitting people is pretty universal, but if it's sparring hitting that bothers you, that's not mandatory until green or blue belt, depending on your tester. There's only one instructor who makes you do it at yellow -- it's a thing.

Have a look here, Betsy.

I'm a traditionalist--it's "whine" for me.

Do you pronounce a "g"?

Maybe whinge is a more of a Briticism, Kathy.

Yeah, wait -- whine and whinge aren't pronounced the same, are they?