Take this and put a whip in instead?

I is broken.

Hearing about JP's groomsman's gift

So cool. I have not had knife lust before. I think I do now.

leave the single gender spaces for people who need it more

I was imagining it less as somewhere I would need to go and more a place I would like to provide. To other women who might need it, sure, but more as fuck you to men who don't think those things can be done well by women.

It took a while for me to come around to other women really really not looking on fighting like I did, but having what seemed to be a gender-based reaction to the principle of violence. It really affected my teaching, and I found it very frustrating that I couldn't get that across to many of the other teachers, some of them female.

While I was against the idea of an all women's fight class, or even women only ever partnering with women, I did offer to take fight class with novice women so they'd have someone they weren't afraid would whip the living tar out of them (oh, did the boys laugh at the idea of me going gently on anyone) and ease them in more gently. But it was important that I get them to fight with guys before intro fight was done, because it was a big mental thing for them, and really that's who they're learning to defend themselves from, not me.

But I grew up just looking for people to beat up on, and never understood anyone's reluctance to throw a punch or a kick. We just didn't tend to get many guys show up and pay money and still be afraid to hit anyone. They self-selected before the credit card came out.

Except for the ones that wouldn't hit women. Them I beat up on mercilessly and without apology. Technically, I couldn't really hurt them, right? I'm just a girl. If I were a danger or a threat, they'd defend themselves, and even maybe throw a strike or two themselves. I will always remember Jose Canseco for piping up that he'd hit me. Which, really, no. He wasn't really fast enough to land a hit on anyone (but god forbid he should have).

I know almost nothing about fighting technique (which I'm sure is not a shock) but it seems to me that a woman, physique-wise, might have some distinct advantages when it comes to speed and stuff.

I would love to learn to defend myself, and you're right -- the people I would be defending against would most likely be men. The difference is, I would LOVE an excuse to get into it with a man, in a controlled teaching situation.

My problem is, mostly, I don't like pain, and I figure most five-year-olds could take me out in my shape (fairly short, made of approximately 3% muscle).

We definitely lack comparable strength for our size, and just plain size, but the good women fighters I knew were as tough as a guy their size and most of them fought bigger guys with a lot less reluctance than guys fought bigger guys (well, we have to--it's the world!). The fastest fighters I know are male, but the good women I know are plenty fast, and have leverage and flexibility and maybe even pain threshold edges over the menfolk.

And maybe, just maybe, by some people's rationale, we're just plain crazier than the boys. When a female fighter decided she'd hit, she'd HIT. Fuck this code of honour that says "We're warriors but we don't take groin shots."

I will give Johann partial credit for taking boob shots. Thing is, a well placed groin shot would have hurt me worse. But he thought I was getting him in his manhood, so he had to get me where my girly lives. That's not it, boyo! I'd trade a tit punch for a cock punch any day of the week. Line them up and let me have at them.

Boobs have a hell of a lot more cushioning (well, usually) than crotch for sure.

Man, now I want to go take krav. Like, tomorrow.

If nothing else, it could end S.'s reign as champion tickler.

Yeah, your experience, ita, is one of the reasons I really wanted to do the course. I thought if they gave *you* guff about it I would go away whimpering. There`s a trap & skeet range near my house that I want to use, but I`m pretty sure it`s all rural Arizona survivalist types there and I`ll need to be able to prove my salt. Not that I`ll have a gun to use anyway, what with the whole pacifism thing I`ve got going on. But I would like to be comfortable using one.
 
Like you, I`m comfortable in a lot of male-centric spaces. But the whole concept of BOW is to allow women to learn these skills without intimidation and I think I have much better odds of success if I`m not having to deal with the guy stuff and can focus on the task. They even do stuff like dealing with your period while on the trail, and sorting through the gear marketed to women and stuff like that. I`m super amped.

(fairly short, made of approximately 3% muscle).

I'm tall (well, 5'7") but probably less muscle.

Man, now I want to go take krav. Like, tomorrow.

Me too! I'm going to do some googling and see what even exists here. I am guessing not a lot.

But I grew up just looking for people to beat up on, and never understood anyone's reluctance to throw a punch or a kick.

That is so kick ass. Unlike me who would have been running away.

Liese, that program sounds awesome!

I wonder if more SPN watchers gravitate towards learning survival skills.

Femme doesn't send the home invaders running when they hear you chamber the shells.

Matt, can I tag that? It has such nice flow.

eta: Nevermind. The thought was there but I forgot I'm explaining a name change.

You've had the new one long enough everybody knows, I think, Theresa. Go for the pretty new tagline.