Self-protection and self-defence - FAQ
Do I need special clothing?
Normal sportswear will be enough for now, but we recommend buying black trousers and a white belt. Later on, a special T-Shirt will be necessary (e.g. for exams), but not immediately. Talking about exams……
Do I have to take exams?
Absolutely not. Anyone can take exams, but no one has to. Exams are optional! We are not putting any pressure on anyone. But of course it's always great to see your own development. And successes keep motivating you to continue training - in this respect we can only recommend exams, but once again: Nobody is forced to take them. The instructors team decides who is ready for an exam. As a general rule, fewer examinations are advisable, especially for children, because the faster they progress now, the longer they will have to wait later, because there are age limits starting at certain grades. If an athlete is not admitted to take an exam, the instructors team will give good reasons for it. It does not mean that someone has reduced abilities compared to others!
How often is an exam taken?
That depends on the progress of the athlete. Usually, a maximum of two examination dates per year is advisable; but it can be more or less. However, the key aspect during training is not taking an exam, but being able to defend myself. But when exams are pending, we prepare each of our athletes individually so that everyone is able to pass it well.
Do I need special equipment?
Yes, but not immediately. In the beginning it is enough to be in a good mood, have sports equipment and a little motivation. As your level increases, special protective equipment will be necessary, depending on your belt level. It would also make sense to buy your own punch pads. But all of this is also based on voluntariness, so if you don't want protective equipment, you don't have to buy any. From the higher belt grades onwards it becomes a prerequisite for examinations - given that you want to take those.
Do I have to take part in tournaments and competitions?
Once again no, nobody has to - everybody can. We only have a few competitions a year anyway, and nobody is forced to take part.
Do I have to participate in the warm-up training?
Yes, it would be at least advisable. The warm-up trains the whole body, builds up condition and muscles, makes you more flexible. It also prepares the muscles for the upcoming efforts in training and thus protects against injuries. However: not every exercise has to be done by everyone to the same extent. Our rule is: If it starts to hurt, you should stop the exercise. It doesn't matter whether others can do an exercise better, bend further or better - only your own abilities are important.
Can I refuse exercises?
Of course you can. Especially with children we practice situations from everyday life e.g. pushing into the corner, touching by strangers or threatening each other. As we said before, it is important to set limits - that is exactly what we want to learn - and sometimes we do not dare to do an exercise (yet). In this case, let us know: The instructor will respond accordingly. After all, we want to practice being able to say NO - it would be fatal not to respond to it in training. Experience shows that the initial shyness is quickly overcome and the "No" is then all the more explicit.
Are there also weapons?
Yes, but only for the advanced - and not for young children. From a certain level of maturity and experience we also practice with knives, sticks or pistols. Our escrima-sticks are not only used as a weapon, but also in order to practice body-mechanics, power and assertiveness. Nevertheless, until then there is enough to learn with other techniques, which are versatile and also (partly) demanding.
Why are there so many techniques? Our self-defence-system has so many techniques so that every athlete can develop his or her own style. There is not the one technique that everyone must be able to perform. The training gives you a lot of possibilities so that you can react the way it suits you when being attacked. It is not important that a "technique 3a" is performed correctly, but that you can defend yourself effectively. In an emergency there is no referee standing next to you to evaluate your defense. What matters is effectiveness, not the beauty and not elegance.