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A sense of security in a constantly changing world is a feeling and state-of-mind sought by everyone. Conflicts, whether verbal, emotional, or physical, transpire throughout a lifetime. It is knowing how to respond in these situations, knowing they can be dealt with, that can improve one’s sense of security in daily life.

On November 3, 2004, twenty-one women participated in a women’s self-defense seminar at the main location of the American Martial Arts Institute in Utica, New York. Most of the women had no previous martial arts training; however, some of the women present had taken a self-defense seminar from Grand Master Crandall in the past. After a general information segment, the participants were divided into two groups. The first group was comprised of women who had previously taken the seminar, and those women began to review what they had learned. The second group sat down with Grand Master Crandall for an important information session.

A group of women sit down with Grand Master Crandall to learn about awareness while another group practices kicks
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Master Hillicoss, proprietor of the Albany location, and several instructors from across the state, reviewed escapes from wrist grabs, shoulder grabs, and throat grabs. Each woman was paired with an instructor for one-on-one instruction, and the instructors rotated periodically, giving the women a chance to work with several different instructors during the first hour. Once the women had thoroughly reviewed the self-defense techniques from grabs, they fell into rows where they practiced center kick and side kick to the knee. Through repetition, the women grew stronger in their balance, power, and focus. They also got a great workout.

The women practice kicks to the knee
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While Master Hillicoss worked with the one group, Grand Master Crandall went over a tremendous amount of information with the new group. The women learned about ways to be more aware of their surroundings, the mindset of an attacker, appropriate and necessary responses to potential attackers, how to secure their homes, cars, and purses, and a wealth of other information. Each woman was also given a copy of the book, The Best Handbook to Secure Living, written by Grand Master Crandall. The book covers a wide variety of topics that, when put into daily practice, help make one more secure in their daily life.

Here some of the women are practicing escapes from common grabs.
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After the first hour, the two groups were reunited, and the women were paired up to learn new self-defense techniques. The women learned how to respond to grabs targeted to the wrist, throat, and shoulder. Some of these grabs were the same ones practiced early in the evening, but many were new, providing more options against an attacker. Grand Master Crandall periodically stopped the group to emphasize important information regarding each technique. While the women practiced several instructors, including Grand Master Crandall and Master Hillicoss, corrected the women’s techniques so that by the end of the evening they all left with new skills that were both effective and exciting.

The women practice take downs and Grand Master Crandall demonstrates a technique on Master Hillicoss.
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After thirty minutes of intense self-defense training, the women broke up into three stations and then rotated through each station. The women were grabbed in bear hugs and chokeholds, defending themselves by throwing the instructors to the ground with their new techniques. Another station practiced kicking heavy bags, developing the power and follow-through of their kicks. The third station emphasized other takedowns of assailants.

Two hours seemed to go by very quickly, filled with the action of the evening. The women left feeling invigorated, filled with self-confidence and the knowledge that there are things that they can do to defend themselves.