Have you ever wondered whether investing in self-defense classes is worth it? If you’ve thought about it before, you probably have valid concerns about your safety or that of your loved ones.

You might be on the fence about whether you really need self-defense classes, or maybe you’ve balked at the time or monetary investment required to get results from these classes. Many people consider it good enough to carry a weapon or a personal protection tool like pepper spray canisters.

Knowing the practical benefits of self-defense classes allows you to understand better what to expect, what they can offer for you, and why they’re worth every penny.

1. Helping You Remain Safe

Think of all the knowledge you possess about personal protection as a toolbox. You wouldn’t want it to contain only one tool, and there is no single tool that works in every situation.

It may seem obvious, but taking a self-defense class helps you stay safe in ways that can’t be done with other methods, giving you more options you can rely on when you need them the most. Knowing self-defense is an addition to your skillset, improving your preparedness and making you less of a target.

For example, a personal panic alarm may alert others you’re in danger. But what if no one is close enough to hear it? That’s when having other options at your disposal may be helpful. Knowing self-defense techniques helps you repel an aggressor who isn’t scared or deterred by your other countermeasures.

Self-defense isn’t just about fighting, and it’s more than carrying a gun or a knife. The techniques you should expect to learn also include situational awareness and danger assessment skills, verbal assertiveness, and conflict de-escalation methods. Some classes also offer training on how to use self-defense tools effectively, so you have time to escape the situation.

2. Improving Your Physical Fitness

Many self-defense classes have a physical training element where you learn techniques derived from martial arts. Some are full martial arts classes with a practical self-defense element.

Pick a class that teaches you practical techniques and isn’t merely a three-week course in a classroom, so you can do some physical activity.

Regularly attending a self-defense class can help you lose weight and stay in shape or get back into shape. Although the techniques you’ll learn vary, depending on the school and fighting style, all are guaranteed to give you a workout.

Being in shape also allows you to defend yourself more effectively. For instance, cardio training strengthens your heart and improves your endurance. In contrast, strength training improves your joints’ flexibility and increases your muscle mass, helping you strike harder or throw heavier opponents.

3. Gaining Confidence

One of the most-often-touted benefits of a self-defense class is you become more confident and less fearful. If it seems vague to you, the concept of confidence can be broken down into three elements: situational awareness, decision-making ability, and practical knowledge.

?      Situational awareness

Not knowing what to do in an unfamiliar or potentially dangerous situation can be paralyzing. A good self-defense instructor should teach you the basics of recognizing danger when it presents itself. Although there are many schools of thought on the subject, one of the simplest and most effective is the Cooper Color Code, which categorizes states of mind into four color codes—five, in some variations—and suggests what to do in each situation.

?      Decision-making ability

Your decision-making ability is how you determine the best way to deal with a threat. Fighting is not the only way out of a dangerous situation; the more tools you’ve learned to use, the more options you have at your disposal. Knowing when to run, when to talk, and when to fight is essential to defending yourself effectively.

?      Practical knowledge

Your practical knowledge is the sum of all the punching, kicking, throwing, and other physical techniques you learn in a class, but also conflict-avoidance and de-escalation techniques, such as posture, speech, talking-down methods, and more. They are what you use to repel potential or confirmed aggressors.

Confidence is the knowledge you know when and how to identify a threat (situational awareness), how to deal with a threat (decision-making), and what to do or use (practical knowledge).

Being confident also reduces your stress levels. The physical activity and training you receive in a self-defense class help you let off steam and vent everyday life stressors.

Confidence means you don’t have to live in fear. Knowing what to do in a dangerous situation is not only calming and reassuring to you but also to your loved ones, especially if you have children, family members, or others that rely on you.

4. Don’t Become a Statistic

Although the overall crime rate nationwide has been steadily declining, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, approximately one in three women in the U.S. has experienced physical violence. Over 24 million Americans have been victims of stalking.

Self-defense classes empower you against aggressors and help you prevent or stop violent incidents. It is your inalienable right to defend yourself if you’re under attack, and taking self-defense classes also equips you to protect others, such as your partner, your family, or other loved ones.

You don’t have to take self-defense classes alone. Bringing friends and trusted partners to your self-defense class creates an opportunity to learn together, increase preparedness, and reduce violence. Nothing says safety like forming a community of prepared, aware, and responsible people.

The Takeaway

After taking self-defense classes for several months, you may start noticing many positive changes in your life. Regular physical activity and workouts improve your fitness, help you sleep better, and encourage a healthier diet. They also improve your confidence, helping you develop a fighting instinct.

Self-defense classes make you a better person, with a stronger appreciation for life and the need to protect it. Being equipped to defend yourself also allows you to defend others. It is that mindset which turns potential victims into prepared, responsible individuals.

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