Self Defense Training for Women to Avoid the “freeze” Response

The scariest feeling in any stressful situation, especially in an assault, is to have one’s brain and body “freeze.” Your stress response comes into play and your ability to think logically and react is dramatically impaired. Even if the paralysis of movement lasts for just a few seconds, those few seconds are critical because of what can happen next to the person. Thus, to reduce the potential “freeze reaction,” women will seek out self-defense training or take martial arts to increase their skills in protecting themselves. What women need to know and understand is that not all martial arts or types of self-defense training will decrease the “freeze response.” An effective program to reduce the paralyzing feelings in an attack should emphasize simple movements that are incorporated into one’s muscle memory using constant repetition, partner drills, and unrehearsed attacks in a safe training environment. Thus, women can become confident in applying her skills without thinking in an aggressive altercation.

One of the issues concerning martial arts is whether the focus of the training is truly self-defense. In some common martial arts, the goal is for students to compete in competitions. The martial arts practitioner faces another “like” martial arts practitioner as his/her opponent. Each practitioner will throw punches and kicks so that he/she can “touch” his/her opponent to get points and win the game. Out on the streets, a woman never knows what her attacker knows. He may be a wrestler, boxer, or just crazy In addition, attacks can come from any direction – not just the front. Most women fear attacks from behind because these attacks are obviously not apparent until they happen. Her goal is defend herself as much as possible from harm and run away.

There are other common martial arts in which mastering techniques are emphasized. The more techniques one knows, the more knowledge that the martial artist possesses. However, techniques that require several steps are not useful in a self-defense situation. In an attack situation, one will use do what comes immediately from one’s body. There is no luxury of time to utilize techniques which require more than one or two actions.

So how does one train to reduce a “freeze” reaction? In a system which utilizes reflex training, movements are kept simple so that they are easily learned and not confusing to the learner. What makes the movements unique are that the focus is applying the movement based on how the attacker moves. Thus, the same simple movements are repeated over and over until they become more instinctive. Initially, a type of training called form training is used to teach proper positioning and structure of one’s body. Working with different individuals in various drills allows the women to better understand the energies coming from others. Women learn to adapt to different muscular strengths by becoming sensitive to the force presented. Over time, they become aware of how they can more effectively utilize their partners’ energies to defeat them. As the woman becomes sensitive to the opponent’s touch, she learns to react more swiftly. Little pressure is needed before an offensive attack is launched by the woman.

For example, an open palm can be used in different ways to protect oneself. Palm strikes can be delivered in different directions. A palm strike can be straight forward to underneath the chin or under the nose. However, the woman can also turn her palm sideways and strike the attacker’s kidneys. If the fingers are pointed downwards in a palm strike, the woman can easily attack the groin. Therefore, regardless of the size of the attacker, there are options on how to deliver an effective palm strike. What makes the palm strike effective in reflex training is that the woman is taught to keep the wrist soft but through proper positioning of her elbow, harness her energy using her body’s strength so that the power is not coming from the hand. The palm can also be used to establish contact with the attacker’s arm to feel the direction of his energy. If one knows where the opponent’s arm and the direction of its power, the woman can move her body to get out of the way and use his force against him.

As women become comfortable with the movements and their confidence increase, spontaneous sparring with partners is added to reflex training. Spontaneous sparring is a critical activity because attacks on the street are unplanned and fast. The unrehearsed sparring reduces one’s reaction time to dealing with “what comes at you” and as a result works to minimize the “freeze” reaction.