A feminist-forward guide to setting boundaries, assessing safety, and defusing violence by a six-time karate world champion—tools and skills to build confidence, fight back, and live life on your own terms. Disclaimer: this is not your average self-defense book. As educator, martial artist, movement analyst, somatic therapist, and rape crisis advocate Shihan Michelle explains, “Self-defense doesn’t work to prevent assault; it’s too late, you’re in a fight.” Instead, Michelle champions self-offense, a preventative personal protection strategy invested in defusing trouble before violence becomes necessary. Beyond Self-Defense empowers you to prevent and de-escalate violence without resorting to physical contact. Including personal stories, interactive practices, and reflective prompts, this practical, accessible, and timely handbook teaches you how to craft your own unique protection protocols. Topics include how to: Use your body weight to fend off attacks Recognize the emotional triggers of others before they escalate Unlearn common biases about safety and vulnerability Use space and time to get the upper hand and control situations before they become unsafe Challenge patriarchal social standards and claim your voice—and your space The founder and lead instructor of Self Offense Services, Michelle is a sixth degree black belt in Full Contact karate who gives workshops in assault prevention, boundaries, listening, de-escalation, and bullying prevention.

Need self-defense skills Now? Want to enhance your current skillset? Empower yourself! Learn effective techniques for stand-up and ground defense with Beyond Self-Defense. Martial Arts Halls of Fame inductee Grandmaster Barry A. Broughton, PhD has applied his extensive training in the martial arts and years of practice in orthopedics and sports medicine to create the comprehensive reality-based AKT Combatives system (that goes Beyond Self-Defense). Highly effective and practical techniques provide the novice and seasoned practitioner with simple yet brutally effective methods of self-defense. Adaptable techniques for anyone regardless of experience, size or gender. Learn your assailant's "anatomic vulnerabilities" for target acquisition. This personal combatives system provides a seamless transition of defense for all ranges and planes of attack, giving you the tools needed to defend yourself in any situation. Covers topics such as, Legalities, Self-defense vs. Personal Protection, Developing a Personal Doctrine, The Mindset Beyond Self-defense, Intent, Awareness and Preparation. General Safety Tips, Avoiding Sexual Assault, Home and Vehicle Awareness Guidelines, Controlling the Situation, Physiological response to violence, Proper training-proper response, Reflex response, Understanding Reactionary Gap, and much more. With over 325 full color images and diagrams with directional arrows, Beyond Self-Defense includes valuable personal protection concepts and effective techniques for real-life self-defense that will help you prevail during a violent confrontation. Currently being used as a college textbook, Beyond Self-Defense can also be used for self-education for real-world personal protection. The techniques are presented in a logical, progressive and instructional format, as taught in Dr. Broughton's self-defense courses and seminars. Educate Yourself! Be Prepared...Not Paranoid!"

Need self-defense skills Now? Want to enhance your current skillset?Empower yourself! Learn effective techniques for stand-up and ground defense with Beyond Self-Defense.Martial Arts Halls of Fame inductee Grandmaster Barry A. Broughton, PhD has applied his extensive training in the martial arts and years of practice in orthopedics and sports medicine to create the comprehensive reality-based AKT Combatives system (that goes Beyond Self-Defense).* Highly effective and practical techniques provide the novice and seasoned practitioner with simple yet brutally effective methods of self-defense.* Adaptable techniques for anyone regardless of experience, size or gender.* Learn your assailant's "anatomic vulnerabilities" for target acquisition.* This personal combatives system provides a seamless transition of defense for all ranges and planes of attack, giving you the tools needed to defend yourself in any situation. * Covers topics such as, Legalities, Self-defense vs. Personal Protection, Developing a Personal Doctrine, The Mindset Beyond Self-defense, Intent, Awareness and Preparation. * General Safety Tips, Avoiding Sexual Assault, Home and Vehicle Awareness Guidelines, Controlling the Situation, Physiological response to violence, Proper training-proper response, Reflex response, Understanding Reactionary Gap, and much more.With over 325 full color images and diagrams with directional arrows, Beyond Self-Defense includes valuable personal protection concepts and effective techniques for real-life self-defense that will help you prevail during a violent confrontation. Currently being used as a college textbook, Beyond Self-Defense can also be used for self-education for real-world personal protection. The techniques are presented in a logical, progressive and instructional format, as taught in Dr. Broughton's self-defense courses and seminars.Educate Yourself! Be Prepared...Not Paranoid!

Defend yourself with salad tongs, hairbrushes--and even a dirty diaper! A sidewalk thief tries to steal your wallet, but you are unarmed. What do you do? With A Guide to Improvised Weaponry, you'll know how to protect yourself--even if all you have are your car keys and a candy bar. Written by Green Beret and combat expert Terry Schappert, this book teaches you how to turn your lipstick, your wristwatch--even the shoes on your feet--into strategic self-defense tools. Traditional weapons can be expensive, dangerous, and in the blur of an attack, easily turned against you, but with his life-saving advice, you can avoid these risks and defend yourself by deploying the hidden tactical uses of 100 ordinary items. Whether you're out grocery shopping, riding in an elevator, or enjoying a stroll through the park, A Guide to Improvised Weaponry shows you how to control your environment and become your own bodyguard--ready and able to act when you need to.

Undoubtedly the most popular martial arts system in the world. Follow a pioneer of Taekwondo who helped to establish the art in America when nobody knew what it was.

HARDCORE SELF-DEFENSE is totally unlike any other martial-arts book you've ever read. It is the result of a lifetime of experience by one who walks the Warrior's Path. Jam-packed with useful information, no space is wasted with "filler material" like training methods, foreign terminology, or photographs of the author pretending to spar. No, this book gets right to the point and tells you the best ways to defend oneself, as well as commonly taught nonsense that will not work against a real opponent. This book is heavy on combat psychology and weaponscraft, and is intended for those who are truly serious about protecting themselves and their loved ones. Be warned, this book is NOT FOR THE MEEK!

The surprising roots of the self-defense movement and the history of women’s empowerment. At the turn of the twentieth century, women famously organized to demand greater social and political freedoms like gaining the right to vote. However, few realize that the Progressive Era also witnessed the birth of the women’s self-defense movement. It is nearly impossible in today’s day and age to imagine a world without the concept of women’s self defense. Some women were inspired to take up boxing and jiu-jitsu for very personal reasons that ranged from protecting themselves from attacks by strangers on the street to rejecting gendered notions about feminine weakness and empowering themselves as their own protectors. Women’s training in self defense was both a reflection of and a response to the broader cultural issues of the time, including the women’s rights movement and the campaign for the vote. Perhaps more importantly, the discussion surrounding women’s self-defense revealed powerful myths about the source of violence against women and opened up conversations about the less visible violence that many women faced in their own homes. Through self-defense training, women debunked patriarchal myths about inherent feminine weakness, creating a new image of women as powerful and self-reliant. Whether or not women consciously pursued self-defense for these reasons, their actions embodied feminist politics. Although their individual motivations may have varied, their collective action echoed through the twentieth century, demanding emancipation from the constrictions that prevented women from exercising their full rights as citizens and human beings. This book is a fascinating and comprehensive introduction to one of the most important women’s issues of all time. This book will provoke good debate and offer distinct responses and solutions.