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Women's Programs

We offer programs for women that are expertly designed and tested to fit distinct needs. Our women’s programs include:

Real-Life Self-Defense (RLSD-W)
Our default program for women.
(See details here)

WSD (Women’s Self-Defense) Seminar I
(1 day course, 8 hours)
This is a single day, 8-hour crash course for those who are really short on time. The seminar takes places in gym space with physical/tactical emphasis, but with built-in lecture and media showing. If you positively do not have the availability for anything else, this is the place to go.

WSD (Women’s Self-Defense) Seminar II
(2 day / full weekend course, 16 hours)
This is a two day, 16-hour course that covers the basics for women’s self-defense. Opportunity to train extensively with padded assailant on second day to gain confidence and internalize skills. Takes place in gym space with built-in lecture and media showing.

WPS (Women’s Personal Safety) Seminar I
(2 day / full weekend course, 16 hours)
This is a two day, 16-hour course that is divided between classroom and gym space. Gym section includes crash course in women’s self-defense. Classroom section features intensive training in home, family, workplace, street and travel safety; prediction, awareness and women’s issues.

WPS (Women’s Personal Safety) Seminar II
(4 day / 2 x weekend course, 32 hours)
This is four day, 32-hour course that is divided between classroom and gym space. The program can be scheduled over 2 weekends or otherwise depending on people’s availability. Gym section features extensive practice with padded assailant and one-on-one interaction with instructors. Classroom section features intensive training in home, family, workplace, street and travel safety; prediction, awareness and women’s issues as well as verbal defense, target hardening and “street smarts” – including more interaction with instructor and media showings.

RADP (Rape / Abuse Defense & Prevention) Seminar I
(1 day course, 8 hours)
This is a 1 day, 8-hour course focusing specifically on rape, physical abuse and assault on women. Myths and misconceptions, facts and strategies. Gym space training of specialized skills includes built-in lecture and media showing.

RADP (Rape / Abuse Defense & Prevention) Seminar II
(2 day / full weekend course, 16 hours)
This is a 2 day, 16-hour course divided between gym space and classroom training. The focus is on rape, physical abuse and assault on women as well as verbal and emotional abuse, target hardening at work, on the street and in relationships, profile of rapist and abuser & power tools to combat them.

Consultation and Services
A variety of one-time and ongoing consultative services are available for at-risk women, women in high-risk occupations, domestic violence, restraining order, stalking, divorce, custody and litigation cases, female executives, VIPs, celebrities and political figures. Inquiries are handled on a case-by-case basis. If warranted, we do take on roles beyond consultation up to and including “safe passage” retainers, security advisory, close protection and law enforcement liaison. Please call to discuss your case.

"I really like the fact that the classes are not co-ed. I've come to see why they say women's self-defense is its own science. Women react differently, and they face different threats than men. And I really wouldn't want to learn most of what I'm learning in a co-ed setting. There is a great dynamic in the all female class. We all feel confident to speak up and comfortable to get physical. I enjoy the company of the women in my class so much that we meet outside on our own time around a punching bag, drill what we learn, help each other out. If you want to learn how to defend yourself, get exercise and have fun, this is the place to be!"

Sarah DeCruz - Somerville, MA

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Women’s Self-Defense - Science of its Own

We treat women’s self-defense as its own science. Our research and long-standing experience training women ranging from soccer moms to professional athletes and police officers has shown us that women’s training needs are different. Here are some of the more obvious reasons:

Women bring a different mental and emotional apparatus with them – you cannot train the body without addressing the mind
The good news: the average woman has 2/3 of the full body strength of the average man. The not-so-good news: the average woman does not have 2/3 of the upper body strength of the average man. Women have different physical strengths and weaknesses that need to be considered for effective defense
Statistically, women are threatened and attacked in distinctly different ways than men. Only if we train for what happens 99% of the time will we be safe 99% of the time
Women are socialized differently and many need different stress inoculation techniques than men before their potential can be unleashed

For all these reasons, we do not train coed groups except in certain seminars. Women get plenty of opportunity to test their skill on male instructors and padded assailants. We also have a female instructor present in all women’s seminars.

Interested in a Seminar?

Seminars often take place on weekends during the day time, but can be scheduled according to the needs of your group. Custom seminars with custom content to fit your specific requirements and/or interest can always be designed at short notice due to the modular nature of our offerings.

Please contact us for details.