Women and Martial Arts By: Laura Chadwick
Martial arts can be one of the most powerful tools of transformation a woman can acquire. While the impetus for starting a martial arts program is as different as each individual, the results can influence and improve every aspect of a woman’s life: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. Many women I’ve talked to say that the first and most noticeable change is a renewed and restored sense of confidence. The flowering of confidence will happen long before noticing new muscles and improved physical health.
Women must live with the unfortunate reality that between one in five to one in four each year experience some form of sexual assault. A woman that does not experience assault is statistically likely to know someone who has or to find herself in a potentially threatening situation. Over time and years, the awareness of an almost constant potential for danger depresses the natural sense of confidence we are born with. Although I had wanted to start a martial arts program since age 13, it wasn’t until age 22 that I finally signed up. One incident in particular spurred me on to join my current school. About two weeks before joining, I was walking alone in the afternoon down a neighborhood side street. A beat-up, old beige Cadillac pulled alongside me in the road and began to match my speed as I walked. The gold-toothed driver was wearing a fitted blue T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing powerful-looking biceps. There was a somewhat threatening verbal exchange and in that instant, I realized that if he decided to get out of his car, I’d have no way to protect myself besides running. If he were faster than me, I’d lose. If I screamed and no one heard, I’d still lose. I felt lucky that nothing happened, but powerless because it was his decision and not mine to avoid confrontation. As a woman, I knew that would not be the last menacing encounter. Soon afterwards, I was on my way to learning Northern Shaolin Eagle Claw Kung Fu. Whatever draws a woman to the martial arts, whether it’s self-defense, exercise, the artistic aspect, or just to have fun, the confidence she gains is so pervasive, it spills into every other arena in life. The martial arts align and connect the mind with the body, creating mental clarity and an awareness of her own presence and ability. This awareness enables a woman to move beyond fear and physical concerns, leaving her mind free to improve her health, relationships, work situation and to accomplish more important personal goals. With time, a regular work-out schedule, and practice, the marital arts will inevitably improve health, weight-loss, cardiovascular functions, muscle tone and breath control. In order to support the body, even diet and nutrition improve.
When beginning a program, it’s good to identify short and long-term goals. Have an idea of what you’re looking for. Every style and school will satisfy different needs. Some schools nurture women’s unique experiences, others do not. Some schools are more aggressive than others, some are very traditional, others teach newer systems of martial arts. Some styles of martial arts are solely defensive, while others are more offensive. It’s important to find the right school for your needs and to be comfortable with the instructors, making sure that women already at the school participate fully and advance alongside the men. However, if you find a great teacher at a good school, but few women, don’t be afraid to break new ground. With the right program, a woman will find herself achieving things she never thought possible.
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