I have been saying for a while that I really want to learn self-defense, to increase my strength, and know that if god forbid someone attacked me, I could at least fight back and escape safely. A couple people recommend Krav Maga, an Israeli fighting style, as a good way to meet those goals.
After much searching, I found a Krav Maga school on Long Island (most are in NYC, a couple hours away), and this past Saturday, I tried my first class. I am STILL SORE today on Monday. I am supposed to go to class again on Wednesday, and I am PRAYING that the soreness will have subsided enough by then for me to take the class.
It was by FAR the most intense workout I have eve experienced in my life.
The class consisted of a long calisthenics warm-up: no rests, no breaks, no mercy! Jumping jacks, burpees, squat thrusts, mountain climbers, push ups, sit ups, etc. To tell the truth, the warm up itself was probably the hardest workout I have done. The rest of the class was spent on practical sparring fighting techniques: punching (with gloves), agility and speed drills, and partner work.
Part of me is scared to continue, and part of my is exhilarated. For one thing, you will take hits in the class (I did not take any hits because it was my first class, but i did spar with another person). Yes, it is in a controlled way: wearing boxing gloves, but I am the ONLY woman in the class, and the guys are huge. I am thinking of getting a padded VEST to wear for sparring...I know no one will hit me full force (the guys in the class all seem really cool), but I need to feel safe.
All in all, I can tell already that if I continue training twice a week, I am going to get into awesome shape. And even in one class, I learned more about fending off an attacker (proper punch form) than I knew when I walked in the door.
My biggest concern is safety...protective equipment, and maybe even learned to wrap my wrists for added support under the gloves while punching.
Anyone else on here ever study Krav Maga?