People have two major notions when they think about self-defense. The first is that nothing will happen to me, and the second is I need to learn a martial arts system to learn self-defense.
Learning a martial arts system will definitely improve your skills in a self-defense situation, but you do not need to learn a whole system to learn self-defense. Basic skills and knowledge can be very useful.
Having the attitude that nothing will happen to you, is much like not wearing your seatbelt in a car and believing that you will not get into an accident. Having the knowledge of some basic self-defense skills is not there to make you believe that something will happen but to give you the tool just in case something does happen.
Throughout the years of my training and teaching I have not been in an altercation that went physical where I needed to use my skills to defend myself (there were a few encounters that almost went physical), mostly because I was aware and was able to see altercations before they happened or talk my way out of these situation.
Some self-defense situation topics to cover are:
- Striking Targets
- Body Reactions (internal & external)
With any type of physical motion skill improves with proper practice and repetition.