Self-defense for children and women through Wing Chun

What do you first think of when you hear the word self-defense? Protecting yourself against violence or an attack? At KEI Kung Fu, we define self-defense as the act of protecting yourself against mental and physical suffering. In this article, we delve deeper into the importance of self-defense and how you can apply self-defense through Wing Chun.

According to Robert Everts, instructor at KEI Kung Fu, mental self-defense is just as important as physical self-defense. Perhaps even more important. How often do you encounter hurtful words from others? Believing these words creates a negative spiral. The words influence your thoughts, the thoughts influence your breathing, and the breathing influences your posture. Additionally, physical abuse statistically occurs on average twice in a person’s lifetime. Is Martial Arts purely for self-defense then worth it?

“Wing Chun is absolutely a suitable martial art for learning self-defense. Because self-defense also gives you more confidence, good posture, and patience. Over time, however, you have to ask yourself what happens on a spiritual level and how you can protect yourself mentally.” – Robert Everts, KEI Kung Fu instructor

Self-control as the foundation of self-defense

Self-defense and self-control are closely connected. That’s why at KEI Kung Fu we do many exercises to improve your self-control. An exercise can be as simple as standing still and being pushed continuously from different directions. Your natural reaction is to respond, but by mastering your energy you learn to control your reaction. Another example is sparring in a playful way. How hard do you go, and who is facing you? There is nothing more annoying than an opponent who goes too hard, because this also triggers irritation in yourself. With too little self-control, you are more likely to get caught up in the other’s strength. In a previous article about Wing Chun as a lifestyle, we explained how you can win with softness.

“If physical self-protection is needed, self-control is more important than you think. The more calm you remain, the sooner you tend to see the other’s mistakes and anticipate them. Additionally, through self-control you learn to assess how much self-defense is necessary to protect yourself.”

Self-defense for children essential in schools

Often it is not realized how important self-defense is, even in the world of Martial Arts. In schools, the focus is mainly on subjects like math, physics, and various languages. All skills you can earn money with later, but none of these skills teach you how to stand your ground from within. When a child is bullied, there is no teacher who teaches the child how to stand, move, and express themselves verbally. No teacher explains why you should sit upright. With Kung Fu, we do explore that depth. In an earlier article, we shared more about the life skills that children learn through Kung Fu.

“I strongly believe that Martial Arts should be part of education. Children grow up learning to get the best grades and the best jobs, but still feel insecure and anxious inside. In a life phase where bullying and developing your own identity play an important role, Kung Fu gives you tools that help you through this life phase.”

The biggest bullies are often those who have not learned to deal with emotions. To avoid dealing with their own insecurity, they focus on bullying other children. At KEI Kung Fu, we teach children not to bully and how to defend themselves against bullying.

Self-defense for physically less strong individuals

Unfortunately, aggression and violence still occur too often against women, physically less strong individuals, and people who appear insecure. Through Wing Chun, you learn to consciously signal what is happening around you and to assess dangers. This does not mean we choose to live in fear and distrust, but that we face reality. KEI Kung Fu believes everyone should have the chance to learn to defend themselves.

Want to get acquainted with self-defense at KEI Kung Fu? Visit us or join one of our free trial lessons.