Introduction to Self Defense

Lesson 1- PE 12
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the class discussion, the students can:
• Enumerate the different types of self-defense and combative
sports;
• Possess understanding of concepts and knowledge of
combative sports and self defense;
• Be aware and appreciate the skills and aims of self-defense.
It's a universally accepted principle that a person may
protect themselves from harm under appropriate
circumstances, even when that behavior would
normally constitute a crime. The matter of self-defense
can be approached from several different angles,
ranging from taking up a martial art to carrying a legally
concealed firearm or installing a sophisticated home
security system on your property.
It involves physically protecting yourself, your
loved ones, your possessions, and your
accomplishments from others. From the most
primitive methods of self-defense there evolved
delineated systems, or martial arts. There really is
a style of defense for everybody whether it’s
women’s evasive self-defense or full martial arts.
What Is Self-Defense?

Self-defense is defined as the right to prevent

suffering force or violence through the use of a
sufficient level of counteracting force or violence.
Self-defense only justifies the use of force when it
is used in response to an immediate threat.
Self-Defense via Martial Arts
Martial arts are useful for self-defense in unarmed
combat situations and even in some armed combat
situations. Self-defense is not a singular martial art. It is
a term that describes any action that is taken to protect
oneself or one’s possessions, and almost all martial arts
can fall under this definition. If you are interested in
taking up self-defense, it is extremely important that
you choose a self-defense technique that is appropriate
to your goals and personality.
Martial art focuses on the flow of the various
techniques so that movements are smooth
and strikes are effective. People learn how to
parry an attacker's weapon with the sticks, as
well as how to disable or disarm an attacker
by striking that person’s limbs.
Physical benefits of martial arts
One of the benefits that just about all martial arts will
provide is a stronger and faster physique. Physical
fitness and a more capable body are going to be a huge
advantage in a self defense situation. If you are able to
move faster, that gives you a better chance of getting
away, in case the odds are against you. Or if you have
greater endurance, you’re more likely to leave your
pursuers panting for breath behind you. Those are just
some of the benefits of speed and endurance.
There’s also the increased toughness that comes
with martial arts training. And then, the increased
strength that comes from more well-developed
muscles should allow you to hit your attackers,
with more effective results. Your quicker reflexes
and ability to snap punches or kicks will also allow
you to land your attacks more often.
Mental benefits of martial arts
One other advantage to consider involves changes in
the mind. Being able to defend yourself from attackers
requires you to be open to the possibility that you may
have to inflict serious or even fatal damage on others.
Martial arts training allows a person to practice,
through sparring, the various moves and techniques
which are designed to defend as well as cause damage.
Over time, this continued training and practice can help
to overcome any lingering hesitation or resistance.
Good situational awareness

Good situational awareness is one of the most

effective methods of self-defense you can
practice. By paying attention to your surroundings
and behaving accordingly, you can avoid most of
the situations that could lead to physical
confrontations or violence.
This means being cautious if you have to go
out at night, and avoiding unnecessarily
dangerous situations. Men and women alike
are most vulnerable when they are alone, so
by practicing good situational awareness.
List of the Most Effective Martial Art for Self-Defence

Arnis
Muay thai
Boxing
Judo
Taekwondo
Karate
Jiu Jitsu
TAEKWONDO
PE 12 Lesson 2
Objectives
at the end of the lesson, students can:
• show understanding of the background of taekwondo,
• enumerate the essential commands in taekwondo,
• create a mindmap showing the benefits of taekwondo
as an art of self defense.
Taekwondo
Taekwondo (also known as Tae Kwon Do) is the art of
self defense that originated in Korea. It is a Korean self
defense martial art which in English translates as foot
and hand way. It is is famous for its high, spinning kicks.
It is recognized as one of the oldest forms of martial
arts in the world, reaching back over 2,000 years.
It is composed of three parts as shown in the English
spelling, though it is one word in Korean. "Tae" means
"foot," "leg," or "to step on"; "Kwon" means "fist," or
"fight"; and "Do" means the "way" or "discipline." If we
put these three parts together, we can see two
important concepts behind "Tae Kwon Do".
The name was selected for its appropriate description
of the art:
• Tae  (foot)
• Kwon  (hand)
• Do  (art)
Commands
• Charyot: Korean meaning “Attention”
• Gyeongnye: Korean meaning “Bow”
• Junbi: Korean meaning “Ready Stance”
• See-Jak: Korean meaning “Begin”
• Keu-Mahn: Korean meaning “Finish (Stop)”
Belts
• White Belt: The color white signifies innocence, as
that of the beginning student who has no previous
knowledge of Tae Kwon Do.
• Yellow Belt: The color yellow signifies the earth. The
beginning student begins to create a firm foundation
in Tae Kwon Do technique, just as a seed begins to
expand its root system deep in the earth as it begins
to grow.
• Orange Belt - The color orange signifies the changes of
Autumn, as the student's mind and body begin to
develop and grow as a result of the new Tae Kwon Do
experience.
• Green Belt - The color green represents growth, like
that of the green plant as it sprouts out of the ground.
The student has built a firm foundation and now
begins to grow in the art of Tae Kwon Do.
• Blue Belt - The color blue represents the sky.
Reminding the student to reach for the heavens and
continue their Tae Kwon Do journey.
• Brown Belt: The color brown represents the ripening
or maturing process as that of the advanced Tae Kwon
Do student whose techniques are beginning to mature.
Red Belt: signifies danger, cautioning the student to
exercise self-control, and warning the opponent to stay
away.
Black Belt: The opposite of white signifies maturity and
dignity, as that of a senior student of Tae Kwon Do who
has learned the basic curriculum of Tae Kwon Do and is
ready to become a true student of Tae Kwon Do.
Facilities and
Equipment in
TKD
Lesson 4 - PE 12
Taekwondo or Taekwon-Do ("tae" – foot, "kwon"
– fist (hand), "do" – way) is a Korean martial art,
the peculiar feature of which is the ability to use
legs in the fight for punches and throws. Unlike
other Korean martial arts, no weapons are used in
taekwondo. It is believed that the human body
itself is a very dangerous weapon.
• Foot Protector • Kicking Paddles
• Chest Protector • Kicking Shields
• Forearm Guards • Mat
• Groin Guard • Mouthguard
• Hand Guard • Rebreakable Boards
• Hand Wraps • Shin Guards
• Headgear • Shoes
• Heavy Bags
The cup protector, forearm and calf protectors should
be put on under the Taekwondo suit. It is allowed to
use only protective equipment, gloves and a
mouthpiece for his (her) personal use that were
approved by WTF. All other types of protective helmets
for the head are prohibited (except for WTF approved
helmets).
Taekwondo competition area The competition area
should be 10 meters by 10 meters, have a flat surface
and be covered with elastic pads. The competition area
can be installed on the platform 0.5 to 0.6 meters high
from the base. The outer part of the border (beyond
the limiting line) should have a slope of fewer than 30
degrees to ensure the safety of competitors.
Dimensions.com
Taekwondo Competition Area - Platform

5.68
Safety Area 175m

32.8'-39.37" 26.25
10-12 Mm Bm

a
w~

Total Area:
1951-2574 ft?
181,3-239.1 m?

————————— 481'|14.66m ———_—_—_—_—_—

~
3.28’-6.56' 1-2m
|

(Safety Area)
25.62°-39.357

ee
60-100 cm
_

———— 26.25" | 8 m (Contest Area) ———>

Dobok - Uniform used by
practitioners of Korean martial
arts, such as Taekwondo.
Ti - A belt used around the waist to denote the
rank or grade of the wearer. In taekwondo, belts
are conventionally divided into "color" (including
white) and "black". It is customary to adhere to
the following classification:
 Black belts have their own levels – dans. In total,
there are 9 dans in taekwondo. The holder of a
red belt with a black stripe (1 geup) must keep
training for at least six months before s/he can
get the 1st dan. Everyone can get a black belt (1st
dan) in 2.5 – 4 years, depending on the abilities,
frequency of training and frequency of certifying.
Safety Equipment
• Head Guard - Indispensible acessory while sparring or in competitive
fighting in Taekwondo.

• Mouth guard - An equipment that has become mandatory in almost

every tournament nowadays, to minimize the damage to the dental
and mouth area of the athletes.

• Forearm guard - An equipment used in the forearm region used to

minimize the damage done to this area from blocking kicks.
• Body Guard - An equipment used to minimize the damage done to
the torax region and also to determine the score between the
athletes. ( Every time you hit the circle areas you gain points. This is
explained better in the Fighting section.)
• Groin guard. An equipment used to minimize the damage done to the
groin area, keeping in mind that it's not allowed in a Taekwondo fight
to hit that area on purpose.
• Shin Guard - An equipment used to minimze the damage done to the
shin area, from the constant hits with the legs.
• Martial arts shoes - Very comfortable shoes used in trainings and
other events. On official events though, usually the use of this kind of
shoes is not allowed.
Basic Fundamental Skills:
Kicks and Strikes
Lesson 5 - 6
1. Base
• The stance is your base on the ground. Your ground is where you connect with
the earth and it is your grounding. We teach our students to skillfully connect
with their base.
• We teach hot to make stances strong and solid. In this way, our student’s moves
will come from a stable base.
2.Taekwondo Block
• Taekwondo blocks are strong moves which are designed to halt attacks like
punches or kicks. This basic move protects the body or head from being hit. You
should be alert, strong, and fast to be able to block your opponents.Taekwondo
teaches the use of a blocking arm and a chambering arm. These two arms
produce action and reaction. Also, they counter each other. Using these
techniques effectively gives the body strength to block punches and kicks.
• Learning how to twist at the end of each block is also necessary because this
gives more power to perform.
3.Taekwondo Strikes
• Taekwondo involves the combination of the hand and foot in order to
fight effectively. Hand strikes are equally important in these sports.
• Kicking at a correct distance is great but when your opponent is at
close range, then you have to maximize the use of your hands
• Learning how to punch with a great and powerful impact is a great
taekwondo move. Other movements included in this skill were the
knife-hands, back-fists, and ridge-hand strikes.
Stances (Sogi)
Ready stance - Junbi Sogi Tae-kwon-do has many modes, which emerge in the patterns. The ready
stance is not part of an action, but is a position from which the student movement starts. It is that
the position is ideal for increasing the concentration.

Attention stand - Charyot Sogi This is the position used for attention, before and after exercise.
1. Feet form an angle of 45 degrees.
2. Drop fists down naturally. The elbows are slightly curved/bended.
3. The fists are clenched slightly.
4. The eyes look forward, just above the horizontal line. Bending Attitude - Kyong Ye Jase This is the
attitude and the movement that one has to make when greeting teacher, fellow student, jury and
opponent during competitions: Bend the body 15 degrees forward. Keep looking into the
opponent's eyes.
Parallel stance - Narani sogi Spread the feet parallel to shoulder width. The toes need to
be pointing forwards.
Walking stance - Gunnun Sogi This is a strong position, both front and rear feet are
offensive and defensive. Move one of feet forward or rear. The length between both feet
should be shoulder and half width , while the width between both feet is one shoulder
width. A stand with a length longer than a one and a half shoulder width makes the
movement slow and one is vulnerable to attack from the side, front or back. Bend the front
leg so that the heel in a straight aligns with the knee. The rear leg has to be completely
stretched. Distribute your body weight equally on both feet. Make sure the toes of the
front foot pointing forward. The toes of the back leg foot must be pointed 25 degrees
outwards When this is greater than 25 degrees then is more vulnerable to the rear leg an
attack from behind. Tighten the muscles of both feet with the sense to bring them together.
L-stance - Niunja Sogi This mode is widely used in the defense, but for
the offensive stand also useful. The front foot is in place to give a kick.
Therefore, only a small displacement of the body weight needed to
make. Move foot either forward or backwards, so that the length
between both feet is slightly less than about a shoulder width. There is
almost a straight angle formed. It is recommended to both feet about
15 degrees to allow point, within a result, a better stability is obtained.
Bend the back leg so far until the knee in a straight line forms with the
toes, proportionally bent front leg. Ensure that the hip remains in a line
with the inner knee joint. The distribution of the body weight is 70
percent on the rear leg and 30 percent on the front leg.
Sitting position - Annun Sogi This is a very stable position for a lateral
movement. This mode is also widely used for impact/punching exercises and for
the legs muscle development. One of the major advantages of this mode is that
you can shift into walking stance without relocating feet. Spread one of the two
legs to the side at a distance of one and a half shoulder width between the two
toes. Make sure the toes pointing forward and body weight equally distributed
on both legs. Stretch the knees outward, bending until the knee is over the ball
of the foot. Tighten the muscles in the thighs and increases strength in the legs
pulling foot soles to side. Finishing a movement over the ground, push the chest
and abdomen forward and push the hips backwards while the belly (muscle) are
tightened. Do not make the stance too wide, as speed and agility will
dramatically decrease. The stance may executable with a full face or side facing,
both in attack and in defense.
Strikes
Straight Punch. The fist starts from a chamber on the hip, and is then
thrust straight forward. Impact is made on the two big knuckles.
According to the 14 basics, it should be performed from the horse
stance and front stance. (All of these punch combinations make up 3 of
the original 14 movements.)
Knife Hand Strike. Yep, this is the karate chop. It can be down towards
the outside, with the palm facing down. Or it can be done towards the
inside, with the palm facing up. You make impact on the “meat” or
“knife” of the hand. Usually targets the trachea, side of the neck, or
temple.
Back Fist Strike. Bruce Lee loved it. It’s quick and it works. It can be an
outward movement to the head, or flipping movement to the philtrum
beneath the nose.
Kicks
Front Kick. The front kick is the foundation of every kick in Taekwondo.
Just about every kick begins with the front kick chamber. All the major
kicking principles are learned here. (Also, don’t discount it as an
effective self-defense tool!)
Side Kick. The staple of Taekwondo. People will judge your overall
ability in Taekwondo based on this ONE kick. Performed off the back
leg, as a “simple” forward kick, the side kick requires you to bring the
leg all the way to your side, then to thrust it straight forward. (While
most of the other moves are easy, this one can be a challenge!).
Round Kick. Arguably the most popular kick of all martial arts. Very
quick and super useful in sparring. Taekwondo has a unique method of
executing the round kick
Basic Fundamental Skills:
Blocks
Lesson 7
Blocks
Low block. This is the first block you learn in Taekwondo. Put your fist
to your opposite shoulder, then sweep it downward in front of the
pelvis, stopping on or just bast the same-side leg of the blocking arm.
Inside block. An inward sweeping motion to protect the body by hitting
attacks off to the side.
Hand-blade / Double Forearm Block. An iceberg of a technique, and
quite often misunderstood. One hand blocks while the other is ready —
actually, in transition — for a follow-up strike. It can be used as a
fighting guard as well as a block.
Face Block. Shoot your arm up at and angle, stopping it just over your
brow. It should look like a roof or a church steeple. This makes strikes
glance off and protects your head. Good for weapon defense.
 Rules and
Regulation in
TKD
Lesson 8 - PE 12
In Taekwondo competition, the objective is to land kicks and
punches upon the scoring zones of your opponent. These are
the the torso and the head and both kicks and punches must
be accurate and powerful, as light tapping kicks are not
counted by scorers (or electronic scoring systems in major
competitions). At the end of the three rounds of the match,
the player with the most points is declared the winner, but the
match can end early by one player knocking the other player
out.
Rules are designed to keep both fighters safe on the mat,but also to
ensure that fighters learn correct techniques for a "win" or overcoming
an opponent. Below are the relies to be familiar with:
1. Fair opponent fighting. When fighters are sparring or fighting in a
match, they must be paired fairly.
Fighters of the same gender and weight class must be paired in both
match and sparring scenarios.
2. Match rounds must be timed.
A taekwondo contest comprises three rounds of two minutes each –
with a one-minute break between each round.
3. Kicks and blows are only allowed in certain areas

You might notice that Taekwondo fighters kick and land blows on their
opponent in the same places. The whole body is not fair game in a
round of Taekwondo.

Practitioners must land kicks and blows only in areas that are specified.
If you watch a match in action, you will notice that blows and kicks are
allowed to both the head and torso. Punches are only allowed on the
upper body – nothing below the waist. If a fighter kicks or lands blows
in areas that are not allowed, they will be penalized.
4. Wins must be correctly declared
How do you know who has won a round of Taekwondo? It is
actually quite simple to determine a winner of a match. The
fighter who knocks out the opponent will be declared the
winner in most instances, but this is not always the case. If
there is no knockout, there is an alternative way of
determining the winner by tallying the scores. In this scenario,
a fighter can win by earning the most points.
6. Fights must be held in the correct environment.
Taekwondo is most often done indoors. It is important
for students to learn in a space that is flat (even) and
with a fight space that is similar to that of a
competition ring. The competition mat usually
measures eight meters by eight meters.
7. Penalties must apply when a player is not adhering to the rules.

When practitioners are sparring or in a match, they are watched closely

for any offending, incorrect behavior. Penalties apply for:

Punching in the face.Grabbing, pushing, or holding the opponent.

Turning a back on the opponent. Attacking an opponent below the
waist.Attacking the opponent with the knee.Stepping outside of the
mat with both feet.Faking an injury.
Taekwondo Scoring System
Knowing how the scoring works in Taekwondo is essential as a
lot of the rules can help a fighter win or lose points.

As mentioned, during a match, there are three rounds of two

minutes each, with one-minute breaks in between. The
fighter who is able to score the most during those three
rounds wins. So, how do the fighters actually score, and is
there a strategy that can be used to score the most points
quickly?
Each part of the body is assigned a scoring value, and
each time a fighter impacts those areas in different
ways, a specific amount of points will be awarded.
The current and updated Taekwondo scoring system,
according to World Taekwondo, is as follows:
Punch to the chest (trunk): 1 point. Kick to the chest (trunk): 2
points. Kick to the head: 3 points Turning kick to the chest
(trunk): 4 points. Turning kick to the head: 5 points
During a match, there are several judges observing the fight. A
point can only be awarded to a fighter if two or more of these
judges record a hit.
How are the Penalties Assigned?

When watching a Taekwondo match, you might wonder

how the judges get to a score that is less than you
originally noted yourself. That would be because of
penalties that are also “scored” during a match or fight.
These are determined when a player does not follow
the rules of Taekwondo.
The most common penalties occur for:

Stepping outside of the fight area.Pulling an opponent onto the

ground.Pretending to be injured.Turning a back on the
opponent.Pushing or grabbing onto an opponent.Using more than just
the feet to attack an opponent’s head.What Happens When There is a
Tie/Draw?

Many newbies often ask about the scoring system and the correct
procedure in the event of a draw. So, what happens if the fighters get
precisely the same tally of points?
In some sports, fighters/players will need to play a new round in order
to say who the winner is. In Taekwondo, it is quite different. A new
round called a “Golden Point Round” is set up. Whoever scores the very
first point is awarded the win. This is unlike other sports where a
complete set or round would need to be played to determine the
winner.

There are other instances where winners have been determined in

different ways. In some cases, the referee will decide to use the scores
prior to deducting penalties to determine who the winner is. This
happens rarely but does happen.
Fighters can also earn a win by knocking out their
opponent. It is not just a case of knocking the
opponent off his feet; he has to stay on the floor for no
less than 10 seconds before it is considered “game
over”. This is called a “knock out”.