Do Women's Self Defense Hacks Actually Work?!

Big Thanks to Sifu for Sponsoring this video! Get your own copy here!

In this video Icy Mike from @hard2hurt and I test out some self defense techniques from 5 minute crafts to see if these life saving hacks will ACTUALLY help you!

[hardhurt]

I am so embarrassed at how I snapped my fingers. I'm really hurt that you didn't edit that out.

[ArmchairViolence]

Really good to see an examination of "Does someone doing this justify hitting them?" The legal and ethical side of self-defense is so often neglected.
Self-defense is only self-defense if it's justified. Otherwise, it's assault

[TheElbowMerchant]

Seeing Icy Mike in a long red wig is something I didn't know I needed in my life, until this very moment. In all seriousness, I love when you two collaborate. You contrast each other, and yet compliment each other, really well.

[staysafemartialarts]

Love that you two covered these. My biggest complaint and issue with “women’s self defense techniques” is the people teaching these clearly have not pressure tested a lot of these nor do they have experience in grappling or striking. Understanding how the attacker would act and react would drastically impact what and how you teach these techniques

[narushini]

They both just adressed the hardest part about self defense. I myself have been in various dangerous situations that didn't seem to justify that kind of brutal behaviour from my part (I would have been seen as the agressor). I once just tried to free my arm in such a situation below the justification and then that guy got really brutal, scary, crazy and used all his strength. At that point it would have been justifiable but I wouldn't have a chance to fight back anymore not with all my strenght or any of those self defense tricks. That is the real problem. Once you get to the point where it is justified to fight back with all your strenght and hurt the other person, they are raging like crazy and any kind of fighting back will just be useless or make it even worse. Being the weaker person you need to suprise the other person in a non-aggressive mood state and then overpower them with all your strenght to have a chance to get away. If not you are probably risking getting hurt badly or even killed. For me being good at running fast and having a plan worked the best to escape from strangers.

I feel like the laws should adress this problem as a weaker person cannot afford waiting to a point where it is justified to fight back with all you got, because from my experience at that point it is too late already.

As for those attackers that we know personally (and that are by far even worse, scarier and much much harder to hurt when they come at you) I appreciate any tips as I have no idea what to if someone you like or even love ignores your "no". I just still hope anyone doing that will have to suffer an endless, very hurtful, horrible, scary death asap (but wishful thinking is doing nothing).

[T.Rex]

I used to watch these videos and think "ok, that could work". Then 8 years ago, I started martial arts and now I know, "not so much", lol. What these videos often leave out is how much you have to practice the move to make it part of your muscle memory. Because when you're threatened, quite often freezing is the response which can be deadly. Love your videos! P.S. The red wig made me want to shout "Aquaman!"

[TnDAtkinson]

Great advice. When I was in college, I was in Kuk Sool Won, and my instructor taught a women's self defense class at the college. He had me and another guy from our school come to their final exam and play the role of attacker. The upward wrist grab defense move was effective. They were taught to grab their own hand for more leverage, if needed to escape, and focus on pulling through the weakest point of the grip. Some techniques just didn't work for some girls because of their size or lack of strength. As with any self defense, practice and practical application are the keys to success in real world scenarios.

[sattarghalehjeh]

"If you're putting out content for the sake of alleviating people's fears through knowlegde, make it good knowledge " solid advice that applies to so much more than just self defense videos...fantastic video, great breakdown without getting too technical or over explaining topics

[ellamayo]

I do appreciate that you guys had a women in the video to talk about these kinds of silly hacks! I don’t personally think that it was needed for credibility since you’re both martial artists, and in most cases, if it doesn’t work for one sex, it won’t work for the other. But I appreciate it for the sole purpose of showing that women aren’t stupid or naïve when it comes to self defense. I kinda feel like that narrative is being perpetuated by these “self defense hacks” made specifically for women, and I’m glad to see knowledgeable martial artists deconstructing these myths, and having fun in the process.

[gonzalocuomo]

We need a full gameplay series of sifu, sensei!!!!

[ryanlow]

I love it when both of you test self defense techniques, where it sometimes work and you sometimes learn from it. Some other Youtubers would just mock bad women self defense videos and do not test them seriously. The fact is, sometimes dumb things work, but they are just not the best thing to rely on. Thanks for the video.

[borzafror]

i did Ju Jitsu for some months, i had to quit but it made me understand that fighting isnt just "do that and it will work" fighting is hard.

[aisadal]

The one self-defense technique I can guarantee that'll work every time, regardless of the situation, is to just yell out, "That's my purse! I don't know you!, " and then kick them in the nards while they're confused ✌️😂

[keitha]

5:37 The sciatic nerve actually runs along the posterior part of the leg, not the anterior. So grabbing the anterior thigh would do nothing, especially because of how deep that nerve runs. Most sciatic nerve injuries occur at the hip where the nerve leaves the lumbar plexus (e.g. hip dislocation, traumatic birth)

[hayleyb.]

I’m really happy you guys are covering this. I still meet other women who think watching these videos or going to a 1 hour women’s self defense class is enough. It really makes me worried for them if they actually do get attacked and they won’t know what to do because they will probably freeze or put them in a worse situation. I try to encourage them to actually go out and train, but I know most of them don’t take my recommendation seriously

[freedomofmotion]

I remember doing a control and restraint course for work where they tried to teach pinches. We went above the trainer's heads ( a few colleagues and I ) and advise everyone that it was a stupid idea but allowing people to use everything they had on us to see if we let go.

We didn't, we then pointed out that someone that is trying to hurt you is even less likely to let you go.

It meant everyone focused on the techniques that actually had a decent chance of working instead of wasting time and mental resources on pinches.

[bethanybrookes]

I went to a self defence class once, and the first thing we were taught was to use our voices. Don't go straight for attack unless they genuinely attacked first, like pulled a knife on you or went to hit you over the head with a pole or bat first.
I think the line was "you are touching me in a way that makes me feel uncomfortable. I do not like that. I would like you to stop" or something to that effect. And then we were shown how to gently remove their hands from us if that didn't work. Using a method that would only hurt them if they resisted. The only stuff we were shown that would cause damage were stuff in retaliation to what would cause us damage. For example, if they came from behind and pushed us to the ground, then we pull their legs from under them to force them onto the ground instead, giving us a chance to get away and call emergency services and a solicitor. (Never forget the solicitor, if you report it wrong, you could be the one to end up in trouble). But this move only worked if they were pushing you to the ground in the first place.

[sturg]

The Sifu sponsorship is really cool Seth! I love these kinds of videos with Mike!

[ThatJamesGuy]

Poor Mike. As a small guy he’s now become the perfect person to test women’s self defense techniques against large dudes…..

[MWall]

Perfect timing for this video. Later this week I am planning on teaching a self-defense seminar at my high school, and much of the criticism you had in this video I was going to communicate to the students during this upcoming session.