These courses are specifically tailored for women. You have rights, but there are some who don’t respect those rights. The objective is to empower you. You will be better at recognising threats, and dealing with them. 70% of sexual assaults are from perpetrators known to the victim. This course covers all scenarios.
The courses follow the principles of Deter, Interrupt, Resist and are focused on empowerment through knowledge and practical skills. There is a strong focus on strategies to reduce the likelihood of attack, combined with effective, simple physical techniques.
We teach you that you do not need to ‘win’ a fight with a male attacker. You only need to destroy their will to proceed, and ability to succeed.
Any fitness level is fine! The course are relaxed, but have an element of realism too. Minimum age is 16.
These classes usually run as a single seminar, with internal levels. Level 1 is total beginner, level 3 is for those who have completed 1 & 2, or who have existing training. The seminars are geared for street application, more than a controlled ring or competition environment.
The seminars are designed to deliver training in physical techniques, and how to use those in specific scenarios. For example, how to defend yourself in a bar, or in a road rage attack.
There is a strong mental element too, for without the self-belief that you will succeed, no amount of training will suffice. The courses explore how and why spontaneous violence occurs, and how to respond.
The seminars are friendly and relaxed, but you might be put out of comfort zone a little – in the best way possible! Group sizes are no larger than 16.
These seminars are quite intense. You are required to have a minimum of 3 years martial arts / fight training, or have been trained in a combat military role and be active in a related field.
The seminars build on existing skills, and place those skills into a scenario-based setting. Scenarios include dealing with multiple attackers, effective use of common items as effective weapons, and the psychology of violence and how to address it. A strong focus is on de-escalation, as this is a self defence course with an objective in staying safe and maintaining your presence and abilities in a high threat scenarios.
A medium to high level of fitness is required for some aspects. However, if you do not have that level of fitness but have the skills and experience, don’t worry. Even advanced self defence is not entirely predicated on fitness.
Yes! You are most welcome. Our courses and seminars are designed for people of all abilities and backgrounds. The learning environment is relaxed, non-judgmental, and safe.
In our Women's and Mixed courses, fitness is not a requirement. There is some physical activity, but it is not strenuous. But you will be put out of your comfort zone, and you will learn that you can defend yourself so much more than you thought possible.
For 90% of the course, it is just women. However, we may ask you to bring a trusted male friend along at the very end, to test your new-found skills. It is not obligatory though, but good to be aware of it.
Anyone over the age of 18 years old can participate. There is an advantage to having mixed courses, for all participants. These courses tend to focus less on targeted sexual violence and more on spontaneous male aggression and violence. However, we know that anyone can be subject to that, so that's why we run this mixed course.
Sometimes, even with great physical skills, you are already defeated if you don't have the right mindset. The courses have a strong component of training to help you create the right mindset to be able to evaluate threats, position yourself well, and ideally prevent an attack before it occurs.
Our objective is to help you to survive, and ideally come away with few injuries when confronted with violence. In some cases, yes, that may mean winning a fight in a traditional way. But ultimately, the goal is to survive and prevent the attack from proceeding.
Think about it as defend, survive, and escape. 'Defend' in the first instance includes using strategies to not be attacked in the first place.
"Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm.” Sun Tzu
The professional-level courses are bespoke. We run them with a US partner who specialises in complex security and intelligence. We do not advertise the content but can discuss it with you.
The self defence courses include many elements of martial arts, but we are not teaching a traditional martial art. Fiachra has a background of over 30 years in martial arts, and the courses include effective, 'street-oriented' techniques that anyone can use.
Fiachra teaches all the local courses. There may be guest instructors too, at times. For professional-level courses, elements are taught overseas with our partners.
