Recommendations for Self Defense Classes in LA

Hi all, I am an old man in the Midwest so these recommendations are not for me. They are for my daughter. She is a new college graduate and living on her own in the LA area. I have been thinking about purchasing her some self defense classes but this is an area where I know absolutely nothing. The last fight I was in was 50 years ago while in the 7th grade after a disco dance class at the local park district (flame away). It taught me one thing: that I am not a fighter.

Anyway, suggestions about the types of classes that would be best for a single, young woman on her own and, if allowed, recommendations to actual places in LA that would be good. I know LA is huge so think Playa Del Rey/Westchester areas (north of LAX).

If it matters, my daughter is on the smaller side (5'3ish) and not a particularly serious work out person so she has little to no experience with weight lifting and/or physical confrontations. She has never been in a physical fight in her life. She spends a lot of her time outside walking with her dog. Recently she had a "strange" interaction with a guy near a dog park and this is what triggered my interest in finding her some type of professional self defense training.

Thank you all for any advice!

Submitted October 8, 2026 at 12:44PM by Nika65 https://ift.tt/ofC4sPO

Hand Wrapping Step By Step Tutorial for Boxing Training 🥊

https://youtube.com/shorts/xjPaHh8SAZ4?si=8fsdFwvmnynT6dPc

Submitted October 8, 2026 at 10:39AM by heck28 https://ift.tt/65JgtaA

Are martial arts actually useful for defending yourselves?

This is a question for anyone with any relative combat experience (military or police).

I know a lot of people recommend martial arts in this thread.

BJJ - I imagine in ground fighting you don't know where you could end up: near glass shards from some bottle, rocks, or some kid's left-behind plastic toy (because everyone's littering).

Another suggestion is judo; you don't necessarily have to go to the ground; there are throws while standing up, but judo is known to have more frequent injuries. Any tips on doing Judo safely?

Though is Krav Maga or Kali actually useful?

Striking arts (boxing, Muay Thai, etc.). If you grapple your opponent, you can avoid doing excessive damage. The only exemption would be multiple opponents (you can't exactly grapple your way out of that); then again, I don't think any martial art can save you from that, not to mention striking arts put your lifespan in danger (strikes to the head during training), not enough return for the risk. I'm assuming your only chance is running away.

But are these relevant or worth it for civilians (they don't have handcuffs or other equipment)?

Skills like sprinting (for running) or first aid help you help others, potentially treat yourself; those are probably the priority.

Submitted October 8, 2026 at 07:35AM by Fine-Market9841 https://ift.tt/RPfb52o

I just knocked out a man in self defense.

This happened about an hour and a half ago. I'm currently traveling for work, and I have found myself in India for the past week. I was taking out my friend's dog for a walk at night, around 7 p.m., and we stopped for a breather. I heard a sound behind me. I turned around, and a man was right behind me, maybe about four feet away, growling and looking at me, and slowly approaching. I told him to stop. He didn't stop, and instinct just took over, and I punched him in his left jaw. He fell down immediately, knocked out for about one minute. It was a walkway so he hit his head on cement, but his fall wasn’t very hard. He got up, sat on his butt, sitting down for about six maybe eight minutes, and he bled quite a bit from his mouth. He got up, gestured to me to piss off. He didn't say anything, and he walked away. He was clearly drunk, as one of the people who was there told me, and they told me he'd be fine. But I'm a bit scared because I've never hit a man like that before. I've had some training in boxing and a little bit in self-defense, but I've never been in a situation where I've had to actually use it. It happened so fast in about the span of five seconds, and he was knocked out. I feel very anxious, and I'm overthinking, and I'm having thoughts like, what if he dies because of this? What do I do? I would love some clarification on this. I've never done this before in my life.

From what I’ve researched about Indian self defense laws, I was well within my rights to act in self defense as I believed to be in immediate danger, and didn’t have time to run due to his proximity to me.

Submitted October 7, 2026 at 11:54AM by Successful_Bar9187 https://ift.tt/2vAKlP7

Counter-Attack! How to Survive on the Street by Allen Wheeler

https://ift.tt/Z8LF46H

Submitted October 6, 2026 at 07:33AM by latestartoneheart https://ift.tt/n8u1ECB

Why is self defence usually either run or fight? Whats in between?

Whenever i see someone talk about self defence i always hear either "you need to run away" or "you need to fight better"

But here comes a question that none of these people in the thousands of videos i have seen could ever answer: what if none of these are possible?

I have a disability, heart condition and a few other things. So i can "run", for exactly 50m and then im already almost dying.

Also i cant really fight cause im weak and also it would be too dangerous to risk getting hit in the chest.

What do i do?

Usually in dangerous situations i walk away, works 99% of the times and if i cant i match the persons energy which made them laugh and instantly defused the situation.

Why do these "self defence gurus" never talk about this? Why is it always to "run" and never to just "walk" away?

And what would alternatives be?

Also if i use pepperspray on an attacker and then walk away. Cant they recover and run after me to attck? So pepperspray also doesnt seem like a good option.

Ofc you could say "just dont get in bad situations" but i cant really not go out to socialise....

Submitted October 6, 2026 at 01:03AM by Advanced_Corgi_924 https://ift.tt/V6sEb7C

Legal self defense tools when traveling to SE Asia

Hi, so I’m about to travel to SE Asia in a few months , and I know that the laws about wpns in those countries are very strict. I don’t condone or encourage any kind of violence or ask for any recommendation for wpns of any type. However, what kind of everyday tools that you guys used that are legal every where and can be put inside a checked bag with no harassment from airport customs in those countries that are perfectly legal ? I know that SE Asia in general is safe, but as an Asian immigrant myself, I know that is not always the case, for ex: 2 foreigners got kidnapped and murdered in Thailand. Lemme know your thoughts and experience. A little bit about myself: I had some boxing experiences and know basics of striking, but I’m still lacking on my grappling game.

Submitted October 5, 2026 at 07:24PM by Available-Refuse-748 https://ift.tt/LB4jOdf

How does CR spray compare to capsaicin pepper spray?

i carry a 40ml spray containing a 0.1% concentration of CR (dibenzoxazepine) and yes it is legal where i live. is this kind of spry more effective then capsaicin? because i have heard different opinions. people generarly say that it hits way stronger but lasts shorter.

Submitted October 4, 2026 at 02:10AM by Dj_scarlicker https://ift.tt/6e0ycEv

Self defence help/training for teens?

/r/Dublin/comments/1ww0dv4/self_defence_helptraining_for_teens/

Submitted October 2, 2026 at 01:53PM by RainbowTurtle876 https://ift.tt/DrvREYh

An older woman was assaulted literally right outside my door.

Last night i was relaxing on the couch when out of nowhere i hear a blood curdling scream like some shit out of an eldritch horror. I ran to my window and this tall young man has his hands wrapped around my elderly neighbor by the throat. I have no idea whether he was mentally ill and simply aiming to assault this woman, attempting to sexually assault her, etc. I suspect he was trying to steal her necklace as muggings have become more common here. I did not get a look at the young man because he had a hoodie on. Within moments half of the neighborhood went outside and sheltered the woman (way to go to my neighbors).

There is a region near me where muggings are particularly common. My aunt saw an older man get the shit kicked out of him by three younger men. It tends to be younger guys (16 - 23) that are responsible. Someone almost mugged me too quite possibly. He tried to stop and ask for the time which seemed suspicious. I think he may have been deterred by the height differential (i was considerably taller). However, what to do if someone tries to mug me? Say they lay hands on me or catch me by surprise? What if there is a group? What if they have a weapon such as a blunt tool or knife?

Submitted October 2, 2026 at 01:15AM by Designer-Photo-8840 https://ift.tt/pEkmGQD

Are these self defense keychains worth it?

was sexually assaulted in Walmart a few days ago while I was with my grandmother. Two men walking past us grabbed my butt. Since then, I’ve been feeling uncomfortable going out alone, especially at night.

I’m looking for a small personal safety item that I can carry with me when I’m walking or going places by myself. I’ve been looking at some of the premade self-defense/personal safety keychains on Etsy, but I’m not sure whether they’re actually useful or worth purchasing.

For those who have experience with personal safety products:

• Are the self-defense keychains sold on Etsy actually effective?
• What personal safety items do you recommend carrying?
• Are there any products that you would consider ineffective or not worth buying?
• What should I look for when choosing something that is small and easy to access?
• I’m also in New Jersey, so are there any legal restrictions I should be aware of?

I’m mainly looking for practical advice from people who have actually used or carried these types of products.

Submitted September 29, 2026 at 12:05PM by Fumblingthroughlife2 https://ift.tt/dYFruMz

In the US, is owning a large dog is enough to deter? I am a s young f

I have a female shorthair German Shepherd, and I'm hoping that even though I'm small, end up looking like a minor to a lot of people, and overall just a young adult, that it is enough to effectively deter a grown man? I'd like to stop the situation before one ever happens, if that makes sense.

Submitted September 29, 2026 at 09:00AM by OwnIndependence1852 https://ift.tt/nAik3qt

Techniques to avoid a fight?

Like how to be more diplomatic? How to de-escalate a situation? I'm asking that because you might not have an option to run, for example if surrounded

Submitted September 28, 2026 at 02:49AM by fillkas https://ift.tt/q2QD9eo

Is this good self defense against a bigger opponent?

https://ift.tt/DyMWmKq

Submitted September 27, 2026 at 06:48PM by Tcustomcorner https://ift.tt/ZdyKtPs

How do you dela with the paranoia or fear of getting shot by gangs ?

Living in Scandinavia crime rate is generally low and normally I never had that fear or anxiety before about this issue. I guess the main reason was I still living in my fantasy world of being invulnerable or thinking it’s like the movies and hard to get hit. But these recent weeks reading about my country gangs stories and conflicts and ours being a small country the crime areas aren’t far away from each other. Just made me get a reality check how weak our bodies are from dangerous stuff and I guess I now constantly have paranoia or anxiety eveytime I see groups or people with the steotpical clothes and those what you looking at eyes. And fearing what if one of my brothers get targeted how would I react, revenge etc stuff going your mind. What bothered me most is that there has been cases of innocent kids and people who got killed by mistaken identity and I don’t know how to find the confidence back and not be afraid of it and being intimidated by it
Any advice ?

Submitted September 27, 2026 at 06:10PM by Ok_Drummer6347 https://ift.tt/0kcv7gF

OC/Pepper spray

Can someone explain to me the reasoning behind these tools being illegal in some countries? The only thing i could find on the internet is that it could be used to escalate minor interactions but that could be said of a hefty handbag.

Submitted September 25, 2026 at 11:23AM by AntOk4073 https://ift.tt/rvLDsZW

🤔 How important is hand to hand combat in the Army?

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Submitted September 24, 2026 at 09:49PM by silat_australia https://ift.tt/vSZCRzb

How do i defend myself as a woman in public?

Hi,

I’m 19 and f for reference. Today I had a really scary experience for the first time in a long time. A man who was very clearly mentally unwell came up to me today while i was waiting for the bus. I didn’t initiate it at all we just locked eyes for a second and then he came up very close, honestly my ears went kinda mute after it occurred and i didn’t hear him but as i backed away and avoided eye contact he just kept coming closer. So i started to speed walk to the next bus stop but then he follow and really fast too!!! This was a tall shirtless 6’ man. Anyway i honestly thought i was so screwed i didn’t know what to do until a man interfered and said hey and got weirdos attention. He finally left me alone after that. This whole interaction left me feeling uneasy because what could I have done in this situation? This was not the kind of guy where if you say “i’m calling the police leave me alone” he’d leave you alone, he would just laugh in your face. I am beyond grateful there were people there but barely any of them spoke up except that one guy who caught his attention. I think maybe a car honked at him? But what i hate the most about this was that it took a man to deescalate the situation (this isn’t a hate post towards men lol), it just made me feel uneasy and scared because what if there was no man around, what could i have done to defend my self. I’ve dealt with the usual weird guys staring, some guys come up and talk to you, but never anything like this.

Honestly looking for any tips for what i can do in situations like these, Generally speaking i would want any type of physical self defense to be a last resort but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Submitted September 24, 2026 at 06:11PM by Live-Bluejay-4952 https://ift.tt/JneU0MP

Weapons for a late-night bike commute?

Hey all,

I'm going to be starting a new job soon, my shift will be ending around 1 AM and it'll be a 15 minute ride to my apartment by bike. The route is going to take me through a quiet neighborhood, but it is going to be just a few blocks off from a major thoroughfare which definitely has some sketchy activities happening late at night (and even during the day).

I'm planning on riding hard and keeping my speed up to reduce the danger, but I'm also wondering if there's any sort of weapon which might be a good fit for a bicyclist. I've never owned any weapon before but I anticipate that being on the bike would make things awkward physically.

Submitted September 24, 2026 at 05:52PM by Bravelungs https://ift.tt/jWyXsNM

🤯 Learning Pencak Silat Sarong. How effective do you think it is?

https://ift.tt/1cdUu9H

Submitted September 23, 2026 at 08:37PM by silat_australia https://ift.tt/jwoHAZk