Our Approach to Teaching Women's Self Defense at Girls Who Fight
We teach women effective self defense techniques for relevant situations women face in the real world.
Most women take martial arts to learn how to defend real life situations but few get it. Abduction, sexual assault, stalking, battery— these are fears women specifically live with and yet 99% of martial arts classes will never address them.
That's why we've created the Self Defense Fundamentals curriculum, to address the essential skills and strategies to prevent and defend the most common attacks against women. SDF is usually taught in 16 weekly classes. For the first time we're teaching this curriculum in one immersive, transformational weekend.
immersion camp training
One Weekend, All The Essentials
We pack an epic punch in our Self Defense Immersion Camp– you'll learn the Girls Who Fight Program's most important techniques and strategies and challenge yourself with our best Scenario Drills to walk away ready, willing, and capable of defending yourself.
GWF Immersion Camp Itinerary
Day 1: Striking & Standing Attacks
Friday 6:30-9pm
You're putting groceries in your trunk and you turn around to see a man closing in on you. What do you do? You'll learn how to defend standing attacks from the front like strikes, chokes, bear hugs and hair grabs, and how to strike efficiently, control the distance, and create an opening to get away from an attacker.
Strategy Session: Be a Nightmare Target
Day 2: Abduction Defense
Saturday 3-5:30pm
Abductors have a short window of opportunity in which they can succeed in their attack and the last thing they want is a scene. You'll learn how to defend being grabbed and dragged by the arm and legs, and how to delay, draw attention, and weaken the attackers confidence.
Strategy Session: How to Spot a Weirdo
Day 3: Ground Attacks
Sunday 10am-12:30pm
Attackers often control their victims by pinning them to the ground. You'll learn how to defend ground attack positions like the mount (on top of your chest) and guard (behind your legs), including how to defend being pinned, choked, punched, and how to get up.
Strategy Session: Violent Partners: Signs, Solutions & Prevention
Class Progression
01
Learn the Strategies
Class starts with a 30 minute Strategy Session that includes a presentation, video examples, and discussion on the non-physical aspects of self defense
02
Learn the Techniques
After the strategy session you'll learn a progression of techniques to defend the specific attack scenario we're focusing on that day
03
Test Your Skills, Find Your Fighting Spirit
In the last 30 minutes of each class you'll get to test your skills with GWF Scenario Drills that challenge you to use what you've learned to defend yourself in a simulated attack scenario with the head instructor
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Taught By Girls Who Fight Founder & Head Instructor Gemma Sheehan
Gemma Sheehan is a former MMA fighter and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt with over 15 years experience training and competing in kickboxing, jiu jitsu, MMA, and wrestling. Gemma achieved a record of 5-1 in MMA, a Pan Am gold medal in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and was ranked the best female fighter in Ontario. After leaving competitive MMA, Gemma founded Girls Who Fight and developed our women's self defense curriculum based on the most effective techniques from Mixed Martial Arts for real life street attacks. Learn More >
Watch the Girls Who Fight Origin Story (2019)⚡️
"This program has quite literally changed my life"
Why Should Girls Who Fight be The Place You Finally Learn Self Defense?
Beginner Women at Girls Who Fight:
✅ Learn From a Structured Curriculum
✅ Learn Techniques To Defend Common Attacks
✅ Learn How To Never Become A Target in The GWF Strategy Sessions
✅ Learn With Other Beginners
✅ Female Only Classes
✅ Beginner-Friendly, Fun, Empowering Atmosphere
✅ Learn From A Professional, Experienced Female Instructor
✅ The Objective of Our Training is SELF DEFENSE
Beginner Women at Average Gym:
❌ Learn Random Techniques
❌ Learn Unrealistic Moves Designed For Martial Arts Competitions
❌ Zero Prevention Training
❌ Get Thrown Into Sparring and Become a Punching-Bag For Advanced Students
❌ Only Female In Class
❌ Hierarchy, Clicks, Competitive and Intimidating Atmosphere
❌ Unprofessional Male Instructors
❌ Says It's Self Defense, Tricks You Into Joining A Martial Arts Class
40 SPOTS ONLY
The Science Behind Self Defense Training
Women's self‐defense training is the only sexual violence prevention strategy with solid evidence of effectiveness at reducing rates of victimization.
A study of three Canadian universities found that women who completed a self defense course were nearly half as likely
to report being raped during the 1‐year follow‐up period than the control group. Unwanted sexual contact
and attempted rape were also significantly lower for women who completed the training.
A study of 522 high school girls in Kenya found that girls who received self defense training were 63% less likely to have experienced a sexual assault 1 year later than girls at schools who did not.
An analysis of the National Crime Victimization Survey data found that taking “self‐protective action” reduced the likelihood of completed rape by 87%. Physical self‐defense was especially effective, resulting in an 81% decrease in the likelihood of completed rape.
Click here for a list of published studies on the effectiveness of self defense training for violence prevention
GWF Immersion Camp Is Perfect For:
College-Bound Women
Send your daughter to college (or back to college) with the skills and confidence she needs to set boundaries, recognize danger, make smart decisions, and fight back when necessary.
Beginners Who Want to Fast-Track Learning
Want to learn our self defense curriculum but can't take regular weekly classes? GWF Immersion Camp is the fastest way to learn the most important, distilled self defense skills women need to know!
Martial Artists & Instructors
Want to add effective, efficient women's self defense techniques from both standing and the ground to your arsenal? Strikers, grapplers, and traditional martial artists are all welcome at GWF Immersion Camp!
40 SPOTS ONLY