TRAINER MANUAL

SMART DEFENSE is an empowerment-based training for female students to reduce victimization risk.

This program is designed to empower women to act and strengthen their ability to assess risk of violence
in their relationships and daily lives. In addition to learning specific protection and escape techniques, this
course provides tools to overcome potential emotional and physical barriers that are often present in situations
of sexual victimization and violence.

COURSE OVERVIEW

EMPOWERMENT AND CONSENT

Empowerment-based training for individuals who wish to discover and develop their physical,
mental, and emotional strength in a variety of life situations and circumstances.

Promoting social norms that protect against violence by:

• Learning situational responses to dynamic circumstances

Bystander approaches
Eye contact with potential threats
Body language (taking up space)
Setting healthy boundaries
Using one’s voice, exit strategies, and body placement to avoid physical engagement

• Confronting the myths of victim-blaming

Teaching participants skills to prevent sexual violence through

Developing social-emotional learning about preventing and recovering from sexual violence
Increasing one’s healthy and safe dating, and intimate relationship skills
Promoting healthy sexuality

Reporting and recovery strategies if sexual assault is experienced

How to report on and off campus
Advantages of reporting
Available local and state resources when reporting occurs

WEEK 1

W1 Lecture Content

Complete the Pre-Course Survey(link)

W1 Physical Techniques

BODY LANGUAGE:

Eyes up (eye contact), head up, shoulders back.

Learn to take up space. Often we are raised with the notion in our culture that women must be petite, accommodating, quiet, non-confrontational, and obedient. Women often stand or sit with legs and arms crossed making themselves as unassuming as possible. When riding public transportation notice the way women sit versus men. The term “Man Spreading” is a real thing. Women can spread out too, take up space and have clear boundaries. Women do not need to make themselves smaller to be feminine.

GREEN ZONE/RED ZONE:

Red zone is DANGER, within striking and grabbing distance. The green zone is outside or even inside of that. Sometimes to get to the green zone we actually have to close the distance and get CLOSER to our attacker to be safe from strikes. The ultimate Green zone is running away and being completely safe. This is why we teach you to frame and create space.

Women who are often times smaller than attacker, might need to move themselves rather than move the attacker. Today we will learn how to shrimp. An awkward movement that by the end of this course will be just as natural to you as walking. It is the most effective way to create space while on the ground. You will be asked to practice this every day as homework. In fact, we hope and expect you to practice every day/week so that when you come back we can build upon the previous week’s techniques. Repetition is the KEY to retaining any new technique.

SMART STANCE:

Shoulder width apart, staggered legs, all tools in front of you(eyes, hands, legs and mouth((both voice and bite)) hands up, eye contact, strong stance, prepared to defend or run while appearing neutral/non-threatening.

1. Train track drills (left, right, front, back)

2. Partner pushing front, side, & behind etc

3. Partner pushing with eyes closed

GRIP BREAKS:

Hold up your hand, 4 fingers or only 1 thumb. The easiest way out is to the weakest point which is the thumb. Only 1 barrier versus 4.

SINGLE GRIP ESCAPE:

Same side mirror image

2 HANDED GRAB ESCAPE:

With elbow to the chin Cross Grip Escape, pay attention to the direction of the thumb and how it changes with cross grip. We are using leverage and strengths against weakness, joint manipulation, sharp bones, and weight to escape and run.

LEARN HOW TO FALL:

The most important thing is to protect your head/brain. Need to be able to think to escape. Breakfalls need to be reviewed every day. Tuck your chin, exhale on impact and slap the mat or ground to absorb some of the impact. Even on concrete, this is effective. (circle up and do 10 reps as a group, listen for exhale, exaggerate it) Throughout all the classes remind everyone to breathe.

SHRIMPING:

Go over the basics of shrimping and why it is the most effective way to move off your back.

CREATE SPACE:

Have races down the mat if people catch on quickly. (Can show Thread the Needle as add-on to shrimping for what they have in future classes.)

STAND UP AND BASE:

Back to Smart Stance. Never turn your back on your attacker unless in green zone and running away. Practice immediately coming up and protecting your head and lifting your butt to make room to slide your leg through so never have to turn away and be vulnerable to punches. Also from stand up and base we introduce up kicks to the groin or straight shots to the knees. Once the reps have been put in and the technique is fine-tuned, then bring out the Thai pads and let them kick as the last exercise of the class.

INSTRUCTOR NOTES:

If there is time...have the youngest or oldest member of the class pick one technique to teach/review with the class. Retaining knowledge sometimes sticks better when put on the spot and given the opportunity to teach.

Physical Homework

Students should focus on incorporating situational awareness into all aspects of their lives, which would include taking up space, body language, knowing their exits, staying off their phone in public, listening to their gut, and letting people know where they are, and their location.

10 break falls, 10 stand up and base to Smart Stance, 10 grip breaks all 3 ways (use kids or spouses to practice on) 10 consecutive shrimps on carpet or grass a day.

WEEK 2

W2 Physical Techniques

Review break fall drills, add pressure, teach and practice palm strikes, and teach how to make a proper fist. We will also go over healthy relationships, defining what that looks like for each of us. Tips on how to set healthy boundaries and tips on how to enforce them.

BREAK FALL W/ PRESSURE:

(partner stands above you, shrimp with hands on shins) also, shrimp while partner is standing over the top to knee kick and up kick to proper stand-up and base w head protected review.

CREATING DISTANCE

MOVE TO STRIKING:

We don’t really want to punch if possible. We want devastating strikes without broken hands. Palm strikes to nose, ear, chin, temple. Make sure and highlight power from hips and legs.

HITTING FOCUS MITS:

Showing the power of an open-handed strike, without breaking bones in the hand. Line up in 2 lines. Have students go through both lines. Palm strike to the ear or temple on both sides of the face, palm strike to chin and nose region: 10 reps per line.

HOW TO MAKE A PROPER FIST:

Jab as a warning shot, distance judger. Reiterate that punching is not as effective as elbows and knees. Palm strikescan stun or cause just as much damage as punches and can be saf- er for person throwing them. There are 27 (!) bones in the human hand. All delicate and painful when broken. Go for an elbow or knee when possible. We still feel that every person should know the basics of making a fist and throwing a jab and a cross. (show students a jab, cross, hook, uppercut combo for what is coming later on in the curriculum.)

INSTRUCTOR NOTES:

Review techniques covered and answer any questions-before asking a new student to teach how to make a proper fist and throw a proper jab.

Physical Homework

1 break fall to 2 shrimps to a knee kick or groin kick, stand up, and base. Repeat the combination 10 times Bridge, bridge with reach, thread the needle. All bodyweight exercises 10x each.

WEEK 3

W3 Physical Techniques

Review the techniques from the previous class, go over the Thai clinch basics, and how to get there from palm strikes and a standing throat choke. Striking review. When, where, why, and how. Teach how to safely hold mitts for each other. Staying calm, keeping our eyes open, and protecting our faces. Breathing.

THAI CLINCH BASICS:

Green Zone with damage control.

PROPER CLINCH GRIP:

using the woman’s weight to pull the head down to control and then side-to-side head control. Where the head goes the body goes.

THAI CLINCH ENTRY:

palm strikes, elbows, knees, knees to the liver, eye gouges, foot stomps, groin strikes all from the clinch.

THAI CLINCH TO PULL DOWN:

to the ground or knees of the attacker, knee to the face, stomp on the back of the head.

ENTRY INTO CLINCH:

from standing throat choke (good base, open airway, cut the angle to get in close).

SHOW DEFENSE:

to standing front choke: base, duck under, and follow with elbow to face. (thoughts on showing hip toss to standing FC?)

Physical Homework

Find ways to clinch control (fun to practice with kids or partners). Go from grip breaks to standing choke to working into a proper clinch. Remember to cut the angle. Practice every day. Watch and Review the Box and Tactical Breathing video in resources.

WEEK 4

W4 Physical Techniques

Add variations to the two-handed front choke, go over single-hand choke, two-handed shirt grab, front bear hug, and rear bear hug escapes. Creepy side hugs and de-escalation techniques. Add chokes against a wall or pinned to a wall with hands. Single-hand choke defense, 4 variations on the two-handed wall choke: 12 and 6, Drive the bus, eye gouge, finger break. (all can be used when choked on the ground as well.)

ADD ON TO THE TWO HANDED FRONT STRANGULATION:

Pinned up against a wall (1. finger break 2. windmill followed with elbow 3. elbow trap, shuffle side step, drive the ‘bus’ to the wall followed with knees)

SINGLE-HAND STRANGULATION AGAINST WALL:

Protect the open side of the face
Palm strike/push attacker hand followed with elbow)
Two-handed shirt grab: swim under and up trapping arms at elbows, step through for a trip, follow with a face stomp.

FRONT BEAR HUG:

(facing attacker) Escape over arms grip: good base to t position, posture, to dump

UNDER ARMS FRONT BEAR HUG ESCAPE:

Create frame against face/chin, step back using entire body to break grip, follow with knee to groin.

OVER & UNDER ARMS FROM BEHIND BEAR HUG ESCAPES

Physical Homework

Review all techniques taught so far. Identify some relationships that might have red flags. Define, what they are and how to approach them. Add in positive affirmations, try sharing with trusted people. Start OnWatch certification.

W5 Physical Techniques

This week, you will teach hair grab defenses, technique sequencing, and a standing defensive tactics. Striking and using your voice will also be implemented.

HAIR GRAB DEFENSE:

Trap hand against the scalp, grip the pinky edge for control or meat of thumb for control to go to arm lock, groin strike, foot stomp, kick to the outside of the knee.

2ND HAIR GRAB:

Trap hand against the scalp to alleviate the pain and then move towards them to T position.

WEEK 5

TRY SOME SEQUENCING WITH THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUES:

Chained together like to IG videos...wrist grabs, chokes, hair grabs.

STANDING SHOULDER GRAB DEFENSE TO TAKEDOWN:

Swim up and over to trap at elbows, step through to trip, elbows to face once on the ground.

Physical Homework

Practice each technique taught so far. Incorporate 10-minute guided meditations three times a week.

WEEK 6

W6 Physical Techniques

This week, we will focus primarily on the groundwork. Hair grabs on the ground, how to guard oneself on the ground, and all the different mount escapes.

HAIR GRAB TO THE GROUND:

(ONLY if already on the ground) Turn into the attacker so you have all the weapons in front of you. Up kicks, groin strike, and then armbar.

GROUNDWORK

GUARD:

Two-handed choke to the double arm bar.

GUARD TWO-HANDED STRANGULATION PUNCH DEFENSE:

Swim inside (block by catching at the elbow and collect arm) and use legs to bring the body in close, protect from re-grip or additional punches. Angles to get feet on hips to push away and up kick. standup and base to run.

GUARD:

Off of strike, head and arm choke control to scissor sweep to finish off the side or mounted. Double under (taking pants off), choking and striking.

MOUNT ESCAPES:

Show the power of hips to off-balance attacker.

MOUNTED AND WRISTS PINNED:

(bridge and hands go south and turn your head) HUG the tree, pin an arm, and sweep.

MOUNTED SITTING UP:

Tuck elbows to block high mount (show high mount and how it neutralizes hips), grip wrist and behind the elbow, trap the leg and bridge towards the same side as arm.

BACK DOOR ESCAPE IF THEY GET TO HIGH MOUNT

Physical Homework

Review all techniques taught so far.

WEEK 7

W7 Physical Techniques

Teach the standing double choke, standing choke from behind, and standing headlock defense. Then go through the striking series and review everything taught from the first seven classes.

STANDING DOUBLE CHOKE:

Strong base, step back, bow and swivel

STANDING CHOKE FROM BEHIND RNC:

Hands-on neck, step out and turn into the attacker to T unravel the choke: step out and duck under. Other options include the finger break and the eye gouge.

STRIKING SERIES:

Keep, groin kicks, palm strikes to knees. The purpose is to become familiar with when which strike is the most effective for which distance from the attacker.

STANDING HEADLOCK DEFENSE:

Posture break, hip off balancing, trap wrist to shoulder, open up/step out/step under to shoulder lock and knee pit kick to the ground.

Physical Homework

10-minute guided meditations three times a week, list of 10 positive self-affirmations.

WEEK 8

W8 Course Summary

While this is a fun day, for most it is the most critical day of the course! This is the Bully Beatdown day. The day students are encouraged to pressure test their skills in a safe and consent based environment. This will be coached and guided in real-time while your classmates cheer and support you.

You are also allowed to bring a support person to this class. Often times big emotions will arise even if you have never experienced sexual violence and a support person is always helpful. It is also a chance to show off your mindfulness and grounding skills and see all the growth you’ve experienced!

IN CLASS ASSIGNMENT:

Complete course survey

Complete Course Survey after physical training is completed (link)