While covering the topic of Women’s Self Defense, I thought it would be good to get a female’s perspective on the subject. I reached out to Lauren Edmunds, a.k.a Kick Chick, and she agreed to answer a few questions.
Lauren is highly successful in the martial art world having won multiple World Championships. If you are not familiar with her work, it is worth looking into as her achievements can be quite inspiring. You can look her up on Instagram with the name “KickChick” or subscribe to her YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgxklwRAHcyuSEa6pHxW4Mw.
Interview with Lauren Edmunds
What first inspired you to start learning martial arts?
I used to love watching martial art movies such as Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee They are the ones who inspired me the most and made me want to start a martial art myself.
How old were you when you first started training?
I was 5 years old when my dad took me to my first Tae Kwon Do class. I remember it like it was yesterday. I fell in love with the art immediately and have never looked back.
At what age did you start competing?
I started competing when I earned my black belt at age 9. My first ever competition was the world championships, so I through myself into the deep end for sure.
Where can we see you work?
Mostly on my Instagram page kickchick_ I post daily content with advice and tips.
Have you ever tried a woman’s self defense course? If so, what was you opinion?
I have never done any type of additional self defense. However, I have done a little self defense training within my Tae Kwon Do practice. I personally think all women should be educated on self defense and and it should be implemented in schools more.
Sometimes an attack can be avoided if the threat is identified early enough. What would you advise women to look out for to prevent an attack?
Sometimes your just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would say if you do notice any sign of trouble, remove yourself from that situation as soon as possible. Even if you do know how to defend yourself, it is always better to remove yourself rather than having to defend yourself against someone who might be stronger than you. There is also the chance that person may be with a small group.
Many attacks begin with some variation of a grab. Grabbing the neck with both hands from the front is a fairly common one. What is your preferred method of removing this type of attack?
It is hard to describe in an interview as opposed to demonstrating. If someone was strangling you against the wall, the first thing I would do is turn my neck to reduce pressure on the front. I would then raise my arm and then drop my elbow to get them off of me. Another option is to do something called a wedging block followed by a snap kick.
Some schools say that high kicks are impractical while others boast the benefits. Do you believe that high kicks have a place in women’s self defense? If so, can you explain some of the benefits to having those higher kicks.
People who can’t kick high will always say they are impractical. My thoughts are that there is definitely a place for high kicks. Especially with women and most men being taller than you. Also if I were in a fight, I would much rather be able to kick middle section as well as high rather than being limited to only one. There is doubt that when you reach a certain height, you will lose power. However, if you train strength this gives you all the ammo you need to be unstoppable.
There are many self defense accessories such as batons, pepper spray, etc. Would you recommend carrying any of these?
I personally don’t carry anything, It is very unpractical to say you would carry these ever day, plus it may be illegal. The best defense is yourself without having to rely on anything or anyone.
Sometimes there are mutliple attackers. Do you have any advice for defending yourself against multiple attackers?
I would start by positioning myself in a way that I could not be attacked from behind. Maybe by using a wall or some other obstacle.
What is your preferred technique for creating space from your opponent?
Definitely a hard side kick to the ribs. This is a power kick in Tae Kwon Do
Special thanks goes out to Lauren for her time contributing to the martial arts community. She post new stories every day on her Instagram page for her fans with motivation tips and advice. She was also the first one Arkansas Wushu chose to ask to do this article, and though many were asked after her, she was the only one willing to step up and contribute to help out women who would like to know more about self defense.
Please let us know what you think below. Did you find the advice helpful? Were you familiar with this martial artist before? Would you like to contribute any tips of your own? If so let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading!
If you want some self defense gear, you can get yours at http://www.centurymartialarts.com/shop/weapons/self-defense/
