But Karen was determined to help Susan build her confidence and learn some valuable self-defense skills. She decided to take a different approach.
Teaching a family member a skill is always a gamble. When it comes to self-defense, sometimes the best defense is knowing when to call a professional instructor and just going out for lunch instead.
Mark lay flat, staring at the ceiling. His ribs ached. His wrist throbbed. His ego was in a body bag.
Consider the case of "Emily" (name changed for privacy), a stepmother of two years to a teenage stepdaughter, "Jenna." Emily’s husband, Mark, a former military combatives instructor, thought it would be fun to teach Emily basic defensive moves in their living room. They practiced “startle drills”—suddenly grabbing Emily’s wrist or shoulder so she could practice flinching into a defensive posture.
As they untangled themselves and stood up, brushing themselves off, Karen realized that teaching self-defense to her stepmom wasn't just about physical techniques – it was about building confidence, trust, and communication.
In a blended family, boundaries can already be sensitive. Self-defense is inherently intimate; it involves grabbing, pulling, and close physical proximity.
