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Europe
Polish army to teach women self-defence for free
2016-11-13
The Polish defence ministry is launching free nationwide classes for women to learn unarmed combat.
By George this is a brilliant idea. I wonder if we could do it here. Perhaps ROTC programs could do this on campuses. National Guard units could do this from their stations and armories. Combine this with a little PR on what our military does and who our outstanding men and women are in the services.
The classes will start at 30 military facilities, running from 19 November until 3 June. Polish army instructors will provide the training. The techniques will include defensive postures, how to break holds, and guards against kicks, strangulation and assaults with a weapon.

Some Poles see the initiative more as a way for the army to promote its image.

The ministry says it is the first time the military has offered such a nationwide programme. It is open to all Polish women aged 18 or above who are in good health.

A former special forces commander, Roman Polko, told the Dziennik Polski news website that it was not the army's job to teach citizens unarmed combat. He said it could be a way to spot potential recruits for the armed forces. But learning aikido or jujitsu moves "won't win a war," he said.

Another critic, Krakow journalist Marcin Ogdowski, said the lessons "have a propaganda dimension". He said women's self-defence classes should be run by the police, rather than the military.

Launching the programme, Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz said the aim was to teach women "basic fighting techniques and, above all, improve overall physical fitness". "We invite the ladies, there are still places - there are no age limits," he said.

Participants must have their own medical insurance and a letter freeing the defence ministry from any injury claims.
Posted by:Pappy

#4  #EverydaySexism men are FAR more likely to need these classes.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2016-11-13 17:39  

#3  Kicked in the nuts by a professionally trained Polish girl. I see a new, uh, aficionado video genre on the horizon...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2016-11-13 09:58  

#2  It's something the Germans and the Swedes should've thought of. Alas...
Posted by: Pappy   2016-11-13 08:59  

#1  If 'special interest' group studies are mandatory why isn't something like ROTC? I'd first have the ladies sit through Saving Private Ryan, Gettysburg, and the Crossing, to understand 'men's issues'. Welcome to equality. And the Polish and Baltic state governments should be handing the appropriate translated copies of this book to everyone.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2016-11-13 08:27  

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