Susan G. Peterson

No woman of any age is immune from the potential violent actions of today's criminal elements of society, and every wise woman simply has to assume a greater degree of responsibility for her own safety than ever was the case in former years.

This book offers the practical and proven techniques fof self-defense that Susan Peterson teaches at the United States Military Academy at West Point. There, in the Deparment of Physical Education, the primary mission is to train every cadet to develop the physical ability he or she is required to possess. For the woman cadet, the combative program is geared so that she learns how to defend herself when attacked, in a great variety of situations.

A section of the book is devoted to achieving physical fitness-a good thing under any circumstances-but self-defense for women does not at all necessarily depend upon physical ability. For example, the most commonsense advice for women is to avoid potentially dangerous situations if at all possiblie, and Susan Peterson tells how this can best be achieved. On the other hand, if the time comes when she cannot escape being assaulted, she need not be a passive victim who panics orcompletely succumbs. Even the nonathletic woman has means of defending herself: many have successfully remained calm and talked their way out of an attack situation. Talking may also momentarily distract an assailant so that other more direct types of defense can be brought into play.

All of this and much more is set forth in step-by-step, explicit detail, both in words and accompanying illustrative photographs. Even if a woman is much weaker than her assailant, there are protective techniques that work, and every woman should be aware of them and know how to use them.

Susan Peterson is a San Jose, California, native, who received her bachelor's degree from the University of California at Berkeley and her master's degree form the University of Illinois, where she taught for two years. She is the first woman physical education instructor in the 175-year history of the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Contents

Acknoklwedgments
Preface
1 Survival
2 Basic principles of self-defense
3 Fitness and self-defense
4 Prevention
5 Kicks and kick defenses
6 Strikes and strike defenses
7 Defense against frontal attacks
8 Defense against attacks from the rear
9 Defense against a weapons: Club, knife and pistol
10 Rape defense
11 Situational defenses : City and country
12 Self-defense for specific individuals: Senior citizens, children, the 'single' woman, the battered woman, and the couple.… (meer)