Self-Defense: How We Train
We teach using modern, effective methods, adapted to your current physical and technical preparation. Every technique is trained the same way it would need to work outside the training room – under pressure, without a second attempt.
Open Palm or Closed Fist?
This is one of the most debated questions in self-defense training, and instructors genuinely disagree on it. Some avoid teaching the closed fist strike because an untrained hand can be injured on impact. Others argue the open palm lacks the same stopping power. Both concerns are valid – which is exactly why the answer isn’t to avoid one or the other, but to train both correctly.
A properly thrown punch, with correct hand conditioning and technique, is one of the most effective tools available in a real confrontation – which is why it remains a core technique across boxing, MMA, and most serious striking disciplines. An open palm strike has its place too, particularly in close range or when a full punch isn’t possible, but it isn’t a substitute for knowing how to strike with a closed fist when the situation calls for it.
The real risk isn’t choosing one technique over the other — it’s training only one of them and assuming it will be enough. Self-defense that only works in one specific scenario isn’t self-defense; it’s a guess. That’s why our training covers the full range: strikes with both open hand and closed fist, correct conditioning to reduce injury risk, and the judgment to know which one a given situation actually calls for.
Have questions about how our training is structured? Get in touch – we’re glad to help.