Frequently Asked Questions

$350 seems pretty expensive, is it really worth it?
Actually, it’s a bargain. Consider it the highest form of personal insurance.

Let’s look at some comparisons. It seems no matter what you want to learn today you can find instruction of one kind or another. Prices vary widely, but some common rates for a variety of activities in North Texas are shown below:

Hobbies and exercise are great ways to increase the quality of your life. But MODEL MUGGING is a Life Skill that could literally save your life or that of a loved one.

Taking an entire weekend seems excessive and inconvenient. Don’t you offer classes of shorter duration, or maybe spread over a week or two?
Yes! This is perhaps our most frequent question There's no doubt 15 hours over one weekend is intense – but that’s by design. The current course structure is the result of 40 years of development and constant improvement. After just two days, you will have the ability to defend yourself and the confidence that skill will be there when you need it – even if it’s years from now.  Imagine getting that level of proficiency in any other activity in such a short time. Having the course over a single weekend is also cost effective for out-of-town students.

To accomodate those that want to take the Basic Course- just not in one weekend, we are offering the course spread out over three consecutive weekends. Check the schedule of available classes!

Do you have to be a certain age?
Age is not an obstacle; our oldest student was 81 years of age and our youngest was 9. Students under the age of 16 should have a parent present due to the mature subject matter discussed.

How big are the classes?
Classes may have from 5 to 10 students.

Do you have to be an athlete or in superb condition?
Not at all. We have even worked with and taught disabled women and blind women self-defense. We work with your needs and abilities.

Do I have to wear anything special?
T-shirt/sweatshirt, long sweatpants, and gym shoes. Long hair should be tied back and all jewelry removed. The only equipment worn will be elbow pads which are provided.

Do I have to have any previous experience or martial arts training?
Absolutely not.  Martial Arts are very popular and can be a highly effective means of self-defense. But some drawbacks can be:

• Martial arts can be highly complex and take years to master

• In an attack, a woman is often taken to the ground. Many martial arts do not teach ground fighting techniques needed for women

• Martial arts are not tailored specifically to women nor do they focus on conflict avoidance or specific aspects of rape.

I carry a weapon / pepper spray / siren. Do I still need self-defense?
Some people think that if they just have the right weapon they will be safe from an assailant. If used properly and under favorable conditions, weapons for self-protection could successfully stop an attack; and there are plenty of success stories to demonstrate their benefit. But most women are assaulted by someone they know and may not have these items readily at hand.

Are there spectators or are the classes private?
The group classes are not open to the public. Only your classmates will see you train and they will be a great source of inspiration, energy and support. After class ends, there may be a graduation exercise open to guests invited by you and your classmates.

What if I am the survivor of a violent assault?
Many of our students are survivors of violence. The course it tailored to address their special needs and help women overcome these past and current fears through proven learning methods. Many graduates feel they were able to accelerate the healing process significantly from the course and in a short time frame.

Los Angeles self-defense Model Mugging graduate, Susan, described her impact of experiences after taking the course:
Fear, excitement, apprehension, anger, aches, pains and ‘PRIDE’ were adjectives describing the mental and physical feelings I experienced while taking the Basic Self-Defense Course. My daughter had graduated from this class a few months earlier and raved about how she was glad she had stuck it out. I was fluctuating between traveling 200 miles round trip to learn to defend myself, or stay home, be a couch potato, and watch Cheryl’s tape of her class.

I learned to feel the many emotions one experiences when grabbed and taken to the ground. I lost my breath, my heart pounded in my throat and I was scared! As the class progressed, the only thing that changed when I was attacked, was that had lost my fear – it turned to anger and I felt more in control.

During class we practiced hard. Some of us had emotions that surfaced while being attacked in certain ways. Fears and previous personal abuses came to light as we talked at the end of each class. We cheered one another with encouragement. We all needed it and we all got it!

… I still have attack dreams and I’m still scared when I walk to work at 5:40 am. But I am much more conscious of my surroundings and very aware. I hope I’ll never need to use what I’ve learned in this class. If I do, I know I have a better chance by fighting scared.

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