these threads are always stupid.
if you are not going to devote a significant portion of your life to fighting... then there is no particular style that is going to help you at all. get a gun or taser gun or just dont be in bad places.
I get tired of all the "aikido is the best" crap. aikido is just a lame way to make women and worthless hippies feel empowered. nothing else. no matter what you think about aikido, the fact is that it takes a willing opponent to train. that is its greatest flaw. and if you think that learning a few arm locks and wrist locks are going to save your life one night in a dark alley against a guy whos adreneline and endorphines are pumping and will continue to spike further everytime you respond agressively, then you are deluding yourself... and lets all please, stop pretending that the laws of physics cease to exist because you studied Rex Kwon Do for a week and a 1/2. a 110-150 pound girl is going to destroyed by the average male no matter what she knows. she is smaller and weaker. laws of physics do apply when you are trying to hit someone twice your size with twice your strength. the only exceptions i have ever seen to this are women who have trained seriously for many many many years and have devoted their life to fighting arts who have unusual strength and focus.
Most importantly, you have to understand that you will never be better than the effort you devote to any particular fighting style. Are you going to give 110% for 5 years, 4-5 times a week to become good? or are you going to go to Tai Bo twice a week for 20 mins just so you can tell yourself you have never felt more confident?
My experience is that almost all women will suck no matter what they study, regardless of how long.... because quite simply, its unlikely that someone is going to be able to train you to snap and explode forward agressively with the intent to take someone out. woman have a hard time becoming violent and agressive. MOST women and usually at least 1/2 of men will never have that regardless of how hard they train. if you dont have the capability to be violent, agressive and really hurt people then don't waste your time. if you are deluding yourself by saying "yeah, well if someone is attacking me, i would not hesitate to..." then you better try to punch someone in the face or break their arm first just to see that it really isnt that easy... and certainly not easy when they are attacking you. hitting someone to knock them out or break something is not as easy as it seems... for anyone unless you are somewhat sadistic and cruel. are you?
