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Kalos Agon

In pockets of Guatemala, it's not "if you get raped." It's "when."

With this self defense philosophy in mind, Kalos Agon Intl, a nonprofit Christian organization (est. 2010), has devoted itself to teaching women easy-to-remember martial art moves that work against any size opponent.

Other martial art systems teach militant style moves that overwhelm an opponent with high energy and impractical Hollywood-style one-punch knock outs. This isn't the world we live in. An attacker, if angry enough, will push through the pain of a groin strike to finish his victim.

Read more

In pockets of Guatemala, it's not "if you get raped." It's "when."

With this self defense philosophy in mind, Kalos Agon Intl, a nonprofit Christian organization (est. 2010), has devoted itself to teaching women easy-to-remember martial art moves that work against any size opponent.

Other martial art systems teach militant style moves that overwhelm an opponent with high energy and impractical Hollywood-style one-punch knock outs. This isn't the world we live in. An attacker, if angry enough, will push through the pain of a groin strike to finish his victim.

By incorporating Biblical principals of mercy, self-control, and fighting for your neighbor (and not for pride), KA Intl is releasing this careful crafted knowledge to the people who need it most: you.

Join us and take this self defense knowledge with you for the rest of your life.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Bad situations: learn hair pull escapes, wrist releases, & mount escapes. whether an attacker is choking against a wall or straddling you with both arms pinned
  • Designed for women: men don't necessarily need "hair-pull escapes," but women do
  • Practical moves: defend yourself against bigger, stronger attackers
  • Leverage-based martial arts: learn essential brazilian jiu jitsu (bjj) & muay thai techniques
  • Easy to remember: remember these simple self defense moves when the pressure is on
  • Christian focus: building off of principals of mercy, self-control, and fighting to defend your neighbor or children
  • Track record: with over 30 years of combined self defense & martial arts experience, the instructors know what you need to know
  • Proven techniques: from cambodia to guatemala, kalos agon's instructors have taught & applied the techniques you will be learning

Syllabus

Sharpen your mind before your sword

Summary of Kalos Agon: Our 3 buckets (values).

Top 10 Myths for Women's Self Defense

We thought it would be handy to create a GIF library of every technique being shown--short n' sweet. Just the technique, looping. That way you can get a quick refresher on a move ASAP and drill it. Handy eh?

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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Focuses on techniques designed for women, such as hair-pull escapes, which may be particularly relevant and useful
Emphasizes easy-to-remember martial arts moves effective against larger opponents, focusing on practicality over complex maneuvers
Incorporates Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai techniques, providing a foundation in leverage-based martial arts principles
Includes a GIF library of techniques, allowing for quick refreshers and focused drilling of specific moves
Instructors have over 30 years of combined self-defense and martial arts experience, suggesting a strong understanding of effective techniques
Techniques have been taught and applied in various locations, indicating their adaptability and potential effectiveness in real-world situations

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Reviews summary

Practical self defense techniques for women

According to students, this course offers practical and easy-to-remember self-defense techniques specifically tailored for women. Learners found the instruction clear and effective, providing skills to feel more confident and prepared in potentially dangerous situations. Reviewers often highlighted the simple, leverage-based moves that are effective even against larger opponents. While the course has a Christian perspective, many students appreciated the focus on principles like self-control and defending others, finding it added a positive dimension without detracting from the core self-defense content. The course seems particularly well-suited for beginners looking for a solid foundation.
Includes Biblical principles alongside techniques.
"The Christian principles woven into the course were a welcome addition and aligned with my values."
"While the Christian aspect is present, the self-defense techniques are the core focus and valuable for anyone."
"I appreciated the spiritual dimension, but the physical techniques are universally applicable and well-taught."
"The mention of Christian principles was interesting but didn't detract from the practical self-defense instruction."
Handy quick reference tool for techniques.
"The GIF library is an amazing feature for quick review and practice."
"Loved having the GIFs to quickly refresh on the moves without watching the whole video again."
"The looping technique GIFs are incredibly helpful for drilling and remembering."
"The GIF library is a very practical and useful tool."
Excellent starting point for learning self-defense.
"As someone with no prior self-defense experience, I found this course perfect for learning the basics."
"Great introduction to self-defense for complete beginners."
"This course is a solid foundation if you're just starting out."
"Perfect for someone like me who had never taken a self-defense class before."
Students feel more confident after taking it.
"Taking this course has really boosted my confidence. I feel much more capable of defending myself."
"I now feel much more empowered and less fearful about walking alone."
"The practical knowledge gained has significantly improved my sense of personal safety."
"Feeling more confident is a huge takeaway. The skills are empowering."
Instructions are easy to follow and understand.
"The instructors are knowledgeable and explain everything very clearly."
"Excellent instruction and demonstration of techniques."
"The videos and explanations were very clear and easy to understand."
"High quality instruction that made learning these skills straightforward."
Techniques are simple and easy to remember.
"The instructions are clear and the techniques are broken down so well that they are easy to remember under pressure."
"I appreciate how simple and effective the techniques are. They aren't overly complicated, which helps retention."
"It's great how the course emphasizes moves that are simple to recall when you might be panicking."
"Easy-to-remember techniques were exactly what I needed. I feel confident I could use these if necessary."
Focuses on simple, effective moves for defense.
"The techniques taught are practical and easy to understand, making them highly applicable in real-life scenarios."
"I loved how the moves were broken down into simple steps, focusing on leverage rather than strength, which is perfect."
"Very practical moves against common threats like grabs and chokes. I feel much more prepared now."
"The course teaches incredibly useful and practical self-defense moves that are easy for anyone to learn, regardless of physical ability."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Self Defense for Women: Close Combat Training & Fighting with these activities:
Review Basic Anatomy and Physiology
Reviewing basic anatomy and physiology will help you understand the vulnerable points on an attacker's body and how to effectively target them with strikes and leverage.
Browse courses on Human Anatomy
Show steps
  • Review diagrams of the human musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
  • Identify key pressure points and vulnerable areas.
  • Research the effects of strikes on these areas.
Read 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius
Reading 'Meditations' will help you cultivate the mental fortitude and self-control necessary for effective self-defense, aligning with the course's emphasis on Christian principles.
Show steps
  • Read a section of the book each day.
  • Reflect on how the principles apply to self-defense situations.
  • Discuss your insights with others.
Practice Hair Pull Escapes
Practicing hair pull escapes will build muscle memory and improve your reaction time in a common attack scenario, directly addressing a key learning objective of the course.
Show steps
  • Review the hair pull escape techniques from the course.
  • Practice the techniques with a training partner.
  • Focus on speed and precision.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Sparring Session with Focus on Techniques
Participating in sparring sessions allows you to apply the learned techniques in a dynamic environment, improving your ability to react and adapt in real-time.
Show steps
  • Find a training partner with similar skill level.
  • Warm up and review basic techniques.
  • Spar with a focus on applying specific techniques learned in the course.
  • Cool down and discuss what you learned.
Create a Self-Defense Scenario Video
Creating a self-defense scenario video will force you to think critically about how to apply the learned techniques in different situations, reinforcing your understanding and retention.
Show steps
  • Choose a common self-defense scenario.
  • Plan the scenario and the techniques you will use.
  • Film the scenario with a training partner.
  • Edit the video and add narration.
  • Share the video with others for feedback.
Read 'On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society' by Dave Grossman
Reading 'On Killing' will provide a deeper understanding of the psychological aspects of self-defense, helping you prepare mentally and emotionally for potential encounters.
Show steps
  • Read a chapter of the book each week.
  • Reflect on the psychological implications of self-defense.
  • Discuss your thoughts with others.
Teach Self-Defense Techniques to a Friend or Family Member
Teaching self-defense techniques to others will solidify your understanding of the material and improve your ability to explain and demonstrate the techniques effectively.
Show steps
  • Choose a friend or family member to teach.
  • Plan a lesson based on the course material.
  • Teach the lesson and provide feedback.
  • Ask for feedback on your teaching.

Career center

Learners who complete Self Defense for Women: Close Combat Training & Fighting will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Self Defense Instructor
A self defense instructor teaches others how to protect themselves in potentially dangerous situations. This role requires a deep understanding of various self defense techniques, including those taught in this course. The course's focus on practical, easy-to-remember moves, particularly for women, aligns perfectly with the needs of a self defense instructor. The course incorporates principles of mercy and self-control, which are important in this role. Additionally, the knowledge of escapes from various holds and positions covered in the course, such as hair pull escapes, wrist releases, and mount escapes, is key for an instructor. The course's emphasis on leverage-based martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai will enhance an instructors technique.
Martial Arts Instructor
A martial arts instructor guides students through various disciplines of martial arts. This course is particularly helpful for a martial arts instructor who wants to teach self defense techniques grounded in practical application, rather than high-energy, unrealistic moves. The course's focus on techniques that work against a larger attacker, as well as its emphasis on Biblical principles of mercy and self-control, makes it a great choice for someone interested in the practical side of martial arts instruction. The course covers essential Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai elements, which are very useful for a martial arts instructor. This course also covers various escapes, strikes, and defenses which are vital for martial arts instruction.
Personal Safety Consultant
A personal safety consultant advises individuals and organizations on safety strategies. This self defense course directly relates to the work of a personal safety consultant as it covers techniques for women to defend themselves in physical altercations. This course covers real-world scenarios, rather than Hollywood-style moves, and provides strategies and techniques for escapes and strikes when under attack. The course provides instruction on how to defend oneself when standing, trapped under an attacker, or even when being choked. This course will provide a personal safety consultant with a foundational understanding of the most common attack scenarios and will give them an understanding of practical, easy-to-remember self-defense techniques to share with their clients.
Security Trainer
A security trainer works with security personnel to improve their skills and enhance their safety awareness. This course is useful for a security trainer because of its focus on practical self-defense techniques. The course emphasizes defensive moves and escapes, which are important for security personnel to know. This course focuses on easy-to-remember moves that can be used in real world situations against attackers. Learning how to defend when standing, under an attacker, or in a choke is essential for security personnel. The course's teachings align well with the necessary skills that security trainers impart to their trainees and will help security trainers to evaluate their own skill level.
Youth Program Coordinator
A youth program coordinator develops and manages programs for children and adolescents. This course may be useful for a coordinator that runs programs focused on self-defense or personal safety. The course's emphasis on practical, easy to remember moves is useful when working with youth. The focus on Biblical principals also may align well with some youth programs. In the course, students learn how to defend themselves in common, dangerous situations, such as wrist grabs, chokes, and mount attacks. This course may help a youth program coordinator who wants to add self-defense to their existing programming. The knowledge and techniques taught in this course can be passed down to a youth audience.
Community Outreach Worker
A community outreach worker engages with community members to provide resources and support. This course may be helpful to a community outreach worker because the course focuses on self-defense techniques that are relevant to real world situations, rather than unrealistic high-energy moves. The course's emphasis on practical moves, especially for women, is great for developing community programs around self-defense. The Biblical principles of mercy, self-control, and fighting for your neighbor, may align well with the values of outreach work. This course provides knowledge on escapes, strikes, and defenses, which can be useful when teaching self defense to others.
Victim Advocate
A victim advocate provides support and resources to individuals who have experienced trauma or violence. This course may be helpful to a victim advocate because it focuses on real-world self-defense techniques that are applicable to those who might have experienced an attack, or who might be in a potential dangerous situation. The course focuses on how to defend oneself from an attacker with escapes such as hair pulls, wrist releases, and mount escapes. Additionally, this course's focus on using leverage-based martial arts, such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai, could be useful for a victim advocate to understand the physical aspects of an attack.
Physical Education Teacher
A physical education teacher educates students in physical health, wellness, and sports. The self-defense techniques in this course may be helpful for a physical education teacher, particularly if they wish to teach self-defense to their students. This course's emphasis on practical, easy-to-remember movements would suit a group of students, as would the focus on leverage-based martial arts movements. The course provides instruction for defending oneself when standing, or when trapped under an attacker, which are useful skills to share with students. The course offers practical knowledge of real world attacks that can be relevant for a physical education class.
Fitness Instructor
A fitness instructor leads group or individual exercise classes. Although it may not be the primary focus, the self-defense techniques taught in this course, such as strikes, kicks, and defenses against holds, may be helpful to a fitness instructor. This course focuses on practical moves that are easy to remember, which is useful when teaching a fitness class that incorporates self defense. The course's emphasis on leverage-based martial arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai can contribute to a well-rounded fitness curriculum. This course may be useful for fitness instructors that want to add a self-defense aspect to their repertoire.
Social Worker
A social worker helps individuals and families cope with challenges and access resources. This course may be useful for a social worker who faces high-risk situations or works directly with clients in potentially unsafe environments. The self-defense skills taught in this course, such as how to escape from wrist controls, mount positions, and chokes, may help a social worker feel more confident and capable in their workplace. The course emphasizes simple, practical self-defense movements that can be easily remembered. This course may help a social worker feel better equipped to handle potentially dangerous situations.
Life Coach
A life coach guides individuals in setting personal and professional goals and overcoming challenges. This course may be useful for a life coach who wants to offer their clients practical self-defense skills or who wishes to feel more confident in potentially challenging situations. This course focuses on simple, practical techniques. The course's emphasis on Christian values and fighting for one's neighbor may align with a specific life coaching philosophy. The course also covers strategies for managing attacks, like how to escape grabs, positions, and chokes. This course may help a life coach integrate self-defense knowledge into their practice or feel more equipped for potential threats.
Teacher
A teacher provides instruction in various subjects and guides students in their learning process. This course may be helpful for a teacher, since they come in contact with large groups of people, and may benefit from self-defense training. This course focuses on practical, easy-to-remember moves that can be used in real-world situations. The course addresses techniques to use against bigger opponents and provides escapes from various holds. By taking this course a teacher will learn to control an attacker's distance and can learn how to escape from attacks where they are trapped, choked, or grabbed. These skills may be helpful for safety.
Camp Counselor
A camp counselor supervises children and teenagers at summer camps and similar programs. The self-defense techniques taught in this course may be helpful to a camp counselor who wishes to add a self-defense aspect to camp activities or who simply wants to feel more secure in their job. This course focuses on practical moves that are easy to remember and are applicable in real-world situations. The course covers escapes from various holds and positions, such as wrist holds and chokes. Learning how to defend oneself when standing, under an attacker, or in a choke is essential for those who are supervising children. This course may assist camp counselors to feel more secure in their role.
Customer Service Representative
A customer service representative assists customers with their inquiries and issues. This course may be helpful to customer service representatives who deal with angry customers, who may become aggressive. The course's focus on self-defense techniques may help a customer service representative feel more secure in their workplace. Learning how to escape wrist holds, mount positions, and chokes, as taught in this course, may be useful in real world situations. The course focuses on practical, easy-to-remember moves, which may be useful in a potentially dangerous scenario. The course may give customer service representatives confidence and allow them to feel better equipped to respond to aggression.
Event Planner
An event planner organizes and coordinates various types of events. This course may be helpful for an event planner since they are often in public spaces and may want to feel more secure in potentially dangerous situations. This course focuses on practical self-defense skills that are easy to remember and can be applied in real world situations. The course focuses on escapes and striking techniques from the ground and from a standing position. This knowledge can help event planners feel better prepared to handle unforeseen circumstances. The course provides instruction on how to defend oneself from an attacker who is mounted or choking, which might be relevant in busy or crowded environments.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Self Defense for Women: Close Combat Training & Fighting.
Explores the psychological impact of violence and killing, providing valuable insights into the mental and emotional aspects of self-defense. Understanding these aspects can help you prepare yourself mentally for a self-defense situation and cope with the aftermath. It is more valuable as additional reading than as a current reference, and can help provide a more complete picture of the realities of self-defense.
Provides insights into Stoic philosophy, emphasizing self-control, reason, and virtue. These principles align with the course's Christian focus on mercy and self-control. Reading this book can help cultivate a calm and focused mindset, essential for effective self-defense. It is more valuable as additional reading than as a current reference.

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