iPhone App Reviews

Self Defense for All

Chris J. | Oct 28, 2009 Healthcare & Fitness

User rating: (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Learning self defense from an iPhone app is a bit like trying to learn to ride a bike by attending a spinning class. The reason I say this is certainly not to disparage the work done by Tollhouse Studio on it’s app, “Self Defense for All”, or to say that it won’t help you decrease the chances of being savagely beaten. On the contrary, I believe that the information in this app (properly applied) could help keep you from being ground into a bloody spot on the pavement. What I do want to convey, before I proceed with the review, is that this (or any) information by itself will only improve your chances of survival slightly. It takes self defense class with a qualified instructor to give you the best opportunity to be the one who walks away from a dangerous encounter.

Before I proceed, I feel that I should explain that I have been taking self defense classes for the past three years, which I admit gives me only a basic knowledge base. I also consulted with my instructor on his impression of the information in the app.

In my opinion, the most important information in this app is about avoiding a conflict completely. Many people are not aware just how much their actions can either invite an attack or prevent one. While I’m sure there are many out there who want to skip straight to the fighting lessons in this app, I cannot stress enough that the best way to keep your face from being rearranged is to avoid a fight altogether. This information alone gives me reason to recommend this app.

It is also important to note that the type of strikes demonstrated in this app are ones that are easy to perform. More importantly, they are not likely to leave you with a broken hand if you don’t do it perfectly. While not as effective as a punch thrown by a trained boxer, these strikes are easily learned and give you a good chance of being able to do some damage without taking too much yourself. Instructions are in the form of written instruction, photos, and video demonstrations, all of which make sure that the information is clear and thorough. I doubt that anyone will have trouble understanding exactly how to perform any of the strikes.

One section that would improve this app would be a section on follow-up. Knowing what to tell the police, where to go, and what to expect following an attack is also an important aspect of self defense. For instance, while the app addresses the adrenaline dump and how it affects you in the middle of a situation, it is also important to know how you will be affected when you “crash” later.

There are a few flaws or issues with the app itself, most of which should be easily fixed. There are a few typos scattered throughout the app, and in one section the sentence ran off the bottom of the screen. The background also interfered with the text at points, in particular the dark logo at the bottom of the screen.

While I wouldn’t expect the demonstrator’s accent (Irish, I think) to be a problem, there may be some individuals who might have difficulty with accents, so I feel it is only fair to give warning. After watching several of the videos, I hardly noticed the accent at all anymore. Unfortunately the echo from the room the videos were shot in was much more distracting. I doubt they will be refilming all the videos, but if they add or replace any I hope that they will lay padding to absorb the echo or just dub commentary later.

To those who read this who already have some training: I am aware that there are many schools of thought when it comes to self defense, and that there is no “one true method” when it comes to striking and defense. There are some who will strongly disagree with the types of strikes presented, the defense style, or any number of points in the lessons. Disagreement does not necessarily mean the the methods presented are wrong or that they will not work. This is meant as a basic (some may say very basic) course in self defense that will hopefully help give someone a little more protection than they had before. I think that it does the job well.

iTunes Link- Self Defense for All
Version 1.0
Reviewed on iPod Touch (2nd gen) OS 3.1.2

Tags: $0.99, Chris J.