Excellent point LC. Most courses teach people what they fear the most not what is the most likely bad thing to happen to them.
Good points all. Ryu is my role model. 
although…,“4. Training in the four ranges of fighting. Kicking, boxing, clinching, and groundfighting. And how to flow from one to the other.”
…To me this would constitute being in an actual MA class.
And, even though I’m about to teach such a class, I also think that a self defense course that does not follow into regular training is a waste of time. Why? Timing. Said person in a self defense course might be able to do something right after completeing the course, but what happens 6 months to a year down the line? By then its all a long distant memory. Then its “oh my god, I can’t remember what the teacher said last year.”
I usually try to get those people involved one way or another in an actual class for regular training.
Re:
Hello everyone!I think everyone has outlined good points to base a self defense class upon,so i will give my opinion many of the self defense classes out there.Instead of saying how most of them give people a feeling of being empowered and confident in not being a victim-I say bulls**t,most of them blow smoke up your butt while you pay them for it. Many of them are called rape prevention classes and are all women classes(except for the poor guy who wears the padded suit) usually taught by some woman who got her black belt in two years.It usually turns into a "I hate men"conference where the teacher has the women scream NO and kick the guy in the balls. Then the women go home feeling like they can take control of any situation,until someone grabs them one dark night (or attack them in a different way than was covered in the self defense course)and they freeze up.I am not saying all self defense classes are bad,but if you are not going to invest more than 2-3 weeks than you should not bother.I am also not out to put down only womens self defense classes.Most self defense classes are of to short a duration to teach your body to be able to realisticly react to an attack.Also most people dont work on the techniques they learn at these classes after they have finished the classes.
~ Being the redneck type that I am, I must say that a good SD course is lifelong pursuit. It is called hardcore martial arts training!
~ After about a year or so, (less time if the person has common sense), they should be trained on guns. They need to know what the limitations are of trying to use one in a self defense situation.
~ If the person is not willing to put in the effort or has some anti-gun neo-facist leanings about hurting someone then wish them luck and reccomend they find another place to study. I know it sounds cruel but that is life. Just make sure you pray for them as they leave.
~ Hope that helps or hinders whatever you are thinking about.
Peace,
Sin Loi
Yi Beng, Kan Xue