09/10/08

Many have encouraged me to write an article about why my self defense video is “the best self defense video” on the market. Let’s start with what others have said.

A martial arts school owner and fourth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do says, “Fundamentals of Self Defense is the best self defense video I have seen and I have trained all over the country and have a library on this topic…. I will recommend this to all my students.” Another Self Defense Instructor says, “DiAnn’s unique Safe-Chi Kata progresses in difficulty and the workout offers a fun way for students to learn techniques designed to keep an attacker at bay. I highly recommend it to any woman who wants to learn to use her strengths to keep her safe. “

From a Social Workers point of view, “DiAnn Lanke Stasik has created a program for women that is workable and “doable”. Her frank discussion of what can and does happen to women is important to acknowledge. Then she gives us the methods and mindset to protect ourselves.”

Throughout the years I have worked with law enforcement personnel to fine-tune my program. Here is what some of those people have to say: “I have been working in the field of corrections for over 10 years. In all of my training, I have found this self defense video course the most helpful. This video emphasizes a woman’s strength and her ability to use it. It has helped me not only in my line of work but also as a mother. I would recommend this video to women of all ages.” A veteran police officer says “DiAnn’s video gives practical advice that every woman can use. DiAnn shows you ways to defend yourself that anyone can do. She helps to explain the mindset of an attacker to better understand how to change your own mindset. By practicing this every day every woman has been given the tools to feel more confident to make their own personal environment safer.”

Other customers have offered the following comments:

“Your video is absolutely awesome! Your video promotes awareness and prompts me to keep a few simple things in my mind so that I can react quickly to an attacker. I will be a more protected person because of it, and so will my friends and family.”

“Your video is great and it is very useful for women like me who travel from one place to another. Your techniques are straightforward and easy to execute. The whole video is a very good source of information from prevention to actual physical counter attack. One of the best tapes I viewed. Most tapes show fancy high kicks that perhaps a martial artist can perform, not practical for the everyday woman. Your video is for everyone, even young girls can perform the techniques. Thanks for a very good instructional tape. Hope you will produce more in future.”

“I am now more confident in my ability to successfully survive an attack! I learned which parts of my attacker’s body are pressure points that would allow me to apply pressure to break his hold on me! I learned that even without physical weapons at my disposal I have many of my own body parts that make excellent weapons with which I can protect myself! I learned to feel more secure by being aware of my surroundings so I can more likely prevent an attack from happening in the first place! … Self defense training has given me peace of mind to know that I do not have to become a victim if I use the techniques DiAnn taught me!”

From this and other feedback, the keywords that I find being echoed in response to owning “the best self defense video” out there are: workable, doable, useful, practical, most helpful, straightforward, easy, fun and peace of mind. Those are the things that I set out to provide when planning my video. Since those people didn’t know my objectives yet discovered them upon viewing the Fundamentals of Self Defense video, then I would have to conclude that you have concluded my video to be “the best self defense video” out there.

It all adds up to safety and “Safe-Chi.” In the Fundamentals of Self Defense I give you both the techniques AND the way to keep it alive within you. The Safe-Chi Kata builds and maintains your “Power Within.” Want the best self defense? Do the Safe-Chi Kata.

(c)1997-2008 DiAnn Lanke Stasik & W.O.W. ^® - Women Only Workout & SAFE-CHI(TM) & Kickbox-R-Size(TM) & Building the Power Within(TM)

Greendale, WI

All Rights Reserved

]]> http://www.womenselfdefense.net/content/2008/09/the-best-self-defense-video-out-there/feed/ http://www.womenselfdefense.net/content/2008/08/fundamentals-of-self-defense-dvd/ http://www.womenselfdefense.net/content/2008/08/fundamentals-of-self-defense-dvd/#comments Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:32:52 +0000 admin http://www.womenselfdefense.net/content/?p=78 Fundamentals of Self Defense DVD
DVD – the same time-tested method seen in the VHS but in a NEW digital format!

$39.95
Sale price: $24.95 plus $5.25 S&H

Physical and Mental Fitness + Professional Instruction + Fitness and Martial Arts Principles = POWER and SAFETY. With this membership, you will receive the Fundamentals of Self Defense DVD and enewsletters for just $24.95.

This DVD contains an easy-to-use menu that makes navigating fast.

Chapter titles include:

Knowledge Is Power
Consists of Verbal Self Defense & Situational Awareness

Keeping a Safe Distance
Addresses Streetwise Precaution & Prevention along with the Psychological weakness of the Attacker

The Physical Weaknesses of the Attacker

The Safe-Chi™ Kata
Includes Blocking, Striking and Release Techniques such as Wrist Releases, Four Choke Releases, Three Bear Hug Releases, The Rolling Release and the ever popular Testicle Tangle.

$24.95
Sale price: $12.95

Build your POWER within by taking the first steps to making yourself safer. With this membership, you will receive the Fundamentals of Self Defense video and enewsletters for just $12.95

Chapter titles include:

Knowledge Is Power
Keeping a Safe Distance
The Physical Weaknesses of the Attacker
The Safe-Chi™ Kata

$14.45 plus $5.25 S&H

This small innocuous looking keychain offers several easy-to-learn striking techniques. The seven essential strikes using this mini-stick are a breeze to learn. The 30-page instructional booklet describes keychain self defense along with providing useful safety tips and effective defensive techniques.

by DiAnn Lanke Stasik 08/04/08

Did you know that the daily recommendation for sodium chloride (“table salt”) intake for a healthy, young adult is 2,300 mg? Ninety-percent of the salt ingested by the average American is in the form of sodium chloride and is approximately 4,000 mg of sodium a day; which 1.74 time more than the recommendation (Ref. Hypertension and Stroke on July 29, 2008).

This doesn’t mean that you should try to eliminate all sodium from your diet. You need some salt for proper bodily functions such as maintaining the correct balance of fluids, effecting the contraction and relaxation of muscles and transmitting of nerve impulses. The organ responsible for regulating the amount of sodium in your body is your kidneys. Your kidneys conserve sodium when your body’s overall sodium levels are low and excrete surplus sodium in urine when your levels are high.

Before refrigeration, dehydration, freezing, chemical preservatives and irradiation, salting was one of just a few methods to preserve food. Salting was, and still is, used to draw moisture out of food which prohibited bacteria growth and hence, prevent spoilage. Reasons for using salt today include flavoring, thickening, reduction of dryness in pretzels and crackers, increasing sweetness in deserts and disguising chemical aftertaste in things such as sodas.

The main sources of salt in the average U.S. diet are processed and prepared foods, condiments, and food containing sodium naturally. The best way to tell if or how much sodium a food product contains is to read the Nutrition Facts label. Compounds containing sodium include sodium nitrate or nitrite, sodium alginate, monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking powder, baking soda and disodium phosphate.

Why should you lower your salt intake? Lowering sodium levels can have positive effects on your blood pressure. Your blood pressure might be effected more by sodium if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, are older than 50, and if you are black. Other diseases such as chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure and cirrhosis can cause sodium regulation dysfunction. It is suggested that if you have high blood pressure, kidney disease and/or diabetes, are African-American, are older than age 50, you should try to consume less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day. (Ref. Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.)

Now what you have been waiting for – ways to reduce salt in diet:

*Eat fewer processed foods such as frozen dinners, cured meats and potato chips.

*Choose foods labeled “reduced sodium” or “low sodium.”

*Use herbs, spices and other flavoring to season foods instead of table salt.

*Eat more unprocessed, fresh foods – ex. fresh fruits and vegetables; fresh, lean meats, poultry and fish; and unprocessed grains.

*Remove salt from recipes whenever possible.

*Limit your use of condiments - ex. Salad dressings, dips, sauces, mustard, ketchup and relish.

*Use salt substitutes wisely.

*When eating away from home you should try to avoid most soups and sauces.

Some of you might be wondering about sea salt. Both sea and table salt have the same nutritional value. The real differences between the two occur in their taste and texture. If you prefer fewer additives, you might consider sea salt. However, there is no evidence that the additives in table salt are harmful to your health.

Believe it or not, the taste for salt is acquired. This means that as you use less salt, your preference for it will decrease and you will begin to enjoy the taste of the food itself. But sometimes old habits die hard, so it is best to decrease your salt use gradually which gives your taste buds the opportunity to adjust. Most people no longer crave salt after a few weeks of reducing it from their diet. Try a step-down process such as using no more than 1/4 teaspoon of added salt per day for two weeks, then using no more than 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per day for two weeks, then switch to the no salt add-ons. I call this the K-I-S-S approach – Keep It Simply Salted.

(c)1997-2008 DiAnn Lanke Stasik & W.O.W. ^® - Women Only Workout & SAFE-CHI (TM) & Kickbox-R-Size (TM) &

Building the Power Within(TM)

Greendale, WI

All Rights Reserved

by DiAnn Lanke Stasik 06/28/08

It’s not just a clever advertising campaign, it’s the truth – you really can reduce your fear of crime and increase your confidence in the ability to defend yourself by taking self-defense training! The proof lies in the research done by Patricia McDaniel as published in the Women’s Studies International Forum. Her study showed a significant increase in women’s confidence after participating in a self defense course. The study’s findings also suggest that physically active women who already have some degree of confidence with their physical capabilities might also benefit by training in self defense. So if you want to reduce your fear of violence and rape while increasing your personal safety, all you have to do is enroll in a women’s self-defense training program. It’s that simple.

Self-defense training – it’s not just for the scared, the weak, the vulnerable or the oppressed. Self-defense training benefits all! Now that’s the truth!

Please feel free to contact me for more information on self defense training and rape prevention.

(c) 2008 DiAnn Lanke Stasik & W.O.W. ^® - Women Only Workout & SAFE-CHI^TM &

Kickbox-R-Size^TM & Building the Power Within^TM

Greendale, WI

All Rights Reserved

]]> http://www.womenselfdefense.net/content/2008/06/self-defense-fear-reduction-%e2%80%93-i%e2%80%99ve-got-proof/feed/ http://www.womenselfdefense.net/content/2008/06/portion-distortion/ http://www.womenselfdefense.net/content/2008/06/portion-distortion/#comments Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:41:54 +0000 DiAnn http://www.womenselfdefense.net/content/?p=73 by DiAnn Lanke Stasik 06/12/08

Did you know that dinner plates grew? The standard size of a dinner plate in 1990 was 10 inches; now it is 12 inches. Cups and bowl sizes grew too. We are now eating on what used to be called “chargers” and what used to be our dinner plates are now our salad plates. This dinnerware increase has caused an increase in our waistlines. According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found that people served themselves bigger portions of ice cream when they were given larger bowls and spoons. Additionally, they tended to eat the entire serving.

Then there is the “super size me” effect. I’m referring to the increase in portion size. A hamburger served at McDonald’s in 1955 weighed around 1.6 ounces. Fifty years later that hamburger has grown by 500 percent to a whopping 8 ounces. The Journal of Public Health Policy verified this increase in 2007 with a published paper that stated that fast food portion sizes are two to five times larger than when they first went to the market.

This increase in dinnerware size and serving size has produced what I call “portion distortion.” We have no idea how much we should be eating. When we compare two food labels of similar products but different manufacturers, we realize that everybody has their own scale of what is a portion size. Not too many of us carry around our calculators and do the math so that we can compare the same units. With all the marketing strategies, mixed signals, information and information overload, we have forgotten the essential and basic nutrition rule – eat according to your body’s needs. We should be eating to live, not living to eat.

How many times have my clients heard me say “watch your portion sizes?” With that being said, here is a great (fast, simple and clear) slideshow from the Mayo Clinic on portion control for weight loss: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/portion-control/NU00267/RETURNTOLINK=1&RETURNTOOBJID=2CEE92F2-74A2-468C-8DC51ED91D249468&slide=1. It is only 7 slides which you can get through in a couple of minutes.

Below you will find a “cheat sheet” of what one serving means to the various food groups:

FRUITS & VEGGIES:

• 1 medium-sized piece of fruit
• 1 small baked potato
• 1/2 cup fruit (fresh, frozen or canned)
• 1/4 cup dried fruit
• 3/4 cup (6 oz) fruit or vegetable juice
• 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables
• 1/2 cup other raw vegetables or cooked veggies

GRAINS:

• 1 cup cold cereal
• 1 slice bread
• 1/2 cup pasta, rice or cooked cereal (ex. Oatmeal)
• 1/2 small bagel
• 1/2 English muffin

MEATS, EGGS & BEANS:

• 1 egg
• 3 ounces of cooked poultry, fish or lean meat (about the size of your palm)
• 1/2 cup cooked dried beans
• 1/3 cup nuts
• 1/2 cup tofu
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter

DAIRY PRODUCTS:

• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 ounces processed cheese
• 1 ounces natural cheese (about the size of four dice)

The answer doesn’t come in skipping meals or in eliminating any of the food groups. Here’s a dieting no-brainer: your metabolism will decrease and you will lose lean muscle with ANY diet that that restricts your daily requirements. This is not a good thing! The cheap, initial weight loss occurs at a high long-term cost. Really, the short-term benefit is not worth the inadequate fuel supply. Be good to yourself by making long-term weight management a part of your daily priority/routine and don’t be fooled by short-term risks that are cleverly promoted as “benefits.” We need to eat a variety of foods from ALL the food groups in order to get the vitamins and minerals our body needs. Of course, there are exceptions to this. And although you, in and of yourself, are an exceptional person; more than likely your dietary requirements are not the exception. Rid yourself of portion distortion and become a healthier you!

DiAnn has her Master’s of Education in Health & Kinesiology and is a Cooper Institute Certified Physical Fitness Specialist, NWMAF Certified Self Defense Instructor, NETA Certified Group Fitness Instructor, American Taekwondo Association Registered Black Belt, Research Assistant for The Institute for Human Factors, and an Certified Rape Prevention Instructor of the Association of Women’s Self Defense Advancement . She is the founder and manager of W.O.W.^® - Women Only Workout, LLC, which offers personal training, fitness classes and self defense courses and can be contacted through www.womenselfdefense.net.

Ó1997-2008 DiAnn Lanke Stasik & W.O.W. ^® - Women Only Workout & SAFE-CHIÔ & Kickbox-R-SizeÔ & Building the Power WithinÔ

Greendale, WI

All Rights Reserved

I wanted to know how I could motivate women to take a self defense course, so I decided to ask them. The following reasons come from my fitness clients and visitors to my booth at a local health fair:

Top Reasons on Why I Need to Take W.O.W.’s Self Defense Class

1. My pent up aggression is causing acne
2. My PMS needs an outlet
3. I need a back up plan for rejection
4. Anger Management didn’t work for me
5. My significant other needs an attitude adjustment
6. My family reunion is coming up
7. The Do Not Call list isn’t working & I can’t take any more telemarketing calls
8. My boss had another brainstorm
9. My desk chair is getting too small
10. I don’t need a reason to yell, just name the place
11. I heard Jackie Chan is looking for a female sidekick
12. I need something fun for my pod cast
13. I want to kick it with da thugs
14. America’s Funniest Home Videos is having a contest
15. I want my body to give Billy Banks a kick
16. I want to scare my sweetheart into being nice
17. Survivor tryouts are coming to town
18. The Cheerleading Squad needs new material

On a more serious note, you can do something about the scary stats you hear on the news by learning the practical and effective techniques that I teach. Just register for one of my scheduled courses or set up your own in-house W.O.W. Self Defense Course for your organization or employment. Please contact me to schedule.

(c) 2008 DiAnn Lanke Stasik & W.O.W. ^® - Women Only Workout & SAFE-CHI(TM) & Kickbox-R-Size(TM) &

Building the Power Within(TM)

Greendale, WI

All Rights Reserved

Why am I making such a fuss? The underlying question is – Why is water needed? Water provides hydration and irrigation to trillions of cells, plays a role in the transportation of nutrients and aids in the functioning of almost every organ and biochemical process. It is necessary for blood flow and oxygen delivery. And for those of you battling the bulge, water is critical for proper weight loss.

Two-thirds of Americans drink less than the recommended eight glasses of water a day. At any given time, approximately 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. In fact, Americans are so out of touch with their water needs that 37% confuse hunger for what is really thirst. Besides causing dry mouth, dehydration makes eyes appear sunken into the eye sockets and/or decreases tearing in the eyes. But the sure-tell sign of lack of water is the darkening of urine, a decrease in or the absence of urination.

Did you know that lack of water is the biggest trigger of daytime fatigue and can be the culprit behind weakness or lightheadedness? Fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page can be caused by a drop in body water of only 2%. MILD dehydration will slow down your metabolism as much as 3%. Now add exercise to the picture. Water replacement during exercise is extremely important. Without doing so your body may be impaired to properly dissipate heat, which can put unnecessary stress on your cardiovascular system and elevate you body’s core temperature.

By now you should be wondering just how much water you need. In general, a person’s minimal water requirement is half their body weight in ounces. But if you exercise, you need to replenish your water. Example: If 1 kg of fluid is lost during exercise, the individual should consume 1.5 liters of fluid to achieve rehydration. The National Athletic Trainers Association has concluded that well-designed sports drinks are superior to plain water for rehydration because they increase voluntary intake and allow for more effective rehydration. Cold drinks are absorbed faster than warm drinks. The fluid replacement for exercise lasting less than one hour should focus predominately on water. The fluid for exercise exceeding one hour should contain 30 - 40 mEq of sodium, chlorine, and deliver 50 g of carbohydrate per hour. Solutions that contain trace amounts of glucose are absorbed more rapidly than water.

I get thirsty when I hear people say that they’ll drink when they are thirsty. My response – BAD IDEA. Because thirst is a delayed response to dehydration and is not a precise mechanism in preventing dehydration, it should not be used as an indication to drink water. Clearly stated, if you are thinking about being thirsty, it’s too late – you are dehydrated.

Rather than “being what you eat” you’re really what you drink. Here are some human anatomy facts to think about: Overall, the human body is comprised of approximately 70% water. Your muscles are 70 – 75% water. The human brain is 74% water. Blood is made of 82% water. Even teeth contain 5% water. Get the picture?

So, do you want health and vitality enhancement, a boost in mental alertness, an increase in physical stamina? Drink water. As reported by both the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, drinking just five glasses of water daily has been shown to decrease the risk of bladder cancer by 50%, breast cancer by 79%, and colon cancer by 45%. Preliminary research has indicated that drinking eight to ten glasses of water a day could significantly ease joint and back pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

Got water? I hope so.

DiAnn has her Master’s of Education in Health & Kinesiology and is a Cooper Institute Certified Physical Fitness Specialist, NWMAF Certified Self Defense Instructor, NDEITA Certified Group Fitness Instructor, American Taekwondo Association Registered Black Belt, Research Assistant for The Institute for Human Factors, American Women’s Self Defense Association (AWSDA) State Director & 2003 Seminar Instructor, and AWSDA Certified Rape Prevention Instructor. She is the founder and manager of W.O.W.^® - Women Only Workout, LLC, which offers personal training, fitness classes and self defense for women courses and can be contacted through www.womenselfdefense.net.

REFERENCES

Bray, G.A., Nielsen, S.J. & Popkin, B.M. (2004). Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79 (4), 537-543. Retrieved July 26, 2006, from Pubmed Research Library Database.

Eldridge, J. (2005). Training and Conditioning Methods. Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas of the Permian Basin, KINO 6312, Department of Health and Kinesiology.

Powers, S.K. & Howley, E.T. (2004). Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance. New York, NT: McGraw-Hill.

ARTICLE PUBLICATION CITATION

Stasik, D.L. (2007, November). What Happened to Water? HealthWise, 7, 31.

(c)1997-2008 DiAnn Lanke Stasik & W.O.W. ^® - Women Only Workout & SAFE-CHI(TM) & Kickbox-R-Size(TM) & Building the Power Within(TM)

Greendale, WI

All Rights Reserved

An 83-year-old great-grandmother from Santa Fe, NM thwarted an attempted purse snatching with a gas nozzle - http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,338114,00.html

A 95-year-old, wheelchair-bound woman from Bartlesville, OK fought off a drunken home intruder with a screwdriver - http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352518,00.html

A barefoot and nightie-wearing 95-year-old widow activated her attack alarm and chased her would-be burglar into the street - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-452504/99-year-old-nightie-fights-masked-intruder.html

If these ladies can do it, SO CAN YOU!!!! Just sign up for either one of my self defense courses that I’m offering this summer. They are fun and effective. Let me help you improve your safety.

KEYCHAIN Self Defense

Participants are introduced to the concepts of basic self defense and to the use of the self defense keychain in this 1.5-hour class. This small innocuous looking keychain offers several easy-to-learn striking techniques as well as controlled holds and take-down options. Start your workout with the proper stretching for this fun yet useful learning experience. The seven essential strikes will be a breeze to learn when set to music. Then apply your newly learned skills by working in pairs and creating practical situations.

Four class choices:

June 16th June19th

August 12th August 14th

Time:

6/16 @ 6:30 - 8:00 pm,

6/19 @ 6:30 – 8:00pm,

8/12 @ 7:00 – 8:30 pm,

8/14 @ 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Fundamentals of Self Defense

Physical self defense in today’s society is no longer an option; it’s a necessity. Come and learn about the following components of self defense in this co-ed 4-hour course: the Personal Space Concept, the Psychology of the Attacker, the Physical Weakness of the Attacker, the Power of Words, and Unconventional Weapons. Practical self defense techniques for every day living will be discussed. Participants will learn a pattern of movements to help keep the mind and body fit for defense. Participants will learn self defense tactics from the following arts: Tae kwon do, Kung Fu, Krav Maga, Aikido, Karate, Tai Chi and much more. Your instructor will demonstrate easy and effective defensive responses to various attacks. Become empowered, build internal power and learn to defend yourself!

Two Course choices:

Tue 6/17 & Thurs 6/19 @ 6:45 – 8:45 pm OR

Mon 8/11 & Wed 8/13 @ 6:45 – 8:45

3 EASY WAYS to REGISTER

Call Greendale Park & Recreation at 414-423-2790. You may phone in your registration during our office hours with a MasterCard or VISA.

In-person registrations are accepted during regular office hours, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Priority Registration for Greendale Residents begins May 7th. Summer Registration begins May 12th for Residents and May 15th for Non-residents.

MAIL-IN Registrations are accepted until the day before classes begin or classes fill (if registering less then 3 business days before the class begins a $7.50 late fee will apply).

For more details or to download registration forms visit http://gpr.greendale.k12.wi.us