Programs focusing on personal safety and protection skills, but excluding traditional martial arts disciplines, are increasingly available in many locales. These programs emphasize practical techniques drawn from various sources, adapting them for real-world scenarios and accessibility to individuals of all fitness levels and backgrounds. Examples include courses centered on situational awareness, verbal de-escalation, and the use of everyday objects for protection.
The growing interest in these approaches stems from a desire for effective self-preservation strategies that can be learned quickly and applied immediately. Unlike martial arts, which often require years of dedicated training to achieve proficiency, non-martial arts programs prioritize easily retained and readily deployable tactics. Historically, the need for self-protection has driven the development of various combative systems, and modern non-martial arts approaches represent a contemporary evolution of this ongoing pursuit of personal security.