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Yesterday I caught a flight from St. Louis back to Denver, only to grab my car and drive to a 3.5 hour FAST Defense class near Boulder.  This class was taught by FAST Defense founder and my self-defense teacher, Bill Kipp.  While I’ve done quite a bit of private training with him, I hadn’t yet taken his formal class with other students so this was exciting.  My staff, Ashley & Camella, also joined me…both of their first full-contact self-defense experiences.  Also joining us was GFB volunteers, Chris Lacis and Lisa Poole. See a photo of my team, as well as a bunch of new friends at left.

In just a few short hours, Bill and his incredible team took a class full of timid but brave souls and turned them into fighters.  Together we learned to set boundaries with both friends and strangers, use our voice as an effective self-defense tool and fight back if necessary.  Class ended with two, full-contact fights with padded attackers in bullet man suits.  I got extra special attention in my last fight, by getting surprised by three attackers.  Game on for multiple assailants!

FAST Defense courses are taking place all over the world, and I’m working with Bill to make sure even more people know about his exceptional program.  His class proves you don’t need to be a black belt to save your life.  You don’t need to enroll in years of training to defend yourself.  One night will give you the confidence and basic skills to survive a scrappy confrontation, and will leave you wanting more.  Learn more at http://www.fastdefense.com (new website coming soon…)

Early this morning I was a guest on WNBC’s Weekend Today in New York.  I woke up at 4:30 am and was out the hotel door by 5:30.  Since it was so early on a Sunday, New York was like a ghost town.  In my 7 years of living out here (2000 - 2007), I’ve never seen it that dead before.  It was kind of nice to see the city in such a different light.  I had to hoof it two avenues to Rockefeller Center since there were no cabs around and it was a relatively short walk. (Less than 10 mintutes)  I was about halfway there, right past David Letterman’s theatre, when a man approached me from behind.  I sensed him coming about a second before he grabbed my left arm as it swung back with my confident stride.  He was tall and foreign and wearing a black shirt and gray pants.  I couldn’t hear exactly what he said through his thick accent, but it sounded like, “Come with me, lady.”  That arm grab was all I needed.  Who the hell did he think he was, grabbing a woman’s arm, traveling alone at 5:30 am on a desolate New York street?  Oh no you didn’t…

I ripped my arm from him, and swung deliberately into my ready position with hands up and feet planted in a strong stance.  Simultaneously, in a deep voice that I didn’t even know I had, I barked, “BACK OFF.”  I kinda sounded like Satan.  Or maybe more like the evil Ursula in the Little Mermaid movie.  Regardless, it was throaty and beast-like and quite powerful.  The man’s eyes got really wide - not sure if it was fear or surprise.  Either way, he did an about face and walked away.  I stayed in my stance until I felt he was a comfortable distance away.  I then went on to my destination of NBC studios.  Perhaps because of all my adrenal stress training with Bill Kipp at the Creepy Barn, my fear state vanished pretty quickly and I was back to my happy self in a matter of minutes.

When I got to Rockefeller Center, I was greeted by the show producer.  She put me in a dressing room, but before doing so, she made me wait outside.  She said, “This was a Saturday Night Live dressing room last night.  Let me do a quick check…umm, you never know.”  After that, I was off to hair and make-up.  By 6:40 I was live on the air with Carolyn Gusoff teaching her how to do my ready position with the, “Stop. Leave me alone. I don’t want any problems.”  I’ve never taught this with more conviction, mostly because I had effectively used it just minutes before.

After the live broadcast, I roamed the streets of New York for awhile, mostly in search of a cell phone charger.  (which I left at home)  No luck, since it was still too early.  So I hit up some tasty brunch at a local french bistro and sipped strong coffee.  A good day, and it’s only 9:30 am!  Now off to play more in the Big Apple before catching my next flight…

It’s a dream come true to say this…but we have finally nailed down a date for the 1st Annual Girls Fight Back Conference!  It will take place June 12-14, 2009 in Virginia.  The conference will take place at the home of Blauer Tactical Systems in Virginia Beach, and will feature some of the coolest self-defense training available.  It will be open to beginners and experienced women alike, so come as you are.  More details to come in the next few weeks, but just wanted to put the date out there.  A huge thank you to worldwide self-defense guru, Tony Blauer, for inviting us to his brand new, state of the art, training facility!

This has been a very long time coming…and today I am happy to announce the official release of our first DVD.  It’s called Girls Fight Back: Live from Denver! If you haven’t had the opportunity to see the seminar live or just want a refresher, it’s the same program I give to 100 schools, colleges and corporations every year.  We shot it with a live studio audience at Comcast Studios in Denver this summer, and it was such a fun experience.  There are two versions of this DVD.  First, you can buy the consumer version for home use.  Or if you would like to show the DVD to an audience or classroom, you can purchase the Public Performance Kit.  In addition to the DVD, the kit includes a CD-ROM with worksheets, discussion questions, instructor guide, posters, handouts and a public performance license.  You can show the DVD as many times as you’d like.  The launching of the DVD is a major milestone in steps towards the mission of Girls Fight Back: To educate women across the globe about personal safety & self-defense.

FREE SHIPPING on all DVD purchases until this Friday, Aug. 22nd!  Click here to buy it.

So why the DVD?  With rising travel costs, my schedule becoming busier than ever and the demand for programs constantly on the rise..it was long overdue. Furthermore, this past year my husband and I made the decision to start a family, which isn’t easy given my current lifestyle.  The good news is we found out I was pregnant in July, and we were given a due date of March 2009.  Nervous and excited, my staff and I got to work trying to figure out what the Spring ‘09 tour could look like (big prego girl teaching self-defense?) and all the other plans that might need re-adjusting.  It was a blissful few weeks, and for the first time in a long while, I started seeing myself in another light besides a speaker, author and fighter.

But here’s the not-so-good news: Two weeks ago, we had a miscarriage.  This is the first time I am openly discussing it. As these past two weeks have unfolded, some people looked upon me with pity, sadness or avoided eye contact altogether.  There have been awkward moments and I have felt myself going to great lengths to make sure people didn’t feel uncomfortable.  Some individuals simply didn’t know what to say, so they said nothing at all.  Or on the flip side, some assured me to “keep my chin up” or that “I’d get over it someday.”

I started wishing this experience would just go away, disappear and I’d never talk about it again.  I could throw myself into work or travel or writing another book just to stay distracted. And in that moment of wanting to shrink into the darkness, lock this experience in a small box of sadness and hide it in the attic of my heart…that’s when I realized this situation had similarities to what society tells victims of violence to do with their pain.  Don’t make others uncomfortable. Don’t talk about it. Keep it a secret. Get on with your life.  And we wonder why rape victims often don’t report assaults!  And why survivors of childhood sex abuse don’t speak about it until their 40th birthday!  Or why our society is a massive cluster of people who are hurting, which wreaks havoc on our ability to succeed, to love and to break the cycle!

The first step to finding peace is sharing the stories that bond together in our human experience.  We have to start tearing down our brick walls.  We need to begin opening up, even when it’s hard or there is a lurking fear of judgment.  When we feel the need to turn our back on the truth, instead we need to grab a flashlight and investigate deep within. Above all, we need to support each other.  We need to be there to catch our loved ones with a giant net as we leap out the 10th story window of our respective comfort zones.  If you are someone who has been carrying a heavy burden, I can assure you that for every insensitive comment you will hear, there will be one thousand more hugs, words of support, good vibes and friends you didn’t even know you had.

Next week I begin my Fall speaking tour in Texas.  I have taken the time to write, think, cry, talk, process and heal.  I can honestly say that I’m back to my old self and at peace with what has happened…perhaps even a bit wiser than before.  All the great things at GFB headquarters are moving ahead with gusto.  I am excited that when I can’t be somewhere to give the GFB seminar, the DVD can be shown in my place.  I am encouraged by the fact that over 30 high schools and universities have contacted us about starting a Girls Fight Back Club on their campus this fall.  I am elated that we have been presented with opportunities to take the GFB mission to an international level.  Blessings are everywhere, but we must choose to see them for what they are.

I went to a yoga retreat this past weekend to get some zen before diving into the Fall Tour, and I camped the first night.  I endured a howling, scary thunder and lightning storm alone in my little tent.  While getting pelted by hail I thought to myself, “I really don’t need this right now.” But how symbolic of my past two weeks!  I consciously decided, after fleeing to my SUV for cover, that my challenges were finished for now and it’s time to start over.  The next morning, in anticipation of more bad weather, I upgraded from my tent to a cabin.  Ironically, I was placed in a cabin named Ganesh, who is the Hindu God of Removing Obstacles and New Beginnings.

And so it is.

I’d like to introduce you all to my new friend and soul sister, Lee Sinclair.  Lee started Africa’s first women’s self-defense program in the slums of Kenya back in 2001.  Lee is a writer and activist living in San Francisco, and was first brought to Kenya while coordinating a child care and sponsorship program for AIDS orphans. It was her experiences with these vulnerable children and their stories of rape, incest and sexual abuse that led Lee to realize that her own Self-Defense training could be lifesaving when applied to children living in the area.  Lee began teaching SD to small groups of local children but it quickly became clear that the problem deserved a larger effort. In February 2007, with the help of two US based Self Defense Instructors, Susannah MacKaye and Wendi Deetz, the first I’m Worth Defending team was formed in Korogocho slum Kenya. On February 26th 2007, after a month of specialized training, classes began. Since then, thousands of women and children have learned self-defense…and self-worth in the process.  Lee and I are planning some exciting international projects, so stay tuned.

Watch video about I’m Worth Defending.

Ladies, have you ever had a guy pursue you like this?

Click here to listen to the most manipulative voicemail of all time.

How do you say “no” to unwanted pursuers in your life?

So let me tell you about my afternoon.  I’ve been running around like mad, trying to get ready for vacation tomorrow.  That’s right.  Erin Weed is taking a break.  Sound the alarm, cuz this never happens!  It’s amazing how much work goes into taking a vacation, however.  It’s like you need to rest after prepping to get some rest.  Oh, the irony.  But anyways, back to my afternoon.  I was driving on I-25 north to our office, and all of a sudden I heard a big “pop.” Immediately my car went out of control, and started veering into other lanes. This is when my adrenal stress training in self-defense really came in handy.  Instead of panicking, I took a deep breath, then started signaling to the other drivers that I was about to cut them off.  I had to cross four lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder, and wouldn’t you know it…right as I stop the car, I look in the rear-view mirror and the creepiest truck I’ve ever seen pulls up behind me.  This is a situation many women have found themselves in at some point, and simultaneously, two big issues come up.

Issue #1: Safety - OK, I’m a woman…alone…on a highway…and a guy in a creepy truck just stopped behind me.  As he gets out of the truck, I see he’s covered with tattoos.  Instant profiling and discrimination begins. Immediately afterward comes the self-loathing for thinking that just because he his body is covered with tattoos doesn’t mean he’s a serial killer. Anyone can commit a crime, but as women, we tend to cling to the visual concepts of what a bad guy looks like…and those thought patterns are dangerous.

Issue #2: Women’s independence.  I know how to change a tire.  And while I never had a blow-out to this porportion before, I have practiced changing a tire many times.  As he walked up to me, I started thinking…no, I’ll change my own damn tire. But then he had all this professional tire-changing gear, and I knew he could do this better and faster than me.

I was torn on multiple levels, so I decided to let my intuition make the call.  I asked myself, “Can you trust this person? Is there anything about this man that is making you uncomfortable?”  The simple answer was NO.  While the situation overall was stressful, the man himself wasn’t causing me any concern.  So together we changed the tire, and I was out of there in 20 minutes flat. (no pun intended) I gave him $20 for his trouble, and he was psyched.

As July 4th weekend is upon us, here’s a few safety trips if you find yourself in a similar situation:

1.  After pulling over to safety, get on your cell phone and immediately let someone know where you are, and the fact that someone is helping you. Even if you have to leave messages or make several calls, just make sure someone knows where you are and what’s going on.  (and if you’re a cave woman and don’t have a cell phone…go buy one to keep in the car just for emergencies.)  If necessary, call the police to inform them of your situation.

2.  Do not play the damsel in distress and act like a victim.  Instead, go right up to the person, look them in the eye, give a firm handshake and thank them for stopping.  Ask for their first and last name.  Memorize it. Even better, call your emergency contact again and say, “I just wanted to let you know that a nice man named Jimmy BoJangles has stopped and is assisting me with the tire.”  Yes, a fake name can be given…but your intuition will likely pick up on the person’s hesitation if he’s making one up on the fly.

3.  Help identify your intuitive feeling by asking yourself:  Is this person giving me the creeps?  Do I feel safe right now?  Is there something odd that I just can’t identify that is giving me an unsettled feeling?  If your intuition gives off feelings of danger or doubt, trust it. Refuse assistance and call police instead.

4.  While your helper isn’t looking, whip out your cell phone and took a photo of his license plate.  And while you’re at it, there’s a plethora of improvised weapons in a woman’s trunk: car jack, lug wrench, hub cap…get scrappy!  Just hold any of them in your hand, in case the situation takes a dark turn.

Wishing you safe and happy travels this holiday weekend!

To tase or not to tase. That is the trendy question, right? But I think when it comes to women specifically, there are a lot more questions about how they work and if it’s the best route to follow for personal self-defense. I bring up this topic because I received an invitation today to join a Network Marketing Company just for taser parties. Yeah, that’s right: Tupperware or Mary Kay, but a little more electrifying. And I thought the Passion Party I recently attended was a little bizarre! Before you can make a decision for yourself (and never let anyone else make it for you), it’s best to get educated. So let’s start with the facts:

-The taser is an electroshock weapon that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD) technology. This makes muscles contract involuntarily throughout the body, and the sensory and motor nerves go into overdrive.

-The Taser fires two little electrodes, kinda like baby darts. They are connected to the hand-held unit by conductive wire and propelled by compressed nitrogen charges (similar to paint guns). The air cartridge contains a pair of electrodes and propellant for a single shot and is replaced after each use. For consumer models, they are limited to shooting a distance of 15 feet. When the darts hit the target, they penetrate clothing and hook into the skin.

-Police officers use two different models, the M26 and X26. Taser International is also marketing a civilian model called the C2.

-According to the Associated Press, there have been 180 deaths from tasers up to 2006. However, a study by Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center studied nearly 1,000 people after getting tazed. They concluded that 99.7% of the subjects had either minor injuries, such as scrapes and bruises, or none at all. So go figure.

I have never been personally tased, and I’d prefer to keep it that way. But I’m curious, sometimes to the point of stupidity, so I’d probably volunteer to get zapped just for the sake of research. I think a person can only have so much of an opinion about this until they have felt the effects themselves. I would like to know if someone who has been tased can still continue an attack, or if they are just totally incapacitated.

For the sake of women’s safety, we have to give a few things consideration:

#1: Who is most likely to attack us? Statistics say our most common threat is a person we know. So if you’re going to be armed with a taser, you should be prepared to use it against anyone, stranger or not. This argument should also be made for any physical self-defense, like a palm strike. I mean, you have to be ready to use it on anyone and fully commit with the intention of escaping…including someone you might care about.

#2: Is is a replacement for other self-defense? I get a little nervous when anyone’s self-defense response is a can of pepper spray, a taser or any other product du jour. You’ve got to have a plan if the batteries die or if you miss. What then? I think your mind and body are your best weapons, and anything else you decide to use is a bonus.

#3: Are you going to carry your taser all the time? A mistake we often make is to arm ourselves only when there is a perceived threat. (i.e, walking through a dark parking lot, in a big city at night, etc.) Sometimes we deem certain situations “dangerous” and others as “safe.” Truly effective self-defense needs to be used all the time, as part of your daily routine. So consider if you’d take your taser to your pedicure appointment at 11am on a Saturday in suburbia.

#4: Will you get training? Sometimes women buy safety products, only to FEEL more safe. This is more dangerous than not carrying anything at all, because it creates a false sense of security. Anything we arm ourselves in, we should also know how to use under stress.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about tasers. Anyone get zapped recently? Any of my law enforcement and military buddies have a comment on this?