10 Best Jogger Sweatpants For Guys

Best Jogger Sweatpants For Guys in 2023

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Personal Safety for Runners & Joggers

Idai was interviewed by Women's Fitness Magazine to help advise women on how best to stay safe while out running. The advice given applies to men as well, so if you do get out on your own it's probably worth having a read.

Idai Makaya: Christina, having previewed your questions my answers to your questions will be quite extensive, unfortunately, because these queries cannot be meaningfully addressed in short phrases. They are actually quite complex and form the basic/core fundamentals of all self defence.

For some quick background, my personal philosophy for self defence is what I call New Age Self Defence and is based on the common premise that prevention is much more effective than rectification, in self defence matters. In addition, the ability to fight is only a very small part of self defence preparation. The greater aspect of self defence is ensuring an attack on you is virtually impossible. To be truly effective in defending yourself you must plan your self defence strategies in advance. You must also decide on your self defence priorities so that you can plan properly how you will address them. Questions such as yours are the sorts of questions one must be asking if running is causing anxieties about safety. That is the first step towards prioritisation. Basically, prioritise everything which causes you to feel vulnerable and find strategies for addressing those issues.

Q:If a woman is running outside on her own and she passes a man who makes comments, how should she deal with it? Should she respond or ignore?

IM: Generally speaking, one should try not to engage with potential threats. Part of the approach to this will involve planning. You must plan for your self defence in the same way that many criminals actually plan for their attacks on women. They say "failing to plan is like planning to fail." The most important aspect of planning, in the case of running regularly, is using a running route which passes through well-populated areas. Also plan to run through areas which you know are safe (read your local papers regularly to get an idea of the crime 'hot spots' in your area and ensure you avoid them). If you live in a high crime area, choose running routes which are used well and run at a time of day when people are likely to be returning home from work - or going to work - so the streets will be busy. If you can, run during the day (lunch times or mid-morning/mid afternoon - or early mornings). Those are the safest times. Find a number of different routes so you can mix them up a bit - and train based on time spent running (not route distance). This way, you can use different (but safe) routes and you can avoid dangerous characters who may be learning your routine (which helps them plan an attack on you).

Q:Is it passive to ignore comments and will it be perceived as a sign of weakness, therefore putting yourself in further danger?

IM: As mentioned above, run in reasonably populous areas whenever possible. That way, if someone makes a rude or inappropriate comment you can safely ignore them - without having to worry about what happens next. If you totally ignore 'wolf whistlers' 'cat callers' and other such deviants, you will usually be able to get away with it - the first time. What will actually endanger you, though, is to continue with the same routine - when you know there is a reasonable possibility of meeting the same unsavoury characters again and again. They usually don't 'follow up' if they are ignored by people who don't know them - the first time round - but as time goes by they may begin to feel that your repeated use of a route which passes by them is an invitation to progress the interaction/abuse to another level - or a sign of disregard/disrespect - which gives them an excuse to take the interaction to a more dangerous, newer level.

However, my general advice is the same as is given for dealing with aggressive animals! Try not to make eye contact and try to move on in as non-interactive and non-confrontational a manner as you can. Yes, if you do get into the situation it is best to ignore rude remarks. Be careful what you ignore, though. If a stranger shouts out a question as you run by, which he can 'pretend' is 'reasonable' - such as "what time is it?" - he may use it as an excuse to take offense if you ignore him rudely. I'd advise turning and then either signalling back (pretending that you can't hear him properly) -if you are moving by fast enough - or just tell him the time politely and in a tone of voice which doesn't entertain further interaction (but is not rude).

Ignoring a 'reasonable' remark can be used as an excuse for a thug to claim he/she has been disrespected. Thugs, nowadays, are both male and female - so watch out for both genders. In fact, a lot of attacks on women are by other women, who behave almost exactly in the same way as male muggers and actually plan for and go looking for victims (who they usually will rob of something petty, in addition to physical abuse).

Q:If a woman is running along a road and a gang of youths are on the corner, sneering and making comments, what's the best course of action?

IM: In the first instance, as mentioned earlier, this situation must be avoided at all costs. Plan your routes to avoid danger spots. Run at safe times of day - during the day if possible. Be aware of school holidays and half term holidays, because the movements of teenagers are altered at such times. Certain parks, which normally would be deserted on a week-day, can become havens for bored youths during holidays. Use my earlier advice on the best times of day to run at. If you must run in the evenings, do not do so on Saturdays and Fridays - when you are most likely to come across drunken youths.

If you see a group of youths ahead, wherever possible, make a diversion (and act as if you had planned to go in the new direction all along). This is not always possible. You may need to size up the situation quickly. If the youths are very young (and, individually, considerably smaller than you are), you may need to run directly through/around them. If you do run through, do so assertively - and do not make any lingering eye contact (but a quick, knowing glance - to show you are aware of where they are - often helps to keep the situation calm because it shows them you are alert). The fact that you are assertive will make them think twice before interacting and you'll be gone before they can make a decision on anything. If someone shouts something back at you just keep going - unless you think they are young enough that you can challenge the statement. Often very young youths will not take abuse further when put in their place by a reprimand or a question such as "What did you just say?" - but know your area and be sure the kids are very young before challenging in this way (and if not sure, just ignore comments and pretend you didn't hear them). If you need to return the same way, choose an alternative route to avoid a second confrontation (if there was tension the first time round).

Also, if there is no chance of turning away gracefully, you must look around for potential escape routes and, indeed, for potential weapons (such as rocks or sticks). Plan quickly what you'll do and make an assessment of the surroundings. If there are many people in the group don't plan to fight, plan instead to escape.

Bear in mind, though, that unless it is later in the evening, most groups of youths will not be dangerous and it is important to bear this in mind. A little worried anticipation and alertness is healthy when you are faced with such groups - but many large groups of youths, whilst appearing intimidating due to numbers, are actually harmless and consist of kids with nothing better to do than group in public areas. They often are not looking for any trouble at all.

Q:If a woman is out running and they are approached by someone and threatened, what should they do?

IM: As I mentioned earlier, this situation should be avoided at all costs. As you run your mind need not be dormant - you will have an idea of your route already, so try to think in advance what you would do if met with a threat at any point along the route. This is not paranoid behaviour and you should get used to doing it - it will actually help you to feel safer when you do this because you will know you have planned appropriately for all possibilities. If the unthinkable does occur, you need to make a very quick decision. Either run off as fast as you can, shouting "help!" as loudly and as many times as you can - or, look confident and ignore the comment, without responding in any way. Like animals, these sorts of thugs have a 'crucial proximity area' around them, in which things get very dangerous for you. But if you don't stop running and move further away from them physically, the threat will diminish with every step you take. If you choose to ignore such a threat, do not change your running pace (or act as if you are fleeing). Just give an offended expression or even a blank expression and move on. Never show aggression unless you have given up hope of a peaceful solution. Only give up hope of a peaceful resolution if you are actually pursued. Unless pursued, do not try to test your fighting ability.

Bear in mind though, that most attacks by strangers will be ambushes. If someone threatens first - then there is a good chance of getting away by simply leaving the vicinity quickly, without engaging. A thug who threatens first is not very serious about attacking - so your chances of getting away are actually much better in such a situation.

Q:What should they do if cornered by a potential attacker?

IM: Before I explain how I believe women should handle an attack I must stress two FACTS.

Firstly, when you are attacked - in almost all cases there will be NO WARNING - it will be a sudden ambush or unexpected strike. For this reason, any defensive action you may be capable of is of little value. When criminal people attack strangers they invariably do so in a cowardly way. There is likely to be absolutely no chance of you succeeding in defending yourself from an attack by a stranger because the attackers are either in numbers which you couldn't possibly handle (even if you were the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion) - or they are armed - or they strike you without warning (on an area of your body from which you will never recover in time to take defensive action).

However, their techniques give a clue to how you can avoid or overcome their attacks. Fight fire with fire. Use their tactics against them. What I mean by this is that thugs will usually have planned to start trouble - they will have planned to attack you. You should also have planned to fight them off - in advance. There is a saying, "battles are won the night before" and it applies to self defence too - if you don't plan, you fail. Based on this information, by far the most important aspect of self defence is pre-emptive planning to avoid being in the situation of being attacked.

That leads into my second bit of advice - which also relates to using their tactics against them. It may sound like a confusion of terms, but if 'attacked' you must always endeavour to strike first (and you must do so with conviction - with intent and with faith in your course of action). This requires making a judgement call and making a commitment to a course of action. Do not be hesitant - commit to the course you have chosen and (by advance planning and scenario work, when there is no pressure) know exactly what you are going to do - which, invariably, should be to run to a place of safety (either with or without a prior defensive strike/action of some kind).

If cornered by a potential attacker you are in the worst possible situation you can be in - and one which you must take steps to avoid at all costs - in advance - as I reiterated already. However, if you think a confrontation is inevitable you must make a split second decision. You should be able to make this decision because every woman - or man - who goes running, should play out various self defence scenarios in their mind every time they are out on the road. This is an activity called "mental conditioning" by martial artists and it is crucial because it automates your responses to danger. Mental conditioning is about playing various scenarios in your mind over and over in times of 'peace' and deciding how you will handle each potential problem. It is so effective that many martial artists can use it as the sole preparation for competitions or for self defence situations and a mentally conditioned person will often act automatically when the threat becomes real.

Before accepting the inevitable when cornered, address the attacker directly - with some firmness/anger in your voice. Without actually saying so - give the impression that you are willing to give a good fight - but don't show any actual intent. Be aggressive when you do strike pre-emptively (which you have to do if cornered), but make a judgement of when to strike because you will only get one chance. Take immediate evasive action after striking, by trying to run away - and run towards the most likely populated area. If you decide you are being attacked you must choose to defend yourself. This is one of the most important areas of knowledge when dealing with a potential personal attack. You must heed my next bit of advice very carefully because it brings with it serious consequences.

If you are to defend yourself, the first rule of successful self defence is that you have to attack first.

This is frightening for many people but it is the ONLY way to ensure success in defending yourself against violence. You have no idea of the capabilities of an attacker and you have no reason to believe you can fend off their initial attack in order to retaliate thereafter. You should draw hypothetical lines which nobody must cross and if those lines are crossed you must act. Failure to do this puts you at risk of an initial attack which you may not survive.

So be sure in your mind of what you think is happening - because you will be starting a chain of events which cannot be halted. If the attacker is a big man and you are a small woman, your chances of winning a fight are next to nothing. Don't fool yourself into thinking differently. However, under attack, even the smallest of us can be very effective because of adrenalin, so a pre-emptive strike may give you the tiny window of opportunity needed to escape.

When you deliver a pre-emptive strike, always do so with conviction - and have faith in what you do. Never give any warning, or hint that your attack is coming - but make loud, wild noises/screams when the attack is actually delivered - to startle the opponent. Only ever attack to a lethal area of the body (in most cases the eyes). The groin is not as easy a target as common lore would have you believe and unless you can guarantee striking the actual testicles accurately (and not just the groin area), you are unlikely to succeed in disabling a big, strong opponent in this way. So the eyes are your best bet if you do decide to fight.

It takes guts to claw at someone's eyes or to stick your fingers into them and the consequences can be severe - whether you succeed or fail. So be sure you are being attacked in the first instance and that violence is inevitable. Often, wild, aggressive, angry screaming for help will frighten an attacker and confuse him because he will not have planned for this reaction in his own prior scenarios. Don't act hysterical or give the appearance of falling aprt with fear - or it will give the attacker the hope that he can silence you quickly because you wont fight back. This may prompt an attack when an attacker was previously unsure. So be assertive and aggressive. Cowards don't want a fight - even if they are likely to win it.

Again, as mentioned before, screaming only works in populated areas. Don't give the attacker the opportunity to reach for your mouth and silence you, though. If that's unavoidable, the time he reaches for your mouth is the opportunity to peck at his eyes as hard as you can with your fingers -scream aggressively when you do so and claw around his face and eyes until he loosens his grip - and then make a run for it.

If you cannot get free, fight aggressively (wildly) and loudly and also try to bite. The face and nose are good targets for biting - but if you have little choice bite the part of the body closest to you during the attack. Bite with conviction and aim to remove whatever you bite (actually biting off part of a person is unlikely, even if you try your best, but it should get their attention when you try to).

Q:What should they do if they are about to be attacked?

IM: This is a subjective area because it implies understanding what another party is thinking. In reality, we often do have a good idea when we are under the threat of violence (through gut feel) and if this is the case, but you are not cornered, make a run for safety - making as much noise as you can (and without prior warning of your intent to run). Ensure if you run that the opponent doesn't give chase. If he does give chase you must quickly decide who seems the faster runner. If he is gaining ground too fast - turn and fight, rather than take a blow from behind - which you don't see coming and from which you may not recover.

In general, always make 'other road users' aware that you can see them when out running. If people know you definitely are aware of them they are less likely to attack you - if that was on their mind. Remember what I said earlier, attackers rely on the element of surprise and they seldom advertise their intentions. If they see you are alert they are more likely to ignore you. By knowing you are about to be attacked you will be very likely to defend yourself successfully. So, plan to avoid trouble in the first instance.

Q:What items should they carry with them when running to ensure their safety?

IM: A personal alarm may be of help. A concealed mobile phone may help too - but make sure it's GENUINELY concealed - or it may attract muggers who'd never have thought to attack if you didn't have a visible or obvious phone. Keep phones on silent so they don't ring at the wrong time and advertise their presence to potential thieves. Try to jog in groups - or with at least one other person (male or female). It is almost unheard of to hear of two women being seriously attacked while out running together. It's lone people who are mainly attacked in this way. Never carry a weapon. Not only will that get you into trouble with the law, but the same advice given to teenagers applies here - your weapon may be used on you instead. I THINK THE BEST ACCESSORY FOR SAFETY, WHILE OUT RUNNING, IS A RUNNING PARTNER. Join a running club if you must, but company will be your best defence.

Q:What other advice do you have for women running outside to be safe?

IM: When running outside - plan ahead. That is most important. Use safe routes (and busy routes). Use paths along main roads, or busy parks, or well used jogging routes (which are busy). If possible, go to areas used specifically as jogging routes, even if it means driving somewhere to go running. Choose your times very carefully so trouble makers are least likely to be on the prowl. Know your routes and have a number of different ones available. It gives variety for you and stops people from learning your routine (and planning to attack you).

Q:In your opinion, should a female runner running outside be aware of their clothing and dress conservatively?

IM: Dressing in standard running attire is conservative enough. However, if you do all the right things (as discussed earlier) you can dress as you like - because it's unlikely anyone will attack you. However, self defence rules suggest trying as much as possible to avoid drawing attention to yourself so if you can show as little flesh as possible, etc, that can only help.

Q:Should women just accept that when running outside, heckling is a part and parcel of it?

I'd like to say no. But the realities may be different, depending on where you live and where you go running. If women insist on - or have to - run past hecklers, then possibly 'yes' - you will have to accept it as part of the package (because the only way to silence such people is by confrontation - which is not advised). I don't think women should proactively address heckling by confronting people (but avoiding areas where hecklers are likely to gather may help and running during the day whenever possible is useful - like all cowards, it gets harder for them to heckle when not in large groups, when sober and when clearly visible, during the day).

Sometimes it is impossible to ensure your safety while running - if you live in a high crime area. If this is the case, consider running at the gym (on a treadmill), or go to a well used athletics track - or simply choose a new way to exercise. This is not an ideal world and not every community problem can be resolved at once - by just you.

Q:A friend of mine who runs outside wears her iPod and says she pretends she can't hear comments that men make, and this makes her feel more secure. Is it a good idea to wear an iPod or not?

IM: Road safety advisers will warn against wearing an iPod while using the roads and I fully agree. If you are not in a dangerous society/community and the heckling occurs in crowded/populated areas, then the iPod method may just work - I can see the sense of it there. But in such cases it's more about personal comfort than actual safety. For personal safety the iPod is a 'no' for a number of reasons.

If you're hit by a car it's as bad - or worse - than being mugged. Also, having something of value in palin view can attract the attention of drug addicts who had no intention of attacking anyone that day - but opportunistically spotted your iPod and decided it may be good enough to trade in for their next 'fix.' Many physical attacks are opportunistic. The muggers often go out with the hope of finding a victim - but they may not have had YOU in mind. You may just happen to fit the profile they are seeking by carrying an iPod. Don't fool yourself into thinking this sort of threat doesn't exist "where you live." There is free movement in society and such undesirables can surface anywhere, at any time. People are murdered in the unlikeliest places and in the nicest neighbourhoods.

Lastly, if you wear headphones it reduces your ability to hear and detect a possible attack well in advance. Those split seconds of better detection could save your life. No iPod under any circumstances - please.

To summarise, please be aware that personal attacks with a serious threat to life are extremely rare - as rare as winning the Lottery Jackpot. However, like all Lottery players, you don't know if you are the one who's going to win - so be prepared for anything.