2nd Guardian Girls Karate Instructor’s Course in Germany

Led by Ulrike Maass, a World Karate Federation (WKF)-certified Guardian Girls Karate Instructor, the course—“by women, for women”—offered participants a comprehensive experience in self-assertion and self-empowerment, combining theory with hands-on practice.

Over three and a half days, participants engaged in diverse training sessions including reaction drills using pool noodles, defensive escapes from wrist grips and chokeholds, and real-life scenario simulations such as harassment on public transport, being pinned against a wall, and self-defense from the ground.

Participants described the program as an intensive and eye-opening experience, gaining not only practical self-defense skills but also deeper insights into confidence-building, mutual support, and open dialogue among women. Many shared their belief that Guardian Girls Karate can reach women who might otherwise never have the courage to step into a self-defense class or dojo.

Building on this success, two new editions of the Guardian Girls Karate Instructors’ Course are scheduled for 2026 in Saxony-Anhalt and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Developed jointly by the World Karate Federation (WKF), the Koyamada International Foundation (KIF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Guardian Girls Karate Programme aims to equip women and girls with practical tools to confront and prevent gender-based violence through the transformative discipline of Karate.

For updates and future events, follow Guardian Girls Karate on Instagram: @guardiangirlskarate