Valkyries

Fail the Predatory Interview. Reclaim Your Extraordinary Potential.

You were born to be extraordinary, but the modern world often asks women to play small. At Kore Self Defense, we provide the tools to help you take full agency over your life. Home to the internationally recognized #500Rising Project, Kore is the premier training center for women’s self-defense in the United States.

Our mission is bold and specific: we integrate physical and psychological training to remarkably decrease the risk of being targeted for the types of violence that concern women most—including sexual assault, abduction, and partner-based abuse.

What Sets the Valkyrie Program Apart?

Most fitness options in Loudoun County can help you get in shape, but they cannot teach you how to navigate a violent encounter. The Valkyrie program is built on a foundation of nearly 30 years of trauma recovery and violence dynamics research.

Led by Experts: Founded by Dr. Tammy McCracken, a KMG Expert and court-recognized subject matter expert, our program is designed by women, for women.
A Holistic Approach: We combine the systemized efficiency of Krav Maga with the insights of international violence experts like Rory Miller.
Psychology Meets Physicality: We don’t just teach you how to strike; we teach you how the criminal mind works so you can stop a threat before it starts.

Fail the Predatory Interview

Most criminals begin their attack long before a physical strike occurs. They conduct a “Predatory Interview,” assessing your movement, eye contact, and confidence from a distance.

Training in the Valkyrie program changes how you walk, move, and manage your body. You will develop a level of “active presence” that causes you to fail that predatory interview. Our students often hear, “I don’t know what you’ve been doing, but you are the most confident woman I know.”

Your Training Path

The Valkyrie program is open to any woman aged 13 and older. Whether you are a complete beginner or looking to deepen your existing skills, you will find a supportive, empowering community on our mats.

What You Will Master:

Alpha Skills: Advanced de-escalation and threat assessment techniques.
Physical Agency: Essential striking and defense skills to arm yourself against physical threats.
Violence Dynamics: Understanding how to recognize “grooming” behaviors and environmental red flags.

Join Us: First Fridays & Weekly Classes

We believe that safety is a right, not a privilege. That’s why we offer multiple ways to begin your journey:

Weekly Classes: Join our dedicated female instructor cadre every Monday and Thursday at 7:30 pm.
First Fridays: The first Friday of every month, we host a Free Women’s Self-Defense Workshop open to the public. It’s the perfect, low-pressure way to experience the 500 Rising methodology that started right here at Kore.

Step Onto the Mat

No hashtag or social media movement can give you the physical skills necessary to change the statistics of violence. Only training can do that. Don’t wait until you need these skills to start building them.

Take the next step toward a safer, more confident you.

SCHEDULE A TRIAL

VALKYRIES

Breaking the Social Scripts of Women’s Self-Defense