At the end of 2003, Adrie de Herdt a Wado Ryu Karateteacher decides to set up the Studygroup Practical Selfdefense-Training. In Dutch: Studiegroep Praktische Zelfverdediging.

Adrie holds a second Dan in Wado Ryu Karate and a first Dan in Shotokan karate and has twenty years of service experience as a Dutch Correctional Officer.

It's Adrie's aim to instruct only practical useful selfdefensetechniques in the most broad sense of the word.

The Studygroup trains highschool students selfdefense as a part of their physical education. Some of the former students started as sportkarateka's at Adrie's Wado Ryu Karateschool and other enrolled at the Studygroup for selfdefensetraining.

Later this year the Studygroup started training in selfdefense for highschool staffmembers and other highschool employees. They where impressed of the non-agressive techniques which they learned to defend themselves with.

The first few Studygroup Course Participants are examined for their selfdefensetechniques, their physical condition and the perseverance to succeed for Elementary Practical Selfdefense Test of this Studygroup. In the presence of family, relatives and friends they showed their ability in an impressive manner.

Furthermore the Studygroup started teaching selfdefense at the ITF Taekwondoschool Hwarang in Amstelveen near Amsterdam. This school belongs to ITF Taekwondoteacher Dedy Sam. Dedy shows total open mindedness by asking a Wado Ryu Karateteacher to come and educate his taekwondpupils in selfdefense.

The Studygroup Course Participants that had succeeded the Elementary Practical Selfdefense Test, now joined the Prolonged Practical Selfdefense Test of the Studygroup. Astonishing their families, relatives and friends again with their abilities.

The Studygroup looked after some impressive workshops for instance to a group of workmasters at a social indecated workspace and to a female empowermentgroup in Amsterdam.

The Studygroup also set up a selfdefensecourse for female students at the University of Utrecht only aimed at learning how to defend oneself in confined spaces. The Studygroup was asked to do so by a group of students because of attacks that were launched at female students at their houses.

At the same time the Studygroup shifted a part of it's corebusiness a little bit more into tasks concerning the security of it's clients. For instance securing children of international businessmen living in The Netherlands and consulting a Nigerian businesswoman concerning some security questions she had.

This year the Studygroup expanded it's business into two groups of youths training them in the art of selfdefense, one at monday and another one at thursday while having a group at wednesday allready.

The Studygroup also trained the Jungle Training Coordinator of the Dutch Air Assault Brigade hand-to-hand knifefighting aimed at the special conditions that one have to fight in under jungleconditions.

Moreover the SPZ took care of several special workshops selfdefense for gymteachers at the Fontys Sport College of Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Furthermore the SPZ went to Africa, to The Gambia where SPZ-trainer Adrie de Herdt instructed the Gambian National Guard TSU at the Gambian Military School in selfdefense, arrest- and control techniques and how to operate at roadblocks.

The Studygroup also expanded it's securitybusinesses into providing Personal Security to artists, other performers and celebrities.