A woman working at Bethesda’s upscale yoga store Lululemon was brutally murdered March 11 by a fellow employee, a tragic event that might have been prevented if the woman had known how to properly defend herself.
Knee the groin, poke the eyes and bite the shoulder are all common techniques that some parents teach their children to do if attacked. Knowing how to defend yourself from an assailant may seem simple in your head, but actually being able to protect yourself in a real life circumstance is very different from what most people imagine.
Self-defense classes can remedy this, preparing students for how an actual attack would feel.
According to Max Tzentis, who is an instructor at Rockville Pure Performance Martial Arts Center, all of the martial arts classes the center teaches simulate actual scenarios. The instructor saves practicing defense moves until the end of class, when student are most tired, mirroring how they might feel in a real assault.
“We drill it in when the student is under duress,” Tzentis said. “We practice for a real life situation.”
Self defense is much more complex than simply knowing a few actions. There are various techniques, positions and moves that one can learn to be better prepared. Certain martial arts, such as Krav Maga, the official self- defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces, were designed specifically to help humans defend themselves against other human attackers.
According to the official website for Krav Maga Worldwide, this martial art has been taught to hundreds of law enforcement agencies and thousands of civilians in the US as a means of defense. Krav Maga is a straightforward self-defense system that “emphasizes instinctive movements, practical techniques and realistic training scenarios.”
While there are many other types of martial arts out there to learn, many people believe Krav Maga is one of the better methods for self defense.
“Krav Maga is hands down the most effective martial art,” Tzentis said. “It takes the best techniques from other arts and rolls them into one system. That is why it is so effective.”
The purpose of self defense is to be able to subdue the attacker and run away as soon as possible.
“We don’t teach how to avoid bullets or getting knifed,” Tzentis said. “If a person is going to shoot you, he or she will shoot you, but if a person is holding a gun to your head and telling you to walk somewhere, that is when you can put self defense into play and get away.”
Learning self defense can give a person confidence and ensure a level of security. According to Tzentis, attackers will prey on people who look vulnerable. By learning self defense, you will exude confidence. If an attacker grabs you, you won’t hesitate before you act.
“After learning self defense, you are able to naturally react to a situation,” Tzentis said. “You don’t have to think about it. Your eyes see a situation and respond to it. It becomes a second nature and your body can go on autopilot.”
Some people also believe that attackers have specific situations in which they are more likely to assault others. For instance, many students feel that girls who walk alone are more vulnerable to an attack than if they were walking with a guy for company, so self-defense can be an extremely important skill to have.
Knowing the basics of self defense is essential to being free and in control of any unsafe conditions that may arise. It could be especially important for students to learn defense before leaving high school, since most will be alone for the first time in their lives.
“I think it is a good idea for everyone to know how to defend themselves, especially by the time we all go to college,” junior Josh Miller said. “That is the first time we are truly independent, and there are many situations that could be potentially dangerous. Most of the time you are alone, walking to classes or getting a bite to eat.”
However, taking a self-defense class may be not as important as simply learning to be aware of your surroundings. Security team leader Terry Bell believes that an awareness class would be more beneficial for students.
“Being aware of your environment is important,” Bell said. “In an hour- to-two-hour class you are limited in what physical defense tactics can be learned. I imagine to master a martial art completely would take years.”
Several CHS students have taken up self defense classes to be safer and better prepared.
According to senior and third degree black belt Joe Rinaldi, learning martial arts has made him more confident. His friends also feel safer when they are with him.
“One time we were in a dangerous part of DC and it was at night,” said Joe’s friend senior Ronke Obayomi. “I told Joe to walk in front of me because I knew he could protect me with his black belt skills.”
Simply knowing how to defend yourself, however, isn’t always enough. Junior Hina Kanwal is a second degree black belt in karate, but she still would not feel safe walking alone or with friends at night.
“I know the techniques so I could if I needed to, but I am not that strong or flexible,” Kanwal said. “I am not at that level to do it automatically. Karate teaches self-defense techniques, but we don’t practice them that often in class.”
While students might not agree on the most effective form of self defense, most agree that learning how to protect themselves is important.
“You never know when you are going to get jumped,” Rinaldi said. “I feel like at least once in everyone’s lives they will need to defend themselves.”