Women learn protection tips in NE session

By Matt Koper/ne news editor

NE instructional associate teaches how to survive in dire situations

Women learned how to better prepare for and defend themselves in dangerous situations March 16.

Instructional associate Shane Whitehead taught a self-defense class as part of Women’s History Month on NE Campus.

Ga San Ryu Kenpo student Angel Cabral helps administrative accountant clerk Jessica Payne practice her knee strikes.  Photo by Katelyn Townsend/The Collegian
Ga San Ryu Kenpo student Angel Cabral helps administrative accountant clerk Jessica Payne practice her knee strikes.
Photo by Katelyn Townsend/The Collegian

Whitehead, a fourth-degree black belt in Ga San Ryu Kenpo, used this opportunity to teach participants basic techniques including palm strikes and proper techniques for kneeing the opponent and escaping chokeholds.

Whitehead said using the four-color system, a system designed for awareness, is important.

“White is a blizzard. You are completely unaware of your surroundings,” he said. “Yellow is you are more aware of your surroundings. I’m not saying be paranoid, but be aware of what’s going on around you. Orange is identifying the threat. Red is you are ready to go and stepping into your fighting stance.”

Whitehead had Michael Francis and Angel Cabral, two of his students from the Chamberlain Studios of Self Defense, hold kicking shields to allow the women in the class to get hands-on experience using the techniques and strikes.

Whitehead stressed to the women while they were practicing the strikes to have a stable base and “be loud.”

“We are conditioned to be quiet,” he said. “The more noise you make, the better off you are, the better chance someone can come help you.”

Participants were hesitant at first. Whitehead continued to encourage them.

“You have to unleash on this person,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to go as hard as you can. The more time you spend in indecision and ineffective attack, the more damage you take. We want to break that cycle.”

Other tips Whitehead presented to attendees were to look behind them to make sure no else is there, assume they are always alone in a fight and they are always on videotape.

“There’s a fine line between self-defense and if you are just beating on someone,” he said.

Whitehead discussed the extreme situations such as an attempted rape or a full-on attack posing the questions: “What is your definition of survival” and “What are you willing to do to protect yourself?”

“It’s a personal choice everyone has to make for themselves,” he said.

NE student Lacey Sezeker said she learned new techniques.

“I took a kickboxing class last year, so some of the stuff is kind of familiar,” she said. “But the actual self-defense technique of someone coming up from behind you and how to disarm them is what I’ll probably take away.”

Michelle Davis-Mohammed, manager of real estate management services, said she is happy she attended.

“I thought it was fantastic,” she said. “I think this is something every woman should spend some time learning — how to defend themselves.”