There was a wonderful arrticle in the PV news recently that discussed one woman taking her safety in her own hands by learning self defense. Elite is proud to be the school she turned to and we hope women throughout the South Bay come to recognize that you have a right to know how to defend yourself and that this knowledge provides peace. The article is summaried below:
“As a single female who lives alone in downtown Long Beach, I’ve come across my fair share of unsavory characters walking the streets. When I’m out walking my dog, Berkeley Buster, after dark, I stroll with caution, sometimes concerned for my safety. I’d say that fear is even more present after the recent killing of Chelsea King, the 17-year-old San Diegan who was attacked while jogging in a familiar park, and the discovery of missing 14-year-old Amber Dubois’ remains.
When I came across an old invitation — buried haphazardly in a pile of papers — for a free women’s empowerment self-defense session at a Beach Cities facility, I quickly was reminded of that need to be able to defend myself, should one of those seedy passersby try to harm me. Now is the time to take my personal security seriously.
Elite Training Center, formerly known as Lotar Self Defense & Fitness, in Redondo Beach, under the direction of its chief instructor, Brian Rauchbach, has made self-defense a part of its core mission, and offers classes in kickboxing, jiujitsu, fitness and more.
Shawni Young, a former women’s World Champion mixed martial arts fighter who now serves as the center’s program director, during a private session last week was kind enough to walk me through some techniques, including jabbing, the ever-effective groin kick and how to break free from a chokehold.
Within the short lesson, I already was beginning to feel transformed, more confident and aware of how to properly execute the moves. Some things I learned: When kicking, extend your leg from the knee so that the shin — far stronger than the foot — can make contact with the target. When running away, always flee off to the side. Never turn your back on an attacker.
Shawni did advise that while learning the techniques is a step in the right direction, maintaining a consistent routine and a commitment to safety is the most important aspect of taking classes. Learning self-defense, she said, is about changing your attitude. It will boost your confidence level, which alone may be enough to prevent an attack from ever occurring.”
