FORT SILL, Okla., May 5, 2016 -- Don't catch me in a dark alley. I just might break your arm.
I'm joking, but only sort of. It's one of the many things I learned during the three-hour self-defense seminar at the FIRES Fitness Center, April 30. The instructor, Thomas Felder, the founder of Tensho Goju and the creator of the Chinese Goju Academy in Lawton, taught a variety of defenses against hand grabs, chokes, and even attacks with a knife.
I saw a flyer for it on the Fort Sill Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation Facebook page and thought, 'why not go? It's free and who doesn't need to know how to get out of a rear naked choke?' The flyer said to come in comfortable clothes although I thought perhaps next time I'd wear heels and dress clothes since I'm often in heels for work. However, tennis shoes and workout clothes were great for learning the basics.
The class gathered on the third basketball court on thick mats. After a few minutes of stretching and some introductions by Felder we got started. I didn't know anyone there which was strangely comforting. I'd convinced myself on the way to the class that I was going to put 100 percent into each step and move, and take the lesson seriously. If I was afraid of looking "silly," I was just going to waste time for the class, and I hate the person who wastes time.
We began with arm grabs, straight arm grabs and cross body. There are so many ways to "escape" from a grab it's strange to think I didn't know how to do any. At one point some Soldiers from the other basketball court saw us and came over to try their hand at breaking free from an assailant (while also possibly breaking the assailant's arms, wrists or dislocating their shoulders).
For myself it was hard to imagine causing physical pain to someone. For one move we twisted assailants' head causing them to turn and fall on their spine, temporarily paralyzing them, before drawing our hand up over their face, catching their nose, and ripping it off. Off. The whole thing. Gone. No more smeller. Crazy.
Felder, I assume, saw my apprehension and reminded me that if it came down to saving my life, I probably wouldn't care if I destroyed their body parts as long as I got away. He may have been right.
The moves varied from complicated to simple. From a temporary shift in power to inflicting intense pain. For one move he had to instruct us individually to ensure we didn't accidentally break the arms of our partners. No pressure there!
Tierra Martin attended at the request of a friend. She said she came to learn any techniques that could be used against someone who may attack her.
"It's important to learn these," said Martin. "This happens in the real world, you need to be prepared."
While Martin and I were among the smaller in stature, Felder and one of this assistants were both taller than 6 feet. While their physiques were intimidating, Martin said the difference was also helpful.
"The height and weight seemed more realistic to what I may encounter," she said. "That helps out a whole lot, and it's good that he knows his techniques."
As a 9th-degree black belt, Felder has more than 43 years of training under his belt. His start in martial arts began when he was in foster care and moved to Queens, N.Y. While there he encountered gangs and violence.
He chose not to be a victim and would walk a mile and a half to a karate school. After he joined the Army, Felder took his skills from base to base and would give seminars to service members and their families.
"I wanted to help the community to feel safe by providing my skills and helping them prevent themselves from becoming a victim," said Felder. "I love it. I'm blessed to have learned this stuff and have the capability and commitment to do it. Now I have a chance to serve. I'm blessed to be a blessing."
Felder said martial arts provides a way for individuals to increase their confidence levels, awareness levels and their mental, physical and spiritual levels.
Some of the moves involved flipping people, while others brought them just to the point of pain before we stopped. We knew the moves and how to cause damage if we were in a serious situation that warranted it in order to save ourselves or someone else.
As we neared the end of our training, I lamented that it would be another six months before the next seminar. I was told Felder has a cardio defense fitness kickboxing class at the FIRES Fitness Center, Wednesdays at 11:40 a.m. In it participants learn cardio kickboxing and then at the end Felder shows them how to incorporate the moves they learned into techniques for self-defense.
If you are unable to make the next seminar (which is tentatively scheduled for September), consider taking his weekly cardio class. I haven't been but I know that if you have a chance to learn some moves for free, you should jump at the chance -- before someone jumps you.
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