It is no secret that in today’s world, many people do not feel safe. With that fact also comes some questions. Are self-defense classes important for high school students? Do people learn anything useful from self-defense? There are plenty of self-defense classes for people to go to, whether they are adults, young women, men, or even kids. They are all around the area. In fact, on Saturday, December 2, there was a class for women ages 12 and up at a local martial arts academy called Guardian Institute of Martial Arts. There are multiple classes every year that have a different importance in every section.
Josie Logan, freshman, is a wrestler at the high school. Logan has been wrestling for about a year and is on the school team. She believes that high schoolers need to know how to protect themselves no matter what and that it doesn’t matter if one thinks they won’t need self-defense because it might be useful in the future. Logan said, “I have never taken a self-defense class, but I would like to in case something ever happens to me.” When people take classes, they won’t have to worry as much about what might happen since they know how to take care of themselves in dangerous situations.
Katy Sebers is an instructor who leads self-defense classes at the Guardian Institute of Martial Arts. She started learning taekwondo in 2016 and started teaching in 2019. Sebers said, “It builds confidence and power but also gives people the ability to help themselves in scary situations. Anyone can learn these skills to keep themselves safe.” She learned self-defense because it gives her confidence, and she believes it is an important thing for everyone to learn.
Nobody should rely on their phone or friends to get them out of a bad situation because there won’t always be somebody there, and it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. In self-defense lessons, people learn how to use their bodies to protect themselves from harm. Sebers said, “There’s no guarantee you’ll have a person or device with you in a scary situation. Our focus is what you can do with your own body in a moment when it matters. There’s no replacement for that knowledge.”
When taking a self-defense class, they put people’s needs first and make sure they are comfortable. No one will force anything upon anyone. This is so that people don’t have to do anything they do not want to do or don’t feel comfortable doing. They also will ask what kind of instructor is needed for certain individuals learning. For example, if someone is male, female, newer, or even older, they want it to be a comfortable environment for people to learn in. Instructors still want the lessons to be something people can take from and learn how to defend themselves. Some information that one may need to know before taking a self-defense class is to be ready to work and not be afraid to ask questions because no one will laugh at what someone is unsure or curious about.
Self-defense classes are ultimately better for everyone to take in their lifetime no matter who someone is, what they look like, or what their background is like. Sebers said, “Self-defense skills can be learned by anyone of any size. These are fundamental skills that will help with confidence, and power, and will keep you safe in the long run.” Defense classes can help anyone. There is always something that can be learned.
