Strong resilient women participated in a self-defense class to better understand techniques for protecting themselves and fighting back when the time is crucial. Laura Rathbone hosted a self-defense class with defense instructor and senior black belt Michelle at North Valley Caring Services on Sunday, March 26th.
Rathbone is very involved in the community and helping people in need. She works tremendously with the homeless community and says too many people are misinformed about the homeless community. She pointed out that over 25% of the homeless are working and that many people couldn’t come to this event because they were working at the time. Rathbone mentioned that she feels it is important for everyone to take a self-defense class.
“I hope you learn something today that will make you more confident,” said defense instructor Michelle.
Michelle expressed the gratitude she feels from being able to impact women who come from different walks of life. She spoke on her childhood of abuse and has overtime learned to accept herself.
“One thing we have in common is that we are strong,” said Michelle. “We are silent, but deadly. We don’t quit!”
Michelle said it is important to always be prepared to defend yourself because you never know when you could get hit. You must always be ready.
Michelle shows the women different techniques in different situations of being attacked.
Rathbone asks Michelle for tips on how to react if one gets attacked while sleeping on the ground.
She also points out how crucial the “metal box” is. It is a guard with our arms that must be put to use in any situation in which one is being attacked.
“You must move quickly in all situations” said Michelle. “You must stay close. When you decide to go in, you have to get back out quickly.”
When fighting back, Michelle says it is important to allow your strike to go further than just hitting someone. To act as though you are aiming for something beyond them so your hits and swings are much more powerful.
“There is a lot of wavelength movement,” said Michelle. “That is used as a particular point of power release for a strike.”
Michelle teaches the women how to react when being attacked by a weapon and the different hand techniques one can use.
“I love being a woman and what we stand for,” said Michelle. “I think we have forgotten who we are. I love the idea of being able to express who we are because we are powerful.”
Michelle says it is important to learn how to forgive ourselves when things happen to us. We need to learn to not blame ourselves and let things go.
“As we learn to love and accept ourselves we are able to love and accept others” said Michelle.
Michelle says to silence all the voices because through this silence comes the physical power one has within.
“You are capable of anything!” said Michelle.
I don’t re-blog the work of others very often, but this photo story by Lauren Valencia, done as part of our Documentary Photojournalism project on homelessness, is worth sharing.