According to NJ.com, the Ladies Awareness Confidence and Empowerment (LACE) class teaches women a variety of skills to thwart would-be attackers and escape potentially dangerous situations. The class is especially important as young women prepare to return to college campuses across the country this fall, where they will be susceptible to campus attacks, assaults and even rape.
“During August, we market to the crowd who, in the next couple weeks, are heading back to school,” owner and certified Krav Maga instructor Don Melnick said. “The techniques we teach transfer from college campus safety to general life-saving skills.”
Melnick said having basic situational awareness is the foundation of self-defense.
“The first thing we teach is awareness training,” he said. “Be aware of where you go on campus whether it’s day or night. Be aware at all times.”
Melnick advises his students to always stay in a group when they go out.
“Don’t go out at night alone. Stay with a group,” Melnick said. “Always have a basic awareness of your surroundings.”
Trusting your instincts is another way to help guarantee your safety.
“If you see a group of people who make you uncomfortable, don’t go near them,” he said. “Trust your instincts.”
Melnick also warns that one should never take a drink from a stranger.
“Don’t accept drinks, alcoholic or non, from someone you don’t know,” he said. “You want to assume the best about people, but you can’t always do that. Don’t be overly trusting, but don’t be paranoid. Just always question it and get your own drink.”
As NJ.com reports, if those tips fail and a woman finds herself in a dangerous situation, Israeli Krav Maga teaches the techniques which will help get her out of it.
“If someone grabs you and pulls you towards them, don’t resist,” Melnick said. “Go towards the threat. Use the momentum to crash into them. Then use a palm to the face or use your body weight to disorient them.
“The bad guy won’t expect you to defend yourself,” he added. “They want to catch you off guard. But if you crash into them using elbows and kicks, you can get a head start and run away.”
Melnick said these lessons also apply if a woman is attacked from behind.
“If someone comes up behind you and chokes you or pulls a necklace, immediately turn and crash into them, throwing them off,” Melnick said. “Step back, turn and crash into them elbows, knees and hands.”
According to NJ.com, Krav Maga techniques work for people of all ages.
“I have kids as young as 7 and my oldest student is 77, and the techniques don’t change,” Melnick said. “It’s not about strength. It doesn’t matter how strong you are. We teach you to do enough to defuse the situation.”
For more information about the LACE course, call 856-428-KRAV (5728) or visit http://www.israelikrav.com.
Read more: http://www.nj.com
