Personal protection starts with self confidence

Jamie Chamberland isn't a body-builder, but don't go head-to-head with her in a fight.

She's sweet and funny, but she knows exactly how to use her body to stave off any attacker. At a modest 5-foot-6-inches tall, Jamie sets a perfect example for women learning how to take control of their surroundings to protect themselves, whether they're walking home at night or making a quick trip to the store.

Jamie and her husband, Michael, owner and instructor at The Edge Martial Arts Academy in Milton, are offering free self-protection workshops for women to gain the knowledge and skills to protect themselves in dangerous and unpredictable situations.

“It's really about service to the community,” Michael said. “What I want to drive home is there's not a specific region for violence – it's everywhere.”

Michael noted recent violent crimes in Milton, including a late-November shooting, as a reason to offer free classes for women who want to learn self-defense. He said martial arts programs often cater to men, but women should have the tools and the confidence to fight back in desperate situations.

“There's a very heavy dose of the hypermasculine approach,” he said. “I want to empower women to know they absolutely can take care of themselves and their families.”

I constantly find myself in new, sometimes slightly dangerous, surroundings, so I decided to check out this workshop for myself.

I made the trek to Milton on a cold, rainy Sunday. I'm not very athletic, and I was a little intimidated at the thought of learning martial arts techniques with no background skills.

The session started with a discussion of self-awareness, which Michael and Jamie said is the key to avoiding dangerous situations.

“Defensiveness is a reaction. I want people to be proactive,” Michael said.

Five women attended the first session, myself included, representing a range of ages, shapes and sizes. We started with an awareness drill, admitting how conscious (or not) we are of our surroundings when we return to our cars after work or walk through a dark parking lot on our way to the grocery store. Awareness of surroundings – and self-awareness in any environment – is the first step to self-protection, Michael said.

It's not all physical

“It's about self-awareness and it comes down to making good decisions,” he said.

I was already on the right track, I thought to myself.

After our discussion, it was time to get physical. Michael taught us a series of hits, kicks and movements to escape an attacker's grip.

I was the fifth woman in the group, so I partnered with Jamie. That's when I really started to learn a few things about self-protection. I know I would never get very far as a violent criminal, but I was amazed at how quickly and easily she could disarm and drop me as we worked on drills.

Hit left. Hit right. Use your knee. Throw the attacker off-balance. Step into your strikes. Move around. Keep moving. Do whatever you can to get away.

Jamie proved to me that there's much more to self-protection than having big muscles.

“I was never a really physical person,” Jamie said. “It's been a really empowering experience over the years finding the power in myself and being able to empower other women.”

Danger from within

For Lewes resident Joanne Friend, the first step was fully understanding that lacking self-awareness and confidence increases danger.

“I feel like I'm a perfect target because I'm older, I'm short, and I'm always in a hurry,” she said. But after learning a few useful techniques – like where and how to hit an attacker to disable them long enough to make a getaway – she said she feels a little more comfortable.

“The techniques will help me be able to use my body,” she said. “After the first class, you realize the importance of awareness and being able to protect yourself.”

Friend's daughter, Diane Friend, said that while she worries about her mother, she also worries about her own safety at times.

“I may be hyper-aware, but if I got attacked, I wouldn't know what to do,” Diane Friend admitted. But after the class, she said she feels empowered.

“Violence happens all the time, any time, any place,” she said. “You have to do anything you can do just to help yourself.”

The next free self-protection workshop for women will take place Sunday, Feb. 22, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at The Edge Academy at 622 Mulberry St. in Milton. For more information, call Michael Chamberland at 302-242-5891.