Self Defense Article by Brooke Crockett

One of our best students wrote this terrific article on self defense. To download the original article with pics click here.

Original Article by: Brooke Crockett

Reasons Why Everyone Should Take Self-Defense Classes 

As the world becomes an increasingly dangerous place, people are beginning to feel more vulnerable if they are alone and it doesn’t help that the news shares stories of kidnappings or assault on a daily basis. 

Self-defense classes are the best things anyone could take to protect themselves. Whether it is to become physically fit, become disciplined or work on mental health, everyone can find some benefit in practicing at this formal Maumee dojo. 

Practicing at The Ohio Martial Arts Center in Maumee, Ohio for two and a half years under Sensei Hurtsellers’ guidance helped me realize the benefits of self-defense classes. This Maumee dojo teaches numerous disciplines which allows students to expand their knowledge of certain styles. 

This includes Karate, Kung Fu, Judo and many other martial arts styles. Under Sensei’s watch, I learned to better myself as a person. 

These are my reasons why I believe everyone should consistently attend self-defense classes. 

1. A Safe State of Mind 

I attend school at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Being in a big city can be overwhelming, and there are horror stories of attacked or assaulted people not only in Columbus, but on campus. 

With the skills that I learned at The Ohio Martial Arts Center, I became more confident in walking by myself at night in the city. Though I don’t recommend anyone does that unless completely necessary, knowing how to get someone off of you that is strangling you or how to get out of a grab from behind while under pressure are comforting skills to learn. 

Since taking these self-defense classes, I found myself scoping out my surroundings more and coming up with an escape plan if anything were to happen. It makes me feel safer and it helps put my family’s mind at ease. 

2. Mental and Physical Stamina 

Mental: At the beginning of each self-defense class, before we even stretch, we sit and meditate. Clearing the mind helps you focus on the practice that you are about to complete and helps you align your body to feel how it is all connected. 

Sitting down and breathing seems very mundane until you realize how the body unites with the mind. It is through meditation that my mental health began improving. 

The saying at this Maumee dojo is “Be Here Now” and going into the practice with that mentality helps your body get through the physicality of the class and also makes the time fly. By the time class is over, you don’t even feel like a full hour passed. 

Physical: 

Classes at The Ohio Martial Arts Center last between 45 minutes and one hour for adults (17 and older.) Classes start out with a 15 minute warm-up and then move to pad work with partners where students will take turns working combinations on each other in a safe and controlled environment. 

At the end of the lesson in this Maumee dojo, students practice Brazilian and Japanese Jiu Jitsu. This is where we learn how to do a proper choke, manipulate the body and use general self-defense strategies. 

Instructors at The Ohio Martial Arts Center such as Sensei Hurtsellers, his son Joseph Hurtsellers, or instructor Steven Collins will walk around and help people adjust their positions for optimal effect. 

3. The Five Ways to Become a Great Martial Artist 

This is The Ohio Martial Arts Center’s major selling point. Walking through those doors as a new person, you will hear the Five Ways to Become a Great Martial Artist for the first time and you will continue to hear them almost every time you finish a class. 

What makes these so impactful is not only do they help you succeed in this Maumee dojo, but it will help you succeed in life. 

The Five Ways are: 

Patience- You can’t expect to walk in and become Bruce Lee in one lesson. Learning self-defense takes time. Sometimes you need to wait to take that rank test or maybe miss a lesson due to life circumstances. With patience, you will hit your goals. 

Perseverance- “Patience without perseverance is laziness.” This is the quote that is always said when explaining this way to become a Great Martial Artist. You can’t walk into this Maumee dojo, do the bare minimum and expect to be a ninja. Just waiting around will not make you a great martial artist. 

Practice Hard- You need to practice the combinations over and over again. You need to run drills with people so you can use what you’ve learned in a real-life situation. You will never fully succeed if you don’t put in the work and leave sweat on the mats. 

Practice Exactly the Way You Want to Perform- If you drill something long enough and hard enough then it will become second nature. This is why you need to take numerous self-defense classes and not just one. That way if someone comes up from behind, your first instinct isn’t to struggle or run but rather it is to throw an elbow in their face. 

Meditation- Connecting the mind and the body is the most vital step to succeeding in training and in life. You need to listen to your body to fulfill your practice. If you don’t take the time to unwind before your practice, you’ve essentially done nothing to improve your martial arts. 

Martial arts is the best thing that happened to me in my life and I feel like it is an experience everyone needs to go through. I feel safer and more secure in my ability to defend myself. I plan on continuing my practice for as long as I can to help keep myself in shape and to improve my mental health. I owe it all to The Ohio Martial Arts Center of Maumee, Ohio. 

Brooke is a third year student at the Ohio State University with an anticipated graduation of May 2020 and a student at the Ohio Martial Arts Center. She is majoring in Strategic Communication and double-minoring in Professional Writing and Nonprofit Studies. She plans on doing marketing, advertising, or event planning for a nonprofit after graduation. 

Meta-description Reasons to practice self-defense. The Ohio Martial Arts Center is an excellent dojo in Maumee to practice physical and mental health. Learning the Five Ways to Become a Great Martial Artist help you succeed both in this Maumee dojo and in life.