Press Releases

On April 5, 2004, the staff of the Rochester Location presented a 30 minute introduction on women's self-defense to 20 women attending the weekly Mary Kay Cosmetics meeting in Victor, NY. Senior Instructor Ann Colasurdo emphasized the importance of knowledge and awareness in being safe.

"The best self-defense is to not be in a place that will require you to defend yourself. But sometimes things happen no matter how careful and aware we are," she pointed out. "That's when knowing what to do may make the difference. In our martial arts classes we teach a variety of techniques to give our students many options should they have to defend themselves. In women's self-defense we empasize keeping yourself safe by breaking free and getting away."

Miss Colasurdo discusses self-defense and awareness

Senior Instructor Jamie Howard then took the group through basic stretches, punches, and kicks. Instructors Mark Sanson and Jim Colasurdo and staff member Cindy Prentice moved around the group offering assistance and to give each participant a chance to feel what it's like to hit a solid target, using the target shields. Striking to anatomical weak points was emphasized, including punches to the solar plexus and floating ribs, and kicking to the knee.

During the final portion of the program, Miss Colasurdo taught three escape techniques: the circular arm breakaway, against an assailant grabbing the wrist or arm; the reinforced elbow strike to the ribs or face, against an assailant putting his arm around the shoulders or waist; and a throw, against an assailant using a single arm choke hold from behind. Each participant had the opportunity to perform the techniques on the black belt instructors, which they did with great enthusiasm! There is no doubt they enjoyed successfully breaking free from their "attackers"!

Miss Colasurdo closed the evening with a reminder that awareness and knowledge are the most important aspects of self-defense and extended an invitation to all present to attend future women's self-defense classes at the school's location at 84 High Street, Fairport. Overall, it was a very enjoyable evening for both the participants and the instructors. The interest and enthusiasm of this group made them a real pleasure to work with, and as Dr. Howard noted at the end of the program, "If our sharing this knowledge helps even one person to live a safer life, then we've accomplished our goal and, tonight has been a definite success."