Genbu-Kai Karate recently tested and graduated six women who participated in two concurrently running self-defense programs.
The Phase I program was offered at Royal Palm Beach High School’s adult education program, while the Phase II program was offered at the main school.
Phase I participants learned fundamental releases from attacks such as wrist grabs, bear hugs and chokes with karate moves such as elbow and palm heel strikes, knee and stomp kicks.
Phase II participants learned releases from similar attacks, but also implemented ju-jitsu moves such as joint locks, pressure points, arm bars and simple take-down strategies. The testing was conducted with the lights off, in a dark and unfriendly atmosphere, in order to assimilate a real-life nighttime attack.
Genbu-Kai Karate is currently offering a three-phase women’s self defense course. Phase I emphasizes simple karate-type defense maneuvers against a multitude of attacks. Phase II encompasses escaping attacks with a combination of judo, jiu-jitsu and aikido techniques. Phase III introduces women how to use household items as weapons.
All women are from the western communities and some were mother and daughter participants, while others were sisters participating together.
Genbu-Kai Karate is located in the Wellington Marketplace shopping plaza. For more information, call (561) 804.1002 or visit www.floridagenbukai.com.
ABOVE: (Front row) Jennifer Fineran and Leah Scotti; (back row) Chief Instructor Sensei Keith Moore, adult karate student/attacker Roy White, Amber Ackley, Lori Franke, Effie Scotti, Alisa Hobgood, Assistant Instructor Brent Bedwell and Assistant Instructor Ron Martin. Not pictured: Madison Mohr, Savannah Mohr, Marilyn Alicea, Marina Feldman, Dorothy Garling, Rachel Russianoff, Ashley Szatkowski, Christine White.
