Don’t think about that, I commanded myself as Sensei Eric called class to start. Lyla and I stood quietly, listening closely to what he had to say. After some description on how to punch properly, things that were good to do in potentially dangerous situations, and ways to stay vigilant, we paired up. Sensei Eric and Sensei Sarah demonstrated a few combinations of movements then gave us the go ahead to practice with our partners.
Lyla faced me, grabbing the front of my shirt in a tight grip. I tried the best I could at attempting the moves the teachers had shown us, but for whatever reason, I struggled to get it to work. On my third attempt, I groaned, my shoulders slumping in dejection.
I’m so freaking screwed if I get attacked again.
“Here, this may help,” Sensei Sarah said, coming up to us and directing me to face her instead. “Grab my lapels like she was.” Doing as she asked, I gripped the edge of her uniform and waited. “So when you grab the hand, make sure you’re not grabbing only the wrist. While that’s a major component of the arm, it’s a very fragile joint. The hand is what’s keeping you in place, so reach over and grip the fleshy portion of the palm, keeping your thumb on the back of the hand. All right?” She walked me through the steps as she moved. One hand grabbed mine the way she explained. “Now, what do you think someone would do in this situation if they were you, the attacker?”
“Pull forward?” I hesitantly asked, tightening my hands and tugging forward like I expected someone would.
“Exactly, and while your attacker could, and probably will be strong, you have something on your side.” Without warning, she dropped, the swift movement jarring my hold on her enough that she could work her way out of it. “Gravity and your weight. When you grab hold of their hand, immediately sink down, pulling him or her with your body weight and momentum. Just be sure to keep a solid base like this.”
Looking to her legs, I took in how she was currently positioned. She explained that leaning forward or backward from your hips would throw a stance—the center of gravity—off balance. Her legs were out wide, but bent at the knee, allowing her to use that weight to her advantage without immediately falling off balance and to the ground.
“Once you’re here, this is when the thumb on the back of the hand comes in. Twist, sticking your thumb out and pulling the fleshy part of the hand out.” She maneuvered my hand into that position, my hold on her uniform releasing and the start of a sting built telling me if she continued to tweak my arm that way, it would really hurt.
“What after that?” I asked. “I still have a hand on you.”
“You have a few things you can do. When you drop to this stance and that initial movement dislodges the original hold, take your forearm and either knock the other arm out like this”—her arm came up in front of her, knocking my hand out to the side—“or, what might be better because of how weak the thumb is in comparison to all of the fingers, is come from the outside and bring it down.”
Raising her arm outside of my hold, she slowly brought her forearm down on mine, and I felt what she was explaining. My fingers held tight, but where my thumb was, was too weak to hold fast against the force.
“And after?” Lyla questioned, watching intently from next to us. “I’m assuming some kind of attack to create some space or stun the attacker?”
“Very good. There are several targets that you want to keep in mind. When you’re in a situation, the attacker’s mobility and ability to see are the two things that you would want to target first. Can you tell me why that would be, Emma?”
“Uh,” I stuttered, racking my brain. “They can’t attack what they can’t see, and… if they can’t move, they can’t… come after you?”
“Exactly, and that gives you time to get away and get help,” she praised. “So, hit low and hit the squishy bits.”
I knew it was a serious topic, but I couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped. Lyla couldn’t either, chuckling next to me. Thankfully, Sensei Sarah did the same, nodding as if she knew where my brain had gone.
“Yes, it seems silly, and quite frankly, it is, but in a real situation, aim for the ankles and knees by kicking like this.” Shifting forward, her leg that was farthest away from me came out. When she slowly demonstrated how to kick out a knee or ankle, her foot angled so her heel hit the target and not the ball of her foot. “As for the squishy bits, obviously the groin—and that goes for woman or man because it’s a very sensitive area on both—as well as the eyes.”
“The ability to see,” I murmured, understanding how all the components she talked about came together. With that understanding, I was already starting to feel tiny seeds of hope. If I could piece it all together in my head, maybe my body would be able to follow through. Eventually, it might become instinctual, but for now, I needed my mind and my body to try and get their act together and work as a team.
“Very good. So, after the grip is dislodged, a well-placed kick to the groin like this”—once again she demonstrated, aiming with her shin bone instead of her foot for the target—“followed by a gouge to the eyes would be good, but it really is something that would be determined by the situation and what comes naturally. Muscle memory is important because when you’re in a fight or flight situation, that snap decision reaction is what’s going to happen.”
“Okay, so practice. A lot?” I guessed, my voice betraying that I wasn’t totally sure.
“Perfect practice makes perfect,” she told us. “You can practice, but if the movements are incorrect, then you’re going to learn incorrectly. Perfect the basics and the reasonings behind it, then repeat.”
“Okay, I can do that,” I muttered, standing upright. I took a deep breath and nodded to myself. First step: believe in myself. You’ve got this, Emma.
“It’s a lot, I admit. It took me years to get where I am now,” Sensei Sarah said, her hand coming to my shoulder so I would look at her. Her smile was soft, as if she really understood, and seeing the conviction in her gaze, I held no doubt that she did. “But when in doubt, what’s your number one tool?”
I struggled to pick one thing that would be the ultimate defense to use in an attack. My gaze moved around the room, studying everyone practicing their moves. Everything seemed so important. Each piece they had taught played an essential role in protecting yourself, so I wasn’t sure what it could be. That was until my mind flared with the memory of the party from hell.
Then it clicked.
“Your voice,” I murmured, looking from the room to her. “No one will know you’re in trouble unless you tell them.”
Exactly what had alerted Jesse when I was in trouble.
Sensei Sarah nodded with a proud smile and a comforting squeeze on my shoulder before stepping back. With that, she left Lyla and me to continue practicing. Lyla pulled me into a tight hug, realizing that I needed a few moments to push the pieces of myself back together.
“You got through it once and, god forbid it ever happens again, you’ll get through it then too,” she whispered, squeezing me until I couldn’t breathe.
“Ly… air…” I rasped, patting her back lightly. Laughing, she let go and stepped back.