Continuing the recent presentation theme of crime prevention, incoming Lewisville Noon Rotary president Dennis Song last week hosted featured speaker Ryan Young, a third degree Jiu-Jitsu black belt, who spoke on the topic of self-defense.
“I teach Jiu-Jitsu, but there’s a million different ways you can defend yourself,” said Young, who is one of the instructors at Kama Jiu-Jitsu studio in Flower Mound. A simple solution is to put your phone away and stay aware of your surroundings when you’re out and about, Young said, noting that people tend to be oblivious to others nearby when they are looking at their phone screen.
“Criminals are cowards,” he added. “They’re going to look for someone they can victimize easily.” By practicing situational awareness, you reduce the chances of being their next target.
If you see someone suspicious, make eye contact or even greet them to show you’re not afraid, Young advised. If they come toward you, be prepared to confront them, loudly and forcefully telling them to back up. If you can, try to get to a well-populated place, like a retail store.
“It’s important that you know what’s going on around you,” said Young. If someone is following you and doesn’t back away after your verbal warning, you need to be prepared for a physical confrontation. Keeping your hands casually in front of your face as you speak can let you react quickly if someone comes at you.
“Women, especially, need to know how to defend themselves,” Young said. Even if you don’t train in Jiu-Jitsu, any kind of training that gives you a mindset to fight back will help, whether it’s boxing, Tae Kwon do, or even basic self defense moves, Young added. And if you carry a gun, you need to be trained and prepared to take action if someone tries to physically assault you.
Kama Jiu-Jitsu studio is located next to Community Pharmacy in the shopping center at 1001 Cross Timbers Road in Flower Mound. To learn more about Jiu-Jitsu martial arts training, visit
Kama Jiu-Jitsu on Facebook, or check out their website at
kamajiujitsu.com.