Sports page 11:
Playoffs, profiles and achievements
Feb. 28, 2011
Volume 21. Issue 10
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chaffeybreeze.com
Summer sessions are slashed page 3 Chaffey celebrates Black History Month page 6-7 Alumna publishes children’s books page 8 Everything a few people wanted to know about cheating Page 9 Marvel vs. Capcom Page 10
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Search for Chaffey Breeze This week’s question: Would you know how to react if you were attacked on campus?
JUSTIN KENWARD
Dannis Blue and Matt Mellon are sparring while Stuart Simon observes their technique during a session at the Defense Art Center in Upland on Wednesday, Feb. 23. Mellon (right) show’s off a minor injury.
Defend yourself
Students learn the art of self-defense
SARA GODING
W
hile a variety of classes can help students secure a career, selfdefense helps to secure personal
safety. In the first four weeks of the spring semester there have been criminal threats, stalking, grand theft and disorderly conduct reported on campus. Self-defense, unlike other martial arts, is concentrated on discovering the quickest and most direct means to get oneself out of danger. “MMA and Ultimate Fighting have too many rules,” instructor of self-defense, Dennis Blue, said. “They have like 60 something rules. That’s like saying we’re going to war but you can’t do this, you can’t do that. You can’t defend yourself.” The self-defense class is combined with a technique called Jeet Kune Do. Jeet Kune Do literally translates to “the way of stopping the fist.” Created by Bruce Lee, this style of fighting takes parts of fencing, boxing,
kung fu and other combative styles and gets rid of all the unnecessary parts. It is about a daily decrease, not an increase. A style-less style that is concerned with the individual not the style. “The most important thing we want our students to get from our classes is a sense of self-awareness,” assistant instructor, Steve Borden, said. “It’s kind of like when you learn how to drive, you learn how to read the road,so you can see something before it happens.” The Bureau of Justice reports that 45 percent of all crimes are violent crimes, which include aggravated and simple assault, rape and robbery. “Since I have a son now, I’m more cautious about where we’re at, especially at night. It’s good to know how to defend myself and protect my son,” nursing major Felicia Marquez said. Jeet Kune Do teaches that there is no help but self help. A teacher guides the student and it is up to the student to find personal truth and liberation. “I teach the basic principles and you
adapt it to yourself because no two people are the same or built the same,” Blue said. “There are no cookie-cutter techniques. Jeet Kune Do is very alive, constantly moving. It’s not what most people expect.” Blue also teaches off campus at Self Defense Arts in Upland. Students from Chaffey and throughout the community go to further their self defense and Jeet Kune Do skills. “It’s a good activity, something good to know and it’s fun to learn,” geology major Stewart Simon said. “I want to get into law enforcement so I thought I would start in self defense first before I went to the academy,” Raul Felix, administrative justice major, said. “This is real world stuff.” There are no belts or trophies to be earned at self defense. The hard work one puts into it means something different to each person and each reward is unique to every experience. “If I’m attacked,” Andre Jackson, communications major, said, “then walking away or killing the other person is my reward.”