The first footstep behind you sets your heart racing.
The second footfall, closer, turns your blood to ice.
Alone on a dark city street, nightmare scenarios run through your mind.
What would you do if you were attacked?
Like many men and women traipsing about Chicago, Annie Levin had no idea. But the 27-year-old Lincoln Square resident had heard enough catcalls and seen enough cars follow her that she decided to find out.
At the Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self-Defense Center in Lakeview, Levin is among the chorus of students who yell “Back off!” and “Let go of me!” before jabbing their elbows into their mock-assailants’ throats.
With a swift kick to the kneecap, palm to the chin or knee to the groin, students at Thousand Waves and in other self-defense classes around the city learn how to stop attacks and, importantly, keep them from happening in the first place.
Levin, who works in social services and often finds herself entering strangers’ homes, said that while she hasn’t yet been in a position where she’s had to physically fight back, the training has made her more vigilant and prepared.
“I just make better choices and have much more of an awareness,” said Levin, who started the classes five years ago. “I pay attention to where I park and where I sit on the train, and to who’s around me.”
Levin also has overcome an attribute that can land people in risky situations: the need to be polite at all costs.
Nancy Lanoue, director of the self-defense outreach program at Thousand Waves, said victims–especially women–often recite a common scenario: “I had a funny feeling, but I didn’t slam the door in his face/leave the bar/get up and leave the subway car because I was afraid of being rude.”
Women “must be willing to be rude,” Lanoue said. “Women are targeted because men think they’re defenseless, so if you stand up for yourself, most assailants will go find another victim.”
Men, of course, are not immune to attack.
Bill Kouis, a 51-year-old Rogers Park man who has been mugged, joined Thousand Waves after a young woman he knew broke an assailant’s ribs and knee, showing him how powerful he could become.
But Marie O’Brien, director of violence prevention programs at Thousand Waves, emphasized that stranger danger is far from the only worry, and fists are far from the only solution. The center teaches the “five fingers of self-defense” so that students are prepared for any scenario: think, yell, run, fight and tell (report to police or share your experience with friends to help yourself heal)–in that order. Thousand Waves also offers specialized courses for teens, parents and gay men.
Self-defense training is not regulated, so different classes teach different strategies.
At Wing Tsun Chicago Self Defense in River West, instructor Ingo Weigel teaches a system focusing on physics and reflexes rather than strength, assuming that most attackers will be bigger and stronger than their victims. The central principle is “sticky arms,” whereby you maintain contact with your attacker’s limbs so that you can strike them without being struck back.
“You use the attacker’s force and energy against them,” Weigel said.
The different philosophies have some contradictions. While Thousand Waves said yelling is important to intimidate the attacker, Weigel said it won’t do anything but aggravate the situation. And while Thousand Waves recommends running away when you can, Weigel said to keep fighting until the attacker is immobilized because, chances are, the assailant will be faster than you.
In the end, though, it may not be the victim’s choice, as the response will depend on an offender’s agenda, said Angela Exson, director of advocacy services for Rape Victims Advocates in the Loop. While self-defense courses can help people feel empowered and vigilant, her organization does not advocate them to protect against sexual assault because the victim might feel responsible if she’s not able to defend herself.
“Whatever that person does at that particular time to get to the other side alive is the right thing for them to do,” Exson said.
But Levin said that much of the benefit–and challenge–of the self-defense training is mental, and that she certainly feels safer now.
“Learning the physical techniques is not the hardest part,” she said. “The hardest part is learning you’re worth defending.”
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aelejalderuiz@tribune.com
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LEARN MORE
Want to take a self-defense class? Here are a few places to check out:
Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self-Defense Center
1220 W. Belmont Ave., 773-472-7663.
www.thousandwaves.org
Wing Tsun Chicago Self Defense
821 W. Superior St.,
312-235-6984
www.chicagoselfdefense.com
IMPACT Chicago
rotating schedule of classes on the North Side and at Dominican University in River Forest, 773-338-4545.
www.impactchicago.org.
K.S. Hyun Hapkido Taekwondo Schools of Martial Arts and Self-Defense
2743 N. Western Ave., 773-252-8300;
3722 W. 79th St.,
773-284-1300.
www.hapkido.ws
Women’s Self-Defense Institute
www.rapeescape.com
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Defend yourself
While different self-defense courses have different philosophies, most teach the same basic moves. If you find yourself having to fight off an attacker, experts agree, strike at the most vulnerable body parts–like eyes, ears, throat and groin. This sequence of photos shows RedEye reporter Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz practicing some of the more common techniques with local instructors Nancy Lanoue and Ingo Weigel. A video on the RedEye Web site, www.redeyechicago.com, shows Thousand Waves instructor Lanoue giving a more detailed self-defense tutorial. Neither the photos nor the video should take the place of taking an actual class.
Escape a grab
Most attacks start with a grab, says Thousand Waves instructor Nancy Lanoue, but simply pulling away often won’t help if your attacker is stronger than you. To get free, first make a fist with the hand that’s been grabbed and bring your elbow close to your waist. Then circle your hand out so that your attacker’s arm gets twisted out of position and his finger and thumb can’t hold you anymore, and abruptly yank your wrist down to release the attacker’s grip.
Palm heel strike
Once you’ve escaped, you may want to deal a “weakening blow” to your attacker. Use the heel of your palm, which for untrained people is more powerful than your fist and won’t hurt your hand as much as a punch. Start by jabbing your palm into the attacker’s chin. And then follow up with your other palm, and plant it into the attacker’s nose–one of the body’s weaker areas. Pivot your back foot and throw your body into it for maximum power.
Kick to knee
Aim your kick at your attacker’s kneecap to knock him off balance, Lanoue said. It’s best not to kick higher than that while you’re standing up because you risk falling over or the attacker grabbing your foot. If you end up lying on the ground, you don’t have to worry about falling over, so keep your legs between you and the attacker, and kick wherever you can.
Elbow punch
Ball your hand into a fist and wrap your other hand around it to give yourself extra power as you swing your elbow into your attacker’s jaw, neck or abdomen.
Use your feet
If an attacker grabs you from behind, your feet may be the best chance left. Stomp on his foot or reach your foot back and kick him in the knee, then scrape your foot down the front of his shin, and end by stomping on his foot.
The ultimate brush-off
Your elbow can come in especially handy if your attacker places an unwanted arm around you, said Wing Tsun Chicago Self Defense instructor Ingo Weigel. Jab your elbow into the underside of his chin. Follow up by straightening your arm and pushing back to get him off of you completely.
Hit him where it hurts
One of the scarier situations is if your attacker grabs you by your throat. You have to act quickly, so strike whatever you can reach, aiming for the most vulnerable areas of his body. Thrust your palm into his throat or nose, scratch him across the eyes, or box his ears with you palms, which can disorient him. Your legs are free in this case, so a knee to the groin could be a good move.
Multitask
One of the theories of Wing Tsun instructors is to maintain contact with your attacker, because when you keep your attacker’s limbs occupied, he’s not using them to attack you. If you can, grab his wrist, punch him in the jaw and kick him in the back of the knee, which can buckle his legs and cause him to drop to the ground. The more you’re doing, the less he can do.
