We Tried It: Women’s Self-Defense Class at DVG Jiu Jitsu
Learn how to throw a punch, block unsolicited hugs and hold your ground at this free community women’s self-defense class.
What: A free women’s self-defense class
Who: Two of us from HONOLULU Magazine
When: A Wednesday evening at 4:45 p.m.
Where: DVG Jiu Jitsu, 99-1324 Koaha Place (parking is limited, so find street parking)
Photo: Maria Kanai
When I first saw on Instagram that DVG Jiu Jitsu was offering a free self-defense class for women, I signed up without a moment’s hesitation. As a 32-year-old woman, I’ve had my share of experience of scares and creepers and figured a class wouldn’t hurt. But when the actual day comes around, I’m nervous. I’ve barely exercised in months and don’t even know what to wear. I end up looking up DVG’s Instagram reels to see what everyone was wearing—leggings or shorts and a shirt seems to be the way to go.
Thankfully, the vibe at DVG Jiu Jitsu immediately puts me at ease. My fellow newbie friend and executive editor Katrina Valcourt is there to share the nerves. All the women are friendly, laughing, chatting and stretching on the mat, and Coach Garrett Whitman introduces me to the teenagers as “Aunty Maria.”
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Photo: Maria Kanai
This class, he shares with me, is held every first Wednesday of the month. It’s completely free, and there are 16 women tonight. Each class teaches something new—last month, they went downstairs to the parking lot and went over how to defend yourself if you’re attacked near your car. “Everyone is welcome to come, your neighbor, your friend or that Safeway cashier aunty,” he says.
Coach Garrett, along with his father-in-law who helps him in the demonstrations, first sits everyone down on the mat and points to the whiteboard. He shares something he calls OODA, which stands for Observe, Orient, Decide and Act. It’s his basic toolkit for women at any situation.
To paraphrase, we need to be observant, as in not be on our phones, and always pay attention to our surroundings. If you notice someone acting strange, then orient yourself, which could mean crossing the street or creating distance. Once the threat seems to be imminent, then you need to decide what to do, then act immediately.
“Hope doesn’t get you out of situations,” he says. “You can’t just hope for the threat to go away. You need to act.”
Photo: Maria Kanai
After the pep talk, he hands out boxing gloves and asks us to partner up in groups of three. We take turns learning how to punch (one person wears a glove backwards and the other throws the punch at the glove), and the proper techniques of how to make a fist, your wrist position and weight distribution. This is fun and cathartic!
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Then we begin the next segment of the class, which Coach Garett has titled “BOUNDARIES” on the whiteboard. “Do you have someone in your life, maybe a coworker or a neighbor, who always comes in for a hug when you don’t want a hug?” he says. Everyone cringes and nods, including myself.
“Get used to holding your boundaries.” He demonstrates by having his father-in-law come in for a hug, and he raises both his hands up in a warding manner and sticks one hand out for a handshake. “The more you practice, the easier it will be to hold your boundary during a social situation.”
Photo: Maria Kanai
It seems silly at first, but I didn’t realize how uncomfortable I felt with simply saying no, thank you, even if it was just via body language. As a recovering people pleaser, this is just what I need.
Next, we go over the “photo hug.” The scenario: what if we are posing for a photo, and the guy next to us has his hand around our waist? What if we don’t like that? What if his hand’s wandering? We all go, “Ewwww,” as his father-in-law demonstrates, and there’s giggles and laughs all around. “All you have to do,” Coach shares, “is make sure your arm is underneath his arm when you first begin the photo poses. That way, you can ‘lift’ his arm away.”
Photo: Maria Kanai
A few minutes of practice take place, then we move onto how to get out of a creepy hug from behind. He says, “Don’t ‘shrink’ and wish that person would go away! Turn around, elbow up, create distance and say no.”
We learn something they call the Kimura grip in case Mr. Creeper doesn’t take the hint—a basic jiu jitsu move that twists your opponent’s hand behind their back and can break their arm, if necessary. I love how these are realistic scenarios and not necessarily an extreme case of assault.
Photo: Maria Kanai
Our final move is the triangle choke. This is by far the most complicated move for Katrina and me, but our third female partner in our group is a jiu jitsu student, so she and Coach Garrett patiently teach us, step by step, how to position ourselves. It’s another basic jiu jitsu move that you can use in the awful situation if you are attacked and trapped on your back. You can use your legs and hands to choke your assailant out. It takes a few tries—lots of wiggling and getting the angle right, but Katrina and I pick it up at the end.
During the last 15 minutes, the current students take over the mat to practice sparring, so we can get a sense of what jiu jitsu would look like. The women and teenagers are clearly having fun, smiling despite the heavy workout. I walk out feeling a little more empowered and confident.
The next women’s self defense class will take place on Wednesday, March 6. Call DVG Jiu Jitsu at (808) 435-6361 to sign up.
