Not just for
KICKS
Whether they kickbox for
By Michelle Ramos
self-defense or fitness, just don't
mess with these babes
Special to the Star-BulletinFROM movies to TV, kickboxing seems to be the self-defense art for women. Ashley Judd kickboxed her way out of a hostage situation in "Kiss the Girls" and Ally McBeal's roommate kicked her date to the hospital when he made an unwanted advance.
But there is a right way and a wrong way to defend oneself, and the wrong move could be life-threatening.
"Most cardio-kickboxing programs only focus on the workout and not self-defense," said Brian McCutcheon, owner of the Oahu Tae Kwon-Do Center. "They think they can use the punch and kick, but if it isn't proper it won't work."
Harlan Lee of Gee Yung International Martial Arts Association agreed. "In kickboxing, they don't learn eye jabs, they just learn punches and kicks.These, in my perspective, are totally useless in a situation."
Lee teaches Shaolin kung fu and Muay Thai kickboxing. "The first aspect we teach in kung fu is an eye jab," Lee said.
Lee tells all his female students that if they are in a threatening situation from which they can't walk away, a jab to the eye will buy them enough time to run away and get help. "A person who can't see you, can't hurt you," Lee said.
McCutcheon and Lee said the main thing for women who find themselves in dangerous situations is to get away from their attacker, NOT to attempt to apprehend or beat up their attacker.
In many of the kickboxing classes being offered, little or no contact is made. Kicks and punches are worked into an aerobic, full-body workout.
"There are a lot of cardio-kickboxing (classes) around where they are just bouncing around and throwing their punches every which way but no one's really saying turn your cross over or keep your thumb up for your hook or use your body," McCutcheon said. "I hate to think that if one of these girls were in a situation where they had to defend themselves, they couldn't throw a right."
McCutcheon started his kickboxing program in June. Like other kickboxing classes, McCutcheon's main focus is to give women a place to get a good workout. However, McCutcheon also teaches proper punching and kicking techniques.The most common mistake women make when punching is not using their whole body, McCutcheon said. If a punch is delivered improperly, this could make an attacker angry instead of stopping an attacker.
McCutcheon also has added a sparring session after classes for women who are more interested in self-defense. "For self-defense, you've got to do sparring," McCutcheon said. "You've got to have contact."
Jenny Hasegawa and her daughter Kalei, who is 12, began taking kickboxing to spend more time together. Although Jenny feels that she would not be able to handle herself in a dangerous situation after three months of training, she and her daughter still enjoy McCutcheon's class. "We do everything in here. You get conditioning, you learn technique, you strengthen your muscles," Jenny said. "If I can do it, anyone can."
The ages of the women in McCutcheon's classes range from 12 to 50. Most of the women enjoy the classes for its workout and because it's strictly women only, even though all the instructors are male.
June, a 49-year-old counselor who helps at-risk children, enjoys the "male" aspect of kickboxing."Women are supposed to be more passive," June said. "It makes a woman feel very empowered to be assertive with her body. Typical aerobics gets boring. When you put on gloves it gives you a rush. Very powerful."
June has been kickboxing for four months and says the classes have made her more confident with herself.
So, why kickboxing and not karate, tae kwon do, or some other martial art form?
McCutcheon feels it is because kickboxing is more of a short-term art. A person taking tae kwon do would take years before he or she learns all the techniques, McCutcheon said. Kickboxing, on the other hand, takes about six months to learn. Mastering all the moves depends on the student and how hard she trains.
Lee also notes, "To be good in the ring, you need your cardiovascular," hence, cardio-kickboxing. Many of the kickboxing classes emphasize fitness and do a lot of aerobics because fitness is important in kickboxing itself. However, "all arts are good," Lee said. "It's really up to the individual and what they want from it."
According to Dr. Chet Nierenberg from the Honolulu Sports Medical Clinic, a person can burn anywhere from 600 to 800 calories per hour depending on how intense the kickboxing workout is. However, Nierenberg advises that people with lower back problems consult their doctor before starting the program. Where to go
Following are some of the organizations offering kickboxing classes. Most classes have monthly fees and include anywhere from two to six days of training per week. At the Hawaii Tae Kwon Do Academy, students pay $10 for their first class, and $5 for each additional class.
Dave Wheaton's Martial Arts, 1506 Piikoi St., 732-5385
