Self Defense with Grayce Wey

By: Tina Chuang

Frightening? It doesn’t have to be. By learning some of the basic principles of self-defense, you can take control of your life and your safety whether you’re at home, in the parking lot of the mall, or in the clutches of an attacker.

A Taiwanese-American known for teaching krav maga and traditional kung-fu, Grayce Wey has devoted her time giving self-defense classes around the community. She returned to her cultural roots several years ago by studying traditional kung-fu. Knowing the fact that the number of domestic violence victims has increased, NATWA II held a self-defense class on March 20^th in the home of member Joann Lo. Wey was invited to teach facts about domestic violence and self-defense and to get the girls ready to learn in action.

When confronted by an attacker, you will probably only have a split second to make the decision as whether to run for help or stay and fight. Contrary to your instincts, running away isn’t always the best solution. “Using your body as a weapon, you can fight your way out of a dangerous situation. You need to know which parts of your body make the best weapons and how to use them,” said Wey. But what are the natural weapons every woman possesses? The class named six parts of the body –hands, elbows, knees, head, feet and teeth. “To truly end an attack and make a successful escape, you’ll need to know which parts of your attacker’s body are the most vulnerable and the most vital. Hit them where it hurts, “said Wey. In order to inflict maximum pain, eyes, groin, and throat are good areas to aim for. “The elbow and forearm make for great weapons against an assailant. The key is to twist at the waist and throw all the weight and power of both your upper and lower body into the hit. When used correctly, the elbow can cause a lot of pain in the ribs, sternum, diaphragm, throat and groin,” said Wey.

Also, the skull is made of very hard bone that can do a lot of damage when brought in contact with the fragile parts of an assailant’s face, particularly the nose. Whether you’ve been grabbed from the front or from behind, slamming your head into an attacker’s face can cause a lot of pain.

By showing the techniques in action, girls in class were paired up for practice. They used their foot to kick an attacker’s ankle, calf, or Achilles’ tendon or use their heel to stomp down on an attacker’s instep.

You don’t have to live in fear. While avoiding dangerous situations in the first place by being aware of your surroundings is the better choice, knowing how to take down an attacker if you have to is vital to your safety.

“In order for any of these moves to be effective, they need to be practiced in a safe environment. Don’t expect to know or remember what to do in the heat of the moment when you’re feeling afraid. Instead, grab a friend or spouse and practice on them. Practice some of the basic moves of self-defense until they feel like second nature to you,” said Wey.

You might just save your own life someday, but even if you never need to employ these skills, the strength and empowerment you’ll feel as a result are a wonderful bonus.