The American Jujitsu Association’s annual self-defense class is in its 26th year, and it returns to Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association on Saturday, October 26, from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
“If you are interested in self-defense for yourself or a loved one, come to this seminar,” said seminar host Dave Clark of Brandon. “All proceeds from the class go directly to Center Place to help with their many art programs.”
Clark is the southern regional director for the American Jujitsu Association.
“I began regular exercise early in life and slowed down only for injuries,” Clark said. “After numerous sports endeavors, including surfing and barefoot waterskiing, self-defense and the martial arts came into view. Through extensive research, I sought the most effective forms of self-defense and landed on a mixture of boxing, three forms of karate and traditional ‘street-smart’ Japanese Jujitsu. The Koreans call it hapkido. The Chinese call it kung fu. I call it fascinating.”
This year’s self-defense class will have more senseis traveling to Tampa to be a part of Clark’s event.
“I reached to many senseis from around the U.S., and they are very excited about coming to Tampa to help teach our self-defense class,” Clark said.
After earning two black belts and a teaching certificate, Clark took his passion for teaching and opened a dojo in 2007.
“I taught two classes of 12 to 16 students per week,” Clark said. “That same year, I designed a class addressing the needs of college students and named it ‘The Art & Chaos of Self-defense.’ I quickly found this class also filled with bankers, law enforcement officers, housewives, FBI agents and parents learning along with their children.”
The self-defense class is an all-day event that features the art and chaos of self-defense, blocking and punching simultaneously, training vs. reality, multiple technique flow, yawara, preservation arts and intensified jujitsu techniques.
“Because each presenter is teaching their strongest topic, this is an amazing opportunity for people to work directly with outstanding sensei who are sharing their most effective techniques,” Clark said.
Why learn self-defense? Why teach self-defense?
“Through many years, I have watched people enter class with long faces and leave class empowered,” Clark said. “Plain and simple, I ask you, what could be better?”
If you would like to learn more about the self-defense class offered at Center Place, you can contact Clark at 813-685-9118 or email him at pianoman2992@gmail.com. Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association is located at 619 Vonderburg Dr., Ste. B, in Brandon, inside the Brandon Regional Library.
