Fairfax is a fairly quiet area to live. There isn’t much crime compared to major cities. However, that doesn’t mean it’s nonexistent; violence can happen anywhere. What if you were put into a situation where you needed to defend yourself but didn’t know how to do that? How do you react? What do you do?
Self defense classes are a great way to prepare you for potential violence and threats from other people. They can be educational and even fun, a learning experience that can benefit everyone. I’m a strong advocate for learning self defense, no matter what your sex is; it’s something I believe everyone should know. I’ve wanted to take a self defense class for a while now, and after doing some research, I discovered three possible courses of action for taking a self defense class here at Mason.
1. Take a one-to-two credit class in self defense.
This option is great for anyone who has a few extra credits to spare for the semester. GMU offers an introductory self defense class (RECR 108) that is half a semester, as well as an intermediate self defense class (RECR 109), You can take one or both of these classes. If both are taken it adds up to a semester course and it just takes two credits to do. Mason also offers various martial arts classes that are also one-to-two credits. Search for classes in the GMU catalog to see what’s available for the next semester.
2. Take a martial arts / self defense class at the RAC
This class doesn’t count for credit (so if your class schedule is packed like mine this might be the best option!) and is only $50 for Mason students, plus you can try it out for free during the first week of the semester. This is a good option for people who don’t have credits to spare and want the class to work with their schedule. Classes are generally in the evenings, once or twice a week, and don’t generally last for more than an hour. You can also take as many or as little of these classes as you wish, and the fee means you’re paid for all gold membership classes, so if you want to try out some yoga you can do that too! Check out the different martial arts classes offered at GMU Recreation.
3. Take a Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) class through the GMU Police
The Rape Aggression Defense class is a women only course and consists of twelve hours of self defense over the span of two days. RAD is a nationally certified course that is offered at 400 different universities and colleges in the U.S. and it’s free for people affiliated with Mason (students, faculty, etc.) but is available for a fee to the general public. This course also comes with a manual for reference. This is a great option for women because regular self defense classes and martial arts programs are often dominated by men and can be incredibly daunting. You can be in a safe environment that feels comfortable knowing that you’re being taught by certified instructors to defend yourself. Find out the next available RAD classes.
In the event that you do need to protect yourself you should be prepared, and what better way to prepare yourself than through self defense classes? Self defense is for everyone to make people feel more confident with themselves and safer in their communities.
Photo credit: US News