Turning an ancient art into modern self defense
By Phoebe Sweet / Staff Writer
Thursday, July 3, 2003
As the mercury rises, so do fears that a masked gunman who may have attacked more than a dozen women last summer will resume his reign of terror on the streets of Brighton and Brookline. The recent reappearance of a similar attacker who plagued Boston’s North End last summer has raised alarms that the Brighton attacker might soon return from winter hibernation as well. But rather than living in fear, some women - and many men - are learning to fight back at a self-defense school that teaches a combination of the age-old Japanese art of Jiu Jitsu and modern American street fighting.
Nick Theodorou of Watertown, sensei of Theodorou’s Academy of Jiu Jitsu, says that his school will “show you how to fight in modern America, not feudal Japan.”
And the best tools for this fight? A mixture of confidence and everyday weapons such as cell phones or car keys. “You probably have it in your hand already,” said Theodorou before a recent class. “If you are fumbling, you have already lost precious time.” “This is what’s realistic,” said Meribel Gamboa of Newton, a petite woman who will test for her black belt this summer. “Someone my size? What am I going to do? I have to be able to rely on myself.” Gamboa is a social worker in Jamaica Plain and has been studying with Theodorou since 1997. She says she recommends his class to women in the neighborhood where she works. “I tell them they don’t have to rely on another person to protect them,” said Gamboa. Although Theodorou teaches the ancient forms of Jiu Jistu, he also gives students the tools to defend themselves on the street.
Theodorou first took up karate when he was 10 years old in New York City. He and his younger brother, who now owns a self-defense school in New York, picked up the sport because their father wanted them to be able to fight back against bullies. “We were under average size. We were very small kids,” said Theodorou. Eight years later, he got his black belt and moved to Boston to attend Boston College, where he began teaching self-defense. Although he’s only moonlighting as an instructor - his day job is in finance - Theodorou says teaching people to defend themselves is what he loves best. “They come with an empty tool chest,” Theodorou said of new students. “I will give them four or five tools. … The goal is that they walk away with one tool they feel confident to use if they get attacked that night.” Lisa Baroletti of Brookline said she joined last year after attacks in her Boston College neighborhood intensified. Jen Seng, 24 of Waltham, said she heard about the class through a friend and decided to take it so that she would feel safer on the streets. “I’m small and I work in downtown Boston,” she said.
Seng said class drills simulate “real-world situations, so it’s there if you need it.” During Monday’s class, Theodorou taught students how to turn an attacker’s kick against him and how to punch, roll and elbow out of a scary situation. Theodorou says knowing an attacker’s tricks is another key to defending oneself. Some attackers wear cups to protect their groins or other protective body armor. “These are sick but intelligent people,” said Theodorou. As students practiced evading kicks and tossing their faux attacker to the ground, the room rang out with the cracks of bodies against squishy gymnastics mats and the sounds of sparring. Most of Theodorou’s new students are referrals from other students in the class. Three new students started class on Monday. Other joiners have taken up Theodorou’s offer of two free private lessons before joining the regular class of more than 30 students. Two classes a week for a month costs $55. Classes are held at 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in a Watertown gymnastics studio, Tumble Kids, on Arlington Street.
For more information, check out www.fightbackboston.com or contact Nick Theororou at fightbackboston@yahoo.com or call 508-740-4872.
http://www.townonline.com/allston/news/local_regional/newabdefensems07032003.htm
