Held every Monday from 7:00–8:00 p.m. in the Blood Fitness and Dance Center multipurpose room, the Health and Wellness Center’s weekly “Self-Defense” class offers eager students the tools necessary to fend off any unwarranted attackers. Taking direct inspiration from multiple martial arts traditions, including Filipino martial arts, Jeet Kune Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu, taekwondo and boxing, the class, led by Visiting Assistant Professor of Government Kenneth Andrew Andres Leonardo, can be extremely useful in protecting oneself and others during dangerous and uncomfortable situations.
The hour of instruction gets divided into two halves: the first 30 minutes dedicated to warming up muscles and the other half focusing on teaching proper execution for self defense techniques. When warming up, participants begin jogging in circles before proceeding into a variety of bodyweight exercises and stretches, including burpees, hip rotations, side lunges and head nods. Leonardo reminds students of the importance of proper breathing during exercise, as it prevents exhaustion and helps bring harmony within the body, a technique that has been historically seen to bring success in the world of competitive fighting. The Gracie family, notable for their contributions to the popularization of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the mid 20th century, gained much fame thanks to their disciplined breathing patterns similar to those seen in yoga. Moreover, retaining balance of mind and body serves the purpose of stability when in defensive posture, as if your lower body resembles that of tree trunks, remarked Leonardo.
Following the warm up, Leonardo demonstrates effective ways of escaping one hand and two hand holds. When an attacker has taken control of one’s wrist, the hand position becomes critical in determining the likelihood of breaking free. When in control of both wrists, peeling off on the opposite side of the attacker’s pinky twists the attacker’s arm to the point where their stability is significantly weakened, allowing for one hand to break free. Once back in defensive position, feet and shoulders should be staggered to the side, with the chin in constant protection due to its vulnerability. The dominant leg’s front toe should align with the opposite leg’s heel, with a back bent 45 degrees, shoulders turned to reduce the possible surface area of attack and one hand ready to strike. A technique involving screwing and punching towards the floor could also be attempted, but Leonardo makes certain that one would expend more energy into breaking loose via this less effective method, especially in cases where the attacker is stronger than the victim. In more cases than not, these defensive maneuvers involve instances where physical altercation cannot be avoided, with both physical proximity and tension coming together in an enclosed space warranting the immediate need for one’s own protection.
At the 7:30 p.m. mark, Leonardo transitions his instruction away from self-defense, opting for a boxing-centered approach. Leonardo remarks that when punching an opponent, one’s wrist must remain completely straight, otherwise improper technique could lead to potential injury. One basic combination involves a series of five moves performed in continuous motion: jab, cross, hook, cross and uppercut. A loose, even nonchalant flow is critical when boxing, with hips and lower body stability generating the bulk of power when punching. The use of one hand as constant protection for the chin relates back to traditional boxing: a simple hook properly placed on an opponent’s chin can cause dislocation resulting in a knockout. Once a first series of test air punches are thrown, Leonardo takes out boxing gloves and focus mitts, with which students are able to test out their technique all the while staying respectful of fellow training partners. Once the clock strikes 8 p.m., students perform a bow derived from traditional Filipino martial arts, a sign of respect and love for the founders of the art, and the class concludes.
With both his parents originally from the Philippines, Leonardo inherited his love of martial arts from his father, Edwin, a passionate fan of Bruce Lee. Having begun practicing taekwondo at a young age, before transitioning into shotokan karate, and later muay thai boxing after college, exploring the confines of martial arts during graduate school represented a means of reconnecting with his roots. He became a co-founder of a martial arts academy, “Kali Method Los Angeles,” located in California, which stands as the culmination of his hopes in relation to the art, and will notably celebrate its one year anniversary in the coming weeks. A graduate of the Claremont Colleges consortium, returning to the small-scale environment of a liberal arts college was an opportunity Leonardo was not ready to pass up. Today, while teaching as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Government department, Leonardo takes great pleasure passing on his love of martial arts to Hamilton College students.
“It is crucial to keep the study of martial arts alive. It is also so practical. Filipino martial arts is a rare tradition, and from a cultural standpoint, to pass it on and teach it to future generations is so rewarding. The best way to remember it is to teach it,” Leonardo commented.
Whether used as a means of staying physically fit, serving the purpose of self-defense or just as an excuse for clearing one’s mind, Kenneth Leonardo’s self-defense class serves those purposes and many more. Thanks to the passion, dedication and pride he takes in providing instruction to his students, Hamilton College reaps the benefits of his love for the discipline, week in and week out.
