Behind the Badge
Working in pairs, the class of 50 women intensely hit, kicked and yelled at each other.
“You’re going to go as hard and fast as you can on this pad,” said Elana Maibor, an instructor from Krav Maga of Orange County, referring to the martial arts strike pads the teams of women punched.
Women gather around as Krav Maga Lead Instructor Elana Maibor, left, works with Instructor Adam Dudash on demonstrating defensive moves to keep an attacker at bay during a free OCSD sponsored women’s self defense class at Mission Viejo’s Civic Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
But the Aug. 1 Women’s Self-Defense Workshop at the Mission Viejo Civic Center, organized by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Mission Viejo Police Services, wasn’t about women fighting each other.
Rather, it was about giving them the tools to protect themselves.
Women practice moves to protect themselves during an OCSD sponsored women’s self defense class at Mission Viejo’s Civic Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
“What I wanted to do was just empower them,” said Lt. Quyen Vuong, chief of Mission Viejo Police Services. “I wanted them to have the training, the resources, the tools, so they don’t have to live in fear.”
Vuong said Mission Viejo is a beautiful city with numerous walking trails that are hidden gems, but there is some fear by residents that they could become victims of crimes while using them.
Wendy Meyer of Mission Viejo, right, gives it all she’s got during a practice session for an OCSD sponsored women’s self defense class.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
“Like most of the South County cities, we are very safe in Mission Viejo as far as violent crimes from strangers,” said Vuong. “Just because we are safe, doesn’t mean we drop our guard.”
The self-defense course was open to women 16 and over. The course, which sold out the first day registration opened, capped at 100 people. The course was structured in two blocks of 50 – one group began with the practical lesson taught by Krav Maga of Orange County instructors, and the other group started in a classroom environment with a lecture by members of OCSD about personal safety. After 75 minutes, the groups switched.
OCSD Dep. Dean Yankovich works with class participants as they run through what they learned during a self defense class for women.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Some attendees took the course with other family members, including Tawny Thompson and her mother, Margo Kutner.
“We were so excited about this,” said Thompson.
Women take turns practicing kicks that can be used for self defense.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Kutner added, “It fits our personalities.”
The lessons taught by Maiborin the practical portion of the course were all about using Krav Maga strategy to fight off an attacker. She told the women to conjure up everything they had emotionally – a bad day, a car breaking down, etc. – to fuel the energy behind every punch, hit and kick.
Women go through the moves with different types of self defense moves during a free class at Mission Viejo’s Civic Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
“I’d take any one of you in a back alley, back-to-back,” Maibor commended her students after a successful round of hits to the strike pads.
She showed them a technique they could use to defend themselves against an “arm pull.” It involves leaning into the pull, rather than resisting the momentum – and then using the palm strike the class had just learned to hit the “attacker” in the face. Of course, during the class, the women simulated the strike.
Krav Maga Chief Instructor Yuri Boiarsky welcomes everyone at the start of the self defense class.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
“This is somebody trying to take me somewhere … that I do not want to go,” she said.
After the intense 75 minutes of instruction, this group received a short break before heading to the classroom lecture portion of the course, led by Deputy Dana Chaney.
Krav Maga Lead Instructor Elana Maibor, right, uses her feet to keep pretend attacker, Instructor Adam Dudash, at bay until she can get back on her feet, the next move she is about to teach, as the class watches during an OCSD sponsored self defense class for women at Mission Viejo’s Civic Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
“This class was done pretty much to empower women,” Chaney told Behind the Badge, adding that some of the goals included encouraging participants to stay alert and know their surroundings. “We got an overwhelming response.”
Class participants practice how to break free of a chokehold, throw an attacker off of you and the best way to swing around and get back on your feet, during an OCSD sponsored self defense class for women at Mission Viejo’s Civic Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Krav Maga Chief Instructor Elana Maibor, front center, leads a group of women as they run through moves to protect themselves during an OCSD self defense class.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Women run through the moves as they practice protecting themselves during an OCSD sponsored women’s self defense class at Mission Viejo’s Civic Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Allison Vu of Mission Viejo hits her partner holding a mat as the class practices self defense moves.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Women gather around as Krav Maga Lead Instructor Elana Maibor teaches techniques for self defense.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Women run through the moves as they practice protecting themselves during an OCSD sponsored women’s self defense class at Mission Viejo’s Civic Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Erin Hall of Mission Viejo practices hitting her partner holding a mat during a free OCSD sponsored women’s self defense class.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
OCSD Dep. Dean Yankovich, left, holds a punching pad as class participants practice their kicks during a self defense class for women.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Krav Maga Chief Instructor Yuri Boiarsky, left, monitors class participants as they practice self defense moves.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Krav Maga Lead Instructor Elana Maibor describes self defense techniques to class participants as they attend a self defense class for women.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Krav Maga Lead Instructor Elana Maibor has class participants run through the moves they were taught during an OCSD sponsored self defense class for women.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Women practice self defense moves during a self defense class.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Krav Maga Lead Instructor Elana Maibor, left, demonstrates how to fend off an attacker, in this case, Instructor Adam Dudash, during an OCSD sponsored self defense class for women.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
Krav Maga Lead Instructor Elana Maibor, right, has class participants run through the moves they learned during an OCSD sponsored self defense class for women.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge
