3 moves to get away from a kidnapper

Self-defense course offered to teens and college-age women

Jennifer Waugh gets a lesson from Girls on Guard instructor about how to get away from an attacker.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – What would you do if someone grabbed you? Do you know how to get away?

Larry Shealy is a professor of martial arts who specializes in Jiu Jitsu. He offers a program called Girls on Guard which specializes in teaching teenagers and college- age women how to protect themselves from predators.

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He says far too many women are distracted in parking lots.

"They're texting on their phones or carrying groceries and trying to keep track of their kids," said Shealy. 

Here's what you should know to protect yourself:

Don't be a "soft target." When walking alone or in a parking lot scan your surroundings. Look around, look under your car as you approach it. Shealy says criminals are less likely to pick someone who is paying attention and ready to resist. "Be a hard target," he says.

Jennifer Waugh gets a lesson from Girls on Guard instructor about how to get away from an attacker.

What if someone grabs your wrist?

Put all your weight on your back legs and use your other arm to grab the hand that the kidnapper is holding. Pull up towards his thumbs.

What if someone grabs both of your wrists?

Shealy says you should put all your weight on your legs and pull your wrists up towards the attacker's thumbs. "The thumbs have the weakest grip," said Shealy.

What if someone grabs you by the neck?

Shealy says drop your chin so it touches your chest, duck down and swivel away from your attacker.

Shealy showed me each of these moves during a demonstration on The Morning Show. Click on the video box attached to this story to see how he taught me to get away from an attacker.

Shealy calls his self-defense class, Girls on Guard, he offers to women for free. He says the classes are designed for teenagers and college-age women, but leaves it up to a parent to decide the best age for their daughter to take the class.

He also teaches teenagers what to do if they are being verbally abused. How to react. 

To learn more about the class click herehttp://www.jaxbjj.com/training-programs/girls-on-guard-guard-our-girls/


About the Author:

Jennifer, who anchors The Morning Shows and is part of the I-TEAM, loves working in her hometown of Jacksonville.