Keith R. A. DeCandido, a third-degree blackbelt, was the speaker for the panel “Practical Self-Defense with Keith R. A. DeCandido” on Friday at 1PM in the Hilton 405. He gave a guide to some basic self-defense techniques that can be useful in difficult situations.   

Rule #1: Run. If at all possible, try to avoid any physical conflict. There is no shame in running. It may save your life.  

However, there are times when you may have to defend yourself from an assailant. Decandido demonstrated 12 moves that everyone could do to escape. Even with these moves, you should escape as soon as possible. 

One of the best ways to make sure these moves can be done without thinking about them is to “train” every day. This will make it more natural as it builds muscle memory so, if attacked, it’s like it’s second nature, making reaction time quicker. 

After learning these moves, the participants felt better with their abilities to defend themselves to escape a dangerous situation.