Self-defence course aims to benefit women, youth
Free-of-charge instruction can help to empower participants, build confidence
SASKATOON Joel Pedersen occasionally jumps in while head instructor Leon Durette leads participants through defensive movement drills during the Tuesday evening self-defence course Pedersen’s company offers at Saskatoon’s White Buffalo Youth Lodge.
“I’m a dad, I’m an uncle, I’m a brother and I truly believe that everybody has the right to defend themselves and to know how to safely live,” says Pedersen, the owner, founder and chief executive officer of Fitness 2J2.
The participants are a mix of adults and youth. Some are relatively new to the drop-in classes; others have made it to a few sessions.
They review how to strategically back away from a threat: participants assume the stance of waiting at a bus stop, and practise moving out of harm’s way.
“You should not be worried about where you’re walking or what you’re doing, but it’s unfortunate that in this day and age, that a lot of people, especially in the inner city, have to be concerned about walking home from school or walking to the corner store,” Pedersen says.
“And so, if we can provide them a little bit of skill, life skill and a little bit of knowledge, it could go a long way if the time comes up that they have to use one of these skills.”
A member of Fond du Lac First Nation, Pedersen has lived in Saskatoon for his entire adult life. He started the company seven years ago, after retiring from the city police at the end of a 25-year career. His last job as a police officer was as a detective sergeant in domestic violence targeted enforcement. Working with survivors, he saw the importance of outreach.
Pedersen says he wanted to remove some of the financial and transportation barriers that prevent people in the inner city from accessing programs like his. He made the course free of charge and found a location within walking distance for people in Riversdale and Pleasant Hill. He has also visited northern communities to offer classes.
Overall, he wants to also encourage participants to develop themselves spiritually, emotionally and mentally, he says.
“It’s not about force-on-force. It’s not about creating MMA fighters. It’s not what we’re trying to do at all. What we want to be able to do is have somebody, after taking a session, feel comfortable that they could get out if somebody grabbed their hand.”
It’s also about empowering women and youth, he adds — learning these skills builds self-confidence and inspires them to do more.
Veronica Morin, who recently attended her first self-defence session at White Buffalo Youth Lodge, said she wanted to be there to support young people and learn new techniques.
“I’m a single parent and oldest of all my siblings, so I’m pretty protective of everybody. It helps to know these things when you’re at home by yourself a lot with your kids and you have to know how to protect your family,” she says.
Morin hopes the course will help her build her self-confidence and set a good example. She also wants to stay fit and on her toes, ready for anything.
“It gives you peace of mind to know you have these skills and you have these tools ... if or when you need to use them,” she says.
Pedersen says he has noticed that participants are at first hesitant because the course is something new and different, but they soon see it as not just a matter of learning a punch or kick, but about learning flow and movement and building confidence.
The feedback has been positive, he says.
“For me, it’s more about passing it on about giving the information that I’ve learned over the years and the other trainers that work with me, and we work together, it’s our combined experience ... but it’s being able to live that healthy and active lifestyle that we all should be able to do.”