Copperas Cove martial arts school holds anti-bullying seminar

By PAMELA GRANT
Cove Leader-Press

Most of us will be bullied at least once in our lives. What do bullies look for, and how do you deal with a bully?
These questions and more were answered at Absolute Self Defense Academy’s Anti-Bullying Seminar Saturday. The 2-hour seminar took place at the martial arts school’s location starting at 10 a.m.
“I noticed that there are a lot of parents with their kids being bullied,” said Brittnay Emberton, owner and head instructor for Absolute Self Defense Academy. “I was like, ‘What can I do to help?’”
Emberton decided to host an anti-bullying seminar and to invite the public out to attend the event. Saturday’s anti-bullying seminar cost $10 to attend. Emberton said that the only reason that they charged for the event is because they are raising money for a better establishment. She hopes that they will be able to hold anti-bullying seminars for free in the future.
“We’ll keep doing [seminars] until everyone who needs help gets the help they need,” said Emberton.
Emberton’s father, Jim Mahan led Saturday’s seminar. Mahan is the one who taught Emberton everything that he knows and sold the school to Emberton after she retired from the Air Force. 
Mahan said that he has been training for about 40 years and teaching for about 30 years. He has a 2nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu (the primary style taught at Absolute Self Defense Academy) and a 6th degree black belt in Hapkido.
“I was bullied as a kid, that’s how I got into martial arts,” said Mahan. Mahan noted that there weren’t really anti-bullying programs back then. He said that he came up with the anti-bullying seminar to help empower the kids.
Mahan teaches students about what he calls the three Ts, Talk, Tell, and Tackle. The first half of the seminar focused on teaching the young audience (Saturday’s seminar had students ranging in age from 5-11 years old) about what bullying is, how to spot a bully, and what they can do about it.
“A lot of kids are bullied, and no one deserves it,” said Mahan to his class. “The bully can only make fun of you if you let them.”
Mahan showed the kids how they can use their words to take away a bully’s power. He then told them about the next step, Tell. If the bully does not stop, he encouraged his class to then tell a responsible adult.
The third T for the class was “Tackle”. Mahan showed the students how to protect their heads and what to do if a bully grabs them, trying to prevent them from leaving. He showed them three games; “Tackle the Giant” where the kid broke the bully’s hold and took them to the ground, “Spider-Kid” where the kids practiced using their body weight to hold the bully in place until help could arrive, and “Crazy Horse” for if the bully managed to flip over. He also taught his students to run to an adult if the bully managed to break their hold.
Mahan concluded his lesson by enforcing the reasons why talking is always the best choice whenever possible.
Emerald Ward brought her two children, Santos McFarland (10) and Lorraine McFarland (8) to the anti-bullying seminar. Ward and her children all participate in classes at Absolute Self Defense Academy. Ward joined after participating in one of the school’s women’s self defense seminars. 
“I think defending yourself is something everyone should know how to do,” said Ward.
Ward added that her family really loves the school and that they make them feel like part of the family.
Not all of the students at Saturday’s seminar were members of Absolute Self Defense Academy, Joilissa Rhone said she heard about it from a co-worker, and wanted to bring her son, Elijah Rhone (10), to attend.
“I loved it,” said Joilissa Rhone after the seminar’s conclusion. “I liked the fact that they do the lesson before they do the self-defense.”
“I liked it,” said Elijah. “It was easy and fun.”
Elijah said his favorite part was doing the downward punch to break out of the “bully’s” grip. He said that he thinks he’ll now be better able to respond to a bully.
Elijah said that he’d like to do another class, and Joilissa Rhone said that she’d be interested in a women’s self-defense class.
Absolute Self Defense Academy plans to offer one seminar per month including additional anti-bullying seminars as well as women’s self defense seminars. For more information or to try a free regular class, contact the martial arts school at (254) 400-1208.