 "Photo: Mitch Ramos / UCD Advocate")
At the corner of 29th and Larimer, Colorado Krav Maga self-defense classes use a shocknife.
No, a shocknife is not a cool weapon in an upcoming video game, nor is it a titillating move to perform in the bedroom. It’s a training device used by law enforcement agencies and self-defense schools to simulate being attacked and slashed by a knife. The device causes localized pain through electric shock, but cannot cut or cause serious injury.
Jessica Ortner has been an instructor for Colorado Krav Maga for seven years and has never been attacked with a real knife, but thanks to her training with the shocknife, and she knows how to defend herself against any sharp objects hurtling her way. In Ortner’s experience, just the appearance of the shocknives will increase the tension during a training routine. “I’ve seen grown men squeal like little girls,” she said.
Other stress creation techniques are used as well. Ortner said, “We try to give you stress drills to get you tired. We’ll rough you up a little bit so you know what it feels like to get hit.”
These drills build on the natural reactions that people have when they are being attacked. “[Krav Maga] is short, simple, fast. It’s about defending the immediate threat using the most instinctual movements you have,” Ortner said.
“When somebody is choking you, where does your hand go when you are choked? It goes to your throat, so we’ll use that natural reaction for a defense.”
Ortner also explained that they use more common objects such as phone cords and crowbars to create a practical defense system. Because Krav Maga is based on natural reactions, the system can be taught to anybody and will stay with that person for his or her entire life.
“[People] could be 67 years old and they’ll still have Krav Maga in them,” Ortner said. According to Ortner, Krav Maga is the same system that the Israeli army teaches all its soldiers because it can be learned quickly and easily compared to other hand-to-hand combat or defense systems.
While there are special classes for women only, the standard classes offered are coed. Still, women easily keep up with men of similar skill, Ortner said.
“We encourage them to work with the guys, and we rough them up a little bit too, [and the women] like that.” The female instructors are nothing to scoff at either. “I think that a lot of the other women instructors are also some of the best [trainers]. I’ve seen them do some crazy stuff, and even the men are very shocked,” said Ortner.
Much of the defense training is based on how the defender deals with stress. “If you train here and if you become stressed, you’re much better off when you go out onto the streets,” she said.
Enduring the stresses of a Colorado Krav Maga class will put life in perspective. After all, being face-to-face with a shocknife is worse than anything your physics professor can throw at you.
Colorado Krav Maga
2851 Larimer St
303-292-5728
www.coloradokravmaga.com
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