Aboriginal youth worker Michelle Larocque with the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre has teamed up with Arctic Combat Fitness and MMA and offered a free self defence workshop on Jan. 27.
Back row, left to right: Michelle Larocque, Tim Allen, Darrel Ouellette, Micah Wilkes and Vibhesh Tripathi.
Front row, left to right: Laiza Coe, Dani Larouque, Kaatje Fulford, Cassidy Beck and Aliviya Koyina.
January 27, 2019
Brett McGarry/NNSL Photo
SA国际影视传媒淎fter hearing personal stories from friends and family members about the kinds of things that can happen out here, I felt there was a need for this kind of programming,SA国际影视传媒� Larocque said.
When she was younger, Michelle says her father taught her a lot about standing up for herself and described her younger self as SA国际影视传媒渁 bit of a fighterSA国际影视传媒� and now wants to use her position as a youth worker to pass on what she's learned.
SA国际影视传媒淭here's a lot these kids can take away,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey come in shy, no real clue what to expect but by the time they leave you can tell they feel more empowered.SA国际影视传媒�
Larocque has been training in boxing with Darel Ouellette, owner and instructor at Arctic Combat Fitness and MMA and teaching self defence for the past ten years.
Ouellette, who has worked for the department of justice as a corrections officer for 27 years, says being involved in martial arts and self defence is much more than a hobby.
SA国际影视传媒淎 job is just a job, but teaching martial arts is my life,SA国际影视传媒� said Ouellette.
Ouellette has previously been involved with youth self defence workshops out of Arctic Fitness and has helped run Be a Buddy, Not a Bully workshops in elementary schools with Edmonton's Kamikaze Punishment Foundation.
SA国际影视传媒淚t's important to work with youth, because it has the most impact,SA国际影视传媒� Ouellette said. SA国际影视传媒淎s people get older they start to realize what kinds of things can happen out in the world, youth tend to have less of an idea.SA国际影视传媒�
The classes have so far consisted of mostly young girls who often admit it was their parents who made them sign up.
During the classes Ouellette and Larouque start teaching the youth about situational awareness, personal space and knowing the difference between being passive and assertive.
After they learn how to diffuse confrontation situations, Ouellette, Larocque and assisting instructor Vibhesh Tripathi broke out training pads and began teaching fundamental blocking and striking techniques. These included palm strikes, hammer fists and breaking away from someone grabbing them.
SA国际影视传媒淭he techniques are basic versions of what you learn in Commando Krav Maga,SA国际影视传媒� Ouellette said.
Commando Krav Maga is a renowned Israeli military self defence system which Ouellette has trained in for many years.
As the workshop went on, it was clear that the once shy youth were coming out of their shells, shouting and yelling as they stuck the training pads harder and faster with every repetition.
Finally the youth took the skills they learned in workshop and strung them together to form a more complete set of skills.
SA国际影视传媒淚f the youth walk away being more confident and know how to be assertive, we've done something positive,SA国际影视传媒� Larocque said.
