Class to teach gun and knife defense techniques

The Campus Recreation Department and International Studies are teaming up and planning to offer a free self-defense class.

Scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall, the class is planned to be offered to both males and females.

“We wanted to make it open to both genders,” Tony Bui said. “Research shows that males are at a equal or greater risk than females of being attacked.”

Bui said being open to both men and women makes the upcoming class unique.

Mike Rutter, who has over 30 years of martial arts experience is expected to instruct the class in Jeet Kune Do techniques.

He recently returned from a two-month seminar in China for Kung Fu instructors, where he taught other classes.

Rutter has experience in Kung Fu, Karate, and Judo.

“People attending the class will be able to leave with skills they can use,” Bui said. “These are proven techniques that are easy to learn.”

The basis of Jeet Kune Do is to be effective without being lethal. The emphasis of Jeet Kune Do is on efficiently hitting the opponent to “inflict respect”.  This is also known as “disengaging the opponent”.

“Bruce Lee did a good job in researching what combat skills work in real life,” Rutter said.

Rutter got involved with martial arts at an early age. He went to a one-room schoolhouse in northern Minnesota before transferring to a bigger school.

“I was picked on a lot there,” Rutter said. “Men are victimized too.”

At the age of 12 he started training in the art of Judo. He then switched to karate and eventually became a black belt. Even as a black belt, Rutter said he still didn’t feel like he had the skills to defend himself.

He then met Ted Wong, who was trained in Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee.

“Then I thought, ‘OK I’ve got the answers now,’” Rutter said.

Rutter said Jeet Kune Do was developed in America and is not tied into tradition or Asian religious thought as much as it is science and physics.

Rutter said the techniques in this self-defense class will protect people from being grabbed, being on the ground, being punched and getting kicked.

Rutter said he also plans to teach defensive techniques that can be used in close range gun or knife attacks, “If you are in a situation where someone has a gun or a knife, they either want to abduct or rob you,” Rutter said. “This course will teach you what to do in either of those situations.”

It is recommended that those who attend the class wear comfortable, loose clothing; bring a hand towel and water or an energy drink.

“Bring an open mind and a good attitude,” Rutter said.