Behind the scenes of the Piennes self-defense club, the atmosphere is both family and rigorous. At the head of the association: Jean Calvo. At 66 years old, this enthusiast has an impressive record of fifty years dedicated to martial arts. From judo to karate, including sambo, the president instructor has put all his experience at the service of a discipline focused on the reality on the ground: self-defense.
“Learning to get by on the street”
Inspired by jujitsu and other combat sports, self-defense is practiced on tatami but does not require a kimono. “The objective is to learn how to manage in the street, without being able to grab clothes,” explains Jean Calvo. We teach throws, joint locks and boxing techniques, but also the art of using everyday objects – from car keys to a simple wallet – to protect yourself. Because if it may be more judicious for some to flee an attack, “I, at my age, would not have the cardio and the vigor. So I would have no choice but to defend myself,” confides the president.
The club welcomes all profiles and adapts its teaching methods. “For timid temperaments, self-defense helps to gain confidence.†For more impressive people, the issue is the opposite: “We teach them to channel themselves so as not to use their brute force and to control their impact.â€
The first black belts
Although the club has in the past trained several French youth champions, competition was put aside to concentrate on transmission. This weekend, the club organized its very first official exam for the prestigious black belt. “Normally we don’t get a black belt in this discipline, but we thought it might be interesting to offer it to attract new members.”
Local commitment despite challenges
Keeping a martial arts association alive is a daily challenge. With a workforce reduced to five regular licensees after several waves of departures during the year, the club also has to deal with a tight budget. To equip yourself, the D system prevails, particularly for the purchase of second-hand tatami mats.
Refusing to isolate itself, the club is fully involved in the life of the community. After the success of its participatory demonstrations during the last sale and the festivities of July 14.
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