Local martial arts instructor’s new book on women’s self-defense
By Jack Firneno
Wire Editor
JACK FIRNENO / WIRE PHOTO For the past 10 years, martial arts Master Michael Andrus has run his dojo, Safe Day Studio, out of his home in Jamison.
It’s a changing world, and martial arts Master Michael Andrus wants to make sure everyone’s prepared to live in it.
“In our culture, parents don’t teach young girls to defend themselves,” he explained. The same isn’t true for boys, he continued. It’s normal for boys to roughhouse and play contact sports, where they learn how to defend themselves.
While those activities are slowly becoming more accepted for girls, there’s a gap between that and the increased independence women afford themselves in today’s society. That’s why the Jamison resident created his own women’s self-defense program: to make sure this disparity doesn’t result in women becoming victims of violence and assault.
“The most frustrating thing I hear is, ‘It always happens to someone else, never me,’” he said.
For the past 10 years, Andrus has run his dojo, Safe Day Studio, out of his home in Jamison, after previously owning two studios in Southampton and Ivyland. At Safe Day, he offers three-hour women’s self-defense seminars that employ what he calls “practical, reality-based self-defense:” easy-to-use moves that women — or anyone — can use to defend themselves during a confrontation.
It’s also the subject of his new book, Staying in the Moment! A Practical Guide to Women’s Self-Defense. In less than 60 pages, Andrus presents realistic scenarios created by his longtime girlfriend that depict women in confrontation. Then, he used his decades of martial arts training and self-defense research to provide easy-to-use techniques to keep oneself safe in these common situations.
But, said Andrus, there’s more to fending off an attacker than pressure points and well-placed punches. “The first thing I want to know [from a student] is: do you have the confidence?” he said.
It’s about knowing you can actually fight back in a confrontation and not give in, he explained. And if someone lacks that confidence, Andrus starts by building it through meditation and other exercises to, as he calls it, “Stay in the moment.”
For Andrus, this means staying aware of your surroundings, and staying calm and focused during or leading up to a confrontation. The proper state of mind is paramount to making any of his training effective.
“If you don’t practice, if you don’t empower yourself, you can’t use it,” he said.
And, that training, a mix of martial arts and boxing, has garnered many accolades over the years. Among his many awards, in 2007, his dojo, Safe Day Studio, was voted School of the Year by the Asian World of Martial Arts, and Andrus himself has been recognized three years in a row by the World Karate Union Hall of Fame.
Just last month, Andrus was inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and received the Martial Arts Author’s Award at the Chinese Kung Fu and Karate Expo, where he also held a book signing and seminar.
“I’m very humbled and grateful for these recognitions,” he said. “It wasn’t about the money, it’s about getting the word out.”
But, more important than the awards is the work he’s done to achieve them. He said he was first inspired to pursue women’s self-defense when he became a father.
“I had a daugher, and I knew things could be difficult for her,” Andrus explained. “I wanted to make sure she knew how to take care of herself.”
Andrus’ daughter is now 17 years old, and he’s spent most of his professional time during those years researching the psychology behind self-awareness, confidence and confrontation, and finding ways to apply his own martial arts and boxing knowledge into techniques that would be most effective in a women’s self-defense capacity.
And, he stressed, the training isn’t just physical: Andrus also discusses being aware of your surroundings, keeping yourself safe and avoiding confrontations before they happen.
The seminar also debunks myths, like the importance of making eye contact with a possible assailant. “You can’t concentrate if you’re looking at their eyes,” Andrus offered. “Look at the bridge of their nose instead.”
He even offers tips for home, like charging a cell phone in a bedroom at night instead of the kitchen so you can call the police in the event of a break-in.
Ultimately, said Andrus, the idea is to “never let yourself become a victim.”
For information on Safe Day Studio, call 215-370-1650or visit http://www.ustaysafe.com
The Midweek Wire 