One by one, freshmen at Washington High School took their turns up against “Bob,” the body opponent punching bag.
Striking the mannequin’s chest, throat and head, the students learned the proper way to defend themselves in a dangerous situation.
“Does Bob look like a nice guy?” asked Dr. Anthony Wolfe, instructor with the Four Circles Internal Kung Fu Club in Metamora.
“No,” responded the class.
“Bob looks like the kind of guy you want to hit,” Wolfe added.
While students learned how to fight back Jan. 31, the conflict management class taught by Wolfe focuses on how to avoid violence at all cost.
In fact, striking is one of the last resorts, said Wolfe.
“Again, we’re not trying to win a fight,” Wolfe told the students. “We’re just trying not to lose.”
For five days last week, Wolfe taught the class during the student lunch hour PE program. It was the third time he was invited back to the school.
“Most martial arts deal with aggression,” Wolfe, 39, said. “But (Internal Kung Fu) is a cooperative system. It’s a different approach.”
Each day of the program focused on a different form of conflict: internal, verbal, dominance, submission and life and death.
Friday’s class involving the punching mannequin dealt with submission.
“What I’m trying to get across to the kids is that you can do something that is not backing down,” Wolfe said, adding it involves taking in surroundings rather than “instant aggression.” “It’s important to understand the intentions and the will of the person causing the conflict.”
Much of the class is dedicated to threat detection, de-escalation, will-power training and mental quickness exercises, among others. The ultimate goal is to end the fight as quickly as possibly, he said.
“We’re assuming that they’re bigger, stronger and meaner, and there is more than one of them,” he said.
Dawn Davis, PE instructor at the school, said her students have learned ways to resolve a conflict without resorting to physical violence. Davis said she thinks Wolfe’s program has been a great addition to the curriculum.
“I think it has a lot of application for kids today,” Davis said. “If there’s just one thing a kid remembers, then it’s worth it. ... They’re learning a lot.”
Zach Spahn, freshman, said the class has taught him how to protect himself and avoid fights. However, Spahn said he enjoyed the chance to hit “Bob.”
“Now, we’re actually hitting something,” he said.
For more information about Wolfe or the Four Circles Internal Kung Fu Club, visit its Web site at www.fourcirclesikf.org, or call, 256-5603.
