Most martial artists will tell you that your chances of surviving abduction once an attacker gets you into his car are slim to none. Their advice is to fight for your life because statistics show that the consequences are grim. On Wednesday, July 28, 2004, Larissa del Mar Fiallo, was assaulted by two men who tried to kidnap her in the parking lot of a shopping mall. The incident made international news because Ms. Fiallo is this year’s Miss Dominican Republic. What interested us about the story reported by CNN.com (July 29, 2004) was that Ms. Fiallo was able to escape her attackers “thanks to her knowledge of judo.” She explained how she fought back when the two men tried to get her into their car and how she knocked over the larger one three times. Her attackers fled the scene and an investigation is pending. While Ms. Fiallo suffered deep cuts and bruises to various parts of her body, she survived the attack and was released from the hospital several days later.
Violent crime is on the rise in the Dominican Republica as the country faces one of the “worst economic crises in decades, according to CNN.com. Calasanz was born and raised in this country where he learned about self-defense first hand. His experience did not come from pre-arranged tournaments with competitors wearing padding and subjecting themselves to the rules and regulations of sparring. He learned hand-to-hand combat in an environment where a man is routinely challenged to physically defend him and others.
Calasanz has combined his real life experience and martial arts training into two courses designed to serve the needs of a public interested in fitness and self-defense. “While we teach traditional martial arts as part of our curriculum, if people request it, most want to get into shape and learn how to fight,” says Calasanz. “They don’t want to spend years learning forms or weapons that were used in ancient societies. And they could care less about belts and stripes.” Most of the students who train at Calasanz are busy executives, professionals and homemakers who want a curriculum that emphasizes fitness and self-defense. “Many of my students travel for business and are concerned with their safety in an increasingly uncertain world. They want to be prepared to defend themselves and their loved ones.”
The essence of the Single Blow and Street Survivor Courses is to strike where an attacker is most vulnerable and to get away. Single Blow is our basic course designed for those who wish to learn a simple, effective form of self-defense in a short period of time. Street Survivor is a more complex version of Single Blow, which includes more techniques and technical training. The one feature that both courses have in common is Calasanz’ Body Conditioning System. A defensive blow is useless unless the person delivering it is able to focus his or her power. Calasanz has always believed that the study of self-defense begins with making a connection to your physical body and learning how to use it as a weapon. It is from there that Calasanz and his trained instructors teach you his unique philosophy of counterattacks and how to use them in any situation.
We at Calasanz wish Ms. Fiallo a speedy recovery and commend her for her bravery in the face of extreme danger. She serves as an example to all of us of why we study the martial arts. For those interested in either the Single Blow or Street Survivor Course, contact the school for a personal consultation.
Calasanz Martial Arts and Fitness
507 Westport Ave,Norwalk CT06851
