Fitness Connection is FAST again

With the recent wave of crime, a popular self defence class is starting up again in the Cayman Islands.

Bob Daigle and the Fast Adrenal Stress Training Defence team have been invited back to Fitness Connection to teach two personal safety seminars. On Friday, 8 October at 5:30-7pm a ‘Stop Bullies FAST’ seminar will be taught for children ages 6-11.

Daigle states the programme is about empowering residents.

“We teach children how not to look like a person a bully would easily pick on,” Daigle said. “We teach students how to look confident, how to deal with teasing, name-calling, protecting their personal possessions and how to verbally back a bully away. We also teach students how to deal with the fear that we all experience when faced with a scary situation. Children are also taught how to defend themselves against an adult predator.”

The FAST Defence team was at Fitness Connection last July leading classes. Ribbon was keen to bring back the group as she thought the sessions are a real help to young people.

“The parents and children loved this seminar,” Ribbon said. “I definitely was impressed with what I saw and wanted to have the FAST Defence team back at our studio soon.

“I attended this seminar with my 15 year old son and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We have held several seminars here at Fitness Connection and we are definitely interested in holding more, since the safety of our community is of our utmost concern. The last session was attended by many teens and their parents, all of whom left with high praise. From the office we could hear the girls cheering each other on when they were in combat with the bullet men. We find there are many mothers who enrol their daughters to empower them as well as ensure that they are capable of self defence. From our experience this is a worthwhile, fun and exciting seminar.”

Among the happy parents was Mark VanDevelde, who had his young daughter attend. He said: “I highly recommend this course. I will be telling my friends about it and encourage parents send their children to future seminars.”

The ultimate goal for the “Stop Bullies FAST “ seminars is that they will be taught in the public schools. Statistics in the US show 60 percent of students characterized as bullies in grades six to nine had at least one criminal conviction by age 24. In addition 40 percent of kids had three or more arrests by that age. Chronic bullies often bully in their adult years. Many gravitate to gangs and may grow up to abuse their spouse, children and coworkers.

Interestingly Daigle is a notable figure in the local mixed martial arts community and brought down pro fighter Kenny Florian to conduct fighting classes last year. He feels his programme can prevent a similar statistic in Cayman.

“I talked to a parent recently who said we need to do something to stop the violence we are currently seeing in Cayman. Maybe if we teach our young that bullying and violence is wrong, it will be pay big dividends in the future. I know of several inmates in Northward that were bullies and troublemakers when they were in school.”

In addition to the kids classes, a personal safety seminar takes place on Saturday, 9 October, from 9:30am to 12noon. Daigle states that class can provide tools for all residents.

“Over the past three years Cayman has seen an increase in violent crime. Police cannot be everywhere at all times. Do you know what to do in an armed robbery situation? Are you trained how to deal with an intruder found in your home. Do know what to do when you are approached by a suspicious person while walking to your car? We need to take responsibility for our own personal safety.”

For more information contact [email protected] or call 949-8485