Written by Elisha Frazer
This past Saturday, Krav Maga instructor Zé Santa-Rita collaborated with Nancy Maia, owner of Savannah Custom Fit Center, to introduce his women’s self-defense Krav Maga workshop to the community.
Krav Maga is a fighting system that combines kung fu, tae kwon do and a slew of other martial arts techniques. It was founded in the 1940’s in Czechoslovakia for self-defense during WWII. The Israeli military borrowed the teachings, and modified them to for anti-terrorist defense, self-defense, and law enforcement.
“Technically, I’ve been doing Krav Maga for many years,” Santa-Rita explains. “I’ve been mixing up different techniques in martial arts for a while, experimenting with different moves and whatnot.”
The thought of starting a Krav Maga program in Savannah, in fact, came up casually in conversation with Maia, who focuses many of her fitness programs on fundamental and effective fitness workouts.
Santa-Rita’s program focuses on self-defense techniques for women to use in troubling situations. Throughout the program, students learn how to protect themselves from gun and knife threats, being choked, hair grabs and a variety of other threatening scenarios. Students also learn the points on the body where these techniques are most effective.
Using these skills with the right amount of power, flexibility and reaction speed will give women the tools they need to keep themselves safe.
“I like the idea of giving someone the skills they need to protect themselves,” says Santa-Rita. “I feel that when people come to Savannah, they get so caught up in how beautiful Savannah is that they don’t pay attention to their safety.”
Maia has owned Custom Fit for three years now, and thrives to make her facility a welcoming place for people who are less comfortable going into a traditional gym. The gym has less machinery, and includes more fitness programs that can be incorporated into your everyday life, like Krav Maga.
“Krav Maga can be pretty work intensive, but it can also make you aware of the things that could happen… so not only are you getting fit, you are also paying attention,” says Maia.
With all this talk about self-defense, Santa-Rita and Maia thought it was only natural to ask anyone who attends to bring donations to give to the Savannah Area Family Emergency shelter. SAFE provides homes for women and children that suffer from domestic abuse in our community as well as legal counseling.
“Krav Maga is all about self-defense and SAFE shelter is all about protecting those who are a victim of domestic abuse,” says Maia. “I think there is a great marriage between the two.”
The program will host a free one-hour session next quarter for interested students spring quarter. Those who are interested should contact Maia at 912-441-4891 at the Custom Fit Center, 101-A West Park Ave. for upcoming workshop dates with Santa-Rita.
Custom Fit Center
101-A West Park Avenue
Savannah , GA. 31401
912-441-4891
