Abilene Kids Learn Moves to Fight Bullying
By: Brendaliss Gonzalez
Updated: June 30, 2012
They can put themselves in a fighting situation 100 percent without getting hit punched or kicked.
Their method- Jui-Jitsu, a Brazilian form of martial arts more similar to wrestling than karate.
Neah Garza has been practicing for some time now and says she's had to deal with bullying at school- until now.
"Before I used to get picked on and after this i kind of told them to stop and leave me alone and they did," said the 14 year-old high school student.
Even her parents have noticed a difference.
"Within six months she went from being just a regular little girl to being state champion and that by itself gave her confidence," said her mother Lizette Perez.
Teachers at Zombie Brazilian Jui-Juitsu academy don't just teach basic fighting moves- they teach kids how to properly defend themselves.
But its much more than just physical defense- its all about gaining confidence and learning how to set limits.
"A lot of times bullies, its not that they're necessarily tougher than kids its that they have a psychological edge over them," said the academy's owner Jeremy Henderson.
Henderson says is something kids don't normally confess to parents or even teachers.
That's why Jui-Jitsu is an alternative outlet for anyone facing any type of bully.
"We want the child to have the confidence to say 'hey, I want to stand up to you, if you continue then we can escalate it further to you know a parent or a teacher'," said Henderson.
Besides- you wouldn't want to mess with anyone who knock you down in less than three seconds.
No matter what their size.
Representatives at Zombie Brazilian Jui-Jitsu Academy say they plan on holding a special after school program beginning this Sept.
They also plan on holding summer camps for next year.
You can find more information about the program on the academy's website.







