Free self-defense workshop is Friday
The Faculty and Staff Wellness Program will hold its first-ever workshop in self-defense from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, July 26, in Carver Gym A.
The workshop is free, and all equipment will be provided. There's no need to register in advance.
Workshop instructor Rob Eis is no stranger to the criminal element in Bellingham and the repercussions of violence.
"For six years, I was a corrections officer and court transporter for Whatcom County Juvenile Detention, so I have a unique perspective on violent crime, predatory mindset, and the legal ramifications of the use of force in self-defense," Eis says.
Eis also has earned state certifications as a defensive tactics instructor for law enforcement agencies.
"In my workshops, I address the unpleasant realities of common assault situations, and I teach from an assault prevention methodology that is simple to remember," he says. "It is designed to easily be passed on and shared with others."
Eis has taught this workshop to residents at Nash Hall on the Western campus, to students at Meridian High School and to organizations such as Northwest Youth Services and Catholic Community Services.
Eis has spent 32 years in martial arts and has taught for more than 20 years. He won national and international titles and qualified to compete on the U.S. national karate team at the Pan American Games by the age of 15. As an adult, Eis has earned black belts and certifications from many world-renowned instructors in law enforcement, personal protection, and mixed martial arts including Tony Blauer, Paul Vunak and Frank Shamrock.
Eis is the owner and head instructor of the only non-commercial, community-based MMA School in Whatcom County that caters solely to teens and adults. He founded Unbridled Martial Arts in 2003 as an alternative for those intimidated by the high price and commercially competitive nature of other schools. Eis instructs from a variety of martial arts skills derived from disciplines such as boxing, Muay Thai, kickboxing, street self-defense, Shamrock Submission Fighting, grappling, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and Escrima (Filipino stick and knife fighting).
Eis adapted his program for adults with developmental disabilities and has volunteered for the past 10 years teaching classes for the non-profit organization Max Higbee Recreational Center in Bellingham.
Attendees should wear whatever is comfortable and convenient. The techniques are 100-percent practical, so they can be accomplished in everyday clothes.