Skip to main content

Empowerment through Defense: Self-Defense Mastery with Alvin Sablan

Students take turns escaping wrist holds.

Are you looking for one more credit to fill your schedule? Look no further than the Self-Defense class with instructor Alvin Sablan. This class is open to all Boise State students to teach them basic self-defense techniques. 

Students learn Basic escapes from wrist grabs, chokes, being grabbed from behind, and striking vital points. Most importantly, Sablan stresses that the students practice self-awareness–to be observant and sensitive to personal and safe space.

On a typical day of class, students go through a warm-up routine, so they are prepared when they begin the course. Then Sablan has the students practice techniques that they learned last class. To practice these techniques, the students take turns protecting from the other’s movements. The class rotates consistently so they have experience against all class members. After practicing old moves, they begin to learn new ones, and once again practice the moves with their partners. They begin slowly and increase their speed until they perform it as fast as possible (without injuring themselves or their opponent). 

Instructor Alvin Sablan demonstrates how to escape a wrist hold.

Since beginning the course in 2018, Sablan has enjoyed meeting new students and sharing his understanding of the art of self-defense. By helping students become proficient in self-defense they can live with confidence and the ability to save their own lives, or the lives of others through what they have learned.

BroncoFit 144: Self-Defense accepts all skill levels and encourages anyone to try. If you’re interested in signing up for a class or have questions about BroncoFit, you can contact BroncoFit Activities Coordinator, Kevin Blume at kevinblume@boisestate.edu.