If you’re attacked and someone grabs you by the hair or the arm, would you know how to protect yourself?

Washington Catholic High School students gathered in the gym Wednesday morning to begin learning self-defense methods with Elaine Osha, co-owner of Osha’s Karate in Petersburg.

“It makes students aware of some issues they will encounter in the real world,” said WCHS Secretary Cindy Wichman. “Everybody should know some basic self defense.”

Osha and her husband, Steve, will be teaching separate classes for boys and girls each week until the end for school for free. Wednesday’s class included both boys and girls because Steve planned to teach the boys on Friday this week, when school was to be out of session for a snow day.

Elaine Osha, who has been teaching martial arts for five years, showed the students just a few of the more than 480 pressure points they can use to escape from an attacker. She also explained some safety tips, such as girls should avoid wearing a ponytail because the hairstyle makes it easier for an attacker to gain control, and gave each student a kubotan, a blunt baton used to make a punch more damaging.

Since boys tend to punch in defense, she showed where and how to punch, and since girls tend to kick, she showed the best places for them to aim, including points on the inner and outer thigh.

Parent Shelly Deem originally thought the class would be a good idea for seniors leaving for college soon, but since not enough seniors could make it to the early morning class, the school opened it to all high school students. Her daughter, Meredith, is currently a junior at WC.

“I love the idea of all kids knowing how to defend themselves,” she said.

“If they learn something, at least it gives them a fighting chance,” agreed Osha, referring to the high rate of date rape at colleges. “Girls especially will have a fighting chance if they’re in that situation.”

Deem met Osha through their daughters’ traveling soccer team, then approached school officials about offering the class.

She said the school has been very cooperative about offering such enrichment classes. For example, students took an early morning ballroom dancing class before prom.

By coming in at 7:45 a.m., the students give up some of their own time plus some of their home room time at school.