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D.J. Stephens is a black belt instructor in the martial art of Krav Maga. His mantra? "Saving the world one punch at a time through the teachings of self-defense. Reporter/Producer: Marsha James, Reporter/Camera: Philip Alexiou

((PKG)) KRAV MAGA

((TRT: 04:35))
((Topic Banner:
Krav Maga))
((Reporter/Producer:
Marsha James))
((Reporter/Camera:
Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Chevy Chase, Maryland))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 1 male))

((MUSIC/NATS: D.J. Stephens))
Backwards! Come on! Move!
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))

I’m the head instructor and owner of Krav Maga CDK.
((NATS: D.J. Stephens))
Got to be an example. Lead by example. Get enough rest in the afterlife.
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))

Krav Maga is Israeli martial art. It is a martial art.

((Courtesy: D.J. Stephens CDK/YouTube))
No matter what nobody tell you, it is a martial art. It’s just more martial, less art.
The skinny of it is a guy, Imi. And Imi [Lichtenfeld], I think he was actually Hungarian but once he deployed [against] during the Nazi regime, he went to Israel. And Israel employed him to teach their troops. So, he was a boxer and a wrestler, legend has it, but he was a good fighter.
((NATS))
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))

Now, I could do it with a clinch to make it even more powerful.
It’s based off of what would normally be instinctive movements, things you would do anyway in a stressful situation. So, if somebody were to throw something at you and you go, “Oh!” Right? So, it’s okay. But that’s what people do. So, let’s just make that into a defense. So, if that’s your defense, it’s easier to recall as opposed to doing all this other crazy stuff. That’s good but if you can’t do it in stress, then it doesn’t make a difference.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((NATS: D.J. Stephens))
And boom, I’m poking him. Boom, with my front foot. Make sense? The power comes from that hip. Good.
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))
So, martial by definition means war. That’s what martial means. And the art is a method, a way, how you express yourself. Some people express themselves, you have paintings. That’s an art, you know. They express themselves through painting. You have singing, that’s an art. Acting, that’s an art.
((NATS: D.J. Stephens))
When you go up, you’re going to twist left, twist right, go back down.
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))
I am the first African American to get his black belt [in Krav Maga], for the state of Maryland. Definitely the first second degree [in Maryland].
((NATS: D.J. Stephens))
Move! Move!
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))
So, you’re just in a de-escalating. You could be using your voice, “Hey, listen man. Back up.” You know, whatever, you know. Boom! Okay?
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))
So, that makes me feel good. But the reason why it makes me feel good is I like to inspire.
((NATS: D.J. Stephens))
Alright, let’s play. Let’s go!
((NATS))
17, 18, 19, 20
Bottom squat position! Hold that position and count to 20. Go!
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))
There’s a book by Tim Larkin called, When Violence Is The Answer. And he starts the book off and he says, “Violence is rarely the answer but when it’s the answer, it’s the only answer.”
((Courtesy: D.J. Stephens CDK/YouTube))
You know, so when a bad person is using violence against a good person, that’s a bad act he’s doing.
But when a good person is using violence to defend him or herself, that’s a good thing.
((NATS))
((Lara Ballard
Student, Krav Maga CDK))
I took karate in high school but then just never came back to it. And about four years ago, the country seemed to be getting a little rough and I thought, well, you know, if I, you know, if there are people out jumping other people on the streets, harassing other people in the streets, I want to be able to do something. And, you know, I’m not a martial artist. And I’m not on, you know, some journey toward, you know, being Bruce Lee or whatever the 52-year-old female equivalent of that is. And Krav Maga is a system that anyone can do, you know. It’s not pretty but, you know, you can learn something in a single seminar that might just be the thing that saves your life. And the longer you stick with it, the more you’re able to address whatever risks come your way.
((NATS: D.J. Stephens))
Go!
((Matt
Student, Krav Maga CDK))
I first heard about it from a friend of mine but I had actually been thinking about, you know, some sort of martial arts because I’m in the security field. And I wanted to go further into that. So, came to try this out, ended up loving it.
((D.J. Stephens
Head Instructor & Owner, Krav Maga CDK))

People walk around the streets
((Courtesy: D.J. Stephens CDK/YouTube))
or wherever they are, you know, if they have confidence that they know they can defend themselves if they had to, I found that people are a lot nicer. I kind of call myself, “Saving the world one punch at a time
((Courtesy: D.J. Stephens CDK/YouTube))
through the teachings of self-defense.”
That’s my mantra.
((NATS/MUSIC))

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