Kids learn how to avoid ‘grizzly’ situations

COSTA MESA ? On Thursday morning, martial arts instructor Bear St. Clair showed a group of children how to ward off an attacker ? and it had nothing to do with a kick or a sumo slam.

At the start of the hour-long class, held for students from the Childs-Pace Foundation, St. Clair demonstrated a simple method for avoiding trouble. One after another, he had students walk across the front of the room while he followed close behind. As soon as they heard his footsteps, they turned, put their hands on their hips and loudly asked, “Can I help you?”

It may not have looked like much, but as St. Clair pointed out, it deters conflicts all the time.

“If you ask a question, you are immediately in a position of power, because they have to answer to you,” he told the class.

This year, Childs-Pace ? a nonprofit organization for low-income children 5 to 12 years old ? began holding a weekly class at St. Clair’s studio on the Westside. Teacher Laura Cisneros said the nonprofit, which also leads children on camping trips, kayaking and more, sought out opportunities that rarely came by children in poor neighborhoods.

“Mostly, it’s exposing them to things,” she said. “Either their parents can’t afford to get them in, or it’s things their parents wouldn’t think of doing.”

During Thursday’s class, St. Clair led 10 students through a number of colorful martial arts exercises. At one point, he had children overturn a 75-pound tire back and forth across the studio. Other warm-up techniques boasted names like the monkey sweep, the sumo squat and the Spider-Man ? or, St. Clair quickly added, the Spider-Woman.

Most of the students in the class said they had never taken martial arts before, but found the moves appealing.

“They’re difficult, but you’ll get used to them,” said Gaby Hernandez, 12.dpt.21-bear-2-CPhotoInfo0V1T5IAQ20060721j2q7kxncCredit: Caption: (LA)Bear St. Clair, top, watches as Judith Hernandez, left, 11, of Garden Grove, practices the Monkey Paw Sweep on her sister Gaby Hernandez, right, 11, of Garden Grove. dpt.21-bear-1-CPhotoInfo0V1T5IAM20060721j2q7ksncCredit: MARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Ulises Rodriguez, 8, of Costa Mesa, practices kicking with a bag during Thursday’s Childs Pace class at Bear Essential Combat in Costa Mesa.