Who this is-and isn't-for.

Empower-Her attracts a specific kind of student.

Not a specific age, fitness level, or background — a specific disposition. . 

It's for you if: 

— You've been thinking about doing a self defence course for a while 

— You want practical skills you can actually drill, not a one-off workshop 

— You'd rather learn in a small group than a packed room 

— You want instructors who train regularly in a real martial art 

— You move through the world the way most women do, and want to know what to do if something happens 

It's not for you if you want: 

— A workshop with a certificate at the end 

— A fitness class that's branded as self defence 

— Confidence-building exercises and role-play scenarios 

— A motivational seminar 

— Anything taught by people who don't train regularly themselves 

Empower-Her is a course.
Six weeks.
Structured.
Skills built session by session.

Why this course is not a workshop

There's a difference between learning a technique and being able to use it. It takes hours to learn to drive. 

It takes laps to learn to swim. Self-defence is no different. A one-off workshop can show you techniques. A course gives you the time to drill them — until they're physical, repeatable, available without thinking. 

It's closer to a first-aid course than a martial-arts journey: practical capability, learned properly, over enough weeks for it to stick. You leave more capable than you arrived — not because you've been told you're stronger, but because you actually are.

How it works

The course is structured so each week builds on the last. The most demanding material comes later — and by the time it's introduced, you've already drilled the foundations that make it accessible. 

Week one is the gentlest contact you'll have: slow pace, controlled, building the basics. Every class also revises material from previous weeks — repetition is built into how the course is taught — so if you miss a session, you won't be left behind.

What the first session is like

The first session starts with hand escapes — someone holding your wrist or arm so you can practise breaking the hold. The contact is controlled. 

The pace is slow. Most students have never been physically grabbed by a stranger before, even in a training context. 

For some it's fine from the first technique. For others it's the moment they realise this is real rather than theoretical. 

The course is structured around that. Hand escapes are first deliberately. By session two, the thing that was unfamiliar in session one is starting to feel like training. 

Worth a quick message?

Have a question? Ask us anything. B'Elanna or André reply personally — what it's like in the room, whether your situation works, anything at all. Tap the button and it opens Messenger with a message already written — just hit send, or change it to whatever you actually want to ask. 

No commitment, no booking.

What past students have said

"I did this course with my teenage daughters last year. It was exceptional, great teachers, great course structure, we all learnt so much!"   

Stephanie.  FB.

"Brilliant! Well worth the money. I felt very comfortable in this dojo. The classes are small and personal. Andre and his daughter B’Elanna were patient and flexible. They were able to adjust the lessons to my personal needs and physical restrictions." 
Kristina.  June 2024.

"Am completing the Women's Self Defence course. I love it! Both instructors are very well informed and excellent teachers. It's a fun and engaging 6 week course, with lots of very useful skills that anyone can complete. Such a great learning opportunity and a welcoming environment. Highly recommend!!"

H. Knot, February 2024

The price

$180 for the six-week course. 

That's $30 a session for the Monday classes. But during the six weeks you also have access to all of the dojo's regular jujutsu classes at no extra cost — including a women's-only class, the best place to revisit your Monday material alongside other women who train regularly. 

Attend more, drill more. Students who use the wider schedule finish with substantially more capability — not a promise about how you'll feel, a description of what you'll have practised.

If it's not for you

Session one starts gentle.
The course gets more demanding from session two — counters, striking, working with larger training partners as the weeks progress. If by the end of session two the course isn't for you, for any reason — full refund. You can find out it's right for you without losing what you've paid.

The next step

If this feels like the right kind of course for you, the simplest next step is a quick message. 

You don't need to book or commit — just ask whatever you need to decide.
And if there's anything specific to your situation — an injury or physical limitation, a past experience you'd rather not discuss in class, a scheduling question, anything at all — that's exactly the kind of thing worth a message rather than treating as a reason not to come. Most things can be accommodated. 

Under 18? You're welcome in the course, you'll just need a parent's ok first.   Here is a page to share with them:

Tap below — Messenger opens with a message ready to go. B'Elanna or André will reply.
It's a conversation, not a sign-up.

Prefer something else?